Author: shelleys

The Wolf Foundation announced the selection of promising researchers in Israeli academia, including the new winners of the 2024 Krill Prize for Excellence in Scientific Research. Among the ten winners of the prize, three are faculty members from the Technion: Dr. Renana Gershoni-Poranne from the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, Dr. Hila Peleg from the Henry and Marilyn Taub Faculty of Computer Science, and Dr. Yaniv Romano from the Computer Engineering Center, which is jointly part of the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Taub Faculty of Computer Science.

 

Prof. Naama Brenner, Vice President for Academic Affairs at the Technion, stated, “Young researchers in Israel will carry science and technology into the coming decades, and it is a proud moment to see three of our young researchers winning this prestigious award. The Krill Prize is awarded to faculty members who ‘have demonstrated significant research breakthroughs and are expected to lead research and academia in Israel in the future,’ researchers who ‘have shown determination, initiative, and creativity and have led to significant breakthroughs in scientific research.’ I congratulate our three researchers – Renana, Hila, and Yaniv – on joining this prestigious club, and wish them challenging, exciting, and fruitful years ahead.”

Dr. Renana Gershoni-Poranne from the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry will receive the prize “for her work in the field of physical-organic chemistry and artificial intelligence for designing new organic molecules to be integrated into organic electronic technologies.” Dr. Gershoni-Poranne completed all her degrees at the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry at the Technion and her post-doctorate at ETH Zurich. Her work focuses on polycyclic aromatic systems (multi-ringed) of different molecules. Her research combines physical-organic chemistry with computational methods and artificial intelligence for the design of new organic molecules to be integrated into carbon-based organic electronic technologies and various applications, including flexible OLED screens, transparent solar cells that can turn glass windows into energy producers, and sensors that can be implanted in biological environments. An additional advantage is that such molecules are abundant in nature and less polluting than the currently prevalent electronic components.

 

Dr. Hila Peleg from the Taub Faculty of Computer Science will receive the prize “for significant contributions in developing tools that enhance productivity and reliability in code writing by programmers.” Dr. Peleg completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Tel Aviv University, her doctorate at the Technion, and her post-doctorate at the University of California, San Diego. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in literature, and participates in organizing conferences for the Israeli Society for Science Fiction and Fantasy. Her research focuses on programming languages, software engineering, and human-computer interaction, specifically on developing tools and software that enhance productivity and reliability in code writing by programmers. She studies software synthesis and programming tools. Software synthesis allows programmers to focus on the fundamental aspects of their work – problem-solving.

 

Dr. Yaniv Romano from the Computer Engineering Center, part of the Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Taub Faculty of Computer Science, will receive the prize “for his groundbreaking contribution to the field of data science, machine learning, and signal processing.” Dr. Romano completed all his degrees at the Technion and then went on to a post-doctorate at Stanford University. At the Technion, he explores possibilities for integrating data collection and machine learning capabilities for various applications, including computer vision for autonomous vehicles, credit fraud detection, and evaluating the effectiveness of medical treatments. His work focuses on developing statistical technology that “wraps around” learning systems and ensures their reliability, accuracy, and stability. The tools Dr. Romano developed for prediction interval estimation were used by The Washington Post for reliable election outcome predictions in the 2020 U.S. elections.

 

Since 2005, the Krill Prize for Excellence in Scientific Research has been awarded annually by the Wolf Foundation and the Krill family, in memory and honor of Benjamin and Gittela Krill-Mansbach Schlanger. It is given to outstanding academic faculty members and promising researchers from research universities in Israel who have led significant research breakthroughs and are expected to lead research and academia in Israel in the future in the exact sciences, life sciences and medicine, engineering, and agriculture. The prize is funded by the estate of Avraham Hirsch Krill Schlanger, who was born in 1912 in Chemnitz, Germany. A year before the outbreak of World War II, Avraham Krill married Deborah Kertzic and emigrated to South America, where he established a successful textile factory. Avraham Krill was active in the community of Jews from Germany in South America and was an enthusiastic supporter of the State of Israel from its establishment. The prizes awarded in memory and honor of his parents symbolize the Krill family’s connection to Israel and their belief in the close relationship between science and vision.

 

The prizes will be awarded to the winners at a ceremony to be held in Ramat Hasharon on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, at 19:00.

 

The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the foremost body in Israel’s scientific community, elected eight new members yesterday, including two Technion researchers: Prof. Ashraf Brik from the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry and Prof. Michael (Miki) Elad from the Taub Faculty of Computer Science. They will join the Academy during a festive ceremony in December 2024. With the addition of Prof. Brik and Prof. Elad, the Academy will have 154 members.

 

Prof. Brik specializes in biological chemistry and develops innovative methods for the synthesis of proteins with unique characteristics, such as those that have undergone post-translational modifications. These proteins are used in structural, biochemical, biophysical, and functional analyses and in understanding their roles in various diseases, as well as in developing innovative treatments for these diseases. Prof. Brik has received many awards, including the Humboldt Prize (Germany), the Hirata Award (Japan), the Tetrahedron Young Investigator Award, and an ERC Advanced Grant. In June, he will receive the Rappaport Prize for Excellence in Biomedical Research for 2024 in the Senior Researcher category.

