Universitas Hasanuddin (Unhas) conferred an honorary Doctorate Honoris Causa (HC) upon Dr. Bruce Michael Alberts, a leading biochemist in the United States. The awarding took place at 09.00 WITA offline at the Baruga A.P Pettarani Building, Tamalanrea Campus, Makassar, Wednesday (10/08).
Prof. dr. Irawan Yusuf, Ph.D., and Prof. Dr. Sangkot Marzuki, M.Sc., Ph.D., D.Sc (President of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences) were present as the Co-Promoter.
Dr.Alberts is a world class biochemist who has bestowed major contributions in biochemical field. Besides, he also plays a very significant role in other fields such as science education and science diplomacy over the world, particularly in the United States.
Dr. Alberts has received 17 Doctor Honoris Causa awards from various world-renowned universities. He was also awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), the highest honor of the United Kingdom as well as the National Medal of Science (2014) by President Barack Obama.
On that occasion, Prof. JJ, the Rector of Unhas representing the awarding given by Unhas, conferred the degree of an honorary doctorate to Dr. Alberts as a form of respect for his dedication and contribution to the science sphere, especially in the biomedical-biochemistry field. Not only that, Prof.JJ conveyed that the involvement of Dr. Bruce in advancing science education and empowering young scientists in the world, especially in Indonesia, becomes the main consideration of the awarding.
Dr. Bruce has a key role in initiating and developing interdisciplinary scientific forums, especially for prominent young scientists in various fields in the annual Indonesian-American KAVLI Frontiers of Sciences Symposium (KFoSS) forum in various cities in Indonesia, including Makassar (2015).
KFoSS is a forum that facilitates intensive scientific discussions among the young scientists who have a scientific track record, and has resulted in strategic collaborations between scientists from the two countries. In addition, during the KFoSS conducted in numerous cities in Indonesia, Dr. Bruce gave lectures and dialogues at numbers of Indonesian universities, including Unhas in 2012 and 2015.
“Great numbers of extraordinary influences that Dr. Bruce has contributed were one of the reasons of President Obama chosing him as the United States Special Envoy on Science for Indonesia and Pakistan in which he works to strengthen science education and empower young Indonesian scientists,” explained Prof. JJ.
The entire range of the awarding ran up to 10.30 am.
Kumara Tungga Dewa, S.S.
Editor : Supratman
