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New research conducted by Prof. Itamar Kahn of the Technion’s Rappaport Faculty of Medicine in Israel and Prof. Nancy Ratner of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) demonstrates a potential new treatment for cognitive impairments that are associated with disruption in the brain fibers that connect distal regions, also known as the brain white matter. The research shows that treating neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), a common genetic disorder, with a drug targeted at an abnormal cellular pathway that is critical for normal white-matter formation, rescues functional and structural connectivity and is thought to potentially alleviate some of the cognitive impairments seen in NF1.

The groundbreaking research, “Brain-wide structural and functional disruption in mice with oligodendrocyte-specific Nf1 deletion is rescued by inhibition of nitric oxide synthase,” was published in PNAS, the official journal of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States. Technion MD/PhD candidate Jad Asleh and Tel Aviv Medical Center neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Shofty (a former PhD student in the lab) were co-lead authors.

By using a cell specific, hormonal triggered, genetically engineered mouse model, the team was able to confine disease manifestation to white matter producing cells (oligodendrocytes) and consequently directly examine the contribution of abnormal myelination to neurological disorders.

In this study, the international team demonstrated that disruption to normal myelin, which in the mouse model used here fails to tightly wrap the axons, the fibers that connect brain regions, leads to a motor deficit that corresponds to fine motor coordination deficits seen in some individuals with NF1. In addition, structural connectivity (as measured by structural MRI), and functional connectivity (as measured by functional MRI) are both impaired in these mice. Importantly, Prof. Ratner demonstrated in previous studies that nitric oxide synthase inhibitor to reduce the abnormally high levels of nitric oxide in these mice rescues function at cellular level. Here, the team demonstrated that it also ameliorates the abnormalities seen using MRI further support that this treatment may be effective in treating cognitive impairments in NF1 patients and that MRI can be used to gauge the success of the treatment.

This study further emphasizes the role of abnormal white matter in brain disorders and suggests a potential targeted therapy for NF1-associated myelin abnormalities. Based on the results of previous work from Prof. Ratner and this study, a preliminary clinical study is currently in progress to test the safety of this drug treatment and its potential in treating the cognitive impairments in NF1 pediatric patients.

For the full article in PNAS click here

 

Technion Researchers have developed an innovative mapping system for blind pedestrians. The study was carried out by Achituv Cohen, a doctoral student in the Transportation and Geo-Information Engineering division of the Technion Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering under the supervision of Asst. Professor Sagi Dalyot.

According to the World Health Organization, there are currently more than 40 million visually impaired people around the world. This population copes with many daily challenges, some of which are related to traveling within urban spaces. When walking, various environmental features pose danger: stairs, bicycles and cars, physical obstacles on the sidewalk, and more. These severely restrict mobility and independence, affecting the quality of life. There are existing technologies that improve visually impaired pedestrian mobility to some degree by indicating nearby road obstacles. However, those technologies lack significant information about the surrounding space.

The study, published in the journal Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science, examined the possibility of using OpenStreetMap to map spatial data relevant to blind pedestrians while calculating optimized walking routes. OpenStreetMap is an open-source mapping infrastructure based on crowdsourcing of geographic data contributed by citizens all over the world. OpenStreetMap provides maximum flexibility in terms of inserting, editing, and analyzing. It also integrates accumulated mapping data and spatial information.

In his study, Achituv developed a route calculation software for generating walking routes adapted to the needs of blind pedestrians. The study included an in-depth investigation, observations, and interviews with orientation and mobility instructors, as well as with blind individuals. The fieldwork resulted in a clear definition of spatial criteria that best reflect aspects of mobility, accessibility, and safety, defined by four primary parameters: geometric complexity of the route; route type and what it is used for; route length, and; landmarks along the route. Other features were also integrated, such as accessibility of traffic signals. 

