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Since the start of the war, more than 3,000 IDF soldiers have been injured, including dozens of Technion students. The Dean of Students Office supports them and their families from the moment they receive the news of the injury until today. Many of the injured have already returned to their studies, receiving assistance according to their needs – academic help, financial aid, dormitory support, and emotional and psychological assistance.

 

The Technion’s psychological services have opened support groups for soldiers who were in life-threatening situations, both injured and uninjured reservists, to process their experiences and feelings. Those interested in further individual treatment were provided with fully funded therapy by the Dean of Students Office. Severely injured students living in the dormitories received a full rent exemption until they return to the Technion.

 

“One of our first tasks when the war broke out was to compile the names and details of the injured students,” says Dean of Students, Prof. Ayelet Fishman. “As soon as we received the information, the Student Counseling and Support Center advisors contacted the injured or their relatives to see how we could help. I also personally contacted the injured.”

 

Prof. Fishman states, “Unfortunately, I cannot heal the injured students, but in my role, I can assist them financially, whether it’s funding rent or psychological treatment, providing favorable loans, funding tutoring sessions and online courses, and if necessary, even financing a taxi from the hospital to the Technion every morning. I thank the Technion administration and the friends of the Technion in Israel and worldwide for the extensive assistance that enabled our office staff to respond to every student. Above all, it is important to me that they receive personal and humane attention from all the parties in the Dean of Students Office. I appreciate their service and sacrifice for the sake of all the citizens of the country and wish them and all the injured a speedy recovery.”

 

 

Yuval Zarkovsky: “The injury won’t change the course of my life”

 

On October 7, 2023, Yuval Zarkovsky, 22, a student in the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, was staying at his mother’s house in Herzliya. “Last year I did a summer semester and in early October, I was preparing for exams.”

 

There was no doubt that as a combat soldier he would be called to duty. Indeed, two weeks later, his unit was conscripted; first to the north, then to Gaza, and then back to the north. In the north he met a female soldier, and soon they became a couple. On December 7, she was discharged and he remained on duty. The next day, an event occurred that changed his life.

 

On the afternoon of December 8, the position where Yuval was stationed was bombed, and the building collapsed on him and another soldier. He recalls, “Only my leg was injured, but the other soldier was literally buried under the rubble; I couldn’t believe he would make it out. Fortunately, he did.”

 

Yuval vividly remembers the moment of impact. “I applied a tourniquet to myself and sent a text message to my mom and my girlfriend to say that I was injured. Someone arrived, reinforced my tourniquet, and went to treat the other injured soldiers. One of the combat soldiers came and escorted me to a protected area. I was treated there and later flown with the other injured soldier by helicopter to the Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa.”

 

At Rambam, Yuval was informed that they would likely have to amputate his leg. Initially, there was some hesitation, but within a few days, the decision was clear; the amputation was necessary. “I realized there was no choice and accepted it. I also received a prosthesis and rehabilitation at the Beit HaLochem (IDF Disabled Veterans Center), where I am still working on strengthening my upper body and practicing walking.” Today, he is able to walk without crutches, and according to his doctors, he will fully return to function after the rehabilitation process.

 

Following the injury, he travelled to the United States with a delegation from the “B’lev Ehad” (One Heart) association, which assists the sick, elderly, and needy. There he met donors and doctors, and was shown an advanced prosthetic unlike his own; later, he received such a prosthesis. The new prosthesis has improved his walking ability.

 

He started the semester remotely, and only recently returned in person to studies at the Technion. “At the beginning of the semester, I only came to the lab sessions because they can’t be done remotely and they are very difficult to catch up on if you miss them. I want to emphasize the tremendous help I received from the from the lecturers and administrative staff of the Faculty.”

 

He doesn’t think the injury will change the course of his life. “I came to the Technion to study civil engineering from a love of engineering and construction. I have five more semesters to go, so there is still plenty of time to decide what I will do next.”

 

 

Yair Tikotzky: Taxis funded by the Technion

 

Captain (Res.) Yair Tikotzky, 25, grew up in Nahariya and studied computer science in high school. After  his military service in the Paratroopers’ Regiment  and Nahal Brigade, he was discharged as a squad commander and went on a trip abroad. Upon his return from the trip about two years ago, he began studying at the Technion in the Henry and Marilyn Taub Faculty of Computer Science. He said that, “even before the war, I had to do a lot of reserve duty during the semester. Last year in the winter semester, the unit conducted training. During the last spring semester, the unit carried out operational activity in Samaria.”

