2016 Honorary Doctorate Recipients

Boaz Dotan

Born and raised in Israel, Boaz Dotan was among Israel’s first software pioneers. In the 1980s he co-founded Amdocs, the first Israeli software company to branch out into international markets on a large scale, and successfully headed it for over ten years. Today, Amdocs has 25,000 employees around the world. When his son was diagnosed with leukemia 25 years ago, Dotan initiated and funded a research that validated a new therapy, which later became the standard treatment for similar situations. Thanks to the treatment, Dotan’s son made a full recovery and is today the father of three. Ever since, the Dotan family has donated substantial sums to the Israeli medical system, most recently establishing the Varda and Boaz Dotan Research Center in Hemato-Oncology at Tel Aviv University. Today, the Dotan family are devoted philanthropists and active participants in several NGOs. Mr. Dotan is a Tel Aviv University alumnus of Mathematics and Statistics, and has three children and 10 grandchildren.

Dr. Segenet Kelemu

Dr. Segenet Kelemu is a molecular plant pathologist who currently serves as Director General of the International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology in Kenya. A native of Ethiopia, she has experienced the challenges and successes of African agriculture first-hand, from tending the field to directing world-class laboratories. Among her many honors are the 2014 L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Award and the prestigious Friendship Award bestowed by the People’s Republic of China. An elected Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences, Dr. Kelemu featured among the Forbes Africa top 100 most influential African women. She completed her post-doctoral research at Cornell University in 1992, and filled a range of scientific leadership positions before her return to Africa in 2007. Dr. Kelemu is a member of the International Scientific Committee of TAU’s Manna Center Program for Food Safety & Security.

Michal Rovner