 

The software weighs the environmental and semantic data that are important to the vision impaired, with an emphasis on safe, accessible, and navigable routes. These criteria enable qualitative and quantitative examination of the various available road segments between the starting point and the destination, determining the level of accessibility and safety, thus recommending the most optimized route. The developed software was tested by blind volunteers and an orientation and mobility guide in several locations. Not only were the routes recommended by the new software identical to the routes defined by an experienced guide, but the volunteers noted that, in most cases, the route chosen by the software was indeed more accessible and safer for walking than the routes calculated by existing commercial software, such as Google Maps. 

These findings indicate that the software is an effective and useful tool, improving the lives of visually impaired individuals in terms of mobility, accessibility, and independence.

Click here for the paper in Environment and Planning B.

 

The collaboration yielded an innovative electronic receiver and satellite computer for the ADELIS-SAMSON Project;

Three nano-satellites are to perform autonomous formation flight

August 25, 2020 – A close technological and research collaboration between the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has yielded an advanced electronic receiver that constitutes a unique development in the nano-satellite category. The collaboration was part of Technion’s ” ADELIS-SAMSON” project, in which three nano-satellites will be launched into space in December. The three satellites, which will fly in an autonomous formation without human intervention, are tasked with receiving signals from Earth and detecting their precise location for search and rescue, remote sensing, and environmental monitoring missions. The software and algorithms that control the flight were developed at Technion’s Distributed Space Systems Lab in the Asher Space Research Institute.

The electronic receiver, developed and built especially for the ” ADELIS-SAMSON” project by Elta Systems, an IAI division and subsidiary, picks-up, identifies, and records signals from Earth. It comprises an information processing system that calculates the location of the transmission. The miniature system was developed particularly for nano-satellites in order to extend the scope of the missions they can perform. The system integrates with the three mission computers developed by IAI’s MABAT Division.

The ” ADELIS-SAMSON” project is headed by Professor Pini Gurfil, head of the Asher Space Research Institute and a faculty member in Technion Faculty of Aerospace Engineering and with the support of the ADELIS Foundation and the Israel Space Agency in the Ministry of Science and Technology

“We worked closely with IAI engineers on this development for more than five years,” said Prof. Gurfil. “The project showcases the benefits of academy-industry collaboration, which yielded an outstanding result in the form of an innovative space-borne system. We thank IAI engineers for their professionalism and commitment. The system we co-developed places ADELIS-SAMSON at the forefront of nano-satellite technology.”

IAI CEO, Nimrod Sheffer, said, “The new development will help promote a new space research area. Collaboration with the Technion and other academic institutions is invaluable to us, as it promotes academic research and our future technological ventures. The receiver developed for this project offers a new way for space geo-location of ground electromagnetic signals. It is based on IAI’s extensive engineering know-how and experience in satellites, electronic warfare, intelligence interpretation systems, and communication networks.”

Asher Space Research Institute researchers who worked with IAI’s engineers in the project included Avner Kaidar, Hovik Agalarian, Eviatar Edlerman, Dr. Alex Frid and Prof. Pini Gurfil.

The ADELIS-SAMSON project is supported by the ADELIS Foundation, the Goldstein Foundation, and Israel’s Space Agency. Other parties involved in the project include Israel’s Space Agency, RAFAEL, and IAI.

 

 

 

A computational method developed at the Technion in Israel significantly improves the prediction of the basketball players’ performance. The study was led by doctoral students Amir Feder and Nadav Oved under the supervision of Professor Roi Reichart of the William Davidson Faculty of Industrial Engineering & Management.

Predicting an athlete’s performance is a research challenge that has long been pursued by researchers around the world, utilizing tools from psychology, statistics, computer science, and more. Until now, performance predictions have mainly relied on the limited prediction factor of the athlete’s past performance. The Technion researchers, however, have added a new predictive factor: “out-of-game” information, specifically – transcripts of pre-game interviews with the players. The concept and study have been published in the journal Computational Linguistics.

