Meet the speakers at this year's spring commencement.
Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha
Flint’s “water hero” and assistant professor of pediatrics at MSU’s College of Human Medicine will speak at the undergraduate convocation on May 6.
Hanna-Attisha also serves as the director of the pediatric residency program at Hurley Children’s Hospital in Flint. Her study exposed elevated lead blood levels in Flint children.
Hanna-Attisha attended MSU for her medical degree and attended the University of Michigan for undergraduate.
In 2015, Hanna-Attisha was the recipient of the MSU College of Human Medicine William B. Weil Jr MD Endowed Distinguished Pediatric Faculty Award.
Recently, Hanna-Atisha was named one of Time Magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential People list on April 21.
Hanna-Atisha will receive an honorary doctorate of science.
Dr. Ellen Williams
Ellen Williams, the director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy, or ARPA-E, in the U.S. Department of Energy, will speak at the advanced degree ceremony and receive an honorary doctorate of science.
Williams received a degree in chemistry from MSU. Later, she completed her doctorate in chemistry at the California Institute of Technology.
Williams has served as a professor in the Department of Physics at the University of Maryland since 1991. Currently, she is on a leave of absence.
Williams founded the University of Maryland Materials Research Science and Engineering Center and served as its director from 1996 until 2009.
Williams served as BP, British Petroleum, Chief Scientist until March 2014.
Kristina Ford
Ford, a distinguished urban planner, received her bachelor’s degree in mathematics and business administration from MSU in 1967.
Ford received her doctorate degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Michigan. She served as associate professor in the Graduate School of Public Administration at New York University until she entered into public service full-time in 1983.
Starting in 1992, Ford was the director of city planning in New Orleans for seven years.
Currently, Ford serves as a Columbia University senior research fellow.
From 2010 to 2011, Ford was chief of staff for New Orleans’ deputy mayor in charge of public facilities, infrastructure and community development.
Ford authored “The Trouble with City Planning” and her writings have appeared in the New York Times and Planning Magazine.
She will receive an honorary doctorate of humanities.
Donald Maine
Maine, an MSU College of Education alumnus, serves as chancellor emeritus of Davenport University.
Maine served as president and chancellor of Davenport University from 1977 to 2000.
During his presidency, the university introduced bachelor’s degrees and master’s programs.
Davenport went from offering only associate degrees to becoming a fully-accredited university with undergraduate, graduate and master’s degrees.
He will receive an honorary doctorate of humanities.