 

Events on October 7 found him in his apartment in Nesher preparing for exams, and on the same day he was called up. “We started travelling to our base to equip ourselves, but the terrible news from the south began to break, and we received an order to travel in our own cars to the Gaza Envelope in order to save whoever we could,” he said. “While we were on the way there, they sent us back to the unit; all the soldiers arrived, and we got organized. The next day, on October 8, we were sent to the north. I was moved from my unit to the unit of a friend of mine, Captain (Res.) Itay Mizrahi, and joined him as an additional officer in the Paratroopers’ 55th Brigade in reserves.” After a period in the north, the unit was called south to prepare for a ground entry into the Gaza Strip. They trained until they were well prepared, and “as soon as the command came, we confidently entered the strip.”

 

Brigade 55 entered Khan Yunis and stayed there to secure the entry axis. “The first day was particularly challenging. While we were leading the force, hours after crossing the border, we were fired upon by terrorists and lost a soldier in the platoon. A few weeks later during tunnel detection activity, a missile was fired at us; it killed a soldier from the platoon accompanying us. I managed to identify the source of the fire and we immediately took cover; many lives were saved.”

 

On December 25, while shooting at a suspicious building, Yair’s leg was caught in a wave of stones and metal, and he collapsed under 30 kilograms of gear. “I fell and couldn’t move. I shouted to my friends, who thought I was hit by a bullet, and they rescued me. Because of the adrenaline I didn’t feel much pain; the medical team thought it was a sprain, so they gave me morphine and sent me home. The next day, I went to hospital, and it turned out to be a broken ankle, and no less problematic – torn ligaments. Thus began a prolonged process of recovery.”

 

And then the semester at the Technion began. “The semester was postponed to January 14 out of consideration for reservists, but I didn’t know if I would be able to study on campus so early in the recovery process. I started studying remotely, and after a few weeks I returned to my apartment in Nesher and hoped I would be able to cope. To my delight, the Technion came to my aid. The Dean of Students Office provided me with a taxi from my apartment to the Technion and back. It was very meaningful to sit in class, to meet friends, to feel part of the semester. In general, I feel that there is a lot of consideration and understanding at the Technion for the reservists’ situation. Course instructors called to say they would help me adjust. It’s very heartening.”

 

One of Yair’s messages to the other reservists is the importance of psychological treatment. “It’s something that has helped me a lot, and I recommend that anyone who was in the reserves in wartime takes advantage of this option. Sometimes everything seems okay, both in how a person feels and in what they outwardly project, and yet there are processes happening internally. So, I think you need to go for treatment to make sure you’re taking care of yourself.”

 

Prof. Yair Goldberg, a faculty member in the Faculty of Data and Decision Sciences, received the Technion President’s Award for Outstanding Achievement this week for his tremendous contribution to human health, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. He was awarded the honor for his thorough work and its impact on human health in Israel and worldwide.

 

“The President’s Award is given for outstanding achievements that have a significant impact on society,” said Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan at the event that opened the session of the Technion Board of Governors. “Prof. Goldberg is a very humble researcher, but his work during the pandemic largely dictated how Israel, and the entire world, managed the pandemic. Prof. Goldberg, a statistician, showed us all that theoretical statistics can bring about significant change in the world.”

Prof. Yair Goldberg, a biostatistician with extensive knowledge of statistical theories and applied research in human health, leads an interdisciplinary research group at the Technion. This group harnesses statistical methods and computational learning to solve theoretical and applied problems. During the COVID-19 period, he played a crucial role as a leading statistician who helped decision-makers at the Ministry of Health manage the pandemic response. He conducted joint research with leading experts and decision-makers, including Prof. Nachman Ash, who was the national overseer in the fight against the coronavirus, and Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis, head of Public Health Services at the Israeli Ministry of Health. The findings from these studies led, among other things, to understanding the decline in vaccine efficacy over time and to the decision to allocate booster shots to the elderly population. These findings were presented to the FDA and formed the basis for the organization’s decision to promote booster shots, which significantly reduced morbidity and mortality during the Delta wave.

Nobel Laureate Prof. Drew Weissman received the Harvey Prize this week along with his colleague Prof. Pieter Cullis. Prof. Weissman donated the prize money he received to students at the Technion.