The researchers hypothesized that pre-game interviews contain important information that can improve predictions about a player’s behavior and performance in an upcoming game. The rationale is that a given player’s in-game behavior is very difficult to predict, as the activity takes place in a complex and dynamic space. Performance is influenced by the environment, rational decisions, and internal emotions. In turn, the dynamic environment at a game also influences those emotions. These dynamics cannot be predicted solely based on past performance.

The study was based on a dataset consisting of pre-game and post-game media interviews alongside in-game performance metrics from the game following the interviews.  The dataset entailed 5,226 performance interview pairs of 36 prominent NBA players. Each of the pairs was assessed by the relationship between the interview and performance. Specifically, the relationship was measured through the correlation between the transcript of the interview and deviations in the performance indicators in the game – risk characteristics, behavior, and strategic decisions. An example of a risk is an attempt to make a long-range basket (three-point range). An example of behavior and strategy is choosing a defense approach.

The researchers designed several models, utilizing state-of-the-art deep neural networks for players’ actions prediction based on the language used in their open-ended interviews. The models are capable of both making predictions based on interview text alone, or a combination of interview text and past-performance metrics. The text-based models outperformed strong baselines based on performance metrics alone, demonstrating the importance of language for action prediction. The models that used both interview texts and players’ past performance metrics improved on some of the most challenging predictions and produced the best results.

For example, in a pre-game interview before the 2016 NBA Finals, LeBron James, then with the Cleveland Cavaliers, was asked about his mental state and how he was feeling based on his personal history (James was born in Cleveland, and returned to the team to bring its first championship). James described his positive mental state and concentration and feelings of ease going into the games. Accordingly, Prof. Reichart explained, “Our models processed the text and guessed that James’ offensive performance would be better than his past averages. In practice, the 2016 Finals series ended with Cleveland’s first – and only – winning championship. In these games, James surpassed himself and starred throughout the series, as our models predicted. ”

 

 

 

COVID-19 testing is a key step in gaining control over the spread of the pandemic. Current molecular COVID-19 tests entail swab samples, shipping the samples to lab facilities, and a time-consuming laboratory procedure to determine results. As a result, there is a delay of several to many days between when tests are taken, and results are obtained. The delay – exacerbated by the overloading of laboratories – increases the chance of further spread, especially from pre-symptomatic individuals who may not adhere to quarantine. Moreover, overloading laboratories has created a burden on the healthcare system.

Epidemiological data show that the COVID-19 pandemic propagates through “local community transmission.” This means that the spread of infection cannot be accurately traced back to a source. There is a need for a non-invasive, rapid, inexpensive testing method to screen COVID-19 positive individuals – especially pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic carriers. Such a test could significantly reduce the rate of transmission – saving lives.

A team led by F.M.W Academic Chair Professor Hossam Haick and Dr. Yoav Broza of the Technion Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Russell Berrie Nanotechnology Institute, in collaboration with researchers from Wuhan, China, has devised a novel breath analyzer test to rapidly detect the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The testing device is an intelligent nanotechnology that can rapidly detect COVID-19 from specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath. The study is published in the journal ACS Nano and the technology is to be developed for the market by the company Nanose Medical.

The efficacy of the COVID-19 breath analyzer testing device, which is comprised of a nanomaterial-based sensor array, was successfully validated in March by a preliminary case-control clinical study in Wuhan, China. It can detect disease-specific biomarkers in exhaled breath with 92% accuracy, 100% sensitivity, and 84% specificity. While a larger cohort study is still needed to validate the results, the researchers envision the test’s utility as a screening tool for airports, shopping centers, and other public places where the risk of community spread is high.

Prof. Haick’s pre-screening diagnostic system could offer a screening solution that can be performed at home or point-of-care facilities, greatly reducing unneeded confirmatory tests and reducing the burden on hospitals. Importantly, the artificial intelligence of the device can be modified and applied to any other infectious diseases. Prof. Haick believes this approach can serve as a platform for a rapidly available diagnostic tool that can be used in the case of a new disease outbreak.

The research was funded by the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.

