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BGU and You Winter 2014

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BGU and You Winter 2014 שולם P.P 5932 באר-שבע NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV אוניברסיטת בן-גוריון בנגב Celebrating the Spirit of Advanced Technologies Park David Ben-Gurion Inaugurated Adjacent to BGU Deutsche Telekom Innovation Laboratories at BGU Dedicates Expanded Offices Ruth and Heinz-Horst Deichmann Classroom and Computer Laboratory Building Opened Prime MInister Binyamin Netanyahu cuts the ribbon with Beer-Sheva Mayor Ruvik Danilovich and President Rivka Carmi BGU Launchs first ever “This is a day that will change the history of University President Rivka Carmi noted that, joint Israel-Germany the State of Israel and we are doing it here “The opening of the ATP in Beer-Sheva will Degree Program in Beer-Sheva!” Prime Minister Binyamin be remembered as the turning point in the Netanyahu proclaimed at the launch of the development of the Negev. We have always Advanced Technologies Park (ATP) this been at the geographical heart of Israel. Now September. Netanyahu was accompanied we are on our way to becoming the true by Energy and Water, Regional Cooperation center for innovation and growth.” BGU to Help Create and Negev and Galilee Development Minister Kubuqi Desert Silvan Shalom, and Transportation, National “This is a project that took courage and Research Institute in Infrastructures and Road Safety Minister vision to implement,” said KUD International Mongolia Yaakov Katz. MKs Prof. Avishay Braverman President and CEO Marvin J. Suomi. and Erel Margalit and leaders of the business community from around the world were also International corporations such as Deutsche in attendance. Telekom, EMC² RSA, Dalet, dbMotion, Ness and Oracle have already moved in. “Today we are launching the economic New incubators such as Elbit Incubit and anchor that will turn Beer-Sheva into JVP’s CyberLabs have eagerly arrived. BGN Visit our web site www.bgu.ac.il a national and international center for Technologies, the University’s technology cybernetics and cyber security,” the Prime transfer company, has also moved in to their See us on YouTube Minister declared. new offices. The second building is already www.youtube.com/BenGurionUniversity under construction. The original brainchild of former University Join us on Facebook President Prof. Avishay Braverman, the ATP “My dream that Ben-Gurion University will do www.facebook.com/BenGurionUniversity is a public-private partnership of BGU, the for Beer-Sheva what Stanford University did Follow us on Twitter Beer-Sheva Municipality, KUD International for Silicon Valley begins,” Braverman said. www.twitter.com/BenGurionU (@BenGurionU) LLC and Gav-Yam Negev. NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV Celebrating the Spirit of David Ben-Gurion L-R: Alona Barkat, David Tartakover, Prof. Ofer Bar-Yosef, Lea Koenig Stolper, Maxine Fassberg, Prof. Raphael Mechoulam The University awarded honorary doctorates The recipients were as follows: Prof. Rafael Mechoulam, an eminent to five outstanding individuals and the Ben- scientist who studies the chemistry of Gurion Negev Award in a ceremony on Prof. Ofer Bar-Yosef, a scholar, plant-derived materials and their medicinal Ben-Gurion Day that marks the yarzheit of archaeologist and researcher of the functions, and whose ground-breaking Israel’s first prime minister. prehistory of the Land of Israel, an research has laid the foundation for outstanding scientist who exposed and cannabinoid research globally. Prof. Rivka Carmi noted that today, on the documented important facets of the spread 40th anniversary of his death, “David Ben- of humanity from its birthplace in Africa. David Tartakover, a creative artist, Gurion’s vision for the future of the State of collector, researcher and curator of Israel in the Negev is more true now than Maxine Fassberg, a dynamic leader and Israeli visual art, who has left his mark it has ever been before. Our University is one of the pioneers of the Israeli hi-tech on contemporary Hebrew culture and an committed to realizing this vision through sector, the general manager of Intel Israel eminent creator who has given unique science and technology, health and welfare, and vice president of the Intel Technology expression to the history of Zionism and the in humanities and culture, and especially by and Manufacturing Group. State of Israel. educating the next generation to leadership, responsibility and social sensitivity, in any Lea Koenig Stolper, an outstanding The Ben-Gurion Negev Award was field in which they choose to work.” actress and pillar of the Israeli theater, bestowed on Alona Barkat, a an actress who followed in her parents’ businesswoman who brought her skills, time She acknowledged the contribution of the professional footsteps and began and energy to the world of soccer and led Honorary Doctorate recipients and the Ben- performing at a young age and who has the local team to excellence and remarkable Gurion Negev Award honoree and thanked continued for more than 50 years. achievements. them for their visionary