The Harvey Prize, the most prestigious award given by the Technion, was awarded on June 3, to Nobel Laureate Prof. Drew Weissman from the University of Pennsylvania and Prof. Pieter Cullis from the University of British Columbia. The ceremony took place as part of the Technion Board of Governors meeting.

 

Prof. Drew Weissman, the 2023 Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine, is an immunologist focusing on RNA biology. He is currently developing methods for replacing genetically defective proteins, genome editing, and precise drug delivery to cells and organs using RNA technologies.

 

Prof. Pieter Cullis has led significant breakthroughs in developing treatments in nanomedicine using lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for cancer treatment, genetic therapies, and vaccines. He developed lipid nanoparticles that protect mRNA and deliver it to cells. This platform was later used in RNA-based vaccines.

 

The $75,000 Harvey Prize was established in 1971 by Leo Harvey (1887-1973), an industrialist and inventor, and a dedicated friend and loyal supporter of the Technion and the State of Israel. The prize is awarded annually by the Technion for outstanding achievements in science, technology, and human health and for significant contributions to humanity. Over the years, the prize has become a “Nobel predictor” as more than 30% of its recipients have later won the Nobel Prize. Prof. Drew Weissman joins this statistic, who learned of his Harvey Prize win about two months before receiving the Nobel Prize alongside his colleague Prof. Katalin Karikó.

Weissman and Cullis received the Harvey Prize in human health for their research, which enabled the rapid development and delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to the public. Their scientific discoveries revolutionized the provision of effective and safe vaccines and led to the development of new types of drugs and genetic treatments that greatly contributed to human welfare.

 

Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan said at the award ceremony: “This is a very difficult time for Israel and the Jewish people, and I find it hard to express our gratitude for your presence here despite the difficulties and uncertainty. Your visit here is a declaration of your friendship with the Technion and with the State of Israel. In the Hebrew language and culture, there is an important term, ‘Tikkun Olam’ (repairing the world), which is not just a term but a guiding value. This value is an integral part of the Technion’s identity, acting out of a commitment to improving the world. We all, as scientists, work for this noble purpose, but only a few have managed to achieve such a far-reaching impact as you.”

 

Mark Gaines, president of the American Technion Society (ATS), said: “The Technion community has demonstrated its strength in the face of some of its greatest challenges and has overcome them. Leo Harvey, for whom the Harvey Prize is named, dedicated his life to improving human well-being, the Jewish people, and the State of Israel. Professors Weissman and Cullis also dedicate their lives to advancing humanity through scientific excellence and breaking boundaries. I am neither a scientist nor an engineer, and I always admire the perseverance resolve and energy that lead to the accomplishments that you have been able to achieve. Well done.”

 

“Thank you for the prize, it is a great honor for me,” said Prof. Weissman upon receiving the award. “It’s hard to celebrate at such a difficult time for Israel and the world, but I would never have missed the chance to come to the Technion and receive the Harvey Prize. Whenever I receive an award, I always think about how it will help me advance the other things I do, and I know that being a Harvey Prize laureate will help me promote the things I strive to advance—improving the availability of vaccines and drugs, especially in the Third World and for diseases that are not ‘profitable’ for large companies. For many years, I have been promoting the establishment of research centers and manufacturing facilities for drugs and vaccines in poor countries, allowing local communities to lead research, development, and production in a locally adapted manner.”

 

“This is a difficult time for Israel; it was especially important for me to come here and receive the award in person,” said Prof. Cullis. “My scientific journey has been an unexpected journey, starting with a Ph.D. in physics, continuing in the field of semiconductors, and reaching the development of vaccines and medical treatments within the academic and industrial framework. It is a great honor for me to receive the Harvey Prize, and I thank you very much.”

 

The prizes were awarded to the winners by Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan, and the citations were read by Vice President for Academic Affairs Prof. Naama Brenner and Vice President for Research Prof. Noam Adir. The ceremony was moderated by Prof. Michael Silverstein from the Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering.

As part of their visit to the Technion, the laureates gave lectures to researchers and students at the Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine. Prof. Drew Weissman, planted a tree in the “Nobel Laureates’ Avenue” at the Technion.

