The Docteur Honoris Causa title that Kadish received, one of France's highest honors, is now bestowed only once every five years at the Université de Bourgogne and is reserved for individuals with outstanding accomplishments in the fields of science, literature, politics, the arts and medicine. The Université de Bourgogne was founded in 1722, gave its first chemistry class in 1776 and awarded its first Docteur Honoris Causa in 1932.
"Dr. Kadish has amassed an impressive body of work in his career and is extremely well respected in his field," said John Bear, dean of UH's College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. "It doesn't surprise me that he has been chosen to receive this significant honor, and I'm glad that I was on hand to witness this historic event."
Joining a roster of illustrious past recipients that includes three Nobel laureates and a Pulitzer Prize winner, Kadish has earned his place among the honorees by publishing more than 400 scientific papers, editing 32 books and being among the top 250 cited chemists in the world.
Recently honored as a Distinguished University Professor at UH for chemistry, Kadish has fostered long-term collaborations with France that include setting up educational and research exchange programs between the two countries, furthering the progress of scientific research and enhancing Franco-American relations.
A member of the UH faculty since 1976 and President of the UH Faculty Senate in 1996-97, Kadish has been a visiting professor in several French universities, including the Ecole Superieure de Chimie Industrielle de Lyon, the University of Dijon and the Université Louis Pasteur in Strasbourg where he held a Fulbright Fellowship in 1980-81.
For more information and a photo of Kadish, visit http://www.chem.uh.edu/Faculty/Kadish/Index.html.
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