yesterday, at the 86th convention of the Board of Governors, the Hebrew University awarded 11 honorary doctorates in recognition of the recipients’ contribution to science, society, and the Hebrew University. The doctorates were presented in the presence of senior figures from the public and business sectors, leading researchers at the University, the president of the Hebrew University, Prof. Asher Cohen, and the rector of the Hebrew University, Prof. Tamir Sheffer.
Prof. Asher Cohen, president of the Hebrew University, congratulated the awardees: “The Hebrew University is proud of the outstanding team of recipients of honorary doctorates for 2023. This team includes scientists, researchers, social and public figures, and leaders in their respective fields. Their academic excellence and contribution to the community and to society are an inspiration, and they serve as a model for academic flourishing and groundbreaking research.”
The doctorate awardees are as follows:
Prof. Jeffrey Ullman, Stanford W. Ascherman Professor of Engineering (Emeritus) at Stanford University—in recognition of his outstanding contribution to computer science research, and his commitment to the advancement of science.
Prof. Barbara Engelking , one of the pioneers of sociological research on the Holocaust, of the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the Polish Academy of Sciences—in recognition of her research of the testimonies of Polish Jews, establishing the Polish Center for Holocaust Research, and founding the only scientific journal in Poland about the Holocaust.
Mr. Arthur Gutterman—in recognition of his tireless dedication to Jewish communities around the world and his contribution to the security and prosperity of the State of Israel; his and his family's commitment to the teaching of the Holocaust in South Florida.
Prof. Sonia Livingstone OBE, professor of social psychology at the London School of Economics and Political Science— in recognition of her research into the impact of media policy in the United Kingdom, Europe, and internationally; of her efforts to enable children around the world to exercise their rights to safe access to the internet; and of her critical role in drafting the 25th amendment to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), relating to internet access.
Dr. Eric Steven Lander, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University—in recognition of his contribution to the advancement of science around the world, particularly the mapping and sequencing of the human genome and the establishment of the Broad Institute, which offers a new and groundbreaking model based on collaboration and interdisciplinary efforts to address scientific challenges; and of the relationships he has fostered between the scientific communities in the United States and Israel.
Prof. Leon Mann AO, of the Department of Psychology at the University of Melbourne—in recognition of his groundbreaking research in the field of decision-making; of the translation of his academic findings into a curriculum that has formed part of the training for IDF officers and of other educational programs in Israel; and of his dedication to the Jewish people and the State of Israel, including the Hebrew University, where he founded the Phillip Mann Prize in memory of his late brother and the Mann Family Prize for Brain Science Research.
Mr. Yitzhak Manor—in recognition of his great contribution to strengthening trade relations between Israel and France, for which he received the highest civil honor in France and was sworn in to the Légion d’honneur; of his loyal service to the Hebrew University, where he served for nine years as a member of the Board of Directors and has now served for over a decade as a member of the Board of Governors; and of his generous contribution to the advancement of science at the University in a range of subjects.
Prof. Dr-Ing. Reimund Neugebauer, president of the Fraunhofer Society in Germany—in recognition of his outstanding academic career and founding the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology; and of his partnership with the Hebrew University, together with which he has chosen to establish two Fraunhofer research centers in Jerusalem, one for cybersecurity and the other for drug research.
Prof. Robert T. Knight, professor of psychology and brain science at the University of California in Berkeley and professor of neurology and neurosurgery at the University of California in San Francisco—in recognition of his outstanding academic achievements in cognitive brain science and in psychology; of his clinical work with patients and his efforts to make information accessible to the broader public, including by founding the journal Frontiers for Young Minds; and his role in ensuring the establishment of the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences.
Mr. Yehoshua Sobol, one of the most important and outstanding artistic figures in Israel—in recognition of his storied career as a playwright, author, poet, and director, whose works provide a remarkable reflection of the Israeli experience; of his work to promote humanist values and social justice; and of his commitment to education, as manifested in his teaching at universities and colleges throughout the country, including the Hebrew University, where he devotes time to writing and to enriching the activities of the University’s Israel Institute for Advanced Studies.
Dr. Raymond F. Schinazi, of the Emory University School of Medicine—in recognition of his medical research, which has affected the lives of millions of people through the discovery of effective medicines for diseases that were previously considered untreatable; of his commitment to making medicines available to people in the country of his birth, Egypt, from which he fled as a boy, and in Georgia; and of his involvement in training the next generations of medical researchers via the initiative he founded with the Hebrew University and Hadassah School of Medicine.
The Samuel Rothberg Prize for Jewish Education was awarded to Rabbi Dr. Benjamin (Benny) Lau, one of the most prominent figures in Israeli society today, who has dedicated his life to making Judaism more accessible to the wider Israeli public in various ways. Rabbi Dr. Lau is one of the most outspoken voices calling for the institution of the rabbinate to be adapted to modern times, including by updating ceremonies in the Jewish life cycle such as marriage and conversion, as well as the participation of women in religious worship.