Aarhus University to award five honorary doctorates
One recipient has developed new therapies for diseases of the liver. Another has made it possible to map proteins at the atomic level, and a third has made groundbreaking contributions to the study of the religions of the Roman Empire. Aarhus University will award honorary doctorates to five respected international researchers in connection with the annual anniversary celebration.
On Friday 12 September, Aarhus University will celebrate its 96th anniversary, and in keeping with tradition, AU will award five honorary doctorates on this day – one for each of the five faculties. The recipients are eminent researchers from other research institutions with whom Aarhus University has a history of collaboration. The honorary degree recognises the recipient’s close connection to the university.
The 2025 recipients are:
Professor Jörg Rüpke, Germany (Faculty of Arts)
Jörg Rüpke, a professor at the University of Erfurt, is an internationally renowned scholar of religion and one of the world's leading experts on ancient religions, particularly those of the Roman Empire. He is the deputy director of the prestigious Max Weber Centre for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies and has set new standards for the study of religion with concepts such as urban religion and lived ancient religion.
Dr Annette Vissing-Jørgensen, USA (Aarhus BSS)
Annette Vissing-Jørgensen is Senior Adviser for Research and Policy at the Federal Reserve Board and a leading economist in the fields of finance, macroeconomics and household economic decision-making. Her research has shaped our understanding of capital markets and monetary policy and has been published in some of the most prestigious international economics journals, including the Journal of Political Economy.
Professor Jacob George, Australia (Faculty of Health)
Jacob George, a professor at the University of Sydney, is a world-renowned specialist in disease of the liver. He has 25 years of experience in managing clinical and basic research on liver diseases and developing new treatment methods for fatty liver disease, viral hepatitis, liver fibrosis and liver cancer.
Dr Lori Passmore FRS, England (Faculty of Natural Sciences)
Lori Passmore, a research group leader at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge and a Fellow of the Royal Society, is a prominent and visionary researcher in the field of biomedicine. Through her groundbreaking research on gene and mRNA regulation and technological breakthroughs in cryo-electron microscopy, she has established herself as one of Europe's leading structural biologists.
Dr Jean-Francois Soussana, France (Faculty of Technical Sciences)
Internationally renowned researcher Jean-Francois Soussana, International Advisor to the INRAE CEO and Chair of France’s High-level Council on Climate, has played a leading role in shaping the research agenda for the green transition in agriculture. Throughout his career, he has coordinated a number of national, European and international research projects on agriculture and climate change, several of which were conducted in close collaboration with Aarhus University.
Read more about the recipients of honorary doctorates