At 104 years old, Milner becomes the oldest living Walk of Fame inductee
Pioneering scientist and neuropsychologist Brenda Milner, PhD, has been inducted to Canada’s Walk of Fame, in the Science, Technology and Innovation category.
“We are excited to shine a bright light on this extraordinary Canadian innovator,” said Jeffrey Latimer, CEO, Canada’s Walk of Fame. “Dr. Milner’s tireless and eager research of the human brain was ground-breaking, and her insatiable curiosity shook up the field of neuroscience with her research on brain health and aging, all from her home base in Montreal in 1950.”
World-renowned for her breakthrough research spanning more than seven decades into the human brain, Milner is best known for her work on memory formation and function of the brain. She transformed the field of neuropsychology, combining neurology and psychology, and is considered one of the most important neuroscientists of the twentieth century.
Milner’s career spans an unprecedented 70 years – almost all as a member of the McGill/Neuro community. Her contributions and research in clinical neuropsychology revolutionized our understanding of how brain structures govern different learning, memory, and speech functions, exploring the interaction between the brain’s left and right hemispheres while studying the behaviour of young adult patients with epilepsy. She is a pioneer in cognitive neuroscience and is world-renowned for her work on memory.
“It means a lot to receive this honour from my adopted country and to be inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame,” said the 104-year-old Milner in a video from her home in Montreal. “Who knows what I’ll get when I’m 110! I’m feeling lucky, and I’m grateful.”
Milner joins previously announced 2023 Inductees, including Supreme Court Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella (Humanitarianism category); the Degrassi television franchise (Arts and Entertainment); Connor McDavid (Sports and Athletics); and Rick Mercer (Arts and Entertainment).