Carl Bennet and Sarah Pink appointed Honorary Doctors
The Research and Education Board at Halmstad University has appointed two new Honorary Doctors: Carl Bennet and Sarah Pink. Both have had a close relationship with the University for many years.
“It is very pleasing that the University now has two new Honorary Doctors this year, one man and one woman. In particular, it feels great that we now also have a woman Honorary Doctor in Information Technology. Both Carl and Sarah have made admirable contributions to Halmstad University and really deserve this honour.”
Eva-Carin Lindgren, Chair, Research and Education Board
Business leader and industrialist Carl Bennet, owner of Getinge AB, among other things, has been in close contact with Halmstad University in various ways for more than 25 years, including as chair of the University Governing Board. Over the past ten years, he has made it possible for Halmstad University to recruit four well-qualified researchers as visiting professors in Health Innovation via an initiative known as the Bennet Professorship. As a token of appreciation, the University’s Research and Education Board (FUN) has decided to appoint Carl Bennet an Honorary Doctorate in Innovation Sciences.
Carl Bennet has collaborated with Halmstad University for 25 years. He has now been appointed an Honorary Doctorate. Photo: Ida Fridvall
“It is very honourable,” said Carl Bennet, when he received the news from FUN’s chair Eva-Carin Lindgren, that he has been appointed Honorary Doctor. By pure chance, Carl Bennet was at the University when Eva-Carin Lindgren reached him over the phone. He was taking part in a seminar on the importance of his own engagement in the Bennet Professorship and Health Innovation.
First woman Honorary Doctor in Information Technology
The other new Honorary Doctor is Sarah Pink, Professor of Design and Emerging Technology at Monash University in Australia. For ten years she has been an international visiting professor and active researcher at Halmstad University. She has also invited Halmstad University as a partner in ADM+'s Centre of Excellence in Australia. Through these commitments, she has not only supported and influenced researchers and doctoral students at Halmstad University, but also participating in creating strong ties between Halmstad University and external partners such as Volvo Cars, reads the motivation. Sarah Pink will be awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Information Technology, the second person, and the first woman, to be awarded an Honorary Doctorate in this area. Something she commented on:
”That’s wonderful!”
Sarah Pink is Professor of Design and Emerging Technologies at Monash University in Australia and has been collaborating with Halmstad University for ten years. Photo: Helena Bengtsson
Eva-Carin Lindgren is also happy about the decision:
“It is very pleasing that the University now has two new Honorary Doctors this year, one man and one woman. In particular, it feels great that we now also have a woman Honorary Doctor in Information Technology. Both Carl and Sarah have made admirable contributions to Halmstad University and really deserve this honour.”
The two new Honorary Doctors will be conferred at the University’s Academic Ceremony on November 17.
Text: Lena Lundén
Motivation Carl Bennet
Carl Bennet is a well-known industrialist who has supported and guided Halmstad University through several important phases. Carl Bennet was the University’s first external chair of the University Governing Board (1998–2003) and led the University into an expansive and successful period. Carl Bennet was a strong supporting force for the University’s application for the Vinnväxt centre in 2004 with a focus on health technology, an application that was not granted but came very close and constituted the start of the University’s investment in health technology and health innovation. Carl Bennet contributed to three important investments in professorships at Halmstad University in the early 2000s: mechatronics, visual media technology and construction production technology with a focus on innovations. All three built up important and lasting research and education at the University. Over the past ten years, Carl Bennet has supported the University with resources for the Bennet Professorship, a professorship that has had four holders specialising in health innovation, both technology development, innovation development and business development.
Motivation Sarah Pink
For ten years Sarah Pink has been engaged as international guest professor and active researcher at Halmstad University in the strategic investment SCACA (Swedish Center for Applied Cultural Analysis), 2013–2015, and six externally funded research projects. She has also invited Halmstad University in as partner in the ADM+s Centre of Excellence in Australia. Through these engagements she has not only supported and influenced researchers and PhD students at Halmstad University, but also been part of creating strong bonds between Halmstad University and external collaborators such as Volvo Cars. Sarah Pink has shown dedication in co-creating a strong strand of participatory, engaged and interventional scholarship within information technology across Halmstad University and Monash University. By example she has opened avenues at the School of Informations Technology (ITE) for design-and technology-oriented research in emerging intelligent technologies, automation, data, digital futures to be based in social, cultural and societal understandings of how to responsibly create sustainable futures across nations, sectors and disciplines.
Honoured for extraordinary efforts
An honorary doctorate is a way for the University to show its appreciation of extraordinary efforts. The University can appoint Honorary Doctors within the areas that is has the right to award doctorates: Information Technology, Innovation Sciences, and Health and Lifestyle. It is the University’s Research and Education Board that appoints Honorary Doctors.
Halmstad University has nine Honorary Doctors:
- Jan Einar Blomquist (Innovation Sciences, appointed in 2011)
- Nicolas Hassbjer (Information Technology, appointed 2011)
- Maj-Britt Sandlund (Health and Lifestyle, appointed 2013)
- Gun-Britt Lydén (Health and Lifestyle, appointed 2017)
- Jörgen Persson (Health and Lifestyle, appointed 2017)
- Bertil Allard (Innovation Sciences, appointed 2020)
- Lennart Andrén (Innovation Sciences, appointed 2022)
- Carl Bennet (Innovation Sciences, appointed 2023)
- Sarah Pink (Information Technology, appointed 2023)
