POTSDAM -- Clarkson University announced four people will receive honorary degrees at Clarkson University’s 2018 commencement, including Alexandra Cousteau, a National Geographic filmmaker and globally recognized advocate on water issues.

Cousteau continues the work of her renowned grandfather Jacques-Yves Cousteau and her father Philippe Cousteau Sr.

She is dedicated to advocating the importance of conservation and sustainable management of water in order to preserve a healthy planet. Her global initiatives seek to inspire and empower individuals to protect not only the ocean and its inhabitants but also the human communities that rely on freshwater resources.

An expert on water treatment and corrosion, Marc A. Edwards teaches courses in environmental engineering, applied aquatic chemistry and engineering ethics. His research group laid the groundwork for investigative science uncovering the 2014-2016 Flint Water Disaster and the 2001-2004 D.C. Lead Crisis. His group aspires to pursue science as a public good, through laboratory work on practically important but underfunded topics, such as corrosion in buildings and opportunistic premise-plumbing pathogens.

Former Secretary of the United States Army and former member of the U.S. House of Representatives John M. McHugh continues his work in defense issues today as a government affairs counselor at the global law firm K&L Gates. He assists clients on a broad range of matters, including those in defense and procurement, supply chain management, sustainable energy, logistics, healthcare, and postal issues. McHugh was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1992, serving nine terms, and then became the second longest-serving Army secretary in U.S. history from 2009 to 2015.

A biochemist and cancer researcher, Bruce Stillman's research focuses on the mechanism and regulation of duplication of DNA and chromatin in cells, a process that ensures accurate inheritance of genetic information from one cell generation to the next. His laboratory has pioneered the discovery of DNA replication proteins that control the process of DNA replication and synthesize new DNA and chromatin in chromosomes of proliferating cells.

Cousteau, Edwards, McHugh, and Stillman will be awarded their degrees and speak during undergraduate commencement exercises on Clarkson's main campus in Potsdam on May 12.

Clarkson seeks honorary degree nominations from the greater Clarkson Community to recognize individuals who have made outstanding achievements and contributions to an academic discipline or to society through their body of work, either through sustained efforts over a period of time or as evidenced by one or more significant accomplishments. Contributions to society may include outstanding contributions to the University.