News BGU News BGU @ NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV גוריון בנגב-אוניברסיטת בן @ NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV S U M M E R 2 010 Save the date — Ben-Gurion Day, November 14, 2010 I BGU Voted “Best Place to Study” by Israeli Students woman in Israel to earn a Ph.D. Her degree is in clinical biochemistry, focusing on the process of chromosome division in normal and cancer cells. Avunie’s family immigrated from Ethiopia to Beer-Sheva in 1984 when she was seven years old. She is now working at the Immunology Laboratory at the Soroka University Medical Center. Rachel Avunie, one of the University’s record 192 Ph.D. recipients, is congratulated by (l-r) Rector Prof. Jimmy Weinblatt, President Prof. Rivka Carmi and Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences Prof. Shaul Sofer Ben-Gurion University of the Negev was voted the most popular university in the country, according to a recent survey commissioned by the National Union of Israeli Students Research Department. The survey was part of National Students Day, which was marked in May for the first time in honor of the 280,000 students in Israel. The comprehensive survey included thousands of students currently studying in universities and colleges who were asked to grade, on a scale of 1-5, three factors: academic level, level of social services and a general grade expressing their personal recommendation and pride in the institution at which they are studying. BGU received a grade of 4.32 from a possible five in the last category, while the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and TelAviv University received less than 4. BGU also came first in the second category and third in the first category, coming out top overall. first time a national survey has been conducted showing a comparative picture of the largest universities (not including the Open University) and academic colleges in the country. In the past, graduate surveys and local surveys have been carried out, but this is the The enthusiasm of the student body was evident in the series of graduations that took place in May and June, culminating with a record breaking 192 Doctoral degrees awarded this year by the Kreitman School of Advanced Graduate Studies. Among the recipients was Rachel Avunie, the first Ethiopian woman to earn a Ph.D. from BGU. She is only the second Ethiopian I Guilford Glazer School Upgraded to Faculty I Celebrating 40 Years of Exceptional Growth In total, more than 5,000 students graduated, broken down as follows: from the Faculty of Natural Sciences: 456 Bachelors, 80 Masters and 50 Doctorates; from the Faculty of Engineering Sciences: 917 Bachelors, 249 Masters and 36 Doctorates; from the Pinchas Sapir Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences: 1,447 Bachelors, 336 Masters and 36 Doctorates; from the Faculty of Health Sciences: 331 Bachelors, 174 Masters and 44 Doctorates; from the Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management: 273 Bachelors, 675 Masters and 6 Doctorates; from the Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research: 34 Masters and 7 Doctorates; interdisciplinary studies, 12 Doctorates. 4 7 8 24 I Prof. Hendrik Bruins in Science Magazine I American Immigrant Receives Spitzer Prize for Unique Work at Parents-Children Center News BGU @ NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV I Yair Green Elected Chairman of the University’s Executive Committee Yair Green Yair Green, Adv., has been elected Chairman of the University’s Executive Committee. He replaces David Brodet who recently completed his third term, having served 12 years in the position. An attorney by profession, Green is involved in a wide range of public activities on behalf of many higher education and cultural institutions in Israel. He has served as a member of the Planning and Budgeting Committee of the Council for Higher Education and is an active member of the Boards of Governors of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. Green is a member of the University’s Executive and Investment Committees and since 2006 has served as the Chairman of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance’s Board of Directors. He also served as legal advisor to the Yeshaya Horowitz Association for the advancement of scientific and medical research in Israel. In 1995 he founded the Green Foundation for the Enhancement of Studies and Education and serves as its president. The Foundation nurtures and encourages young people lacking financial means to take up and/or continue academic studies in one of the institutions of higher education in Israel by awarding scholarships. He was awarded Honorary Doctoral degrees by BGU in 2006 and by Bar Ilan University in 2008. University President Prof. Rivka Carmi stated that she was “very pleased with this choice, which will without a doubt contribute to the development of the University. Green is the best man to replace David Brodet who has contributed so much to the growth of BenGurion University in difficult and complex times. I have no doubt that Yair’s excellent skills, vast experience, pleasant personality and his commitment and devotion will be the driving force in implementing the University’s vision and mission.” “I enter this position with awe and reverence,” declared Green, “and with appreciation and respect for all those who served in this position before me, especially David Brodet who served in his humble way, with wisdom, professionalism and much success.” I Dr. Michael Feige Wins Shapiro Prize for Best Book Dr. Michael Feige, a member of the University’s Ben-Gurion Research Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism, has won the annual Association for Israel Studies Shapiro Prize for the best book in Israel studies published in 2009. Published by Wayne State University Press, Settling in the Hearts: Jewish Fundamentalism in the Occupied Territories examines the history, development and ideology of the Gush Emunim movement. The award was presented at 2 the annual conference of the Association held this spring in Toronto, Canada. Feige was a co-winner with Dr. Nir Kedar from Bar-Ilan University for his book Mamlakhtiyut. Hatefisah He’ezrahit shel David BenGurion (The Official Civilian Approach of David BenGurion), published by the Ben-Gurion Research Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism Press, 2009. referred to as “Greater Israel.” Feige looks back at the origins of the movement within Israeli history and traces the attempts of the settlers to construct and rationalize a home in what is Feige is a sociologist and anthropologist specializing in Israeli society, collective memory and political myth. He teaches in the University’s According to the award citation, the book is an evenhanded “examination of the generation of settlers born in the territories, the children of the so-called ‘new pioneers’ and the problems they pose; and its discussion of the strong identification with all of Israel as their homeland exhibited by the Gush Emunim settlers.” Israel Studies program. Together with Dr. Pnina Mutzafi-Heller from the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Reseach, he is co-editor of the academic journal, Hagar: Studies in Culture, Politics, and Identities. The Shapiro Prize honors the memory of Yonatan Shapiro (1929-1997), one of Israel’s most distinguished and influential sociologists, by recognizing outstanding scholarship in the history, politics, society and culture of Israel and pre-1948 Jewish Palestine. I Honorary Professorship Presented to Prof. Steven Schroeder “You have wonderful stories to tell, including the steep drop in infant mortality rates among the Bedouin, the inclusion of non-Jewish students and clinicians in your health professions schools, the progress on tobacco control and many others,” declared Dr. Steven Schroeder, Distinguished Professor of Health and Health Care at the University of California, San Francisco, speaking at the graduation ceremony of the Joyce and Irving Goldman Medical School. “In the current geopolitical situation, these stories are compelling and serve to distinguish you from the other medical schools in Israel,” he added. At the ceremony Dr. Schroeder was awarded a degree as Honorary Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences in recognition of “a man of vision, a dedicated physician, researcher and leader, former President and CEO of the prestigious Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, currently head of the Smoking Cessation Leadership Center and one of the founders of the Health Services Policy Analysis Center at UCSF.” As founding chair of the Goldman Medical School’s International Advisory Review Committee (IARC), Schroeder has been intimately involved with the