For the full article in the journal ACS Nano click here

 

Almost everyone has witnessed the Coandă effect — which is when a jet of fluid follows a curved surface. An easy way to visualize the effect is to place the back of a spoon pointing vertically downwards under a water jet flowing from a faucet. What most people don’t know is that, more than a hundred years ago, Lord Rayleigh¹ proved, theoretically, that the jet can be centrifugally unstable. In simple terms, this means that mini-tornadoes may be embedded in the jets with their funnels pointing in the jet direction. In the 1980s the critical conditions for their existence were determined theoretically² but they remained elusive, yet to be observed experimentally.

This all changed when Technion Ph.D. student, Lev Dunaevich, began studying the problem under the supervision of Professor David Greenblatt of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. By propelling a two-dimensional jet-stream over a circular cylinder they were able to visualize these stationary tornadoes for the first time (see image). In a Featured Article in the journal Physics of Fluids, Dunaevich and Prof. Greenblatt experimentally determined the critical conditions for the existence of the tornadoes, which corresponded remarkably well with theory. They also showed how the tornadoes lose their shape and become wavy, before breaking-down into incoherent turbulence. Formation of the tornadoes and their subsequent breakdown has a dramatic non-linear effect on the location at which the jet ultimately detaches from the surface.

Prof. Greenblatt was amazed that this instability had never been seen before in Coandă flows and suggested that it could be widespread in blood flow, and in medical devices such as ventilators. “The Coandă effect has long been suspected as the reason for unequal ventilation of the lungs in intubated patients and, with the prevalence of COVID-19, the discovery of this instability can play a decisive role in the design of more effective ventilators.” Prof Greenblatt also envisions the great potential for the design of microfluidic mixers, micro air vehicles, and electronics cooling systems. Using recently secured funding from the Israel Science Foundation, Dunaevich and Prof. Greenblatt are presently finding ways to manipulate the tornadoes artificially with the intention of controlling the Coandă effect and exploiting it for the design of medical devices, and for industrial applications.

1. Lord Rayleigh, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Vol. 93, No. 648, 1917, pp. 148-154.
2. J.M Floryan, The Physics of Fluids, Vol. 29, 1986, pp. 2380-2387.

Click here for the paper in Physics of Fluids

 

 

 

 

 

Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan congratulated him, saying: “Your birthday is a holiday for the Technion”

Prof. Emeritus Ruben Pauncz from the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology celebrated his 100th birthday on August 8^th and was joined by family, students, and Technion faculty.

Prof. Pauncz, a pioneer in the field of quantum chemistry, was born in 1920 in Hungary and was appointed senior lecturer at the University of Szeged. At the outbreak of the Hungarian uprising (1956), at the age of 35, he fled Hungary with his pregnant wife and their toddler child. A few days later, they landed in Israel. Without knowing Hebrew, Prof. Pauncz traveled to the Technion, where he found his own scientific articles in the library, He took these to the Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry Prof. David Ginzburg., who soon invited him to join the Technion faculty.

“Your birthday is a holiday for the entire Technion. You chose Haifa and the Technion as your home and this is where your youngest son was born and raised, who also graduated from the Technion,” wrote Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan in a birthday greeting card. “The course in quantum chemistry that you taught at the Technion was the first of its kind in Israel and probably also in the Western world. There is no doubt that your pioneering contribution put the Technion on the world map as a center for research and teaching in quantum chemistry.”

Prof. Nimrod Moiseyev, founder and head of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Theoretical Chemistry at the Technion was Prof. Pauncz’s “scientific grandson” (a student of Prof. Jacob Katriel who completed his doctoral studies under the supervision of Prof. Pauncz). He visited the family home together with students and other faculty members to honor the occasion. “For a long time, quantum chemistry was confined within the boundaries of physics,” said Prof. Moiseyev. “In the 1950s, Prof. Pauncz was one of the pioneers in the application of quantum mechanics in the field of chemistry and molecules.”

Prof. Pauncz nurtured generations of students who continue his scientific research at the Technion, in Israel, and around the world.

