This past Memorial Day weekend Vera Rubin was awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree by Princeton University. Six honorary degrees were given during the commencement ceremony, led by university president Shirley Tilghman. Each recipient was elected by Princeton’s Board of Trustees after receiving nominations from the faculty and students. During Tilghman’s address to the graduating students she encouraged them to follow Rubin’s example: “continue to nurture your own unquenchable curiosity and the habit of independent thinking.”

To learn more about the commencement address and the honorary degrees given, please click here.