President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson is Big in Ohio

Ohio State University’s The Lantern reported Monday, November 30 that Icelandic President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson will be honored at the University’s fall commencement ceremony, where he will receive an honorary degree for public service.
President Grimsson, who has served in his current position for 13 years, is familiar with OSU, the second largest University in the United States—he paid a visit back in 2007 and signed three agreements with the former president of the University to promote student exchange and cooperation on soil erosion and climate change research. Grimsson also took the occasion to give a lecture on global climate change.
It was in 2007 that then-OSU-president Rattan Lal nominated President Grimsson for the University’s highest award. “He has been at the forefront in mobilizing the policy makers to address the issue of climate change,” Lal said. An honorary degree represents the fulfillment of the University’s highest ideals.
Grimsson will be awarded the degree the day before the fall commencement ceremony, on December 12.