Honorary Degree Recipients

2024
Katalin Karikó, Doctor of Science

2022
Yo-Yo Ma, Doctor of Music
Todd Haynes, Doctor of Fine Arts

2020
Jules Feiffer, Doctor of Humane Letters

2019
Alan Alda, Doctor of Fine Arts
Tarana Burke, Doctor of Humane Letters
Greg Marshall, Doctor of Science

2018
Atefeh Riazi, Doctor of Science, Doctoral Graduation and Hooding Ceremony 
Tracy K. Smith, Doctor of Letters, Main Commencement Ceremony

2017
Michael J. Fox
Prince Emmanuel de Merode
Jonathan Oringer
Arthur Kramer
Frank Shu

2016
Eric H. Holder, Jr.
Soledad O’Brien

2015
Billy Joel
Ben Shneiderman
Charles B. Wang

2014
Dorothy Lichtenstein 
David Walt

2013
Terence Netter
Nora D. Vokow

2012
Glenn Dubin
Richard J. Gambino
Sister Margaret Ann Landry
James Salter

2011
Henry Laufer
Marsha Laufer
Hyun-Soon Lee
Jane Lubchenco

2010
Gregg Smith
Eugene V. Thaw
Elwyn L. Simons 

2009
Carolyn Porco
Charles Wurster 
Liu Yangdong

2008
Norman F. Ramsey
Marilyn Hawrys Simons
James D. Wolfensohn

2007
Russell Mittermeier-Conservation Biology
Christopher Pendergast-Founder, Ride for Life and Medical Research Campaigner 
W. Burghardt Turner-Civil Rights and Diversity 

2006
Bernard A. Harris, Jr.-Astronaut

2005
Christopher Reeve–Actor and Activist (posthumously)
Charles A. Gargano–Business and Engineering

2004
Richard L. Gelfond–Business
Matthew J. Cody–Philanthropist for Autism and Developmental Disabilities

2003
Robert Shaler–Forensic Biologist 
David E. Acker–Scientist and Inventor
George Booth–Cartoonist
Barry Spencer Coller–Medical Researcher and Inventor

2002
Bruce Stillman-Medical Research and Academics
Loni Ding-Filmmaker and Educator
Robert L. Gallucci-Foreign Service
Meave Leaky-Human Evolution
John H. Marburger-Physics

2001
John Hennessy-Electrical Engineering, Business, and Academics
Susan Solomon-Atmospheric Sciences
Erwin Staller-Philanthropist for the Arts

2000
John Belle-Architect
James A. Hayward-Scientist, Entrepreneur, and Philanthropist
Albert Murray-Author and Cultural Critic
George Williams-Biologist

1999
Bruce Alberts-Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
John H. Coleman-Engineering and Business
Charles Johnson-Author
June E. Osborn-Medicine and Research
Chen Ning Yang-Theoretical Physics

1998
Hayward Cirker-Publishing
E. Virgil Conway-Business and Public Service
Richard E.F. Leakey-Anthropology
T. Alexander Pond-Physics
Chang-Lin Tien-Engineering

1997
Norman Mercer-Artist
Myung Oh-Business
Suzie Orbach-Psychotherapist

1996
Kenneth Chenault-Community Service/Business
Gerald Leeds-Community Service
Lilo Leeds-Community Service
Sheldon Weinig-Scientist/Teacher

1995
Robert Blackburn-Artist/Teacher 
Dennis Puleston-Scientist/Teacher Conservationist
Kwon-Ting Li-Physics/Economic Development 
P. Roy Vagelos-Biomedical

1994
Akito Arima-Physics
Joycelyn Elders-Surgeon General
Robert Paxton-Historian

1993
Howard Green-Medicine

1992
Gertrude Elion-Scientist
Nina Totenberg-Broadcaster, National Public Radio
James Simons-Services to Higher Education/Philanthropy

1991
Isabel Allende-Writer
Mathilde Krim-Aids Research/Education

1990
Paul Lauterbur-Chemistry
John Toll-Services to Higher Education
Gary Becker-Economics
Dalai Lama-Services to Humanity and Promotion of World Peace

1989
Joan Wallach Scott-History
Karl Turekian-Geochemistry
Martinus Veltman-Physics 
Sir Run Run Shaw-Philanthropy
Lin Ma-Development of Higher Education in Hong Kong and Education Exchange

1988
Richard Doll-Medicine 
Bernard Greenhouse-Music
Barrett Hazeltine-Engineering
Theodore Lowi-Political Science 
Frederick Morgan-Poet-Editor 
Carl Schorske-History
Robert Weinberg-Medicine

1987
Albert Banduar-Psychology
Wayne Clayson Booth-English
Umberto Eco-Semiotics
Donald Ervin Knuth-Computer Science

1986
Richard Garwin-Physics
Eric Kandel-Neurobiology
William Riker-Political Science

1985
Salo Baron-History of Judaism
Margaret Burbidge-Astrophysics
S.S. Chern-Mathematics
Betty Friedan-Writer-Feminist
Henry Taube-Chemistry

1984
Lipman Bers-Mathematics 
Lee Krasner-Artist
Henri Peyre-French Literature
Sarah Ratner-Biology
Sewall Wright-Biology

1983
Maurice Goldhaber-Physics
Barbara McClintock-Biology
Bayard Rustin-Public Service
Lewis Thomas-Medicine