School and Faculty since 1996. Recalling his first visit in 1987, when he came as a visiting faculty member, Schroeder said, “It was a dusty, aspiring, but underdeveloped medical school and university. The beautiful campus in which Prof. Steven Schroeder (right) receives an Honorary Professorship from Dean Prof. Shaul Sofer you work today is an oasis by comparison.” The event took place in the presence of the extended Goldman family. Among the 70 new physicians who received their degrees at the ceremony was Hanna Nebwani, now one of only four women Druze physicians in Israel, and Kayed Al-Athamen, a Bedouin who earned a certificate of excellence for his academic achievements. Before beginning his medical studies, Al-Athamen participated in the University’s Health Cadets program for Bedouin youth supported by the UJAFederation of New York. I Honorary Doctoral Degree Conferred Upon Philanthropist Eric F. Ross The University conferred an Honorary Doctoral degree upon philanthropist and businessman Eric F. Ross in a ceremony at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. in June. Eric F. Ross University President Prof. Rivka Carmi addressed Ross, saying that he is “an inspiration. A man who has overcome overwhelming odds: losing home, country, family and education, you came to this glorious nation, raised a magnificent family, built a business empire and committed your latter years to philanthropy.” Ross fled Nazi Germany in 1938 with only $10 in his pocket. When he bid farewell to his parents, hoping they would one day meet again, he could not have known that they would be doomed to perish in the Treblinka extermination camp. Ross has been involved with the University for several years and along with his late wife Lore, who passed away in February 2009, has supported numerous University programs, including scholarships for students in need, a lecture hall, a wide range of community service programs for the disadvantaged in the Negev region and other high priority activities for which funding was otherwise unavailable. 3 News BGU @ NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV I Prof. Zvi HaCohen Elected Rector Noted researcher in microalgal biotechnology Prof. Zvi HaCohen has been elected Rector, replacing Prof. Jimmy Weinblatt who completed his second four-year term in July. polyunsaturated fatty acids for pharmacological and dietary purposes. His research interests also include the manufacture of biofuel from algae. Prof. HaCohen is the incumbent of the Maks and Rochelle Etingin Chair in Desert Research at the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research (BIDR) on the Sede Boqer campus. His main research is in the field of microalgal biotechnology, focusing on the potential of microalgae to create HaCohen holds a B.Sc. and M.Sc. in chemistry from Bar-Ilan University and completed his doctorate in organic chemistry at the Weizmann Institute of Science and post-doctorate at Harvard Medical School in the U.S. He serves as a member of the University’s Intellectual Property Committee and has filled a number of positions at the BIDR. In addition, he serves as a professional consultant to many groups and organizations in his field and is a member of the editorial boards of several prestigious journals including Annals of Microbiology. HaCohen has published dozens of scientific papers, has been awarded research grants totaling several million dollars, has a large number of patents to his name and has edited three books, the Prof. Zvi HaCohen latest being Single Cell Oils. He also serves as Chairman of the Coordinating Council of Faculty Associations. I Prof. Hendrik Bruins in Science Magazine In an article commissioned by the prestigious Science magazine, Prof. Hendrik J. Bruins presents novel implications related to new developments in the radiocarbon dating of Pharaonic Egypt. For the first time it is possible to relate the Minoan Santorini eruption with Egyptian Historical Chronology solely on the basis of radiocarbon dates. The article was published in the June 18, 2010 issue of Science. It appears that the eruption preceded the 18th dynasty and occurred during the Hyksos Period. Moreover, conventional associations of Egyptian history with archaeological phases at Tell el-Dab‘a, the ancient 4 capital of the Hyksos, located in the northeastern region of the Nile Delta, do not fit in terms of radiocarbon dating. “Major problems exist here in relation to the Santorini eruption between archaeological dating, radiocarbon dating and association between archaeological strata in the field and Egyptian historical chronology,” he argues. Bruins is a researcher in the University’s Department of Man in the Desert at the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research and is affiliated with the Department of Bible, Archaeology and Ancient Near Eastern Studies. His research focuses on the 2nd millennium BCE. In 2006 Bruins received the Dutch Royal Award – Officer in the Order of OrangeNassau – in the name of Her Majesty Queen Beatrix for achievements in policyoriented studies on drought, hazard assessment and contingency planning in drylands, geo-archaeological desert research and innovative chronological studies about the ancient Near East. Bruins developed novel geoarchaeological research techniques, pioneered excavations in ancient agricultural terraces in the Negev highlands and discovered extensive tsunami deposits in Crete (Palaikastro) related to the Minoan Santorini eruption. He also carried out research at the Ein el-Qudeirat oasis of north-eastern Sinai, associated by some scholars with biblical Kadesh-Barnea. There, he became aware of the vital need to measure time in both archaeological and environmental studies with the same methodology: radiocarbon dating. This was the beginning of innovative research in cooperation with one of the most advanced radiocarbon labs in the world situated at the University of Groningen in The Netherlands. Several major archaeological sites in Israel are currently under investigation, as well as rural desert sites in the Negev. I Strive to be a Special Kind of Doctor “You’ve had an education that has prepared you to pursue a career in medicine that sees equal human worth beyond borders, front lines, skin shades, social stations and religions,” physician and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Dr. Sheri Fink told this year’s graduates of the Medical School for International Health (MSIH). “This is a very special medical school, maybe unique in the world for its international focus,” Fink told them. Fink was speaking at the ceremony at which 47 students from the MSIH received their M.D. degrees. The collaborative program with Columbia University Medical Center was established specifically to train future doctors to provide healthcare for populations throughout the globe. The graduates, mostly from the United States and Canada, but also from China, Poland, Russia, India, Nigeria and Fiji, have gone on to do their residencies at the most prestigious medical centers in the U.S. In addition to the basic American-style medical curriculum taught in English, students also learn crosscultural communication, nutrition in the developing world, disaster relief, population-based medicine and responding to bioterrorism. In her inspirational address to the graduating class, Fink related that she had missed her own graduation from Stanford School of Medicine in 1999 when, as a researcher for Physicians for Human Rights, she had gone to Kosovo where ethnic Albanians had been expelled by the Serbians. The 42-year-old journalist/ physician received the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting for her comprehensive article published in The New York Times Sunday Magazine. The story, “The Deadly Choices at Memorial,” describes the dilemmas facing medical staffers at a New Orleans hospital in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. “Experiencing war along with medical school has deepened your understanding of the challenges you face in realizing your idealistic goals,” she told the graduates, referring to the fact that this class had experienced both the Second Lebanon War and Operation Cast Lead in Gaza, during which missiles fell in Beer-Sheva. “Never forget that our education doesn’t give us all the answers,” she concluded. Noting that this class had shown that resiliency is one of the true keys to success in global medicine, Director of Dr. Sheri Fink the MSIH Columbia University program Prof. Richard Deckelbaum praised the new doctors for their ability to manage adversity and said he hoped they would carry this ability with them into the future. Prof. Mark Clarfield, who took over as MSIH Director one year ago, thanked his first graduating class for their “hard