Dr. Ágoston Szél, who was the Rector of Semmelweis University between 2012 and 2018, has been the Head of the former Department of Human Morphology and Developmental Biology since 2003. Since 2016, he has been the Head of the Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, which was established after the merger of the two institutes teaching anatomy. At the farewell ceremony, Dr. Béla Merkely, Rector, expressed his words of appreciation during the laudation speech, as well as Dr. Alán Alpár, newly appointed Head of the Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Dr. Péter Hermann, Vice-Rector for Educational Affairs and Dr. Miklós Kellermayer, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine.
“As a young seminar leader, he practically attracted students. Many of the present leaders of our university were also his students who remember him as a vibrant, charismatic and professionally outstanding anatomist”, said Dr. Béla Merkely, rector about the resigning department head.
Dr. Ágoston Szél led the department for 17 years. As a special challenge, in the last 5 years he managed to merge the two institutes – the Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology as well as the Department of Human Morphology and Developmental Biology – the rector highlighted.
As an anatomist, several notes and textbooks are attached to his name. He was the chairman of the Doctoral Council of the university from 2003, also a founding member of the Doctoral School of Molecular Medicine, whose work as a science organizer is also outstanding.
“The department has few staff members who have published a first-time publication in Nature. As a young researcher, he made fundamental discoveries in the structure of the retina, which are now included in gradual education, too, as a textbook material”, pointed out Dr. Béla Merkely, who handed a gold seal ring to Dr. Ágoston Szél at the end of his laudation speech.
In his laudation, Dr. Péter Hermann, vice-rector for educational affairs, highlighted the speeches made by Dr. Ágoston Szél as a leader, and he also recalled the experience of their first meeting, when he was able to complete his PhD dissertation with the help of the former department head. He was also the one who, as rector, invited him to become vice-rector for educational affairs.
“I will tell you honestly that I had ambivalent feelings, since – I do not hide it -, I loved being a dean. But I thought if the faculty had that interest too, and if I was invited to do such a job, then it is an honour – so I happily said yes”, Dr. Péter Hermann recalled.
According to Dr. Miklós Kellermayer, his first meeting with the resigning department head was also decisive. He highlighted Dr. Ágoston Szél’s loyalty to the university, teaching, science, and his medical profession, and thanked him for his kindness, helpfulness, and friendship.
“As a candidate for the position of head of the Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology, I visited all the members of the faculty council and I met Dr. Ágoston Szél as well. We were on the same wavelength almost at the first moment, and the visit, originally scheduled for 10 minutes, became an unnoticed hour and a half of a memorable conversation. The professor’s friendly pieces of advice and his razor-sharp descriptions of university teachers still resonate with me today”, recalled the dean of the Faculty of Medicine.
Dr. Alán Alpár was appointed as the head of the Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology on 1 January, 2021. Among several of their shared experiences with Dr. Ágoston Szél, he highlighted their journey to the Niagara Falls. According to him, the conversations that took place there determined the shape of his future. Afterwards, on behalf of the department, Dr. Alán Alpár presented his gift to the resigning department head: a painting made by Endre Nemcsics.
“I am feeling a little bit emotional, because after 17 years I am happy to take on the task of managing the department, feeling the weight of the challenge. This can be done with a calm heart if one knows that the most important things are being well taken care of. And the most important things at the department are being well taken care of, as the faculty is excellent – and this required a good department head who always turned to us with empathy”, said Dr. Alán Alpár, vice-rector for international studies.
Dr. Pál Rölich professor, professor emeritus, who previously had taught the resigning department head, highlighted Dr. Ágoston Szél’s outstanding research work and the successful cooperation between the two of them. This is also indicated by the fact that they jointly published 55 scientific articles.
“I can hardly believe it, but it has been four decades now that a kind, pleasant young man has entered our laboratory with the aim of dedicating his life to anatomy, scientific research and education. And in a very short time it became clear: with Ágoston Szél, both the laboratory and the department grew with a valuable, promising staff member”, said Dr. Pál Rölich.
He also called the attention of the audience to Dr. Ágoston Szél’s great capacity for work and commitment.
“Another of his passions is university education. His seminars are popular among students – no wonder, because his lectures are logically, intelligibly structured, dynamic, interesting, with carefully selected visual material, with a practical relevance”, pointed out Dr. Pál Rölich.
As he highlighted in his speech, Dr. Ágoston Szél believes that the survival of an organization or institute is ensured if its leader changes from time to time and brings new attitudes, freshness, different ideas, and the work continues with a new focus. Therefore, he expressed his pleasure regarding the appointment of his successor, Dr. Alán Alpár as department head. As Dr. Ágoston Szél said, his work accomplished so far is becoming more and more a memory that can also be used by others later on.
“I got used to climbing-crawling up a mountain for a lifetime; always with the greatest devotion and the greatest attunement as possible. And now, a few weeks ago, I noticed that I am crawling down this mountain”, the resigning department head said.
Dr. Ágoston Szél expressed his gratitude to Dr. Pál Rölich, his former teacher; Dr. Imre Oláh, former head of the Department of Human Morphology and Developmental Biology; Anikó Maróti Bodroginé, economic manager of the Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology and head of the Anatomy Block; as well as to two persons who unfortunately are not among us any longer, but had a great effect on his career: Dr. Béla Halász, former head of the Department of Human Morphology and Developmental Biology and Dr. Béla Vígh, professor emeritus of the department.
Gallery
Approaching the closing part of the event, Dr. Miklós Réthelyi, rector emeritus greeted Dr. Ágoston Szél and he wished all the best to his successor, Dr. Alán Alpár as well. He said that he hopes that the management of the department will provide as many pleasurable tasks to him as to his predecessor.
Ádám Szabó
Photo: Attila Kovács – Semmelweis University
Translation: Katalin Illés-Romhányi
