At a ceremony at the Bethlehem Chapel on January 19th, 2010, a doctorate honoris causa was awarded to Prof. Karen Scrivener, from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. Prof. Scrivener is the director and the driving force behind Nanocem, a large consortium that brings together researchers and companies interested in fundamental research on the nanoscience of cement and concrete. Prof Scrivener’s research interests are in the microstructure of cement, which is, after water, the most widely-used of all engineering materials. She has developed close cooperation with the Faculty of Civil Engineering at CTU in Prague, and many Czech scientists have had an opportunity to work under her supervision in Lausanne. Prof. Scrivener is the first woman ever to be awarded an honorary degree by CTU, and probably the only one to receive the award in the presence of both parents.