McMaster University's president and one of its vice-presidents will be awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Waterloo this week.

Peter George, McMaster's president and vice-chancellor, will receive his award tomorrow; John Kelton, vice-president and dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences was given his today.

George, who has served at McMaster for 44 years-14 as its president and vice-chancellor-is being honoured tomorrow with a doctor of laws for his innovative approaches to teaching and research that spurred McMaster to become one of the top research institutions in Canada, and one of four Canadian universities consistently ranked among the Top 100 in the world.

“I am delighted and honoured to receive this wonderful recognition from the University of Waterloo, an institution for which I have the utmost regard,” says George. “It is a special pleasure to receive it at the hand of my good friend President David Johnston, an outstanding academic leader whom I admire and respect greatly, and whose institution has collaborated with McMaster on a number of highly successful ventures.”

George will address the first ceremony for students graduating from the Faculty of Arts at 10 a.m. in Waterloo's Physical Activities Complex.

“Since joining McMaster University as a scholar examining the historical economic factors that influenced Canada's development, Peter George has distinguished himself within and outside his university,” said David Johnston, president of the University of Waterloo. “During his long tenure as president, McMaster has grown into one of our country's leading research-intensive and student-centred universities. When he was president of the Council of Ontario Universities, he developed a proactive advocacy stance that continues to place the Council at the leading edge of university concerns in Canada.”

George joined McMaster University as a professor of economics in 1965. He became president in 1995 and is currently serving his third five-year term. Among numerous national and international citations and awards he is the recipient of the Order of Ontario and is also a member of the Order of Canada. As past-president of the Council of Ontario Universities, he is well-known for his leadership and his proactive work on provincial and national issues concerning post-secondary education.

Dr. Kelton, dean and vice-president of the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University and dean of its Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, was given an honorary doctor of science degree from Waterloo today.

A prominent hematologist and award-winning researcher, the focus of Kelton's personal research for more than 30 years has been the study of blood platelets. He is the first Canadian to receive the Emily Cooley Award from the American Association of Blood Banks and the only North American to receive the Karl Landsteiner Award, Germany's highest award for transfusion medicine. He was elected to the Royal Society of Canada in 2002 and also the American Association of Physicians.