WHELAN AWARDED HIGHER DOCTORATE BY CAMBRIDGE

Colm T. Whelan, professor of physics and chairman of the Department of Physics at Old Dominion University, has been approved for a doctorate of science by the University of Cambridge.

This type of higher doctorate is given in recognition of a substantial body of published work and only a small number are awarded in any academic year, Whelan said. This year, Cambridge approved 10 higher doctorates, compared with the nearly 900 traditional Ph.D.s it awarded.

Whelan received his Ph.D. from Cambridge in 1985. Earlier this year, Whelan was honored by the German research council with the prestigious Mercator Professorship.