The University of Navarra held last Friday the investiture ceremony of 168 researchers who have defended their doctoral thesis in the 2017-2018 academic year. The new doctors come from 19 countries and 17 faculties or centers of the institution.

The event was attended by the rector, Alfonso Sánchez-Tabernero; the godmother of the graduating class and professor of the Faculty of Medicine, Elisa Mengual Poza; and the doctor of the School of Engineering Tecnun, Juan Pablo Romero Rioja, who spoke on behalf of his class. 

The Rector stressed the need for today's leaders, "in addition to excellent technical preparation," to be characterized by a way of working that promotes "the common good above the individual good". He also pointed out that the prestige of the University is largely due to the alumni: "That is why I dare to ask you not to let yourselves be carried away by an easy and selfish style of work, but to be ambassadors of the values you have learned throughout these years."

It is our hope," he added, "that those of you who receive this cap today will leave with the 'University of Navarra seal': a way of working that is full of personal exigency and a positive and generous spirit. 

Call for social responsibility

For her part, Professor Elisa Mengual referred to the achievement of defending a thesis, in many cases, "with an added vital effort", since a third of them come from outside Spain and "many others from other autonomous communities", as she pointed out. In the same way, he made a call to the responsibility of doctors "to build a better society". And he encouraged them to apply an "inquisitive, non-conformist and serious attitude to daily issues".

Finally, Juan Pablo Romero Rioja highlighted humility as one of the qualities that doctors must have. "We must keep our feet on the ground and never run out of the desire to continue growing and learning." 

Photogallery of the Investiture ceremony.

The 168 theses defended in the 2017-2018 academic year were made possible thanks to contributions from institutions such as the Asociación de Amigos de la Universidad de Navarra, Fundación Bancaria "la Caixa", Fundación Caja Navarra and Banco Santander, as well as alumni.

These are the new doctors of Tecnun:

Fernando Accini Moran
Tugce Akyazi
Gurutz Artetxe Ballejo
Asier Bergara Arregui
Cristina Bilbao Varela
Aida Milagrosa Calvo Alonso
Javier Calvo Vadillo
Marta De Zarraga Rodriguez
David Del Rio Orduña
Antonio Dias Ponte
Lara Maria Erviti Calvo
Itziar Fraile Santamaría
Raquel Gimenez Duque
Amaia Jimenez Zabaleta
Esther Jorge Arranz
Gorka Larzabal Primo
Miguel Martínez Calderón
Ainhoa Rezola Garciandia
Juan Pablo Romero Riojas
Itziar Sánchez Apezetxea
Lorena Sanz Vilariño
Leonardo Jesús Valdivia Parga