Brandeis University will honor former BGU President Prof. Rivka Carmi (pictured above) with an Honorary Doctorate during the university's traditional commencement and awards ceremony in Waltham, Massachusetts, the university announced Monday. The ceremony is scheduled to take place on May 19.
President Emerita Carmi retired at the end of 2018 after serving as the first woman to head an Israeli university, a position she had held since 2005. Prior to her election as president, Prof. Carmi was the first woman to head an academic faculty in Israel, serving as dean of the BGU Faculty of Health Sciences from 2000-2005.
As a scientist, Prof. Carmi had a distinguished career in genetic research focusing on minority groups in the Negev region. Her work focused mainly on the characterization of clinical manifestations and the molecular basis of genetic diseases in the Negev Arab-Bedouin population. Her research includes the identification of 12 new genes and the description of three new syndromes, one of which is known as Carmi Syndrome. Her community outreach projects aim at preventing hereditary diseases and advancing women's education in the Bedouin community.
In addition to these achievements, Prof. Carmi was instrumental in establishing the National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev and also served as director of the Genetics Institute at Soroka University Medical Center.
"After smashing the glass ceiling twice — as the first woman to serve as dean of an Israeli medical school and the first woman to serve as president of an Israeli university — you are helping other women scale to the same heights. Throughout your career, and especially as chair of Israel's Association of University Heads, you have promoted policies that give women an equal shot at holding leadership roles within medicine and academia.
"This same determination fueled your scientific pursuits from your earliest years. As a teenager, you insisted on studying the sciences. You went on to become a distinguished geneticist who, among many other accomplishments, oversaw work that sought to prevent hereditary diseases within the Bedouin community… In recognition of the principled example you set as a pioneer in higher education, your dedication to achieving gender equality, and your lasting achievements in the fields of science education and genetics."
Responding to the award announcement, Prof. Carmi said the honorary doctorate was both a gratifying recognition of her personal accomplishments and an encouraging push for Israel's academic establishment to continue focusing on making academic careers possible for women.
"I am so moved to have been chosen for this honor," she said, "and especially thrilled to be included as part of this distinguished group. Both as a young researcher and later as president, I enjoyed a terrific network of personal support, from the University community and of course from my family. Their encouragement enabled me to achieve so much, and I was fortunate to have the opportunity to pave the way for more women to succeed in academia.
"It is also particularly special to receive an honorary doctorate from Brandeis University. Scholars from BGU and Brandeis have a long history of successful research collaboration, and the university's commitment to Jewish values continues to inspire me. I see this honorary degree as a recognition of that relationship, as well as of my tenure as president," Prof. Carmi added.
BGU President Prof. Daniel Chamovitz added that Prof. Carmi's career continues to be a source of inspiration to men and women alike.
"For more than 40 years, Prof. Carmi tied her fate to BGU, and to the Negev region. As president she led a terrific period of growth for our University and set high standards of leadership for us. It would be hard to think of a more deserving recipient of this award," Prof. Chamovitz said.