 

Prof. Elad specializes in signal and image processing and computational learning, continuously bridging deep theoretical and mathematical analysis with practical applications. His research has revolutionized digital information processing through the development of groundbreaking tools and algorithms based on sparse representations and advanced artificial intelligence techniques. He has received numerous accolades, including the Weizmann Prize for Exact Sciences, the Henry Taub Prize for Academic Excellence, the Yanai Prize for Excellence in Academic Education, and an ERC Advanced Grant amounting to approximately 2.5 million euros, awarded to leading researchers with unprecedented achievements in the past decade. He is a fellow of the international societies the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM). In September, he will receive the 2024 Rothschild Prize from Yad Hanadiv.

 

The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities was established in 1961 to bring together Israel’s top scientists for the purpose of fostering and promoting science in the country. To fulfill its mission, the Academy advises the government on actions related to research and scientific planning of national importance, publishes works that advance science, and maintains active connections with the international scientific community. The Academy is divided into two divisions: the Division of Natural Sciences and the Division of Humanities.

Dozens of candidates from UAE and the Arab world were awarded prizes in various categories, but there were only four international winners, including Prof. Horowitz-Kraus, head of the Technion’s group for brain imaging in children. She received the award in the category of outstanding research in the field of early childhood learning.

 

“It is hard to describe the warm embrace I received, not only from the international judges and hosts, but also from the Emirati royal family, who sponsored the event,” said Prof. Horowitz-Kraus. “I believe this is the beginning of a wonderful friendship and the start of fruitful and exciting collaboration. The award supports the importance and uniqueness of our research, which includes integrating tools from brain research to understand the basic processes supporting language and reading acquisition and examining the impact of intervention programs on these processes. The Emirati award shares our aspiration for a better future for children, based on quality education from an early age. This aspiration transcends cultures and fills me with hope for a better future and for building a bridge between countries, based in part on joint research.”

The Khalifa Award for Education aims to promote the development of education fields, create local and international interactions in the world of education, and foster new dynamics in the educational process, adapting it to current developments in scientific knowledge and information technologies. It was established by the late president of the UAE, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed, and continues under the current president, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, under the sponsorship of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, vice president and deputy prime minister of the UAE.

 

The awards were presented at a special conference in education held in Abu Dhabi from May 14-15, and were personally awarded by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The ceremony was also attended by the wife of the Israeli ambassador to the UAE, Dr. Yifat Turbiner, who is responsible for cooperation in innovation and academic relations.

 

Prof. Horowitz-Kraus’s research focuses on the characterization of the neural networks underlying language and reading acquisition in children with language and reading difficulties due to neurobiological factors (e.g. dyslexia, ADHD, epilepsy, auditory processing difficulties, psychiatric disorders, etc.) and environmental deficits (e.g. lack of exposure to literacy or overexposure to screens). She also works on adapting intervention programs for each of these disorders, along with preventing language and reading difficulties using brain imaging tools such as MRI and EEG. In June, she will receive the Diane Sherman Prize for Medical Innovation for a Better World.

 

Prof. Horowitz-Kraus earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in neurobiology and neurochemistry from Tel Aviv University. Additionally, she received a second master’s degree with honors in a clinical program for diagnosing and treating learning disabilities during her doctoral studies in the field of brain research of learning disabilities at the Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center at the University of Haifa.

 

After completing her PhD, Prof. Horowitz-Kraus began her postdoctoral studies at the University of Haifa, searching for electrophysiological markers of the impact of intervention programs in children with learning disabilities, along with developing objective measures to evaluate the intervention programs that treat reading difficulties.

 

In 2011, Prof. Horowitz-Kraus received a Fulbright Scholarship for postdoctoral researchers and joined a research group in Cincinnati, USA, to use advanced imaging tools to characterize brain development in children, focusing on language and reading acquisition. Together with her partners in Cincinnati, she established the Literacy and Reading Research Center at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and served as the program director and scientific director of the center from 2013 to 2021 and as a faculty member at the University of Cincinnati Medical School. Since 2021, she has been a part-time Associate Professor at Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University, where she established and leads the Reading Research group.

To the Governing Board of the Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities,

We, the leaders of Israel’s universities and research institutions, are writing to express concern over your “CRUE statement on the violent situation in Gaza” and to offer our response. Let us be clear: we share your commitment to peace and justice in the region and thank you for your condemnation of antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of hatred. We agree with you that the situation in Gaza is tragic.

