Les mer om UiBs nye æresdoktorer
University of Bergen has appointed ten new honorary doctors. Here you can learn more about them.
Published:
Aud Jebsen, Richard Sennett, Tia De Nora, Henrik Palmer Olsen, Karl Ove Knausgård, Samah Jabr, Luciano Floridi, Paul Smith, Deryn Fogg, and Anna Louise Gloyn will be awarded honorary doctorates by University of Bergen on Thursday 21 May.
“Through their work, they have made significant contributions to the development of their respective fields, and in various ways they have strengthened our understanding of the importance of research and the arts. These honorary doctorates express the university’s deep appreciation of their efforts,” says Rector Margareth Hagen.
Honorary doctorate ceremony open to all
The honorary doctors will formally receive their title at a ceremonial event in the University Aula on Thursday 21 May at 13:00. Everyone is warmly welcome to attend the ceremony.
The day before, on Wednesday 20 May, there will be various events, lectures, and conversations for and with the new honorary doctors. Here you can read more about all the events taking place.
Professor Richard Sennett, The London Center for the Humanities
Dr. Sennett has, over more than five decades, contributed to the understanding of topics ranging from social inequality, public life, knowledge, and craftsmanship to work, employment, and urban life. Sennett combines theoretical depth with a broad reach beyond academia. He integrates insights from sociology, philosophy, history, political theory, art, and architecture/urban planning.
A recurring central theme in his work has been how we as human beings can and must develop our broad range of social skills in community, and how social institutions can either support or hinder this development. Richard Sennett was nominated by the university leadership.
Aud Jebsen, Stiftelsen Kristian Gerhard Jebsen
Through the Kristian Gerhard Jebsen Foundation, Aud Jebsen has demonstrated a selfless and visionary commitment to research in Norway. Since its establishment in 2009, the foundation has funded 26 medical and two marine research centres, nine of them at University of Bergen. In addition, the foundation supports a range of cultural initiatives, particularly within classical music. By the end of 2024, the foundation had awarded a total of NOK 807 million.
Particular emphasis is placed on the establishment of the K. G. Jebsen Academy for Young Researchers, which supports talented early-career researchers and strengthens collaboration between the Jebsen centres. Aud Jebsen was nominated by the university leadership.
Professor Tia DeNora, University of Exeter
Dr. DeNora’s work is grounded in the sociology of music. Through ethnographic research and theoretical reflection, her work explores how individuals and societies use and experience music to navigate everyday life, and to create community, care, and wellbeing. Her research promotes music and the arts as fundamental contributors to individual and societal health and wellbeing.
She works across a wide interdisciplinary field, including philosophy, anthropology, the humanities, the arts, medicine, music, and health, and has contributed to innovative interdisciplinary research, practice, and theory within a broad music and cultural studies context. Tia DeNora was nominated by the Faculty of Fine Art, Music and Design at University of Bergen.
Professor Henrik Palmer Olsen, University of Copenhagen and the Faculty of Law at University of Bergen
Dr. Olsen is a professor of law at the University of Copenhagen. His scholarly work is particularly concerned with issues in legal philosophy, and more recently with artificial intelligence.
Henrik Palmer Olsen was nominated by the Faculty of Law at the University of Bergen.
Karl Ove Knausgård, writer
Karl Ove Knausgård has, perhaps more than most, managed to combine intense reading experiences with academic discussions and engaging, immediate reflections in essay form. He has made remarkable contributions to world literature.
The novel series My Struggle, as well as his other publications, demonstrates literature’s own power in a time when both literature and the practice of reading are challenged by other media forms. Karl Ove Knausgård was nominated by the Faculty of Humanities at University of Bergen.
Dr. Samah Jabr, psychiatrist, psychotherapist, and author
Dr. Jabr has written books, research articles, and has communicated widely on the psychological consequences of war and occupation in Palestine. She integrates medical expertise with activism, consistently highlighting the mental health impacts of occupation, colonial violence, and war, particularly among victims of torture and trauma in the Palestinian context.
She has served communities in East Jerusalem and the West Bank for more than two decades, and is currently a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at George Washington University. She is also a member of the Centre for Science and Policy at the University of Cambridge.
Samah Jabr was nominated by the Faculty of Psychology at University of Bergen.
Professor Luciano Floridi, Yale University
Dr. Floridi has made groundbreaking and internationally recognized contributions to information ethics and the philosophy of technology. Through his interdisciplinary research, he has developed key concepts such as the “infosphere” and the “Fourth Revolution,” which have reshaped how we understand the digital society, artificial intelligence, and big data.
He is also a leading advocate for responsible technology development and ethical reflection in the context of digitalisation. Floridi contributes to policy-making and public debate on the role of technology in society and promotes collaboration between academia, industry, and government, both nationally and internationally. Luciano Floridi was nominated by the Faculty of Social Sciences at University of Bergen.
Dr. Paul Smith, Botanic Gardens Conservation International
Dr. Smith leads the Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), the world’s largest global network for plant conservation initiatives. He is regularly consulted by leading figures involved in multilateral environmental agreements, particularly the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, as well as organisations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization and the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry.
Under his leadership, more than twenty presidents and directors of the world’s largest botanical institutions participate in BGCI’s international advisory council. Dr. Smith’s outstanding technical, diplomatic, and negotiation skills are reflected in his professional achievements both at the Millennium Seed Bank, which he led for many years, and at BGCI.
He has successfully advocated for the planting of native and endangered tree species, including as an alternative to non-native plantations for carbon sequestration. Paul Smith was nominated by the University Museum of University of Bergen.
Professor Deryn Fogg, University of Ottawa
Dr. Fogg is a world leader in the development of tools, insights, and processes for the sustainable production of molecules and materials that enable today’s technologies. She is also distinguished as an outstanding mentor and an inspiring role model for early-career researchers.
In addition, she has established herself as a strong advocate for science, including in dialogue with political decision-makers. Deryn Fogg was nominated by the Faculty of Science and Technology at University of Bergen.
Professor Anna Louise Gloyn, Stanford University
Dr. Anna Louise Gloyn has conducted extensive and world-leading research in diabetes. She has made groundbreaking contributions to understanding the genetic causes and cellular mechanisms underlying the development of diabetes in both children and adults. This work has had a significant impact on the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.
Anna Louise Gloyn was nominated by the Faculty of Medicine at University of Bergen.