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For Release Upon Receipt — February 1, 2006

Robert A. Brown to be Inaugurated as Boston University's Tenth President

Robert A. BrownDownload a high resolution photo of President Brown at Matriculation

Two-day Event Slated for April 27–28

Robert A. Brown will formally become Boston University's tenth president on April 27 at ceremonies that begin a two-day inaugural program that includes four academic symposia on BU's role locally and globally, as well as its influence as an educator and a research institution.

Dr. Brown, 54, the former MIT provost and a distinguished scholar of chemical engineering and an innovative leader in higher education, was selected by the Boston University Board of Trustees in June 2005 and assumed the presidency in September. A Texas native, Brown earned a B.S. and an M.S. in chemical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin, and a Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota.

He succeeded Aram V. Chobanian, M.D., president ad interim from October 2003 until June 2005, when he was named the university's ninth president.

The inauguration begins at 1pm on Thursday, April 27, with a Service of Thanksgiving at Marsh Chapel. Following a procession to the Agganis Arena at 3 p.m., Dr. Brown will be installed as the head of the nation’s fourth largest private institution of higher learning. Over 2,500 attendees are expected.

On Friday, April 28, beginning at 8:30 a.m., the public is invited to join members of the BU community at the School of Management Auditorium for four symposia focused on the university's multi-faceted influence on the world and the City of Boston, as well as its impact as an educator and on society through its innovative scientific investigations.

Founded in 1839, Boston University is an internationally recognized institution of higher education and research. With more than 30,000 students, it is the fourth largest independent university in the United States. BU contains 17 colleges and schools along with a number of multi-disciplinary centers and institutes which are central to the school's research and teaching mission.