Mary opens Research Day 2006 in Odense

Today Crown Princess Mary has travelled to Odense by train to open Research Day 2006 and award the Research Communication Prize (100,000 DKK) in the Odense Town Hall. The theme for this year's Research Day is "On track for the future".

Fyens Stiftstidende - Odense reports Mary arrived in Odense with her hofdame Caroline Heering a little late because the train was late. Mary's father, visiting Mathematics professor at Copenhagen University, is involved in some of the day's events.

Mary is patron of this intiative: Research Day is an annual, recurring event. The objective of the event is to arouse curiosity about and understanding of the methods and results of research and science in the general public. All over the country research institutions, municipalities, museums, companies and others, who are interested in research, will organize events to show research in a tangible, amusing and down-to-earth context. The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation is behind the initiative. The background for Research Day is a recommendation from the Think-tank on furthering the understanding of research.
Read About Research Day in English.

Forskningens Døgn 2006 er ”På sporet af fremtiden” (in Danish) is about the research day theme "On track for the future" (RoboCluster is a growth initiative for the robotics and automation industry in southern Denmark - this is its website)

Press release about John Donaldson's participation.


Fyens Stiftstidende - Odense says John Donaldson isn't there just as Mary's father but participates as a scientist and professor of applied mathematics. He will make a speech at the official opening and talk about the importance of mathematics in the new environment of the global community.

After the prize giving and speeches, brunch follows at the Town Hall, and then the Crown Princess and her father will visit the big research market place at Flakhaven where researchers are exhibiting examples of their knowledge and skills.

TV 2/FYN

Crown Princess Mary's speech (in Danish)

*Visit Gert Blume's website for more photos!

Added! In an earlier post here we have included a 5 min 18 sec video clip of Crown Princess Mary opening the Heart Drive at the launch of the Heart Association's 2006 program Crown Princess Mary launches Heart Week. (Thanks Lasse!)