For the scientific autobiography published by Prof. Pauncz in 2017 in the journal of the American Chemical Society (ACS) click here.

 

In late March, the Technion announced one of the first personal protective equipment (PPE) developments for protecting medical teams from COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Comprised of a nanofiber sheet, the unique sticker can be easily adhered to a protective mask, significantly improving its effectiveness against the novel coronavirus. With an agreement now in place, mass production of the “Maya” sticker has begun in Israel.

The sticker was developed under the leadership of Professor Eyal Zussman of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Technion, under the clinical guidance of Professor Samer Srouji, the director of the Maxillofacial Surgery Department, at the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya.

Prof. Zussman, an expert on the development of nanometer fibers for various uses, mobilized his knowledge to create a sticker based on a nanofiber sheet to improve the protection capability of protective masks against the novel coronavirus. Due to its tiny size – 130 nanometers – the virus can penetrate a standard protective mask, where the pores between fibers are comparatively large, in the order of hundreds of microns. The nanoscale pores of the sticker prevent the virus from penetrating the mask, and the researchers incorporated biocides into the fiber sheet that neutralize trapped viruses within a few seconds.

An important milestone was recently reached with the signing of an agreement between the Technion and the DYKAM printing plant in Kibbutz Ein Harod. The agreement will enable the innovative sticker to be available to medical staff and the general public with exclusivity agreements to countries such as Canada, Japan, and Spain. The product has been approved by the authorities in Israel (Medical Equipment Division of the Ministry of Health), and is expected to be approved by the authorities in the United States (FDA) and Europe (CE) soon.

The agreement with Kibbutz Ein Harod will not only accelerate the availability of Maya to hospitals and the general public, but may provide the DYKAM paper plant with significant business momentum. The factory, established in 1982, produces various paper products, including thermal papers for medical monitors, transportation cards, boarding passcards, leisure and entertainment cards, and more. However, the pandemic has led to severe financial distress. Some of the key markets the plant relies on were hit hard, sales fell by 50%, and about a quarter of the company’s workers were dismissed.

Now, following the commercialization agreement for the manufacturing of the innovative Maya sticker, DYKAM operations will enter high gear. The plant management hopes the new production line will be just the first of many new lines of profit and activity.

Israel’s Chemistry Team that was trained at the Technion has been awarded a gold medal, two silver medals and a bronze medal at the International Chemistry Olympiad, which recently took place online due to COVID-19.

Over the past week, 240 young girls and boys from 60 countries around the world participated in the 52nd International Chemistry Olympiad, hosted this year by Turkey. The event was held via Zoom due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The State of Israel has been participating in the Olympiad since 2006. This year’s achievements were outstanding – all team members won medals and for the first time in a decade, and one student won gold.

The four high school students who formed Israel’s Chemistry Team were:

• Roi Peer from Gan Haim – Gold
• Bar Sheffer from Ein Vered – Silver
• Ron Shprints from Ashdod – Silver
• Ward Yahya from Taibe – Bronze

Since 2017, Israel’s Science Teams have operated under a joint venture between Israel’s Ministry of Education and the Maimonides Fund’s Future Scientists Center, who together have supported and managed Israel’s participation in the International Olympiads for high school students in four disciplines. The Chemistry team was trained at the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology.

The team was selected over a year-long process overseen by Professor Zeev Gross of the Technion’s Faculty of Chemistry, who also serves as Dean of the Unit for Continuing and External Studies, as well as heading a variety of national youth programs in chemistry, together with the team’s head coach, Dr. Izana Nigel-Etinger. The training process was also assisted by ex-medalists Raz Lotan, an undergraduate student in mathematics, Assaf Mauda, who holds a B.A. and M.Sc. in chemistry and is currently a master’s student in computer sciences, and Ron Refaeli, an undergraduate student in chemistry, all at the Technion. 

