The agenda

Honorary Doctorate Ceremony for Jan E. Leach

  • April 3, 2026
  • At 3 p.m.
  • of the Visitation, School of Law and Political Science

On Friday, April 3, 2026, Philippe Augé, President of the University of Montpellier (UM), will confer an honorary doctorate from UM upon Jan E. Leach, Distinguished University Professor and Research Professor Emerita at the College of Agricultural Sciences at Colorado State University (United States).

A specialist in plant-pathogen interactions, his research focuses on the mechanisms by which microorganisms cause plant diseases and on the influence of environmental conditions on their evolution. Jan E. Leach is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the American Phytopathological Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and the American Academy of Microbiology.

The ceremony will take place at 3:00 p.m., with Valérie Verdier, President and CEO ofIRD, and Jean-Benoît Morel, Director of the Plant Health Institute of Montpellier (PHIM), in attendance. The eulogy for Jan E. Leach will be delivered by Lionel Gagnevin, a researcher at PHIM.

Registration required

The title of “honorary doctorate”

Established in France by a decree dated June 26, 1918, the title of Doctor Honoris Causa is part of a long-standing academic tradition dating back several centuries in Europe. It honors individuals who exemplify the university’s values through their exceptional contributions to the worlds of ideas, culture, the arts, or the sciences.
Awarded during a formal ceremony, this honorary title ranks among the highest distinctions bestowed by the academic and scientific community.

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