Six new honorary doctorates at Stockholm University 2025

Honorary doctors at Stockholm University 2025: Thomas von Heijne, Åsa Simma, Patrizia Calefato, Gita Mishra, Mats Melin and Philippe Aghion. Photo: Marika von Heijne, Anette Nantell, Giuseppe Corcelli, Jenny Cuerel, Annika Ström Melin, Harvard University

Law

Mats Melin

Mats Melin has had a long and successful career as a lawyer and judge, making important contributions to the Swedish legal community. He holds a Master of Laws degree from Uppsala University and has, among other, served as Legal Secretary and Head of Chamber at the Court of Justice of the European Union, as judge at the Svea Court of Appeal, as Chief Justice Ombudsman, and as a Justice and President of the Supreme Administrative Court. He has participated in several public inquiries and chaired the Corona Commission. During the years 2020–2024, Mats Melin was chair of the University Board at Stockholm University.
“Mats Melin’s long career as a judge and civil servant was a great asset to Stockholm University during the eventful years he was chair of the University Board at Stockholm University, not least during the Covid 19 pandemic”, says Karin Åhman, professor of constitutional law at the Department of Law.

Humanities

Patrizia Calefato

Patrizia Calefato is a professor of cultural sociology and communication at the University of Bari Aldo Moro, Italy. Her broad research field covers philosophy, cultural studies and linguistics, but since the early 2000s she has primarily been a leader in the international field of fashion research. Through semiotics, she became interested in fashion theory in the 1980s, focusing on the body’s relationship to fashion and clothing, and in fashion as its own language system. Books such as Luxury: Fashion, Lifestyle and Excess (2014) and The Clothed Body (2004) are constant references in fashion research, and she has continued to publish at a high rate since then.
“Since the establishment of Fashion Studies at Stockholm University, Patrizia Calefato has been an inspiring and constantly recurring colleague and force: she has taught at all levels, given research seminars, participated in symposia, contributed to publications and also acted as an external reader of master’s theses and as a member of the grading committee. Her many publications on the different meanings of fashion have been absolutely groundbreaking in international fashion research and have come to inspire and largely shape the development of Fashion Studies at Stockholm University”, says Louise Wallenberg, professor of fashion studies at the Department of Media Studies.

Åsa Simma

Åsa Simma is a performing artist, director, playwright and activist and has been a leading voice in both the Sami and international performing arts for several decades. With her roots in the Sami culture and language, Åsa Simma has created space for decolonial and indigenous-centered perspectives. Her theatrical works, directing and lectures have given voice to questions of identity, cultural heritage and linguistic justice. Åsa Simma received her performing arts education at Tuukkaq Teater in Denmark, which is the world’s oldest theatre school for indigenous artists. There, she drew inspiration from both Western avant-garde and indigenous forms such as yoik, ritual, shamanism and mythology. Since 2015, Åsa Simma has been CEO and artistic director of Giron Sámi Teáhter.
“Åsa Simma has regularly taught students in theatre studies at Stockholm University, a gesture that contributes to making Sami culture understandable in concrete ways for young people. Her multilingual approach and practice are linked to both ongoing research in the subject and to course development in areas such as dramaturgy. She is a living example of theatre studies’ endeavour to engage in a mutual dialogue with performing artists about the cultural and social significance of the performing arts”, says Dirk Gindt, professor of theatre studies at the Department of Culture and Aesthetics.

Social Sciences

Philippe Aghion

Philippe Aghion is a professor of economics at the Collège de France and the London School of Economics, among others. His research focuses on understanding technological development and innovation. In a 1992 paper with economist Peter Howitt, he launched a modern version of Joseph Schumpeter’s ideas about creative destruction from the 1940s. Creative destruction, according to Schumpeter, meant that established companies must give way because of new technological advances. The paper has had enormous influence in the field. Joseph Schumpeter’s analysis concluded with concerns about stagnation, while Philippe Aghion’s conclusions are more optimistic: it is possible to combine long-term growth with an equitable distribution of resources and high welfare.
“Philippe Aghion has meant a great deal to Stockholm University. As a visiting researcher 2009–2015, he has wholeheartedly and selflessly engaged in the research we conduct here and, above all, has always been incredibly helpful to our doctoral students. He is a role model”, says Per Krusell, professor and director of the Institute for International Economics.

Gita Mishra

Gita Mishra is professor at the University of Queensland, Australia, and a world-leading researcher in life-course epidemiology and women’s health. Life-course epidemiology studies, among other things, the long-term effects of various physical and social exposures during childhood, adolescence and adulthood and how this affects health later in life.
Mishra’s expert work for the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSWUN) has been very significant for the health and rights of women and girls around the world. She has previously worked at University College London, UK. Since 2012, she has led a large cohort study in Australia and the research network InterLACE, which combines data from more than 1.2 million women in 19 countries – a leading global resource for reproductive health.
“Gita Mishra has collaborated with Stockholm University since 2008 and has contributed greatly to creating and spreading interest in life-course epidemiology. She has also trained several of our master’s students, doctoral students and researchers in modern research methods”, says Ilona Grünberger, professor of Health Equity Studies/Public Health Medicine at the Department of Public Health Sciences.

Science

Thomas von Heijne

Thomas von Heijne is a former Swedish science journalist. During the 1980s, he studied at the School of Journalism (Journalisthögskolan in Swedish) and Stockholm University, in the latter case he pursued studies in Japanese, Nordic languages and economics. After a contract position at Japan’s NHK radio, he was hired by SVT in 1990. He worked there until his retirement, as the central figure in a number of news reports and programs about technology and science, not least astronomy and space travel.
“Thomas has an ability to put together an exciting story without taking shortcuts, meaning he is meticulous in ensuring that even details are reproduced correctly”, says Magnus Näslund, senior lecturer at the Department of Astronomy.

Who can be appointed Honorary Doctor?

An honorary doctorate is an expression of the University’s appreciation of outstanding contributions in one or more of the University’s areas of academic activity. The awarded honorary doctor should be affiliated with Stockholm University or have contributed to the University’s activities in some way. More information about honorary doctorates.

Conferment ceremony in Stockholm City Hall on 26 September 2025

The honorary doctorates are conferred at the coming Inauguration and Conferment Ceremony in Stockholm City Hall, Friday 26 September at 17.00.