Education Minister Yoav Galant congratulated Israel’s Chemistry Team: “Israeli students, the country’s future generation, reach extraordinary international achievements in science competitions time and time again – even during this complex period. The Ministry of Education will continue to invest in and support training of Israel’s Science Teams. This goes hand-in-hand in developing and boosting capacities of all Israeli students throughout the country, and providing equal opportunity for all students to maximize their potential across a range of fields.”

Amit Edri, Director General of the Ministry of Education: “Israel’s education system is recording another impressive achievement in science. The victories of the students at the International Olympics in Chemistry and the European Competition in Physics place Israel at the forefront of the world of science. And on this front, we would like to see a broader representation of female students later on. Given the importance of the issue, I intend to advance this important goal. I congratulate our students on their impressive achievements and would like to thank the dedicated team of coaches who worked tirelessly to reach this important moment. “

Dr. Ofer Rimon, Deputy Director Computer Communication: “Israel’s Chemistry Team has represented the State of Israel and our education system with great honor. The team is a model for excellence in which we will continue to invest, in order to provide our students with the best tools to enable them to conquer mountains and allow Israel to be among the world’s leading countries. “

Eli Fried, Director General of Maimonides Fund’s Future Scientists Center: “I congratulate the students in Israel’s Chemistry Team, who have brought much pride to the State of Israel. Notwithstanding the challenging times we face, our students stayed the course throughout the year, demonstrating an extraordinary level of perseverance and determination that ultimately paid dividends. The Maimonides Fund’s Future Scientists Center, together with the Ministry of Education, will continue supporting the highly gifted students that participate in Israel’s Science Teams, as an investment in the future of Israel’s scientific leadership.”

Professor Zeev Gross, Technion’s Faculty of Chemistry and Head of Youth Programs: “Congratulations to our students who bravely shouldered the high preparatory demands and took on the maximum in real-time: a 5-hour theoretical test of more than 100 questions. Extensive and in-depth training efforts were led by Dr. Izana Nigel Etinger. 

Schulich Faculty of Chemistry Dean Professor Moris Eisen and his head of administration Hanna Olshtein, program coordinator Shirley Kaplan and laboratory engineers Gabriela Halevi and Emma Gretz, also assisted in this comprehensive effort. Special thanks to former Olympiad medalists and current Technion students – Assaf Mauda, Raz Lotan, and Ron Refaeli – who contributed their experience and time.” 

The above mentioned four pupils alongside Michael Balgola from K’far Hayarok and Itamar Steinitz from Ramat Hasharon also participated in the Asian-European Mendeleev Chemistry Olympiad (online). The competition took place 10 days earlier and was joined by representatives from 27 countries. The Israeli team won 2 silver and 3 bronze medals.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are an important part of the immune system and can self-assemble, often enhancing their antimicrobial activity. Professor Meytal Landau and Ph.D. student Yizhaq Engelberg, both of the Technion Faculty of Biology, have uncovered the atomic structure that gives a human-derived AMP the advantageous ability to form active and highly stable materials. Their discovery, published in the journal Nature Communications, has the potential to enable the design of similar artificial materials for technological and medical applications such as treating infections and even killing cancer cells.  

The study focused on elucidating the structure of the active core of the human AMP: LL-37 (residues 17-29). The researchers found that LL-37’s core is comprised of a self-assembled, ribbon-like protein fiber of densely packed helices. The fiber’s surface properties can destroy various microbes, such as bacteria, by disrupting the outer membrane of the microbe. Further experimental observation demonstrated that the unique structure is chemically stable and possesses high heat resistance. 

In addition to being used as an antibacterial therapy – which is very relevant in today’s age of antibiotic resistance – the researchers envision that the fiber’s nanostructure can be used to create scaffolds for long-lasting and durable biomaterials.  The finding opens the door to applications in nanotechnology, regenerative medicine, and bioengineering – such as an antimicrobial coating on medical devices.   

The mapping of the peptide structure was conducted and based on research done at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), in Grenoble, France; at the PETRA III storage ring; at DESY particle accelerators in Hamburg, Germany and; at the Technion: Center for Structural Biology (TCSB), Russell Berrie Electron Microscopy Center of Soft Matter, and the Life Science and Engineering Infrastructure Center. 