work. 2 Deutsche Telekom Innovation Laboratories at BGU Dedicates Expanded Offices The Deutsche Telekom Innovation Laboratories at BGU were dedicated in the presence of both the outgoing and incoming CEOs of the German Telecommunications giant Deutsche Telekom AG in November. The new facility is located in the first building of the Advanced Technologies Park adjacent to the University. “We don’t take your support for granted,” said University President Prof. Rivka Carmi, acknowledging the successful research collaboration that will soon be entering its tenth year. She welcomed CEO René Obermann and the new CEO Timotheus Höttges and thanked them both for their show of support and commitment to BGU by coming together to see the new expanded Laboratories. The Laboratories are the company’s only research and development facility outside of Germany and include some 100 members: university researchers, master's and PhD students and programmers. The L-R: BGU President Rivka Carmi, DT incoming CEO Timotheus Höttges, DT outgoing CEO René Obermann, BGU original collaboration began in 2004 and VP and Dean for R&D Prof. Moti Herskowitz dedicate the expanded Telekom Innovation Labs at BGU as EMC’s Dr. was expanded with the launch of Telekom Orna Berry looks on Innovation Laboratories in 2006 and a continuing investment of millions of dollars. Big Data and, above all, cyber security, they Labs have maintained their place at the contribute to sharpening the competitive cutting-edge of innovation thanks to the Obermann noted that, “The history of edge of our company,” said incoming CEO involvement and support of Deutsche partnership between this university and Timotheus Höttges, who was making his Telekom. our Telekom Innovation Laboratories is a first visit to BGU. “The T-Labs@BGU have history of success — not only in terms of contributed to creating a cyber security Dr. Orna Berry, Corporate VP and general output, but also in terms of collaboration. ecosystem here, creating a SiliconWadi as manager of EMC’s Centers of Excellence The cooperation of our own Laboratories their presence has worked like a magnet in Israel, praised Deutsche Telekom’s with BGU is clearly outstanding within the for other companies in the same field,” he collaboration with BGU. “You have made international partnership network of research added. the right choice. The future industry will rely institutes, universities, industrial partners on paradigm shifts in computer technology and start-ups we have created,” he said. The Deutsche Telekom Innovation Labs like Big Data. The top ten percent will get at BGU engage in the areas of network their education at this university and their After the ceremony, the two CEOs toured security, recommender systems and experience at Telekom Innovation Labs,” the facilities and learned about the current analysis of Big Data in real time. Directed she declared. EMC’s Center of Excellence is projects underway. “With their [T-Labs@ by Prof. Yuval Elovici of the Department housed in the same building in the new ATP BGU] focus on major industry issues like of Information Systems Engineering, the in Beer-Sheva. 3 NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV Unique Student Support Center Inaugurated on Ben-Gurion Day President Rivka Carmi and National Prof. Rivka Carmi noted, “This is a Insurance Institute of Israel Director-General project that fits us like a glove. We Prof. Shlomo Mor-Yosef inaugurated a want to give true equal opportunity. unique Student Support Center in the We have also embarked on a Zlotowski Student Center on Ben-Gurion process of making our buildings more Day that will offer ongoing support for accessible, with the Student Center students with special needs. BGU is the first slated to be first.” university in Israel to open such a facility. “This is a revolution. It is the “The center offers personal tutoring, realization of a vision. Twenty years courses, workshops, personal targeted ago no one would have even talked emotional support, a resource library of about this, let alone created such a assistive technologies, mentors, a program center. This is the beginning of a long- to prevent dropping out, and career term collaboration,” said Prof. Mor- advisement services for students in their Yosef. “This is an initiative to spark last year before entering the job market. growth not charity.” The goal is for the center to make studies accessible to special needs students The center’s staff includes and serve as an incentive to attract more coordinators, psychologists, a social Prof. Shlomo Mor-Yosef students and increase their numbers among worker and an expert in learning the student population,” said Merav Yosef- processes. The coordinators build a work emotional disabilities and assist students Solomon, chief of administration in the Office plan for students with learning disabilities, in their adjustment to their studies, both of the Dean of Students. attention deficit disorders, and physical and emotionally and socially. Ruth and Heinz-Horst Deichmann Classroom and Computer Laboratory Building Opened The 6,000 sq.m.
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