 

Prof. Drew Weissman, Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine for 2023, is an immunologist focusing on RNA biology. He completed his MD and Ph.D. at Boston University. In 1977, he opened his lab at the University of Pennsylvania, where he focused on RNA and vaccines. He is currently developing methods for replacing genetically defective proteins, genome editing, and precise drug delivery to cells and organs based on RNA technologies. He has received numerous awards, including the Rosenstiel Award, the Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award, and the VinFuture Prize. Together with Prof. Katalin Karikó from the University of Pennsylvania, he has been recognized for his pioneering work in developing improved mRNA (nucleoside-modified mRNA), which leads to the suppression of the inflammatory response to mRNA molecules and paves the way for RNA-based treatments. Prof. Weissman received the Harvey Prize “in recognition of developing innovative technology for the production and packaging of mRNA, which enabled the rapid development and delivery of effective COVID-19 vaccines; in appreciation for his pioneering work with Prof. Katalin Karikó in developing nucleoside-modified mRNA that successfully mitigates the inflammatory response and paves the way for RNA-based treatments. These fundamental scientific discoveries, along with the work of Prof. Pieter Cullis, have revolutionized the delivery of effective and safe vaccines, the development of innovative treatments, and the creation of a platform for future genetic therapies.”

 

Prof. Pieter Cullis from the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of British Columbia has led significant breakthroughs in developing treatments in nanomedicine using lipid nanoparticles (LNP) for cancer treatments, genetic therapies, and vaccines. He developed lipid nanoparticles that protect mRNA and deliver it to cells—a platform later used in RNA-based vaccines. He completed his Ph.D. in physics at the University of British Columbia, where he founded a lab under his leadership. He is a co-founder of two national excellence networks in Canada—the Centre for Drug Research and Development (now AdMare) and the NanoMedicines Innovation Network. He has been appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada and has received numerous awards, including the Prince Mahidol Award, the Gairdner Award, and the Tang Prize. In 2023, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. Prof. Cullis received the Harvey Prize “in recognition of developing innovative technology for the production and packaging of mRNA, which enabled the rapid development and delivery of effective COVID-19 vaccines, and for developing unique lipid nanoparticles (LNP) that protect mRNA and deliver it to cells, a platform later adapted for RNA-based vaccines. These developments, along with those of Profs. Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman, have led to fundamental scientific discoveries that have revolutionized the delivery of effective and safe vaccines, the development of innovative treatments, and the creation of a platform for future genetic therapies.”

 

Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan awarded the prestigious Technion Alumni Medal to Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis, head of public health services at the Israeli Ministry of Health and a distinguished graduate of the Rappaport Faculty of Medicine. The medal was awarded to her “in recognition of her influential work for public health in Israel; in appreciation of her vital role in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic; and in gratitude for being a role model for Technion students and alumni through her exceptional achievements in the field of medicine.”

President of the Technion, Prof. Uri Sivan, noted that “Dr. Alroy-Preis is a model and inspiration for us. In her character, in her professional and managerial capabilities, she embodies the spirit of the Technion, which combines research, innovation, entrepreneurship, leadership, and scientific excellence with social mission. Dr. Alroy-Preis’ contribution to public health in Israel was particularly prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic, where she led the fight against the pandemic and significantly influenced global pandemic response efforts. On behalf of the Technion and the entire Israeli society, I wish to thank you, Dr. Alroy-Preis, for your immense work for public health.”

 

Dr. Alroy-Preis, head of public health services at the Israeli Ministry of Health, is the senior professional leading the ministry’s policy on various issues, including the outbreak of infectious diseases, health promotion, and business licensing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she led the fight in Israel based on scientific knowledge and top experts, led the vaccination campaign starting in the third wave, and was involved in research and discussions clarifying the need for a booster dose following the decline in vaccine efficacy.

 

Dr. Alroy-Preis is an expert in internal medicine, public health, and preventive medicine. She completed her internship at Rambam Health Care Campus and her residencies at Carmel Medical Center and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. Dr. Alroy-Preis was formerly the Chief Epidemiologist of the state of New Hampshire and served as Deputy Director of the Carmel Medical Center. She holds an MBA from Tel Aviv University.

 

The Technion Alumni Medal is awarded to alumni who have achieved exceptional accomplishments in science, medicine, engineering, technology, and architecture; who have made significant contributions to advancing the economy, industry, and education; and who have demonstrated impressive leadership and exceptional commitment reflected in public activities for the Technion. Past recipients of the Alumni Medal include Dadi Perlmutter (2018), Avi Nathan (2019), Guido Pardo Roques (2019), Aharon Aharon (2023), and Johny Srouji (2023).