work, volunteerism and strong sense of solidarity towards your fellow classmates.” I Prof. Stanley Rotman Honored Prof. Stanley Rotman of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has been elected a fellow of the International Optics and Photonics Society “in recognition of his noteworthy technical achievements.” Rotman specializes in lasers, hyperspectral signal processing and target acquisition. Fellows of the International Optics and Photonics Society, known by its old acronym of SPIE, are “members of distinction who have made significant scientific and technical contributions in the multidisciplinary fields of optics, photonics and imaging. They are honored for their technical achievement, for their service to the general optics community and to SPIE in particular.” electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before joining BGU. For the last decade, he has been developing stateof-the art hyperspectral data analysis techniques for military and industrial applications. Rotman received B.Sc., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in 5 News BGU @ NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV I Cooperative Coral Project Holds Workshop and attractive to coral reef organisms and visitors.” The workshop focused on increasing biodiversity, promoting sustainable development of marine habitats and ecotourism and the urgent need for preservation, and ended with a joint dive at an experimental artificial coral reef in Aqaba. A researcher investigates the progress of one of the artificial reefs growing in the Red Sea Increasing human pressures could spell a dismal fate for coral reefs worldwide and to the communities that depend on them. This is particularly true in the Red Sea where the coral reefs have suffered. In April, Israeli and Jordanian scientists marked three years of joint research with a workshop focused on the restoration of coral reefs and the development of artificial reefs in the northern tip of the Red Sea. Funded by USAID – Middle East Regional Cooperation program, the project included scientists and students from the University’s Eilat Campus and the Marine Science Station in Aqaba, along with government officials from both countries. According to workshop organizer Prof. Nadav Shashar from the Eilat Campus, “We wanted to focus on local negative processes, such as the loss of habitat and the pressures of tourism. If we understand the forces shaping the structure and community of coral reefs, we can design artificial structures that will be biologically stable BGU’s Eilat campus offers a unique B.Sc. degree in life sciences in a combined marine biology and biotechnology track. The program, run in cooperation with the National Center for Mariculture and the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat, offers studies in fields related to natural sciences as well as marine biology and biotechnology, marine sciences, mariculture and marine ecology. I Archive of Israeli Writer David Schütz Opened Heksherim – The Research Institute for Jewish and Israeli Literature and Culture has formally opened the David Schütz Archive, containing the personal papers of the noted Israeli writer. Schütz, who arrived in Israel as a child refugee from Germany, published his first book, The Grass and the Sand, in 1978 at the age of 37 based on his 6 experiences as a child and adolescent. His characters struggle with the aftermath of the Holocaust, suffering its consequences in their dayto-day existence, often from the standpoint of a child. Schütz balances the more metaphysical elements of his writing with a solid grounding in time and place. In the 1980s and ‘90s, Schütz wrote another eight novels, including White Rose, Red Rose and I Shall Wait Forever, for which he won many awards. In addition to his literary activities, he produced several movies and was a producer and vice-president of the Israeli Film Service. The archive includes Schütz’ books, manuscripts, films, research and critiques of his work. Schütz’ books have been translated into a number of languages. Director of the Heksherim Institute Prof. Yigal Schwartz of the Department of Hebrew Literature says there is considerable interest abroad for his work to be translated into English as well, and he hopes to begin this work in the future. I Guilford Glazer School Upgraded to Faculty At a recent meeting of the University’s Executive Committee, a decision was made to change the name of the Guilford Glazer School of Business and Management to the Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management. Established as a School in 1995, it was named in July 2007 through the generosity of Guilford and Diane Glazer of Los Angeles, California. Since its establishment, the Faculty has been in a process of constant growth, including the creation of a prestigious Honors MBA program. The Guilford Glazer Faculty offers a wide range of programs for Bachelors, Masters and Ph.D. degrees. Two academic centers operate within the Faculty: the Bengis Center for Entrepreneurship and HiTech Management, and the Israel Center for Third Sector Research. Thousands of graduates have been integrated at all management levels within the various sectors of the economy and society in Israel and around the world. Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management I An Honor to be Honored University President Prof. Rivka Carmi (center) was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya in May. The citation noted her significant contribution in the academic world, in the fields of medicine and genetics, and in advancing the health and welfare of children and adults in Israel through social projects. Other recipients included Dr. Miriam Adelson, Gideon Argov, Prof. Irwin Cotler, Mr. Baruch Ivcher, Mr. Idan Ofer and Mr. Sami Sagol. (From l-r), IDC President Prof. Uriel Reichmann and Chairman of the IDC Board of Directors Oudi Recanati 7 News BGU @ NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV I Celebrating 40 Years of Exceptional Growth Students from the Netivot Yoram School performing at the Opening Plenary Session Over 300 board members and guests gathered together for the University’s 40th Annual Board of Governors Meeting. They came from more than 12 countries to learn about the University’s exceptional growth and plans for the future. Under the theme, “From Vision to Reality,” guests had the opportunity to see how the University has transformed itself into a world-class facility impacting the lives of the residents of the region. Traditional ceremonies such as the unveiling of new names on the Ben-Gurion and Founders Walls were revitalized with the dedication of the new Negev Wall recognizing the University’s most generous supporters at various levels of 8 giving and the presentation of a special 40th Anniversary gift to members of the Ben-Gurion Society. The impressive new building for the Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology and stateof-the-art facilities were also dedicated (see related stories). Cultural highlights included a performance by the Batsheva Ensemble of Decadance by Artistic Director Ohad Neharin, with surprise appearances by University staffers, and the dedication of the Arman Lithograph Collection in the presence of Corice Arman, France, at the French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands on the Sede Boqer campus. In her address to the Opening Plenary Session, University President Prof. Rivka Carmi highlighted the University's accomplishments. Referring to the daunting challenges she has faced as President, Carmi noted that despite all these trials, “BGU’s achievements during the past four years are truly remarkable.” She expressed her great satisfaction and pride at being able to overcome these Roy J. Zuckerberg and Prof. Rivka Carmi thank outgoing Chairman of the Executive Committee David Brodet (center) for his years of service ality From vision to re obstacles and “being part of the professional team that has brought the University to where it is today. More than anything they reflect on the special pioneering and idealistic spirit of the University faculty and staff. “I am grateful for all that you are doing on behalf of BGU and especially for the trust you have placed in me,” Carmi concluded. “I know that without every single one of you, we would never have accomplished what we have.” Marking the changing of the guard, she thanked the outgoing Rector Prof. Jimmy Weinblatt for his eight years of service and together with Chairman of the Board Roy J. Zuckerberg presented a gift to outgoing Chairman of the Executive Committee David Brodet, while welcoming Yair Green into the position. In his final address to the Board as University Rector, Weinblatt explained that during his tenure “BGU has undergone very