WHEN: Saturday, Aug. 16, 9:30 a.m.
WHERE: Bob Devaney Sports Center, 1600 Court St.
Lincoln, Neb., Aug. 11, 2003 -- James Van Etten, William Allington distinguished professor of plant pathology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a member of the National Academy of Sciences, will give the address at UNL commencement exercises Aug. 16 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, 1600 Court St.
Chancellor Harvey Perlman will preside over the 9:30 a.m. ceremony. Nearly 800 students will receive degrees.
Van Etten was elected to the NAS in April. Membership to the academy is considered one of the highest honors that can be accorded a U.S. scientist. Van Etten's election is thought to be only the third in Nebraska's history.
In 1981, Van Etten and former UNL faculty member Russ Meints discovered a new family of viruses called Phycodnaviridae, one of about 60 recognized families of viruses. The initial discovery led to several patents and many more discoveries, including information that may be significant to human, animal and plant health.
Doctoral candidates will be honored in a hooding ceremony at 3:30 p.m. Aug. 15 at Kimball Recital Hall, 12th and R streets. Doctoral candidates will receive their diplomas at the Aug. 16 commencement exercises at the Devaney Center.
A drop-off area for graduates and mobility restricted guests will be available on the south side of the Devaney Center on Aug. 16. Sign language interpreters for hearing impaired individuals will be provided on-screen by HuskerVision. Guests in wheelchairs will be seated on the northeast corner of the arena floor. Golf carts will be located at the ramps on the exterior north and south sides of the Devaney Center to assist disabled guests entering and leaving the building.
Admission is free to both ceremonies and tickets are not required. The Aug. 16 commencement exercises will also be broadcast live on the UNL Web site.
CONTACT: Annette Wetzel, University Communications, (402) 472-8524
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Posted by Tom Simons, Office of University Communications
Phone: (402) 472-8514, Fax: (402) 472-7825