News Archive Featured in the Media JeffNEWS Thomas Jefferson University

DATE: Tuesday, October 5, 2004

TIME: 10:30 a.m.

LOCATION: Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, 260 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Jordan J. Cohen, M.D.
President, Association of American Medical Colleges
Topic: “Challenges Facing Academic Health Centers in the 21st Century”

GUEST SPEAKER: Rose Marie Greco
Director, Office of Health Care Reform
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Will offer greetings to Dr. Barchi from Governor Edward Rendell

EVENT: Representatives of more than 50 U.S. colleges and universities will gather in Philadelphia to help Thomas Jefferson University celebrate the investiture of its fourth president, Robert L. Barchi, M.D., Ph.D.

To begin the investiture activities, an academic procession involving delegates from other colleges and universities, as well as Jefferson’s own faculty will take place. Marchers wear the colorful academic regalia of their own institution.

The presidential investiture gives the Jefferson community an opportunity to celebrate its new president. The installation of a new president is a ceremony of dignity with many academic traditions and protocols.

Interspersed with musical selections there will be greetings to the new president from representatives of the alumni, faculty, students and staff, as well as messages of good wishes from government leaders.

The actual investiture involves the presentation of the university charter and the presidential medallion to Dr. Barchi by Brian G. Harrison, chair of Thomas Jefferson University’s Board of Trustees. The president's acceptance address will follow.

In the afternoon, the festivities will continue with a scientific symposium: “A Vision of Science: A Look at Jefferson’s Research in the Twenty-First Century.” The symposium will highlight Jefferson’s research accomplishments. Marion J. Siegman, Ph.D., professor and chair of Physiology, Jefferson Medical College, will preside.

TIME: 3 to 5 p.m.

LOCATION: Room 101, Bluemle Life Sciences Building, Thomas Jefferson University, 233 S. 10th St., Philadelphia.

SPEAKERS:

• Emad S. Alnemri, Ph.D.
  Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
  Jefferson Medical College
  
• Jeffrey L. Benovic, Ph.D.
  Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology
  and Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
  Jefferson Medical College
• Laura N. Gitlin, Ph.D.
  Professor of Occupational Therapy
  Jefferson College of Health Professions
• Walter J. Koch, Ph.D.
  Professor of Medicine and Director, Center for Translational Medicine
  Jefferson Medical College
• Judith L. Ross, M.D.
  Professor of Pediatrics
  Jefferson Medical College

BACKGROUND: Dr. Barchi comes to Jefferson with a dynamic depth of experience as an educator, administrator, clinician and scientist. He became Provost at Penn in 1999, after having spent much of his academic career in the university’s School of Medicine. In addition to his clinical activities as a neurologist specializing in neuromuscular diseases, Dr. Barchi is also a dedicated teacher and a molecular neuroscientist with a strong history of discovery in ion channel research that has been supported by nearly 30 years of continuous NIH funding.

Thomas Jefferson University is composed of three schools--Jefferson Medical College, the Jefferson College of Graduate Studies and the Jefferson College of Health Professions. The three colleges enroll more than 2,300 future physicians, scientists and health-care professionals. Founded in 1824, Jefferson Medical College is one of the largest private medical colleges in the nation.