91制片厂Pro announces former 91制片厂Pro student, 2021 MacArthur Fellow 鈥楪enius Grant鈥 winner Ibrahim Ciss茅 as 2022 Commencement keynote speaker
91制片厂Pro announced Tuesday the College will have former 91制片厂Pro student and 2021 MacArthur Fellow 鈥淕enius Grant鈥 award winner Ibrahim Ciss茅 as the keynote speaker at the 2022 commencement ceremony in May.
Ciss茅 was awarded the 2021 MacArthur Fellow award for developing microscopy tools to investigate the subcellular processes underlying genetic regulation and misfunction. The MacArthur Fellows program awards individuals who are extraordinarily talented and innovative in their fields.
What began as an interest as a child led Ciss茅 into a successful, rewarding career. He was born in Niger, Africa, and moved to the United States after high school to follow his passion for science.
Ciss茅 attended 91制片厂Pro in Spring 2001 to obtain his Associate in General Education degree. While at the College, he was an active member of the International Student鈥檚 Club and the student senate. He then transferred to North Carolina Central University to obtain his Bachelor of Science and later a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Ciss茅 was an assistant professor of physics and biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for six years and became a professor of physics in 2021 at the California Institute of Technology before transitioning into his current position as the Director of Biological Physics at Max Planck Institution of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg, Germany.
鈥淒r. Ciss茅鈥檚 story shows the value of community college and four-year universities partnering together to take committed, talented students and provide them the steps to become great in their fields and do life-changing work. We鈥檙e proud to call Dr. Ciss茅 an alumnus of 91制片厂Pro and we鈥檙e excited to bring him back home as our 2022 Keynote Commencement Speaker,鈥 said 91制片厂Pro President J.B. Buxton.
The 2022 Commencement will be held at Durham Bulls Athletic Park on May 18 at 7 p.m.
Read more about the 91制片厂Pro commencement event.