We appreciated finding in your list of demands the cessation of “any action of a terrorist nature” and “freedom for the people kidnapped by Hamas.” We know that you are well-aware of the horrific events of October 7th, that included the brutal massacre of over 1200 Israelis and foreign civilians and the kidnapping of 240 people, among them toddlers, children, and young and elderly men and women. We ask that you keep in mind also what Israel has been experiencing in the weeks and months since October 7th. The Hamas has fired since then more than 10,000 rockets from Gaza and Hezbollah more than 5,000 rockets and drones from Lebanon, causing a massive evacuation and hundreds of thousands of internally displaced citizens. This situation, together with the mobilization of tens of thousands of young men and women for reserve duty, meant that for months Israeli universities could not open the academic year and researchers could not engage in research. Students and faculty were forced to leave their homes and many lost close family members – siblings, parents, children. Students were killed. Others were badly injured and forced to stop their studies. No one’s life or work has returned to normalcy. The grave weight of the war continues to take its unbearable toll and upend all areas of academic life.

It is with this context in mind that we are deeply concerned by your decision to “review suspending agreements with Israeli universities and research centers that have not expressed a firm commitment to peace and compliance with international humanitarian law.” This stance not only implies that the blame for the current situation rests on one side, but also presupposes the possibility that Israeli academic institutions are not dedicated to peace and to international humanitarian law. Nothing could be further than the truth.

We are compelled, therefore, to correct this misunderstanding by drawing attention to our policies and values.

 

1. We Stand for Democracy, Freedom of Speech, and Human Rights in Israel

 Against the backdrop of our country’s long history of political polarization, violent regional conflicts, and ethnic and religious tensions, universities in Israel have always been bastions of democracy, freedom of speech, liberal values, and human rights, including for Palestinians.

As you may know, last year it was from our campuses that the clearest voices emerged against the attempted judicial overhaul in Israel, which many feared would have weakened democracy and minority rights. Our leadership, faculty, and students took a leading role in opposing measures and legislation that would compromise the basic foundations of Israeli democracy.

Contrary to false allegations, we do not punish our students or staff members for expressing pro-Palestinian views. We are institutions that prioritize freedom of expression and we protect the rights of our faculty, staff, and students to express ideas that challenge the prevailing consensus even during these difficult and sensitive times.

 

2. Israeli Universities Are Independent Institutions

Lately, Israeli universities have been vilified for any link to the Israel Defense Forces, the supposition being that we are either directly culpable for our government’s actions or an agency of the military. We need to be clear: Israeli academia is independent of the government and military, and it operates autonomously in all academic matters. According to the 2024 Academic Freedom Index, which measures the state of academic freedom worldwide, Israeli universities are on par with universities in Norway, Canada, and Switzerland in upholding academic freedoms; moreover, we are ahead of countries such as the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and the United States.

Faculty at Israeli Institutions make their own decisions on what to study and how to do so. While there are researchers at our universities who, in accordance with their academic freedom and rights, do research on subjects related to Israel’s security, there are academics in just about every other country who conduct research related to national security. Such projects, of course, represent only a small percentage of the research conducted at each of our universities and certainly do not turn our universities into military agencies.

This does not mean, however, that our academic community speaks with one voice when it comes to the current war. While there are faculty members at our universities researching on topics related to national security, we also have others who raise incisive questions and hold critical perspectives about Israel’s governmental and military policies in the current conflict. Our campuses are places where contentious issues are debated based on reason and fact, including all aspects of the war in Gaza.

Others suggest that our universities are guilty parties since our students are soldiers. As you must know, Israel is a small country; most young people here are required by law to enlist in the army when they are 18, and they later serve in the reserves. Since October 7th, many in our communities were enlisted. At the height of the war, approximately 25% of our students were called up for duty. These students (and some faculty members) risked their lives to protect their families, communities, and country. We all have students who haven’t returned alive. For those students who have returned, we have a duty to support their reintegration and their mental health. We are proud of the way we perform this duty, as we are sure every university in the world would be.

 

3. We are Dedicated to Bettering the Lives of Palestinians and to Promoting Peace

All Israeli universities are actively and extensively engaged in projects aiming to promote equality between Jews and Palestinians. 18% of our students are Muslim and Christian Palestinians, a figure that closely reflects their percentage in Israel’s population. Many of the Palestinian students study in our most competitive programs including medicine, computer science, engineering, and law. This reality is the result of extensive efforts and demonstrates the commitment of each one of our universities to equality and diversity and to promoting social mobility.

These efforts include providing extensive program of financial aid and fellowships for Arab students in all degree levels, including programs specifically encouraging and supporting promising candidates in advanced degree and post-doctoral programs.

The universities work hard to nurture multi-cultural campuses, taking seriously their responsibility to do so given that the period of study at the university is sometimes the first opportunity for meaningful positive interaction between Jews and Arabs. This requires not only recruiting diverse faculty members and students, but also creating a welcoming atmosphere and fostering meaningful learning opportunities across campus.

