April 19 , 2010
McMaster University annouces honorary degree recipients
Former Privy Council clerk Kevin Lynch, maverick biologist Craig Venter, comedian Rick Mercer, and business executive and author Don Tapscott are among those being awarded honorary degrees at McMaster University’s Spring convocation.
Approximately 4,600 students will graduate in May and June this year. Honorary degree recipients are recognized for their contributions in such areas as public service, education and scholarship, creative and performing arts, and for their work within the McMaster community.
Convocation will take place at Hamilton Place, unless otherwise noted below. Where two or more people are listed as honorary degree recipients, an asterisk indicates the recipient will address convocation.
Divinity College
Tuesday, May 18, 8 p.m. (Convocation Hall, McMaster University)
? Justin Cooper, President, Redeemer University College, will receive a Doctor of Divinity*
Faculty of Health Sciences
Friday, May 21, 2:30 p.m.
? Dr. J. Craig Venter, founder of the J. Craig Venter Institute, will receive a Doctor of Science*
? Dr. Michael Gent, professor emeritus in the Department of Clinical Epidemiology & Biostatistics at McMaster University, will receive a Doctor of Science.
Faculty of Humanities/Arts & Science (Art, Art History, Classics, Communication Studies, Comparative Literature, Multimedia, Music, Peace Studies, Philosophy, Theatre and Film Studies, Women’s Studies)
Monday, June 7, 2:30 p.m.
?Dr. Cui Xiliang, president of the University of Beijing Language and Culture, will receive a Doctor of Letters*
? Rick Mercer, comedian, will receive a Doctor of Letters*
Faculty of Science (Biochemistry, Biology, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Geoscience, Kinesiology, Molecular Biology, Neural Computation, Psychology, Science)
Tuesday, June 8, 9:30 a.m.
? Anthony Pawson, Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, will receive a Doctor of Science *
? Henry Schwarcz, professor emeritus at McMaster University, will receive a Doctor of Science
Faculty of Science (Graduands in a single or combined program with majors in Science programs not included in the morning ceremony)
Tuesday, June 8, 2:30 p.m.
? Francesco Bellini, chairman of board and CEO of Bellus Health, Doctor of Science*
? Dr. Jules Carbotte, professor at McMaster University, Doctor of Science
Faculty of Business
Wednesday, June 10, 9:30 a.m.
? Anne Golden, president and CEO of the Conference Board of Canada, will receive a Doctor of Laws *
?Colum Bastable, chairman of Cushman, Wakefield, LePage, and past chair of McMaster University’s Board of Governors, will receive a Doctor of Laws
Faculty of Social Sciences (Anthropology, Geography, Labour Studies, Psychology, Social Work, Sociology)
Thursday, June 10, 9:30 a.m.
?Kevin Lynch, former head of the Privy Council, will receive a Doctor of Laws*
?Paul McPherson, president, Valcom Manufacturing, will receive a Doctor of Laws
Faculty of Social Sciences (Graduands in a single or combined program with majors in Social Science programs not included in the morning ceremony)
Thursday, June 10, 2:30 p.m.
? Don Tapscott, CEO, New Paradigm, will receive a Doctor of Laws*
? Walter Oster, CEO of the Canadian National Sportsman Show, will receive a Doctor of Laws
School of Nursing and Medical Radiation Sciences
Friday, June 11, 9:30 a.m.
? Dr. Sheila Cameron, professor of nursing at the University of Windsor, will receive a Doctor of Science*
? Ernest Edmonds, education consultant with the Ontario Association of Medical Radiation Technologists, will receive a Doctor of Science
Faculty of Engineering
Friday, June 11, 2:30 p.m.
? Dr. Martin Green, a professor specializing in the development of silicon solar cells at the University of New South Wales, will receive a Doctor of Science*
? Simon Haykin, University Professor and a pioneer in adaptive signal-processing as it relates to radar and communications at McMaster University, will receive a Doctor of Science.
McMaster University’s guidelines for awarding of honorary degrees are available at http://www.mcmaster.ca/univsec/policy/HonoraryDegrees.pdf
McMaster University, one of four Canadian universities listed among the Top 100 universities in the world, is renowned for its innovation in both learning and discovery. It has a student population of 23,000, and more than 140,000 alumni in 128 countries.
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For more information please contact:
Jane Christmas
Manager, Public & Media Relations
McMaster University
905-525-9140 ext. 27988
Michelle Donovan
Public Relations Manager: Broadcast Media
McMaster University
905-525-9140 ext 22869