The Technion awarded Israeli author David Grossman an honorary doctorate “in recognition of the extensive impact of his literary works in Israel and around the world and the talent through which he described the diversity and complexity of Israeli society; in gratitude for his deep love of the Hebrew language and his commitment to truth and dialogue; and for his inspiring efforts to foster coexistence and peace and to establish a better and more ethical society.”

Prof. Ada Yonath of the Weizmann Institute of Science, Nobel Prize laureate in Chemistry for 2009,  received an honorary doctorate “in recognition of her pioneering contribution to ribosome research – the universal complex for translating genetic information into proteins – in mapping its structure and deciphering its function, and for discovering the mechanisms of antibiotic effects on bacterial ribosomes; and with great appreciation for her outstanding contribution to the advancement of science in Israel and worldwide.”

An honorary doctorate is the highest honor bestowed by the Technion on individuals who have excelled in their scientific and cultural endeavors or in their contributions to Israel, the Jewish people, and humanity. Previous recipients of this honor include Chaim Weizmann (1952), Albert Einstein (1953), Niels Bohr (1958), David Ben-Gurion (1962), Eugene Wigner (1971), Margaret Thatcher (1989), Yitzhak Rabin (1990), and Angela Merkel (2021).

“David Grossman is one of the greatest Israeli authors of our generation,” said Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan. “His contribution to Israeli literature and culture is immense, as is his contribution to the Hebrew language. Through his penetrating gaze, he has vividly described complex Israeli reality in all its aspects, the struggle with pain, loss, and bereavement, and the individual’s place in society.”

Regarding Prof. Yonath, Prof. Sivan said, “Great scientists are distinguished not only by their scientific achievements but also by their courage – the courage required to choose unique and innovative paths that may seem hopeless to the scientific community. Prof. Ada Yonath demonstrated exceptional personal and scientific courage when she embarked on that journey to terra incognita, which eventually led her to decipher the structure of the ribosome through crystallography. Her long journey has provided humanity with deep insights into the ribosome and opened new applied horizons.”

David Grossman was born in Jerusalem in 1954 and acquired his love of literature at home. After studying at “Leyada” (the Hebrew University Secondary School), he enlisted and served in the Intelligence Corps. He studied philosophy and theater at the Hebrew University and won awards for his early stories. Grossman has published eleven internationally renowned books, including “See Under: Love,” “To the End of the Land,” “Falling Out of Time,” “A Horse Walks into a Bar,” and “More Than I Love My Life.” He has also published five non-fiction books, including “The Yellow Wind,” a collection of short stories, numerous children’s books, a children’s opera, and a play. Several of his books have been adapted into films. In memory of his son Uri, who was killed during the Second Lebanon War by an anti-tank missile, Grossman wrote the song “The Spring Is So Short.” Grossman’s work has been translated into 45 languages and has earned him numerous prestigious awards, including the Prix Médicis for translated literature, the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, the National Jewish Book Award (USA), the Man Booker Prize (UK), the Royal Society of Literature International Writers Award (UK), the EMET Prize, and the Israel Prize for Literature. For the past forty years, David Grossman has actively worked for peace between Israel and its neighbors. His articles and essays on this subject have been published in leading newspapers worldwide.

Prof. Ada Yonath completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry and biochemistry at the Hebrew University, her doctorate at the Weizmann Institute of Science (1968), and post-doctoral research at Carnegie Mellon University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). In 1970, she established the first laboratory in Israel for protein crystallography at the Weizmann Institute, and for nearly a decade, it remained the only laboratory of its kind in Israel. The research that led to her Nobel Prize began in the 1980s and focused on the ribosome, the “protein factory” in the cell. She heads the Helen and Milton A. Kimmelman Center for Biomolecular Structure and Assembly at the Weizmann Institute and previously led a research unit at the Max Planck Institute in Hamburg. In 2009, Prof. Yonath received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry along with colleagues from Yale University and the University of Cambridge for their contribution to understanding the mechanisms of protein synthesis in living cells.

Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan presented the two with their degrees in a festive ceremony on Monday, June 3, as part of the Technion’s annual Board of Governors Meeting, which this year has the theme of solidarity.

 

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)