For decades, all our universities have spearheaded hundreds of projects and initiatives aimed at promoting peaceful relations in the region. Scholars in engineering, environmental studies, medicine, life science, and more collaborate regularly with counterparts in neighboring countries on projects designed to drive innovation on regional challenges in climate change, agriculture, sustainable development, public health and other areas (including collaborations with students in Gaza on water research). Other scholars work on promoting equity and social justice for Palestinian communities within Israel, including through our law clinics, educational initiatives, and community work. Our affiliated hospitals have regularly treated patients from Gaza and have also provided care for refugees from the Civil War in Syria. The space here is insufficient to even begin to enumerate all such projects.

 

4. The Danger of Academic Boycotts

 We understand that those calling for academic boycotts against Israeli universities aim to protect and improve Palestinian lives and to end the crisis in Gaza. The truth is that we too mourn the loss of innocent life in this horrific conflict and want a better future for Palestinians and Israelis both. However, academic boycotts are dangerous and may very well cause more harm than good.

Weakening Israeli academia would only undermine Israel’s democratic foundations, as well as the very community fighting to protect human rights and establish a more inclusive society. While many like to think the result of these boycotts would drive the type of change we saw in South Africa, tragically the result could be instead an increasingly militant and illiberal state, one less likely to promote regional peace, prosperity, and democracy.

In Israel, there is a high correlation between one’s level of education and one’s commitment to liberal democratic values, the rule of law, and support for a just solution to the conflict; teaching democracy and human rights is part of our educational mission. Our higher education system has helped Palestinian Israelis to achieve important positions in areas like law, medicine, the arts and high tech. Furthermore, our researchers are among some of the leading voices in Israel and globally for finding solutions for this crisis. Our academics remain steadfastly committed to peace, coexistence and international humanitarian law in the face of current challenges. Do Spanish universities want to weaken this force for good in the region rather than support it?

It is imperative that we reinforce academic collaborations to ensure that we live up to our shared global aspirations for a better collective future, and for the pursuit of knowledge and truth.

Respectfully,

 

Prof. Arie Zaban, President of Bar-Ilan University Chairperson of Association of University Heads – VERA

Prof. Daniel A. Chamovitz, President of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Prof. Alon Chen, President of Weizmann Institute of Science

Prof. Asher Cohen, President of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Prof. Leo Corry, President of the Open University of Israel

Prof. Ehud Grossman, President of Ariel University

Prof. Ariel Porat, President of Tel-Aviv University

Prof. Ron Robin, President of University of Haifa

Prof. Uri Sivan, President of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology

 

About 400 excellent high school girls from across the country, from Paran in the south to Yanuh-Jat near the northern border, participated in the TechWomen2024 event at the Technion on Wednesday, May 8. At the event, now in its ninth year, the students were introduced to studies at the Technion and the opportunities available with an academic degree in science and engineering.

 

Rosalyn August generously supports the annual TechWomen events at the Technion. In a recorded greeting, she said, “I support this special program with my heart and money because I want to empower brilliant women like you. There is so much darkness in this world, and the Technion and the education you can acquire there represent the light. I have seen how women at the Technion are changing the world and I have no doubt that you have the power to change the world and bring the light.”

TechWomen events, sponsored by the Rosalyn August Girls Empowerment Initiative (GEM), have already led many high school girls to focus on science and technology studies and to choose to study at the Technion. Yarden Flash from Kiryat Motzkin, a student who recently returned to campus after three months of reserve duty, was a high school student when she came to the TechWomen2017 event seven years ago. Following the visit, she chose to study at the Technion and was accepted into the prestigious “Crystals” program in the Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering. After completing her bachelor’s degree, she continued to a master’s degree in the faculty and recently returned from a scientific conference in Austria.

Hila Litbak, who studied at Elon High School in Holon, came as a student to TechWomen2018. According to her, “the conversations with students in the faculties especially influenced me, and I decided to study at the Technion. I chose the data engineering track in the Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences  – the studies are challenging but also very interesting.”

Prof. Aylet Fishman, dean of students, who completed all her degrees at the Technion, talked about her personal and academic career. “I chose to study engineering so I would have a practical and challenging profession and so that I would always be independent. When I started studying, I didn’t think about an academic career, but life led me there,” she said, noting that “the world is currently flooded with fake news, for example in the food industry where I work, false claims that monosodium glutamate is poison and that frying with olive oil is forbidden. It is very important to always learn the facts and make decisions based on them.” She emphasized the most important message: “Believe in yourselves and your abilities, and you are invited to continue your studies at the Technion –  studies here will open many doors for you in academia and industry. Good luck.”

The special day began with breakfast, followed by an opening session led by Dr. Efrat Sabach from the Faculty of Physics. Dr. Sabach, an astrophysicist who also completed all her degrees at the Technion, said, “In such difficult times, when we are exposed to pain and mourning, and hoping for the return of the hostages, it is very heartening to see you, hundreds of outstanding students, arriving at this event from the Arava, from Sderot, from Ashdod, from Baka al-Gharbiyye, from Ma’alot, from Pardes Hanna, and beyond.” She noted that the Technion is celebrating its centennial year, introduced the various faculties, and shared a bit about herself. “As a child, I was curious,” she said, “and at age 12 I decided I would be a physicist. Physics is a science that explains everything – from the smallest things to the entire universe. That’s how I got to the Faculty of Physics at the Technion, where I did my doctorate in astrophysics under Prof. Noam Soker.”