difficult financial times ... Nevertheless, we managed to meet our goals of increasing the proportion of our graduate students and raising the quality of faculty, students and research.” Guest of Honor Minister of Education Gideon Sa’ar delivered the welcome news that after years of cutbacks his Ministry was developing a five-year plan to invest in institutions of higher learning. This, he assured the audience, will mean more funds for both universities and colleges, particularly in the periphery. Beer-Sheva Mayor Ruvik Danilovich praised the University for its commitment to excellence and community: “There is no other university like it,” he declared, calling BGU “a beacon of light of development not only for the Negev and Israel but for the world.” Out in the Field Participants were able to observe first-hand the close cooperation between the University and the Israeli Air Force during an impressive tour of the nearby Hatzerim Air Force base, which houses the IAF Flight School and its academic program. During their training at the flight school, cadets also study at BGU, graduating after three years with their wings and an academic degree. Commander of the IAF Flight School Col. Tomer explained that the IAF is at the forefront of air technology because of its first-class manpower: “We not Minister of Education Gideon Sa’ar only check flying abilities but also the candidate’s character. The pilot has to be smart, educated, able to recognize his own mistakes, good academically and first and foremost a good person.” The group was also given a special tour of an attack helicopter squadron and a fighter plane squadron followed by a personal discussion with cadets. Capt. Uri, a Flight School Commander and graduate of the academic program described the satisfaction that pilot cadets derive from their studies at BGU. In a similar spirit, on Sunday afternoon the Deichmann Plaza was transformed Board members help inaugurate the new Founders Wall. From l-r: Michel and Esther Halperin, Switzerland, Philip Birnbaum, USA and Vera Turtel, Israel 9 News BGU @ NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV Vice-Chairman of the Board of Governors Suzanne Zlotowski (fourth from left), UK, with Adelene Zlotowski and her son Louis-James (seated) and Kim Beckett (right) meet with recipients of the Zlotowski Admission Award for Outstanding Students, and Academic Secretary Avraham Bar-On (standing right) into a giant happening that celebrated BGU’s very special outreach and social involvement programs, including a specially built Open Apartment to showcase the University’s unique programs in the community. From the dozen children playing guitars with their student coach of the Meitar Project to those learning to make ice cream using liquid nitrogen as part of the Havayeda (a play on the words meaning “fun” and “knowledge”), the range of programs on display provided a small glimpse of what is being done throughout the region. Students from the Keren Moshe Leadership Program taught Ethiopian adults Hebrew at one end of the Plaza, while teenagers from the HaBarvaz Theater Group performed scenes from the children’s opera Brundibar written during the Holocaust by an inmate of Theresienstadt and presented in English for guests at the Board. Other represented projects included the student and canine volunteers from the Jacob Shochat, USA and Dr. Joe Agris, USA 10 Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind, the Department of Biotechnology Engineering, the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies and more. The annual Student Evening was sponsored by AABGU members Sandra and Stephen Breslauer, Dvora Ezralow, Lis Gaines, Arline and Ben Guefen, Carol Saal and Roy J. Zuckerberg. The event included the presentation of Student Association Honorary Memberships to ViceChairperson of the Board of Governors Suzanne Zlotowski and Vice-Chairperson of the Executive Committee Aharon Yadlin for their tireless efforts to advance the welfare of the student body. An Atmosphere for Learning Nobel Laureate Prof. Baruch S. Blumberg presented the Zlotowski Annual Lecture in the presence of Suzanne and Adelene Zlotowski, UK. Blumberg spoke on “Strategies of Human Disease Control – The Hepatitis B Programs.” Prior to the lecture, Prof. Alon Friedman of the Department of Physiology and Neurobiology Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation H.E. Miguel Ángel Moratinos fields questions from reporters ality From vision to re and the Zlotowski Center for Neurosciences presented the Zlotowski Admission Awards for Outstanding Students. Recipient Noa Dresner expressed her gratitude on behalf of all of the students. Board members got a glimpse of a novel out-of-thebox concept at the annual Irene and Hyman Kreitman Memorial Lecture. Medical and communications industry entrepreneur Dr. Martine Rothblatt described her idea for achieving lasting peace in the Middle East – granting U.S. statehood to Israel and Palestine. Her lecture Two Stars for Peace: Breaking the Middle East Conundrum by Going Outside of the Box was introduced by Prof. Raymond Dwek, FRS, Director of the Oxford Glycobiology Institute in the UK. “This is one of the few institutes in the world that has the potential to play a significant role in the development of global solutions in waste water treatment systems and water purification,” declared Prof. Peter Fritz, Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of Riki Dayan, USA, dancing on stage with the Batsheva Ensemble the Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, speaking to guests at the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research (BIDR). “What we really care about is the future, and this means our ability to include the best and the brightest on our staff,” said Prof. Avigad Vonshak, outgoing director of the BIDR. He introduced some of the Institutes’ most promising researchers, including Hila Ackerman, who talked about her joint Palestinian-Israeli project to restore extremely polluted streams, and Dr. Carol and Harry Saal, USA, with student at the community outreach fair Sarab Abu-Rabia-Queder of the Department of Man in the Desert, who is conducting research on cultural-social transitions of the Bedouin population. “A little piece of Europe on the edge of the Negev Desert,” is how the new European Union Ambassador to Israel Andrew Standley referred to BGU at the Symposium on “The European Union, the Middle East and the Jewish Communities in Europe.” Sponsored by the Centre for the Study of European Politics and Society, the special event hosted leading European personalities including Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Ambassador Miguel Ángel Moratinos, and former President of the European Parliament and former French Minister of Health Simone Veil. “When Ben-Gurion made the decision to declare the State of Israel, why didn’t European countries jump to agree? There was some unease amongst the Europeans, Corice Arman, France, dedicates the Arman Lithograph Collection 11 News BGU @ NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV Abraham Ben David Ohayon and family, Switzerland, with recipients of the Ohayon Scholarships in the Department of Psychology and there was – and still is – a lack of understanding and confidence,” explained Moratinos. “My personal and professional engagement has been to try to overcome this rift between Europe and Israel, and I can assure you that recently we have made it much, much better,” he told the audience. Veil declared that she is still amazed by the miracle of peace in Europe. “After the war no one believed that there could be reconciliation with Germany after three horrible conflicts.” She continued: “Even though I had to pay a very high price for being a Jew, I remain optimistic. Israel’s vitality remains for me a source of hope.” The evening culminated with the moving Honorary Doctoral Ceremony (see related story) and a magical performance by Israeli performer David Broza and the Spanish guitarist and singer Javier Ruibal. 