# Dexter Holland, Ph. D. (Offspring)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dexter-holland-ph-d-offspring/786489>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [May 12, 2017, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dexter-holland-ph-d-offspring/786489 "2017-05-12T23:05:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2017, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dexter-holland-ph-d-offspring/786489/1 "2017-05-12T23:05:06Z")

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Dexter Holland, singer-guitarist of the band the Offspring, put his studies at USC on hold to concentrate on a musical career. He recently finished his 175-page dissertation on the molecular dynamics of HIV and general virus/host interactions to earn a doctorate in molecular biology. He joins a few other rock stars with Ph. D. degrees, the most prominent being Brian May of Queen.

> **[Offspring's Dexter Holland Finishes Ph.D, Thesis on HIV Research](https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/offsprings-dexter-holland-finishes-ph-d-thesis-on-hiv-research-193282/)**
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> Singer-guitarist completes molecular biology degree after putting it on hold to focus on rock & roll

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**Author:** ![Banksiaman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/banksiaman/32/3334_2.png) [@Banksiaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Banksiaman)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2017, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dexter-holland-ph-d-offspring/786489/2 "2017-05-12T23:41:09Z")

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Blondie drummer Clem Burke received an [honorary doctorate](http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-14068315)\* for contributing to research on the physiology of drumming.

- Yes its a very different beast, and anyone who’s slogged through a real one would be entitled to feel very snooty about hon docs and especially ‘life experience’ degrees from some postbox in Wisconsin being given equal weight to their achievement.

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**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\
**Post date:** [May 12, 2017, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dexter-holland-ph-d-offspring/786489/3 "2017-05-12T23:47:51Z")

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Is Dexter planning a career change?

It would be quite a lifestyle change to get into a research lab. He said in the article that he plans to publish more research. It may be just part time.

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**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2017, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dexter-holland-ph-d-offspring/786489/4 "2017-05-13T00:10:07Z")

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**Bad Religion** ’s Greg Gaffin has a PhD in Zoology

**The Descendents** ’ Milo Aukerman has a doctorate in Biology