The Institute for Mapping Technologies

Honorary Degrees

Purpose:

The honorary doctorate is the highest academic honor awarded by the Institute. It is bestowed in recognition of outstanding contributions to society through intellectual, professional, scientific, artistic, or public service efforts. In granting an honorary degree, IMT acknowledges excellence and provides an example to members of the GIS community.

Eligibility:

 

1. Candidates for honorary degrees must have distinguished themselves through outstanding contributions to society within the GIS realm.
2. Foreign citizens are eligible for honorary degree consideration.
3. Local, state, or national government officials who currently hold office or who are candidates for office are ineligible for honorary degree consideration.
4. Honorary degrees can be awarded in absentia or posthumously.
5. Only under exceptional circumstances will the Institute grant more than two honorary degrees during an academic year, and, likewise, the Institute may choose not to grant an honorary degree in any particular year.

 

Honorary degrees serve a purpose of recognition of merit.

 

Use:

The recipient of an honorary degree may add the degree title postnominally, but it should always be made clear that the degree is honorary by adding “honorary” or “honoris causa” or “h.c.” in parenthesis after the degree title. In some countries, a person who holds an honorary doctorate may use the title “Doctor” prenominally, abbreviated “Dr.h.c.” or “Dr.(h.c.)”. We have set that the proper form is “Dr.h.c” for use within the USA.

Each year we identify individuals in the GIS space who have advanced GIS in deep and meaningful ways. These individuals are awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science (“honoris causa”), usually in May.

While the Institute is not an accredited college in the United States, it is an active institution of learning and strives to recognize persons of merit in the industry. Such individuals who have done extraordinary things in the GIS realms, advanced awareness of GIS within industry, used GIS to better mankind, or have served to enhance the capabilities of GIS users worldwide.

For more information on Honorary Degrees see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honorary_degree