Doctoral students Daniela Bar-Lev from the Taub Faculty of Computer Science and Yael Hershkovitz-Pollak from the Wolfson Faculty of Chemical Engineering talked about their academic paths and their current research. Daniela’s research deals with DNA-based data storage systems under the guidance of Prof. Tuvi Etzion and Prof. Eitan Yaakobi and she recently won the Schmidt Postdoctoral Award. Yael, under the guidance of Prof. Hossam Haick, is working on intercellular communication in the context of programmed cell death using diffusive organic molecules, aiming to develop targeted cancer treatments.

Limor Scheich, a grade coordinator, and Raya Attias, a teacher from the Gutwirth Comprehensive School in Sderot, came with 27 students and said, “We were received here with open arms. The hospitality was great, and the students had an excellent experience, especially in the faculty laboratories.”

Mai Almog, Ariel Abuhasira, Noam Medina, and Lianne Gabbai came in a group of 34 students from Mekif Zayn Comprehensive School in Ashdod. This was their first visit to the Technion. They are studying biology, biotechnology, physics, biology, and industrial engineering and management in various combinations, and according to them, “the dream is to study at the Technion.”

 

Captain Krokhmalov Veksler was due to begin his studies this year in the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering at the Technion but fell in battle in the Gaza Strip on January 8, 2024.

The project to develop a communications satellite is led by Dr. Hillel Rubinstein from IAI, and Dr. Oded Golan, academic supervisor of student projects in the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering. The development of the satellite is the final project of a group of students from the faculty. The satellite will carry a detector for measuring gamma radiation, developed at the Technion’s Faculty of Physics. The satellite is called NOVA-SAT, in commemoration of the events of October 7th.

The satellite will perform measurements using the GALI (Gamma-ray Burst Localizing Instrument) detector developed at the Technion’s Faculty of Physics. This device is designed to detect bursts of gamma radiation, a product of the explosion of stars at the end of their lives, supernovae, and mergers of neutron star pairs. Since such astronomical events are difficult to locate, there is a worldwide effort to develop innovative detectors that will identify them and their locations. The GALI detector allows for precise identification of the direction of the burst, a feature characteristic of only of giant satellites rather than small systems. The detections it provides will enable astronomers worldwide to point telescopes at the event, study the burst, and link it to other events such as gravitational waves. The model that NOVA-SAT will carry was built by PhD student Julia Saleh-Natur.

 

Captain Krokhmalov Veksler was a respected athlete who immigrated to Israel at the age of 17. He lived in Be’er Sheva and served as an officer in the elite Yahalom (Diamond) engineering unit of the IDF Combat Engineering Corps. Despite being injured during triathlon training after his military service, Denis insisted on continuing to serve in the reserves while simultaneously pursuing his dream of studying aerospace engineering at the Technion.

 

The NOVA-SAT project embodies the vital connection between industry, education, and national memory.

 

Dr. Naama Lang-Yona is studying the transport of microorganisms in the atmosphere and their effects on nature and humans.

We’re all aware of the bacteria in our bodies, how there are links between diseases and bacteria and viruses, and how pandemics spread. Those tiny organisms, found everywhere on the Earth’s surface, are also important in influencing various processes including soil health, pollutant decomposition, agricultural growth, and carbon sequestration. Dr. Naama Lang-Yona from the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering is addressing a lesser-known aspect related to those microorganisms – their distribution mechanisms, survival, and activity in the atmosphere.

Dr. Lang-Yona’s research focuses, among other things, on the mutual influence (bio-exchanges) of the oceans and the atmosphere on the transportation of bacteria over the oceans. Bacteria constitute about 70% of marine biomass and play a very significant role in biogeochemical processes. Although they impact carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles, little is known about their distribution and role in the environment.

In an article published this year, Dr. Lang-Yona and her colleagues at the Weizmann Institute of Science, Dr. J. Michel Flores, Prof. Ilan Koren, and Prof. Assaf Vardi, describe active bacteria found above the oceans. One of these bacteria, Roseovarius nubinhibens, is capable of killing algae. The research found that this bacterium is released into the atmosphere with the aerosol rising from ocean waters during the blooming of Emiliania huxleyi algae. While in the air, it managed to survive, retaining its ability to infect algae. These capabilities allow such pathogenic bacteria to expand their infection range and impact algal blooms spreading over thousands of square kilometers in the ocean.

Dr. Lang-Yona has published articles focusing on genomic mapping of airborne microbial populations (also termed bioaerosols) which traverse common thousands of kilometers above oceans, the dissemination of antibiotic-resistant genes through the air, the impact of climate change and air pollution on respiratory allergens (known as aero-allergens), the airborne transport of endotoxins, the characterization of different microorganisms in the environment, such as allergenic cyanobacteria, and the spread of airborne plant pathogens, and more.

