Androids, early childhood memories and marine mammal communication: Aarhus University’s five new honorary doctors work in a wide variety of fields. The honorary degrees have just been conferred at the annual celebration which marks the university’s anniversary.

2021.08.19 | Ida Hammerich Nielson

The new honorary doctors. From the left: Professor Conny Aerts, professor Patracia Bauer, professor Hiroshi Ishiguro, professor Katja Zeppenfeld, professor Peter L. Tyack.

On Friday 10 September 2021, Aarhus University will celebrate its 93rd anniversary. To mark the university’s anniversary, each year AU appoints five honorary doctors – one for each of the five faculties. The honorary doctorates are conferred on eminent researchers from other institutions with whom Aarhus University has a history of collaboration. The title recognises the recipient’s close connection to the university.

The 2021 honorary doctors are:

Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro (Arts)
Hiroshi Ishiguro (b. 1963) is a professor of robotics at Osaka University in Japan. He is particularly well-known for his work on androids, or humanoid robots. By building realistic androids, he explores the conditions for human relationships, including love and spirituality.

Read more about Professor Hiroshi Ishiguro

Professor Patricia Bauer (Aarhus BSS)
Patricia Bauer (b.1957) is a professor of psychology at Emory University in the United States. She is one of the world’s leading experts on early childhood memory; one of her important findings is that children quickly forget the events of the first year of their lives.

Read more about Professor Patricia Bauer (Aarhus BSS)

Professor Katja Zeppenfeld (Health)
Katja Zeppenfeld is a professor of clinical electrophysiology and head of the clinical electrophysiology research and treatment centre in Leiden, The Netherlands. Among other achievements, she has contributed to the development of new treatments for heart arrhythmias.

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Professor Conny Aerts (NAT)
Conny Aerts (born 1966) is professor of astronomy at KU Leuven, Belgium. She is one of the world’s leading astrophysicists. Among other achievements, Aerts has developed theoretical models that allow her to analyse the oscillations of stars to map their internal structures.

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Professor Peter L. Tyack (TECH)
Peter L. Tyack (born 1953) is professor of marine mammal biology at the University of St Andrews, Scotland and Senior Scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in the United States. He is the world’s leading expert in how anthropogenic sound affects the behaviour and communication of marine mammals.

Read more about Professor Peter L. Tyack

Read more about Aarhus University’s honorary doctors