UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – On Sept. 22, University of Freiburg Rector Kerstin Krieglstein presented the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg – University Medal to Martin Trethewey, Penn State emeritus professor of mechanical engineering, for Trethewey's efforts in forging a global collaboration between the two universities. The University of Freiburg had awarded the honor to Trethewey in 2020, but due to the pandemic, the in-person award ceremony had been postponed.
The award recognized Trethewey's essential role in building the partnership between the two institutions, and credited him with establishing the groundwork for bilateral cooperation that has enabled both universities to push the boundaries of global collaboration in research and education.
The University of Freiburg and Penn State have been linked since 1997, a partnership connecting the universities through research, teaching and service in a multi-disciplinary way. Over the years student exchanges between the two led to a Collaboration Development Program in 2016, which has provided seed monies for long-term programs integrating faculty and junior researchers from both universities.