News Highlights
Author:
Maha Al-Azar,
Media Relations Officer,
Office of Information and Public Relations,
ma110@aub.edu.lb
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AUB confers honorary doctoral degrees to 5 individuals who left their imprints on various fields
[L-R] Zerhouni, El-Roumi, El-Baz, Al-Hamad, and Morris; Dorman, at the podium |
The American University of Beirut awarded on June 27 honorary doctoral degrees to four individuals--along with a surprise doctorate to outgoing Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT) Thomas Morris--who were honored for their life achievements and advancement of human causes through four different fields: socio-economic development, science, art, and medicine.
The award ceremony, took place at noon in Assembly Hall, coinciding with the University's 140th Commencement, which was scheduled for later that day.
The four recipients were: Kuwaiti development advocate Abdlatif Yousef Al-Hamad, Egyptian geologist and scientist Farouk El-Baz, Lebanese singer Majida El Roumi, and Algerian radiologist Elias Zerhouni. |
 | Al-Hamad [R] receives his honorary doctorate; Dorman on left
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AUB President Peter Dorman introduced the degree recipients, following an official procession of faculty members in academic regalia, led by Chief Marshall Samir Makdisi. Dorman and Acting Provost Waddah Nasr handed the honorary doctorates to recipients.
Referring to the doctoral degree recipients, Dorman said: "Their life achievements and commitments to the furtherance of human causes are made without expectation or thought of honors, but only for the fulfillment of the convictions they passionately serve. It is we who are honored by their presence today; it is this University that basks in the light of their accomplishments."
The president introduced former Kuwaiti Minister of Finance Abdlatif Al-Hamad as "an individual whose vision of economic and social development in the Arab world has been years ahead of its time." Dorman added: "A key ingredient of his vision for development is the idea of equitably sharing the world's power and resources among all peoples of the globe."
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 | El-Baz commends AUB for 'pushing scientific research...to build a knowledge society'
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Al-Hamad, who is also director-general and chairman of the Board of Directors of the Arab Fund for Economic Development and a member of the International Finance Corporation's advisory group of the World Bank, thanked the University for the award, noting that AUB has been playing a significant role in promoting dialogue among cultures and tolerance. "By fostering free thought and open discussion, AUB has placed itself at the heart of an Arab nationalist awakening. It has significantly contributed to the Arab Renaissance and has participated in the making of the regional history," he said. "It is, for these reasons, a privilege and an honor to be associated with such a great university.
"The American University of Beirut has greatly contributed to paving the way for modernity and progress. Its contribution will be needed in the future as much as during the past century and a half," he added.
Dorman then invited Egyptian geologist Farouk El-Baz to the podium. "There are few scholars in the world today who can, with complete authority, look back into the ancient prehistory of the world and also look ahead to the unfathomable voids of outer space," Dorman said of El-Baz, whose applications of space technology and remote sensing have had wide-ranging impacts on fields as diverse as desert studies and ground water exploration to crowd size estimations of events such as the Million Man March in Washington DC and the inauguration of US President Barack Obama.
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 | El-Roumy: 'Lebanon...the Quran of conscience...the Bible of spirit'
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El-Baz thanked AUB for the honor, praising the University for its leadership role in the region. "I am very glad to see that AUB has been pushing scientific research and improving its quality, as this is the right direction toward creating a knowledge society, which is the basis for a better future," he said.
Singer Magida El-Roumy, described by President Dorman as "an incomparable musical voice for Lebanon" was the next degree recipient. Magida El Roumy possessed "a voice [that is] not only wedded to her art but to her personal conviction in the dignity of the human spirit," added Dorman, listing the singer's work which interweaves music with political causes. "Her interpretation of words and rhythms are linked to her passionate response to significant causes," he said. "Magida El Roumy has always been firmly opposed to the Israeli occupation of Lebanon and Palestinian lands."
El-Roumy thanked AUB, to resounding applause, for the honor it bestowed on her. She also paid tribute to her family whom she said helped her achieve success, and to "Lebanon [which] remains in my conscience, the Lebanon of great personalities, saints, creators, and thinkers who left their successful mark throughout the world...Lebanon...the crown jewel of Arab culture...the Quran of conscience...the Bible of spirit... the heart of Wisdom...the place of encounter of civilizations, cultures and religion... Lebanon whose sovereignty I will defend by accepting with honor to be the enemy of all those who have an agenda to suppress or fragment my country...and those people are too many."
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 | Zerhouni: 'AUB is a very unique institution...with resilience and courage'
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Dorman then introduced Elias Zerhouni as a "brilliant innovator in the field of radiology, having developed imaging techniques to diagnose cancer and cardiovascular disease, broadened the scope of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and refined computerized axial tomography imaging (CAT scans) to improve cancer cell detection."
Zerhouni, who led the National Institute of Health in the United States for six years, is credited with overseeing the passage of the 2006 NIH Reform Act which facilitated interdisciplinary scientific research and clinical applications. "Elias Zerhouni is typically modest about these far-reaching achievements, despite the accolades of his peers and the recognition accorded by numerous awards for his leadership in medicine and at the NIH," said Dorman.
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 | Outgoing BOT Chair Morris is honored for his 'manifold contributions' to AUB
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Zerhouni added: "Now, AUB has the chance of the century to facilitate and encourage the promotion of education and to influence young minds, by encouraging them to dream big dreams and realize them...You cannot contain big dreams in small boxes."
Then President Dorman announced that the University will be granting an honorary doctorate to outgoing BOT Chairman Thomas Morris, for his "manifold contributions" to the University since 1985. "Since [he first arrived at AUB], he has selflessly devoted his time and energies in promoting the health and welfare of AUB, and in re-establishing its pre-eminence in the region," said Dorman. "In his challenging role as Chairman of the Board, Tom has served as a paragon of diplomacy and fair-mindedness. He is a man of integrity and leadership, who has articulated and crystallized the values and mission of AUB in a way that has greatly advanced the re-emergence of one of the jewels of higher education in the Middle East."
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 | Front row [R-L]: Siniora and his wife, Huda; Mitri, and Baroud
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Visibly surprised, Morris thanked AUB for honoring him.
"I am honored and surprised," he said. "I congratulate the other honorees, since "whatever I have done pales in comparison to your achievements."
"AUB has been great for me, a privilege to serve and a real pleasure...I accept this honorary degree with great pleasure and even greater humility," said Morris.
Among those attending the event were PM Fouad Siniora, Ministers Tarek Mitri, Ziad Baroud, former Minister Karam Karam, Press Federation President Mohammed Baalbaki as well as members of the AUB Board of Trustees and the AUB community. |
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