Holden Thorp, Ph.D., editor-in-chief of Science, will deliver the keynote address at the UAB Heersink School of Medicine 2025 commencement ceremony.
Commencement Details
The 2025 Heersink School of Medicine commencement ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 17 in Bartow Arena, 617 13th St. South. Doors open at noon, and the ceremony begins at 1 p.m. Family, friends, faculty, and staff will gather to honor the achievements of this year’s graduates.
Introduction of keynote speaker
Thorp is a scientist, academic leader, author, and advocate for scientific communication. Over the course of his career, he has led major universities, contributed to groundbreaking research in chemistry, and shaped public conversations on science, ethics, and education. Thorp brings a deep well of insight and experience to this year’s ceremony as Heersink graduating students prepare to enter the next stage of their careers in medicine.
About the commencement speaker
Thorp became editor-in-chief of the Science family of journals in 2019. Prior to this role, he held major leadership positions in higher education, including serving as provost of Washington University from 2013 to 2019 and as a professor for the institution through 2023. Currently, he is a professor at George Washington University and on leave to serve as the editor-in-chief at Science. Thorp also spent three decades at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), where he served as the university’s 10th chancellor from 2008 to 2013.
Thorp’s academic journey began with a bachelor of science degree from UNC, followed by a doctorate in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology, and completed postdoctoral work at Yale University. He holds honorary degrees from Hofstra University and North Carolina Wesleyan College and is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Inventors, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
In addition to his academic and editorial roles, Thorp cofounded Viamet Pharmaceuticals, which developed VIVJOA (oteseconazole), an FDA-approved treatment now marketed by Mycovia Pharmaceuticals. He serves on a number of boards—such as the College Advising Corps and Saint Louis University—demonstrating his continued investment in education and institutional leadership. Thorp also contributes his expertise to the scientific advisory boards of the Yale School of Medicine and the Underwriters Laboratories Research Institutes. In 2023, STAT named him to its STATUS list of top leaders in the life sciences.
A message to the graduates
Thorp is excited by the opportunity to address the 2025 UAB Heersink School of Medicine graduating class. “At a time when the world needs both compassion and rigorous science, it is an overwhelming honor to be able to thank the students at UAB for their commitment to knowledge and mission.”
“I want them to remember that the challenges that they might have had along the way are shared by most of us who went on to positions of leadership, but we don’t always talk about it.” Thorp believes that speaking engagements like commencement are happy occasions. “It’s a great time to tap into both their joy and their determination to make the world better.”
More information about the 2025 commencement ceremony—including location and parking—can be found on the UAB Heersink School of Medicine Commencement webpage.