Currently, Dr. Lang-Yona and her team are conducting research on the distribution of bacteria via dust storms reaching Israel all the way from the Sahara and Arabian deserts. Their aims are to elucidate the survival mechanisms and distinctive traits of these bacteria. In addition, they examine the idea that along with the bacteria carried and dispersed in the air, antibiotic resistance may also disperse and propagate across continents.

These studies have dramatic implications for understanding the transmission of diseases and pandemics, as well as for devising strategies to impede their dissemination.

For the full article: Impact of airborne algicidal bacteria on marine phytoplankton blooms | The ISME Journal | Oxford Academic (oup.com)

Prof. Shulamit Levenberg’s research group has developed an innovative non-invasive method for bio-printing live cells and tissues deep within the body using external sound wave irradiation. The research team includes postdoctoral fellow Dr. Lior Debbi, who completed all of his academic degrees at the Technion, and Majd Machour, a doctoral student in the MD/PhD program.

 

Many biomedical applications require precise delivery of biocompatible materials for various purposes such as localized drug release, grafting of tissues, and implantation of engineered cells and tissues for organ regeneration. Currently, highly invasive surgeries are the norm, and are accompanied by risks including infection, tissue damage, and long healing periods.

 

In the researchers’ innovative method, cells or drugs are delivered within a biological fluid ink directly to the treated area deep within the body through direct injection or catheterization. Subsequently, the engineered tissue is printed using sound waves emitted from an external ultrasonic transducer. Thus, engineered tissue can be built deep within the body without exposing the treated site.

 

The versatility of the new technology is demonstrated in contexts such as local cell transplantation, continuous localized drug delivery over time, and three-dimensional bioprinting. The mechanical properties of the grafts can be tailored according to the target tissue and the desired drug release rate.

For the fill article click here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/smtd.202301197#.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear members of the Technion Family,

I am writing this letter amidst an extensive visit to Jewish communities in the United States, where I have been meeting with hundreds of our supporters, as well as with Jewish and Israeli students and faculty. Due to the current situation, the events that were planned to mark the Technion’s centennial have taken on a different nature and have become a deeply moving experience. I have encountered solidarity, a deep sense of partnership, and a warm willingness to assist in any way possible. I have also met admiration for the Technion and all it represents; an institution with a glorious tradition and a clear moral compass, committed to an enlightened, inclusive, and pluralistic society, a cornerstone of the country’s security and economic prosperity, and the future of the Jewish people. The meetings with our supporters are very moving, and it is evident that the Technion is perceived in their eyes as a pillar of hope for better days ahead.

It’s hard for us to grasp this hope and trust in our daily routines, in our research labs, and in our classrooms, but as demonstrated on Sunday night, we bear significant responsibility in the form of the major success of the Israeli aerospace interception systems, many of which were developed by Technion alumni.

The days pass, seasons change, and Passover is here, and with it, spring is blooming. We’ve already finished a semester, and yet, nothing is normal. Half a year has passed since October 7, a painful six months for many among us whose lives changed forever on that day, and in the days that followed. As the holiday of freedom approaches, it is overshadowed by the six months of captivity of our loved ones -133 women and men, children and adults, Jews and Arabs, who were kidnapped by murderers and have not yet returned. We lost students and family members on the battlefield, and many others were injured; we will continue to support their families, to console, embrace, and strengthen them.

Approximately 3,500 students and academic and administrative staff from the Technion were called up for reserve duty. In anticipation of their return, we postponed the start of the academic year until mid-January, two weeks after other universities. Some are still serving, and many have been discharged and have already been called back to reserve duty in the coming months. Since the beginning of the war, the Technion has been conspicuous in its support of thousands of student reservists and in the extensive academic adjustments it has made to facilitate their integration into the academic year. With the assistance of our friends in Israel and around the world, we have been able to provide our students with a comprehensive and unprecedented package of support, including extensive financial assistance and comprehensive emotional support provided by psychologists, counselors, and social workers trained in trauma therapy. We have recruited dozens of mentors from the teaching staff, including retired staff members who have now joined the teaching effort. We have built an extensive academic support system that accompanies the student reservists and helps them bridge academic gaps. The challenges are great, but our commitment is deep, and we will continue to support and assist them and their families to the best of our ability so that no student is left behind.

As a cohesive community, we have faced immense challenges and we continue to deal with them, but now we must turn our gaze forward. The Technion has a unique responsibility, and it is incumbent upon all of us to contribute to the recovery of the State of Israel and to secure its future. The Technion is the primary source of trained high-end engineers, scientists, doctors, architects, and educators who will lead the Israeli economy forward, and we can be proud of the semester that, ended successfully last week, despite all the difficulties. The Technion is a hotbed of technological innovation in Israel. Here, ideas are born, and these must continue to flourish to assist the recovery of the Israeli economy and industry. We must fight the waves of anti-Semitism in foreign universities, support students and faculty there and strengthen collaborations with them. As importantly, we also bear a deep social responsibility – to continue to serve as an example of an inclusive, liberal, egalitarian, and tolerant society for all.

