Edith Graef McGeer - Society for Neuroscience

362 Patrick L. McGeer and Edith GraefMcGeer
Neurochemistry gave us wonderful glimpses of such towns as Copenhagen
(especially Tivoli), Wolfgang-am-Zee, Budapest, and Tokyo. After the meeting
in Tokyo, we gave a talk at a Tokyo university on the basal ganglia. We
were then taken out to dinner by the president of the university and some
of the faculty members. Toshi Hattori, then in our laboratory and part of
our group, whispered that it was the best Geisha house in Tokyo. As soon
as we were seated, the head Geisha said something to our host, to which
he replied very briefly. Toshi whispered to Edie, 'This will amuse you. She
asked the president 'What is she doing here—a woman?' And the president
said 'She's not a woman—she's a scientist."
The scientific meetings in the early days helped to overcome the feeling
of isolation in neuroscience in Vancouver. However, we found that there
were neuroscientists who felt even more isolated. We were taken on a bus
tour to view the autumn leaves while attending a meeting in Quebec and
Edie fell into conversation with the young man seated beside her. They
exchanged first names and places of residence. He came from Boise, Idaho,
and was complaining about how difficult it was to do neuroscience in isolation.
Edie said she had the same problem. At which point he voiced one of
the sincerest compliments we have ever received: 'Oh,' he said, 'but you're
from Vancouver and the McGeers are there.' Everyone feels a little isolated
in their own specialty, and meetings are a stimulating antidote.
Order of Canada
Canada is a country with diffidence toward honors. There is no such thing
as a Canadian National Academy of Sciences. Prime Minister Mackenzie
King issued a parliamentary order in the 1920s forbidding Canadian citizens
to receive a British title, making Canada unique among British
Commonwealth countries. Prime Minister Lester Pearson decided all of
this was not quite right and so he established the Order of Canada in the
1960s. It has been inducting Canadian citizens prominent in the creative
arts, sciences, and public service as companions, officers, and members for
more than 30 years, but the Order, perhaps appropriately, is little known,
even in Canada. Nevertheless, inductees are always proud to be recognized
and are treated to a wonderful ceremony at Government House in
Ottawa. We were nominated by a lady from eastern Canada who was
completely unknown to us. That must have impressed the selection
committee because we were accepted. She thought it would be appropriate
for a husband and wife team to be jointly honored, and we were inducted
together as officers of the Order of Canada in May 1995. Were we the first
husband and wife team to be recognized? Yes and no. A husband and wife
team, not from the scientific community, had previously been accepted,
but before the ceremony was held they had a battle and divorced. They
insisted that they be inducted in separate ceremonies.