Dear Faculty, Students and Staff,
 
Please join me in congratulating Ohio University alumnus Dr. Venkatraman "Venki" Ramakrishnan for receiving the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry related to his work on the function of ribosomes. We applaud Dr. Ramakrishnan's work which, in the words of Alfred Nobel, confers "the greatest benefit to mankind." What greater benefit could there be than preserving life? Dr. Ramakrishnan's work has advanced the study of how antibiotics bind to the ribosome, leading to the development of new antibiotics that decrease suffering and save lives.
 
It is a tremendous point of pride for Ohio University to have one of our alumni recognized on a world stage. In addition to applauding Dr. Ramakrishnan's achievements, I congratulate the gifted faculty in Ohio University's Department of Physics and Astronomy. They and their predecessors have created and sustained a remarkably robust environment of teaching, learning, research and scholarly activity in which Dr. Ramakrishnan earned his Ph.D. in 1976. Who knows what future Nobel Prize recipient is working in Ohio University's laboratories today?
 
And as a final point of pride, I close with congratulations to Dean Ben Ogles and Ohio University's College of Arts and Sciences which awarded Dr. Ramakrishnan its Outstanding Alumni Award in 2006. Dean Ogles and all his colleagues should be immeasurably proud of the achievements of one of their own. Dr. Ramakrishnan's work is built on the foundation of all those who supported, encouraged and believed in him at Ohio University. He is now paying that investment forward in ways that are saving lives around the world.  I can think of no greater example of fulfilling The Promise of Ohio University.
 
Cordially,

Roderick J. McDavis
President