I wish you and your families a unifying and comforting Passover holiday, and to the Christian and Muslim members of our family, a meaningful spring holiday. On the eve of the Seder, we will contemplate the empty chair of Elijah the Prophet, and together as a cohesive and diverse community, we will hope for the swift release of all captives and the healing of the wounded. Our hearts will be with them and with all those who have lost and miss their dear ones.

Professor Uri Sivan

President

 

Last summer, the Technion women’s futsal team reached new heights following its qualification for the European Championship. Their participation was ultimately canceled due to the war, but the coach and players believe the opportunity will return.

The team’s coach is Yasmin Awwad, a Technion graduate and a structural engineer at the Israel Electric Company. She grew up in Tamra, a town in the Lower Galilee, where she played football for fun as a child. In the 11th grade, she took part in a student exchange program and spent a year in the United States. “There, in schooltime, I played football for the first time in an organized manner, with a coach. I began to understand the meaning of playing as part of a team and how it benefits the players.”

When Awwad arrived at the Technion, her mentor told her that she played football on the Technion team and asked her to join. “Since then, I have always played football. When I finished my first degree, I decided to continue studying for a second degree, simply because I did not want to leave the team.” Awwad completed no less than four degrees at the Technion: three undergraduate degrees (biomedical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, and mapping and geo-Information) and a master’s in urban planning in the Faculty of Architecture and Town Planning. In addition to her studies at the Technion, she attended a coaching course at the Wingate Institute, with the aim of bringing football to Tamra. She believes that “we need to give back to the society in which we grew up.”

Fulfilling her dream was not simple. For two years, she ran a football club in Tamra. Then with the help of two partners who believed, as she did, in the power of women’s football, she joined a league club. “This is our fourth year, and today the club has 150 female members, ranging from first grade to graduates. After a year in the state league, we moved up to the national league.” She volunteers with the club out of a desire to create social change through education and sport.

After a year of work and completing her coaching studies, Awwad asked to return to play on the Technion team, but she was told that only students could play. She registered for her second undergraduate degree, and a year later she became the coach of the Technion team.

According to Gaia Levin, one of the team’s veterans: “Girls playing football is not a common sight in Israel, and I believe that teams like ours can serve as an example for girls who might enjoy football.” Levin, a self-described “tomboy” growing up, said “I trained in judo for many years and played some football, but it was only at the Technion sports club that I realized I was good at it and joined the futsal team. It’s a great team sport, and change in this area can benefit many girls and women. There are places where it is perceived as a sport for both men and women, and I would like us to succeed in normalizing this in Israeli society.”

Levin, who completed her undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering and is now pursuing her master’s degree in the same subject said that “beyond the professional aspect, there is a very unique and unusual encounter here. In most people’s daily lives, there are not many direct encounters between Jews and Arabs. Here there are Jewish and Arab women, students from different faculties, aged from 19 to 30. We are all one team and we all have the same commitment, and this activity brings out aspects of us that may not necessarily be revealed in the routine of studying. This team rises above any political opinion and belief and unites us, making us much stronger together.”

Levin points out that one of the past players of the national team is Rachel Steinschneider, a graduate of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, who currently plays for the Israeli national team and has also played in both the French and Danish leagues. She entered the football world at the age of 21, and since then, her career has flourished both locally and internationally.

Yasmin Awwad completed her training at the Wingate Institute, but Wingate did not leave her. “In the ASA (Academic Sports Association) Championships, Wingate is our toughest competitor; so far we haven’t managed to beat their team. Now, with the intensive training leading up to the championship in France, I believe that improvement can lead us to victory in the university championship in Israel and elevate us from second place to first.”

But the aspiration to win is not as important to her as the immense value that football gives to the national team players. “Only when playing football can one understand its positive impact. Training in the team creates a more connected and better society, and in the Technion women’s team, you can see this connection well. It includes Jewish and Arab women, religious and secular, of different ages and with different political positions. All these differences disappear when you play on the pitch. Everything becomes simpler because you can’t win without teamwork.”

Update from Technion

Monday, 15 April 2024, 18:00

Shalom,

In line with the latest directives from the Home Front Command and the lifting of restrictions on Israel’s education system, work, research, educational activities, and exams at Technion campuses will resume as normal tomorrow.

Instructions regarding examinations originally scheduled for Sunday and Monday, April 14-15, 2024, as well as solutions for schedule conflicts of exams, have been issued by the School of Undergraduate Studies.

We wish you success in your upcoming exams and hope for a peaceful week ahead.

 

 

Technion Update: Schedule Changes and Safety Measures

Date: Sunday, April 14, 2024, 19:45

Dear Technion Community,

In light of the recent directives from the Home Front Command, effective through Monday, April 15, 2024, at 23:00, we are issuing the following important updates:

• Examination Schedule: All exams scheduled for Monday, April 15, have also been postponed.