12 Alex Goren, USA, with students at the community outreach fair Spanish guitarist and singer Javier Ruibal (left) and Israeli performer David Broza To see more photos, click to www.bgu.ac.il/board ality From vision to re I Excellence Recognized The Opening Plenary Session provided the occasion for the presentation of the President’s Prize for Outstanding Scientific Achievement and grants of the Rich Foundation Program to Promote the Status of Women Scientists in the Academy. The President’s Prize for Outstanding Scientific Achievement was awarded to two scientists – one for basic research and one for achievements in applied research. Prof. Smadar Cohen, outgoing Chair of the Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering and incumbent of the Claire and Harold Oshry Chair in Biotechnology, was recognized for her research that led to the creation of an innovative and pioneering product in the field of cardiac disease, an injectable device designed to support cardiac tissue damaged following acute myocardial infarction, thus significantly improving cardiac function and survival. Prof. Yoav Segev of the Department of Mathematics was recognized for his contribution to the classification of finite simple groups. In particular, he has proved the uniqueness of the Monster group as well as several additional large Sporadic groups. He made several major applications of the classification to other areas of mathematics. The 2010 Rich Foundation Program grants were presented to 13 young women faculty members who have “demonstrated scholarly promise in their respective fields and who were being recognized for their noteworthy accomplishments at a critical point in their professional careers.” The recipients were Dr. Orit Ben-Zvi Assaraf of the Graduate Program for Science and Technology Education; Dr. Limor Aharonson-Daniel of the Faculty of Health Sciences; Dr. Shirli Bar-David of the Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology; Dr. Anne BernheimGroswasser of the Department of Chemical Engineering; Dr. Iris Har-Vardi of the Faculty of Health Sciences; Dr. Louisa Meshi of the Department of Materials Engineering; Ronit Milano of the Department of Arts; Dr. Stav Rosenzweig of the Department of Management; Dr. Orly Sarid of the Charlotte B. and Jack J. Spitzer Department of Social Work; Dr. Ella Segev of the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management; Dr. Tzahit Simon-Tuval of the Department of Health Systems Management; Dr. Michal Ziv-Ukelson of the Department of Computer Sciences and Dr. Amalia Ziv from Interdisciplinary Studies of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. I A Room of their Own the student experience in that city. Funded and built through a partnership of the Jewish Federation of Toronto, the Rashi Foundation, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the Municipality of Eilat, the project was made possible with the generous support of Brian and Avrona Schachter of Toronto, Canada. Avrona and Brian Schachter, Canada, at the Ben-Gurion Wall A new dormitory building on the University’s Eilat Campus was dedicated during the Board of Governors meeting. The five-story building will house 72 students and is the first of a seven-building complex planned to enhance The ceremony took place in the presence of the Schachter family, members of the Canadian Jewish community, Mayor of Eilat Yitzhak Halevi, Dean of Eilat Campus Prof. Shaul Krakower, University Deputy-Rector Prof. Yael Edan and a delegation from Canada. Brian Schachter praised Toronto's commitment to Eilat and noted that, "We believe in the southernmost city in Israel and its importance to the state, and therefore develop projects in the sphere of education, health and renewable energy.” Head of the Eilat Campus Student Union Shirit Yaphet, noted, “As a girl, I didn’t even imagine the option of an academic degree in my birth city. It was clear to me I would have to leave the city in order to advance and study at university. The opening of a BGU campus in Eilat has given me and other young people an opportunity that a few years ago seemed impossible.” 13 News BGU @ NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV I Investing in Nano in the Negev Minister of Minority Affairs and former University President Prof. Avishay Braverman shakes the hand of Robert Equey, Switzerland, congratulating him and Alain Kostenbaum, Switzerland, while their respective families look on The Building for the Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology was dedicated to the strains of a string trio and gasps from the guests who were seeing the magnificent structure for the first time. The five-story building is the most complicated one that the University has ever built. The cutting-edge facility took years to plan and build and is an architectural masterpiece. The asymmetrical structure includes wide glass windows and artistically structured corridors. To provide an environment appropriate for nanoscale research, every floor has been reinforced and the labs completely protected 14 from the outside environment through vibration isolation techniques, electromagnetic shielding and the maintenance of constant temperatures. “Many miracles will take place here,” declared Minister of Minority Affairs and former president of BGU Prof. Avishay Braverman, who praised the “wonderful energy and teamwork” of the builders, researchers and donors who worked together to realize this dream. “We are training some of the very best, top-notch professionals in this field,” said University President Rivka Carmi. “This Institute produces cutting-edge basic and applied research and provides highly trained nanoscienitsts and engineers for the Israeli economy. I salute all the people who were involved in the conception and construction of this wonderful, most complex facility.” Just how complex was stressed by Vice-President and Dean for Research and Development Prof. Moti Herskowitz who noted that “designing and building this facility has been an enormously difficult task.” “Nano is a four-letter word that stirs everybody’s imagination,” declared Prof. Hanoch Gutfreund, a professor of theoretical physics and a member of the Academic Committee of the Ilse Katz Institute. “This is the scale at which life processes take place,” continued Gutfreund, former President of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “What we are celebrating today is a mature nanoscience institute on a par with the best of its kind anywhere.” Adv. Robert Equey, who, together with Adv. Alain Köstenbaum of Switzerland administers the Negev Foundation, related that before her death in 1999, Ilse Katz instructed that “you have the freedom to do what you like, but it should be for the good of science, the good of Israel and the good of the Jewish people.” Equey remarked ality From vision to re about the new building: “This really is a vision that has become reality.” “Thank you for allowing us to dedicate this very special, state-of-the art lab in your name,” President Carmi told the Scheller family at the dedication of the Roberta and Ernest Scheller, Jr. Family Surface Analysis Lab in the Ilse Katz Institute building. Ernest Scheller, Jr., U.S.A. stressed that the donation for the lab comes from a family foundation. “I want my grandchildren, Simon Leo Peretz and Zari Ann Peretz, to come here and see they are part of this University.” Scheller said that surface analysis, which determines the physical and chemical properties of a surface, is “the closest relevant scientific discipline here to the products that we manufacture in our company Silberline.” At the dedication of the Stan and Ruth Elaine Flinkman Microscopy Wing, President Carmi noted that it would certainly be one of the most vibrant wings of the new building. Carmi noted that Ruth and her late husband Stan Flinkman, U.S.A. were one of the first supporters of nanotechnology at the University and thanked Ruth for her vision and ongoing support. A visibly moved Ruth Flinkman said “I’m overwhelmed by the beauty of this building and the growth of this university. My late husband Stan would have been thrilled to see what has been accomplished.” Unveiling the sign for the Roberta and Ernest Scheller, Jr. Family Surface Analysis Lab in the presence of Roberta and Ernest Scheller, Jr. and Lisa Scheller Woodman and Wayne Woodman Ruth Flinkman gets a helping hand from Ben Marandy (far left) and Prof. Ron Folman at the dedication of the Stan and Ruth Elaine Flinkman Microscopy Wing 15 News BGU @ NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV I Garden Dedicated in Memory of Lillian Goodman University President Prof. Rivka Carmi dedicated a garden in the memory of Lillian Goodman of Chicago, noting that “I knew Lillian for only a few years, but for me she was the embodiment of a wonderful and loving person.” Speaking directly to Larry Goodman, Carmi called Lillian “a straightforward person, something honest that is hard to find nowadays.” The new garden is located next to the Zlotowski Student Center and includes a sloping path, flowers and a number of shade trees, one of which, Carmi noted, was planted specially for Lillian, “and will last forever.” Larry Goodman is a long-time member of the University’s Board of Governors and serves as national chairman of the BeerSheva Foundation. During the dedication ceremony, Goodman related that Lillian, his wife of 60 years, had accompanied him on every trip to Beer-Sheva since 1958 except two, for a total of 60 trips. “We met when I was in