Pomp, circumstance and science
photo: Thomas BrownJohn Rossi, left, presents Stephen B. Kass with an honorary doctorate.
At the ceremony, John Rossi, Ph.D., Lidow Family Research Chair, professor and chair of the Division of Molecular Biology and dean of the Graduate School of Biological Sciences, presented Stephen B. Kass, outgoing member of City of Hope’s board of directors, with an honorary doctoral degree for his longstanding commitment to City of Hope and its graduate program. Kass, chair and chief executive officer of national debt-buying company Credit Max LLC, has served on the City of Hope board since 1989 and currently serves as chair of Beckman Research Institute’s board of directors.
“I have witnessed extraordinary progress in the research and treatment programs at City of Hope since joining the board 18 years ago,” said Kass. “The graduate school continues to grow and attract the brightest minds from around the world and researchers who contribute significantly to City of Hope’s role as a leader in research and treatment of lifethreatening illnesses. I’m grateful to be a part of such an outstanding program.”
Ernest Beutler, M.D., professor and chair of the Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif., delivered the ceremony’s keynote speech. Beutler, who urged graduates to maintain collegiality, but not to follow the scientific “herd” in choosing a career path, served as chair of the Division of Medicine at City of Hope for 19 years until 1978. He initiated City of Hope’s bone marrow transplantation program alongside colleague Karl G. Blume, M.D.
The new graduates — Ken Dery, Yanyan Hong, Lan Jin, Ikuko Kijima, Dong-Hyun Lee, Limin Liu, Elizabeth Lobo and Jennifer Murray — now face their next round of career decisions. Although one has a job at a biotechnology company, most will begin postdoctoral positions, some in new lab settings at City of Hope.