Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory’s 12th commencement ceremony to honor science advocates

A leader in education and an advocate for scientific research, Hanna Holborn Gray, Ph.D. served as president of the University of Chicago from 1978-1993, and was the first female president of a major university in the United States. She was one of the original, Charter Trustees of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) from its inception in 1984 until she retired in 2012, and from 1997 to 2010, she served as Chair. Under Dr. Gray’s leadership, HHMI expanded, including building its first stand alone research institute, the very successful Janelia Farm Research Campus, as well as increasing the Science Education Program.

Journalist Charlie Rose, and the television show that shares his name, has aired multiple series on science that offer the general public a rich and sophisticated insight into scientific endeavor, as well as a nuanced take on the future of medical advances. He is being honored as a leader in the public engagement, insight and inquiry into contemporary topics of science and society.

Lord David Sainsbury was Minister for Science and Innovation in the United Kingdom from 1998 and 2006. In his role as philanthropist, Lord Sainsbury established the Gatsby Charitable Foundation in 1967.  With a particular emphasis on plant science and neuroscience, The Gatsby Foundation has had a major impact on biological research in the UK.