The researchers’ discovery was lauded by The Israel Society for Microscopy (ISM). The Society recently announced it will award the 2020 Lev Margulis Memorial Prize to Yizhaq Engelberg, for this research breakthrough. The award committee noted that the discovery is an “impressive achievement in the study of the structure of a human antimicrobial peptide” and that it is expected to lead to diverse applications in biotechnology, nanotechnology, antibacterial drug production, tissue restoration, and more.

The study was supported by the Israel Science Foundation (ISF); the Israel Ministry of Science, Technology, and Space; the iNEXT consortium of Instruct-ERIC; and the US-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF).

For the article in Nature Communications click here

 

 

Among the festive closure of the academic year at the Technion’s prize-winning Faculty of Architecture & Town Planning, final projects are showcased, and this year’s guest lectures include themes such as Globalization, Mega Scale, and the Public Realm.

More details are available on the Faculty website.

In what was a highlight of the recently held virtual Technion-Israel Institute of Technology Board of Governors meeting, the University announced that its Faculty of Computer Science will henceforth be known as the Henry and Marilyn Taub Faculty of Computer Science. According to the official statement released by the Technion, the naming of the Faculty is in consideration of some six decades of leadership and financial support from the late Henry Taub, his wife Marilyn Taub, and their family foundation, including a recent decision to provide a major donation that will make possible a much-needed expansion of Technion’s Computer Science facilities, faculty and research programs.

The expansion made possible by the Taubs is of critical importance to Israel’s future, since it will directly translate into a substantial increase of high-tech employees in the workforce to match the incredible growth of the country’s tech sector. 

The Family’s generosity will enable the University to improve on the already top-tier status of the Faculty of Computer Science at the forefront of global research, recruit and retain leading faculty members, expand undergraduate and graduate enrollment, and upgrade the teaching and research infrastructure.

“We are grateful to the Taub Family, whose support and engagement spans six decades,” said Technion President Professor Uri Sivan. “Since Henry Taub, of blessed memory, and his wife Marilyn, first became engaged with the Technion in the 1960s, they have been supportive and generous partners. The Faculty of Computer Science is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary, a period of remarkable achievements, and we are proud of its continued success. The most recent support from the Taub Family will help the Faculty to continue to expand and lead the field of computer science in Israel and worldwide.”

A legendary businessman who founded Fortune 500 Company Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and led it as president and chairman for many years, Henry Taub provided wise and visionary leadership to the Technion and the American Technion Society. He was recognized with the highest honors during his decades of leadership which included   President of the American Technion Society and Chairman of Technion’s Board of Governors.

Mr. Taub’s first contribution was for the Morris and Sylvia Taub Computer Building, in honor of his late parents. He and Marilyn later made possible the construction of the Henry and Marilyn Taub and Family Science and Technology Center, inaugurated in 2000, and continue to support its enhancement, including a new Student Learning Center and Terrace. The Taubs’ vision and generosity were also the driving force behind the Leaders in Science and Technology Faculty Recruitment Program, which provides critical funding for state-of-the-art labs and requirements of newly recruited researchers.

In the fifty years of the Faculty of Computer Science’s existence, research has expanded and deepened, with several faculty members responsible for groundbreaking inventions, developments, and research. In 1972, the first class graduated from the Faculty with 10 students. Nearly 50 years later, a class of 300 graduates completed their baccalaureate studies.

“The Faculty is the backbone of the Israeli hi-tech industry and its graduates serve in key positions in the Israeli economy,” said Professor Dan Geiger, dean of the Henry and Marilyn Taub Faculty of Computer Science, “The Taub Family has played an important part in our development and success on a global scale. Henry Taub once said: “Buildings are just walls. People are what matters.” Indeed, the generous contributions of the Taub Family will help the Faculty of Computer Science maintain and advance its leadership position in Israel’s tech-based economy.”