Zdeněk P. Bažant Receives 9th Honorary Doctorate from UPPA
On November 23, Professor Zdeněk P. Bažant received his 9th honorary doctorate from UPPA, based in Pau, France. He was cited for his contributions to solid mechanics and their engineering applications.
It was the 18th honorary doctorate given by this university since its founding 53 years ago. Bažant presented an address on “The Challenge of Extrapolation—Scaling in Size, Time and Risk” in which he pointed out, among other things, the limitations of AI. The ceremony was part of a three-day conference “Forum Transitions” (in French) dealing with energy and environmental problems. In his acceptance remarks he advocated the nuclear power as the “greenest” technology—a technology in which France has been the world leader.
UPPA stands for “Université de Pau et des Pays de l’ Adour,” whose engineering school in Anglet (near Bayonne and Biaritz) has in France the biggest research program in concrete and rock, with implications for environment and climate change, funded mainly by Total.