the service. I could have never made it without her. Lillian supported me in every way throughout our life together,” he said. The Lillian and Larry Goodman Foundations has made a significant impact on the quality of life in BeerSheva, supporting many cultural, educational and transit projects including the Beer-Sheva North/University train station, the Goodman Theater and Acting School of the Negev and the Goodman Family Administration Building Larry Goodman, USA, at the dedication of the Lillian Goodman Garden for Engineering Sciences at BGU. Also attending the dedication was the former mayor of Beer-Sheva Yaakov Terner. I Goldstein-Goren International Prize Announced Prof. Eliezer Schweid, author of Criticism of Modern Secular Culture (Hebrew, Magnes Press, Jerusalem, 2008) won the Goldstein-Goren International Prize for the Most Important Book in Jewish Thought, 2007-2009. The announcement was made at the Opening Plenary Session by Prof. Haim Kreisel from the Goldstein-Goren Department of Jewish Thought. According to the prize committee, the book 16 “brilliantly analyzes the moral, spiritual, social and political situation of the Jewish People in the State of Israel in light of the process of secularization undergone by the Western world in the last several hundred years. It deals with the current crises and suggests solutions to mend the society based on the view that Jewish secularism should be anchored in Jewish tradition and must not alienate itself from the normative aspects of the Jewish religion.” Schweid is Israel’s leading philosopher and one of the world’s leading researchers in the area of Jewish thought. He was born in Jerusalem in 1929, completed his doctorate at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1963 and from then until 2007 taught there in the Department of Jewish Thought. In 1994 he was awarded the Israel Prize, and received an honorary doctorate from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1996 and from Hebrew Union College in 2007. He has published 40 books and countless articles. Schweid’s book was chosen from among the 80 philosophical and scholarly books submitted for consideration for the prize, which is awarded every three years to the best recent book in the field of Jewish thought published either in English or Hebrew. ality From vision to re I New Laboratory to Facilitate Research in Biological Implications of Radiation The Jerry J. Cohen Radiobiology Laboratory, under the direction of Prof. Brenda Laster of the Department of Nuclear Engineering, was dedicated on the Tuviyahu Campus. The Laboratory will facilitate research on the biological effects of exposure to lowdose ionizing radiation and its application to improve cancer treatment. The Department of Nuclear Engineering is the only such department in Israel. Speaking at the ceremony, Laster referred to the dedicated early nuclear scientists working there “who understood the absolute need to bring the young nation into world class, cutting-edge nuclear science. I find it admirable that Jerry, fully aware of the magnificence of the Marcus Family Campus, wanted his name here, in these historic buildings, where the medical and biological applications of nuclear science might serve the interests of the Israeli nation.” Jerry Cohen, USA, unveils the sign outside the Jerry J. Cohen Radiobiology Laboratory with the help of son Steven Cohen and Prof. Rivka Carmi “I think this lab makes a firm statement that here at BGU, this discipline of nuclear science is alive and kicking,” declared President Prof. Rivka Carmi. “I believe that the research in this field will now be much more significant, and that we can use it for the betterment of people’s lives.” that since the use of nuclear weapons on Japan in World War II, much time and money has been dedicated to determining harmful effects of, and protection again radiation, since the assumption was that all dose levels, no matter how tiny, were harmful. However, he noted, beginning in the 1960s there have been studies “which have shown that low-dose radiation is not only benign but can also be considered beneficial in nature.” In his remarks Cohen, himself a nuclear engineer, explained He explained that he first took notice of Laster’s research work in papers reporting results of her studies showing a pronounced retardation of tumor growth in mice exposed to low doses of radiation. Cohen said he believes that the new laboratory will provide an opportunity to make significant progress in demonstrating the beneficial uses of low-dose radiation. Laster is an authority on lowdose ionizing radiation and its associated immunological effects that may have the potential to offer protection from the effects of radiological accidents or terrorist nuclear attacks. Her research also includes studies in cancer radiotherapy through brachytherapy (injecting tiny radioactive rods directly into the tumor). As one of the first scientists to use intense electromagnetic radiation beams emitted by synchrotron light sources as a biomedical research tool in cancer radiotherapy, Laster is an active member of the SESAME Project (Synchrotronlight for Experimental Science & Applications in the Middle East) located in Jordan. 17 News BGU @ NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV I Honoring Outstanding Accomplishment From l-r: Dr. Martine Rothblatt, H.E. Simone Veil, Prof. Peter Fritz, Minister of Minority Affairs Prof. Avishay Braverman, Abraham Ben David Ohayon, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain H.E. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, and Toby Mower Six outstanding individuals were awarded honorary doctoral degrees acknowledging their impact on the world, while former University President and Minister of Minority Affairs M.K. Prof. Avishay Braverman was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award. Abraham Ben David Ohayon was recognized as “a successful businessman, scion of a prestigious family, part of the once-thriving Jewish community of Morocco, who went on to play an important role in the Jewish community in Geneva, Switzerland; in acknowledgement of an entrepreneur and developer for whom environmental protection and quality of life are guiding principles; in honor of the founder and chairman of the Abraham Ben 18 David Ohayon Foundation in his country, who devotes his time and energy to supporting education, welfare and medical research as an active expression of traditional Jewish values instilled from childhood; in appreciation of a fervent Zionist who encouraged the immigration of the Jews of Morocco to the State of Israel that is so dear to his heart; and with profound gratitude to a member of the Ben-Gurion Society and a member of the Board of Governors of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev for his dedicated efforts to promote scholarship and teaching at the University by establishing the Abraham Ben David Ohayon Behavioral Sciences Complex, and for his support of researchers and students who study the mysteries of the human mind and offer aid to those who suffer, for the benefit of all humankind.” Prof. Peter Fritz was honored as “a brilliant scientist in the fields of hydrology and hydrochemistry, whose contribution to research and development of the use of stable isotopes in the study of environmental issues in water sciences has furnished his colleagues with invaluable tools for the analysis and understanding of a wide range of phenomena; in recognition of a prolific scientist who has laid the foundation for using oxygen, nitrogen and carbon stable isotopes in environmental hydrology to protect water quality; in acknowledgement of an honored academic who has taught generations of students and researchers and has held many key positions, including scientific advisor to the government of Germany; with profound esteem for a true friend of the academic community in Israel for his efforts to strengthen research ties between Germany and Israel and the advancement of joint projects on environmental issues; and with gratitude for his contribution to Ben-Gurion University of the Negev as a member and chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, guiding it towards new heights of academic excellence as one of the leading research institutes in Israel and the world.” H.E. Miguel Ángel Moratinos received the degree in acknowledgement of “a distinguished statesman, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain, ality From vision to re who is leading his country towards a bright future by promoting security, democracy and peace; with esteem for an indefatigable diplomat, recipient of many honors, who has represented his country throughout the world with sincere dedication; in recognition of the first European