Exams originally set for today, Sunday, April 14, are rescheduled for Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at 5:00 PM.

Exams that were to be held on Monday, April 15, will now take place on Thursday, April 18, 2024, at 5:00 PM.

Updated room assignments will be available on the student portal tomorrow. Please note that certain subjects may have different rescheduled dates; those affected will receive direct notifications. Additionally, the Undergraduate Studies Office will provide alternative dates for any overlapping exams.

• Campus Operations:

Both Technion and TRDF staff at all campuses will work as usual tomorrow. Parents with children up to 14 years old may choose to work remotely. Managers are expected to accommodate this, and demonstrate flexibility in addressing the needs of their teams.

• Support Services:

The Dean of Students’ office is accessible 24/7 for student concerns. Students can reach the Center for Counseling and Support via phone at 077-8874112 or email at counseling-director@technion.ac.il during regular business hours. For immediate assistance, message us on WhatsApp at https://wa.me/message/MTWCFMOC3YN7B1.

The Human Resources Department is also available for urgent inquiries from administrative and academic staff at any time via WhatsApp at 053-5466258.

• Safety Precautions:

Please familiarize yourself with the locations of shelters and secure rooms on campus. Remain prepared by reviewing emergency procedures. Links to the list of shelters and an instructional video on emergency behavior are provided for your convenience:

Shelters and secure rooms: https://bit.ly/46HtZmi.

Emergency behavior video:  https://bit.ly/3rJjDmR.

Stay safe and well-informed.

The A.M. Turing Award, also known as the “Nobel Prize of Computing,” will be granted to Prof. Avi Wigderson, a graduate of the Henry and Marilyn Taub Faculty of Computer Science at the Technion and a researcher at the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) in Princeton. The award is an annual prize given by the ACM –  the American Association for Computing Machinery.

In June 2023, Prof. Wigderson received an honorary doctorate from the Technion for “his significant contribution and leadership in the fields of computer science theory and discrete mathematics, including complexity theory, cryptography, expanding graphs, and more; and in gratitude for his long-standing relationship with the Technion, beginning with his undergraduate studies.”

Prof. Wigderson, born in Haifa (1956), completed his undergraduate degree in the Faculty of Computer Science at the Technion in 1980. He went on to earn a master’s degree and doctorate at Princeton University. He currently serves as a researcher at the Institute for Advanced Study. Over the years, he has published hundreds of articles and has won numerous awards and scholarships, including the Alon Fellowship, the Gödel Prize, the Knuth Prize, and the Nevanlinna Prize. Prof. Wigderson is also an author. His book, Mathematics and Computation: A Theory Revolutionizing Technology and Science, makes the field of complexity accessible and explains its connections to computer science theory.

President of the Technion, Prof. Uri Sivan, congratulated Prof. Wigderson and said: “We are very proud of the fact that he is a Technion alumnus with a long-standing connection to our community of researchers. Last year, we conferred on him an honorary doctorate for his groundbreaking contribution to a wide spectrum of subjects, from discrete mathematics to complex cryptography. Prof. Widgerson’s winning the Turing Award proves that the world recognizes his seminal contributions. We congratulate him on this huge honor and rejoice together with him.”

Prof. Danny Raz, the dean of the Henry and Marilyn Taub Faculty of Computer Science said: “Prof. Wigderson’s immense contributions to the realms of mathematics and computing have earned him international recognition, including prestigious awards such as the Abel Prize, the Gödel Prize, the Knuth Prize, and the Nevanlinna Prize. Now, his exceptional achievements have led to his selection for the highest honor in computer science, the Nobel Prize equivalent, the Turing Award. Prof. Wigderson serves as a role model for our graduates, embodying the Technion spirit as an alum who, since completing his studies, has dedicated his career to advancing human knowledge. A brilliant researcher in both mathematics and computer science, and at their interface, he is truly deserving of this esteemed award”

Prof. Wigderson spoke on behalf of the degree recipients at the honorary doctorate ceremony, held in June 2023, as part of the Technion’s annual Board of Governors meeting and said: “I have no doubt that all of us, the degree recipients, are excited to be here tonight. It is a tremendous honor. I would like to thank the Israeli academia and all the people who contributed to my career – my family, teachers and mentors, students, and postdoctoral researchers. I am grateful to all the academic institutions I have been a part of, with the Technion, of course, being the first: my alma mater. The Technion prepared me well for my academic career. I had excellent teachers here. Here in 1980, I met Edna, who later became my wife, in a class dealing with problem-solving. We fell in love here, and here, in the Technion synagogue, we got married. Here, I also fell in love with my field of study – the theory of computer science. The Technion is a beacon of excellence contributing to the security of the State of Israel and its economy through a pursuit of knowledge and truth through inquiry and reasoning, openness, and collaboration with Israeli and global society. It is important to preserve these values.”

A video filmed on the occasion of the 2023 honorary doctorate ceremony: