Shirley Tilghman, co-chair of the Canada Excellence Research Chairs selection board and former president of Princeton University, has been named to the Order of Canada.
Tilghman was named Officer of the Order of Canada during an investiture ceremony at Rideau Hall on May 8, 2015, which was presided over by His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada.
The Order of Canada was created in 1967, during Canada’s centennial year, to recognize outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. Since its creation, more than 6 000 people from all sectors of society have been invested into the Order.
Tilghman is a renowned molecular biologist and academic administrator. As a professor and scientist, she played a role in the first successful cloning of a mammalian gene and made important discoveries in the field of embryonic development. In 2001, she was named president of Princeton University and led the school with distinction for more than a decade. Throughout her tenure, she was a catalyst for the advancement of women leaders in post-secondary institutions across North America.