Union Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process, who has worked with true commitment for a peaceful end to the conflict; in profound appreciation of a veritable friend of the State of Israel, founder of the Casa Sefarad-Israel – a unique institution which promotes the contribution of Jewish culture and heritage to the history of Spain, who has invested his time and energy in enabling Israel to join the EU Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development and in initiating the United Nations resolution designating an International Holocaust Remembrance Day; and for his uncompromising struggle in promoting mutual understanding between the State of Israel and the European Union in general, and Spain in particular, and the strengthening of cooperation for the benefit of the next generation.” Toby Mower was honored as “a woman who has devoted her life to helping and supporting others in their darkest hours; with gratitude to a proud and involved member of the Jewish community of Baltimore, who plays a central role in many Zionist organizations in the United States, acting from a sense of commitment and faith in humanity; in recognition of her significant contribution towards the fight against alcoholism and other substance abuses and the rehabilitation of those who have had the misfortune to fall into the abyss of these addictions; in honor of a member of the Ben-Gurion Society and a member of the Board of Governors of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, who together with her husband established a scholarship fund for students and the Dr. Morton and Toby Mower Chair in Shock-Wave Studies; and in acknowledgement of an experienced registered nurse who is actively contributing towards fostering the next generation of nurses and is a dedicated partner in the community-oriented ‘spirit of Beer-Sheva,” working to promote health, welfare and respect for the individual.” Dr. Martine Rothblatt was recognized as “a brilliant attorney who has played a transformative role in numerous spheres; with esteem for a pioneering entrepreneur who reimagined the role of satellite communications and launched a whole new industry and who, as a visionary lawyer and legal consultant, led international efforts to obtain endorsement for space-based services and direct-to-person satellite radio transmissions, as well as for the International Bar Association’s biopolitical project to develop a draft Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights for the United Nations; in appreciation of a compassionate founder of the biotechnology company United Therapeutics Corporation and director of medical research foundations who has contributed greatly to the development of innovative and life-saving medical treatments and who constantly poses new ethical challenges to those involved in the field worldwide; in recognition of the author of many books and articles, for an active involvement as the founder of the World Against Racism Foundation and its virtual museum; and in honor of a heartfelt commitment to promote equality and tolerance between peoples and to advancing scientific research in the Negev.” H.E. Simone Veil was honored as “a highly accomplished leader who, as Minister of Health and Social Affairs in the French Government, strove to promote social justice and democracy in her country; in recognition of a Jew who survived the horrors of the Holocaust and rose to become President of the European Parliament and leader of the Liberal Democrat and Reform Party, who harnessed her expertise and inexhaustible energy in public service as a Member of Parliament, where she dedicated herself to championing issues pertaining to the environment, public health and human rights; in acknowledgement of a resolute stateswoman, a member of the prestigious Académie française, who filled many key positions in her country and in the global arena, including as Honorary President of the Fondation pour la Mémoire de la Shoah, and who has received many international honors for her work; and with esteem for her steadfastness in promoting gender equality and human respect and the revolutionary legislation granting women the right to decide on their own bodies, among other laws, which left an indelible mark on the history of her country.” Prof. Avishay Braverman was acknowledged with a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of “a courageous visionary whose steadfast dedication and loyalty over the years has invigorated the University through its unprecedented academic and physical development, enabling it to pursue research to the highest pinnacle; in deep appreciation of the unstinting efforts of a true friend and farsighted leader in realizing the vision of Israel’s founding father and first prime minister David BenGurion, who believed in the potential of the Negev, with the University at its heart; and in gratitude for his noteworthy contribution to the country’s future, imbuing its students with an eagerness to seek new horizons, further the boundaries of knowledge and create a new reality of peace and prosperity.” 19 News BGU @ NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV I Prof. David Newman, New Dean of the Pinchas Sapir Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences has been the chief editor of The International Journal of Geopolitics. He is known internationally for his work on borders – both in Israel, as well as with academic colleagues and governments throughout the world. He replaces Prof. Moshe Justman. Prof. David Newman Prof. David Newman has been elected Dean of the Pinchas Sapir Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Newman is a political geographer who, for the past ten years, Newman was one of the founders of the Department of Politics and Government at BGU, serving as the first Department Chairperson from 1997-2003, and was then instrumental in the establishment of the Centre for the Study of European Politics and Society, with the generous support of the Ben-Gurion University Foundation in the UK. Newman has also been involved in Track II political discussions and negotiations between Israelis, Palestinians and other regional participants for 20 years. Newman grew up in the UK and immigrated to Israel in 1982 following the completion of his doctoral studies at the University of Durham. As a Leverhulme Professor at Bristol University, England, (2006-2008), Newman played a leading role in the defense of Israeli universities and the academic community in the face of a proposed academic boycott. He continues to engage in meetings with heads of British universities, aimed at dealing with boycott related activities, as well as developing stronger research cooperation between Israeli and British academic colleagues. I Prof. Miri Amit, New Dean of the University's Eilat Campus 20 The new dean of BGU’s Eilat Campus is mathematician and mathematics educator Prof. Miriam (Miri) Amit. Director of the Center for Science and Technology Education, Amit will be assuming her new position in August. She is replacing Prof. Shaul Krakover who is completing his tenure there. Amit has developed a blend of qualities that integrate academic excellence with community payback. She created and launched the “Kidumatica: the Youth Mathematics Forum” project more than a decade ago that cultivates talented students of diverse backgrounds throughout the Negev. Before coming to BGU, Amit served for more than ten years as the National Superintendent of Mathematics in Israel's Ministry of Education, overseeing school curricula, national testing and mathematics education policy. She received her B.Sc. and M.Sc. from the Technion – the Israel Institute of Technology, and her Ph.D. from the Department of Mathematics and Computer Sciences at BGU. Amit’s research has been published in highly acclaimed journals and she has written four books on math and science teaching, and learning. In her commitment to the community and promotion of academic excellence, Amit has directed outreach programs for the enhancement of math and science teaching in the Negev. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Guastella Award for the advancement and empowerment of math and science education, the British Council Award for Leaders in Mathematics Education and the International Organization for Women in Mathematic Education Award for research on gender in mathematics. Prof. Miriam (Miri) Amit Regarding her new role, Amit says “I believe it is a mission of the highest national importance to make the Eilat Campus an international center of academic excellence.” I Prof. Pedro Berliner, New Director of the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research Prof. Pedro Berliner Noted expert on dryland agriculture Prof. Pedro Berliner has been appointed the new director of the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research (BIDR) replacing Prof. Avigad Vonshak. Berliner, a member of the Wyler Department of Dryland Agriculture and incumbent of the Benjamin Schwartz Chair in Agricultural Biology, was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He was the founding director of the Wyler Department of Dryland Agriculture and is a member of the French Associates Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology of Drylands. Since 2006 Berliner has served as the Director of the Blaustein Center for Scientific Cooperation that coordinates the post-doctoral program of the Institutes and scientific collaboration with other institutions of higher learning and research centers worldwide. He has been a member of the Israeli delegation to the Conference of the Parties of the UN Convention for Combating Desertification, served as an advisor to the Israeli Ministry of Science and the Chief Scientist’s Office and is a member of the Global Network of Dryland Research Institutes. Berliner's main research interest is the efficient use of water in rain-fed agricultural systems and planted forests in drylands. He has studied and developed the techniques that make use of flood waters for the irrigation of orchards and forests planted in arid zones, with a focus on the evaporation of water from the surface of bare soils and between the rows of crops. He is involved in the development, testing and modeling of agricultural techniques that increase the water use efficiency of crops and planted forests. In addition to BGU, he has held a research post in South Africa and was a visiting professor in Spain, Japan and Mexico. I Prof. Ayala Malach-Pines, New Dean of the Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management Prof. Ayala Malach-Pines has been elected Dean of the Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management. An organizational and clinical psychologist, Malach-Pines received the President’s Award for Excellence in Scientific Research in 2008. She is replacing Prof. Arie Reichel. an internationally recognized researchers on topics such as stress and burnout in multinational virtual teams; psychological and cultural aspects of entrepreneurship; and psychological determinants of career choice in management and entrepreneurship. Pines, who served for six years as head of the Department of Business Administration, is a pioneer in the study of burnout and couple burnout in dual-earner families, and She is the author of ten books published in a number of languages, including, Falling in Love: Why We Choose the Lovers We Choose, Burnout Measure, Couple Burnout: Causes and Cures, Romantic Jealousy: Causes, Symptoms, Cures, Experiencing Social Psychology, co-authored with Christina Maslach, and, more recently: Career Choice in Management and Entrepreneurship and Handbook of Research on High-Technology Entrepreneurs, co-edited with Mustafa Özbilgin of the United Kingdom. Prof. Ayala Malach-Pines In 2008 she received BGU’s President’s Prize for Outstanding Scientific Achievement marking the 60th anniversary of the State of Israel. 21 News BGU @ NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV I University Marks 40th Anniversary with Series of Public Events The University’s Zlotowski Dance Troupe gave two public performances A colorful six-kilometer march through the city’s central streets marked the kick-off of the University’s 40th anniversary celebrations in Beer-Sheva. Nearly 2,000 University employees, students and guests participated in the event, which celebrated the University's involvement in the community and its impact on the Negev. Groups from Soroka University Medical Center, Magen David Adom and Maccabi Health Services also participated. Accompanied by jugglers and clowns and a truck carrying a DJ, the marchers were cheered on by school children and Beer-Sheva residents along the 22 route. University President Prof. Rivka Carmi led the parade together with Vice-Chairman of the University’s Executive Committee Aharon Yadlin. Former University President and Minister of Minority Affairs Prof. Avishay Braverman and Beer-Sheva’s Mayor Ruvik Danilovich greeted the marchers before they set off. The day culminated with lunch and entertainment at the University Sports Center. The parade was one of a series of 40th anniversary events, including a dinner for University pensioners, an evening of poetry and literature organized by the Department of Hebrew Literature and two performances by the University’s Zlotowski Dance Troupe. Celebrated author and BGU lecturer Etgar Keret (right) joined Prof. Nissim Calderon and singer Rona Kenan for an evening dedicated to Israeli culture to mark the University’s 40th anniversary Scenes from the 40th anniversary March: top left, the award winning team from the Division of Finance; top right, the long view; bottom, the University’s senior management leads the way, l-r, Dr. Michael Sherf, Director of Soroka University Medical Center, Aharon Yadlin, Prof. Rivka Carmi, Prof. Avishay Braverman, Adv. Yair Green 23 News BGU @ NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV I American Immigrant Receives Spitzer Prize for Unique Work at Parents-Children Center in Sderot The Spitzer Prize for Excellence and Innovation in the Field of Social Welfare 2010 was awarded to Antonina Rosa Naveh for her innovative work at the Parents-Children Center in Sderot. Established with the support of the Ministry of Welfare and Social Services and administered by the Gvanim Association, the Center is an integral part of the welfare services in Sderot. Presented by Dr. Orly Sarid, the head of the award committee and a member of the Charlotte B. and Jack J. Spitzer Department of Social Work, the citation noted that Naveh was being recognized, “for creating novel programs for families and children at risk through an ongoing dialogue with organizations in the local and the wider community” and “for adapting and tailoring novel therapeutic programs for families in Sderot, in light of the ongoing security burden on personal, familial and community resources.” Created nine years ago, the Center for Children and Parents at Risk in Sderot provides specially tailored programs for families and children at risk. Naveh developed a personalized approach that nurtures the empowerment of parents through engaging them as partners in the process of the therapy. This has proven to be critical in Sderot, a town that has been under missile fire for the past nine years. Born in Germany in 1947, Naveh grew up in the United States. In 1978 she immigrated to Israel with her husband and her daughter. Today she is the mother of two children and grandmother of two. She graduated from SUNY Albany with a B.A. in German Literature and received her Masters-Degree in Social Work from Boston University in 1973. In her remarks, Naveh noted that Sderot is a “city of immigrants who are still rooted in a much more traditional culture,” and she particularly thanked the families that “keep us on our toes.” She read from a poem titled, “Once” that noted that “Once upon a time people lived and living was healing; today people need healing to live.” The Prize, donated by the late Jack and Charlotte Spitzer of the United States, is awarded biannually as an expression of the commitment of the Spitzer family and the Department of Social Work to the development of social services in the Negev. At the same ceremony, the Frannie Ackerman Prize was awarded to Lee Peikes. Created in memory of Department founder Frannie Ackerman, who strongly believed that academic Dr. Orly Sarid (left) presents the Spitzer Prize to Antonina Rosa Naveh research had to be rooted in community involvement, the Prize is granted in recognition of “the student whose field work practicum was outstanding in its humanity.” Dean of the Hunter College School of Social Work, Prof. Jackie Mondros commended the students for their decision to study social work and noted that Hunter College and BGU share the important qualities that make for great social workers: “a commitment to excellence and innovation, with the persistence to never give up.” Receive NEWS@BGU Online To subscribe, send an e–mail to [email protected] and it will arrive directly into your inbox. Produced by the Department of Publications and Media Relations Editor: Faye Bittker Text: Patricia Golan Translation: Jacqueline Watson-Alloun Photos: Dani Machlis, Oded Antman, Carl Cox, Yotam From, Wolfgang MotzafiHaller, Shay Shmueli, Eugene Nestorovsky Design: www.image2u.co.il Further details of the research projects described here may be obtained from: [email protected], Tel: 972-8-646-1753 Ben-Gurion University of the Negev P.O.Box 653, Beer–Sheva 84105, Israel www.bgu.ac.il, Vol.9 No.2
© Copyright 2024