NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV אוניברסיטת בן-גוריון בנגב

Illinois Governor Signs Collaborative Magnanimous Bequest from Agreement on Behalf of University of Illinois Eric Ross to Benefit Students

American Associates, Ben-Gurion University Guzik Family Antiquities of the Negev (AABGU) recently received Pathway Highlights a $17.4 million bequest on behalf of Negev History Ben-Gurion University from the estate of businessman and philanthropist Eric Ross of Photo: Carl Cox South Orange, New Jersey and West Palm Beach, Florida.

In recent years, Ross and his late wife Lore BG Racing Team Puts made frequent gifts to BGU. They supported Guzik Family Antiquities Pathway Students on the Fast numerous University programs, including Highlights Negev History Track scholarships for students in need, capital projects, as well as community service programs for disadvantaged residents of the Negev region. An outgrowth of their extraordinary personal relationship with Local Hero Given Full University President Prof. Rivka Carmi, they Scholarship to BGU also made numerous contributions to the President’s Discretionary Fund.

Ross rose from humble beginnings, fleeing Nazi Germany in 1938 with only $10 in his pocket and arriving in New York on what is * now infamously known as Kristallnacht. He Eric Ross receives an honorary doctoral degree started what became an extremely successful business, manufacturing plastics and vinyl went to college and was forced out of school products for the flooring industry, as well as in 1933 at the age of 14, and have now compounds for the medical industry. Ross received the University’s highest honor, I have later sold it and began his second career not yet digested it.” as a philanthropist. He gave away much of his fortune in his lifetime, determined to During the honorary doctorate ceremony that Learn more about Green Campus contribute to the greater Jewish community. took place at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial /http://cmsprod.bgu.ac.il/Eng/Units/green Museum in Washington, D.C., Carmi praised See us on YouTube Over the course of his life, Ross donated Ross, stating, “You are an inspiration. A www.youtube.com/BenGurionUniversity approximately $250 million. Education man who has overcome overwhelming became his philanthropic passion. When odds: losing home, country, family and Join us on Facebook Ross was awarded a prestigious honorary education, you came to this glorious nation, www.facebook.com/BenGurionUniversity doctoral degree from BGU in June 2010, he raised a magnificent family, built a business Follow us on Twitter said, “What does this honorary doctorate empire and committed your later years to www.twitter.com/BenGurionU (@BenGurionU) mean to me? Well, considering that I never philanthropy.” NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV

Let the New Building Begin!

Three impressive new buildings are now Braverman, who originally promoted the growing department and includes additional under construction on the eastern side of the idea of the NIBN while serving as president laboratory space for incoming scientists from Marcus Family Campus, with another in the of BGU. The impressive new building is other departments. advanced stages of planning. The current designed by Chyutin Architects and is projects represent an investment of more located adjacent to the existing NIBN. It Work will soon begin on an interdisciplinary than $55 million to expand the University’s includes state-of-the-art laboratories and laboratories building that will significantly research and teaching capacity as part office space for this world-class institute. improve the University’s ability to absorb new of the long-term strategic plan to solve scientists in emerging fields. current problems of overcrowding. All of the Work has also begun on the Ruth and buildings conform to the University’s Green Heinz-Horst Deichmann Classroom and Planning is in the advanced stage for two Campus standards and incorporate energy Computer Lab Building, made possible new buildings in Sede Boqer – a building for saving technologies. See architectural through the generosity of Dr. Heinz-Horst the Ben-Gurion National Solar Energy Center renderings below. Deichmann of Germany. Designed by and the American Associates Village at Sede architect Haim Dotan, the building will Boqer. “The University anticipates that with the eliminate the current move of the Israel Defense Forces to the overcrowding, while south and its own natural growth, we will allowing for future need new laboratory, classroom and office growth. space over the next five years,” explains University President Prof. Rivka Carmi. “If we Designed by architect want to remain competitive with the great Dagan Moshli, the new universities of Israel and the world, we must building for the Avram provide state-of-the-art facilities for both and Stella Goldstein- students and faculty.” Goren Department of Biotechnology The cornerstone was laid in November for Engineering is also the National Institute for Biotechnology in underway. The facility the Negev’s new building, in the presence will provide expanded of Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor laboratory and MK Shalom Simhon and MK Prof. Avishay office space for the The new building for the National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev

The building for the Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Ruth and Heinz-Horst Deichmann Classroom and Computer Lab Building Department of Biotechnology Engineering

2 Illinois Governor Signs Collaborative Agreement on Behalf of University of Illinois

“Education is how we prepare our workers for the jobs of today and tomorrow,” said Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn at a signing ceremony of a collaborative agreement between the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and BGU.

The Governor represented the University of Illinois as part of a trip to Israel with a delegation of state officials, businesspeople and representatives of the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago, which organized the trip. BGU President Prof. Rivka Carmi and Illinois State Senators Ira Silverstein and Jeffrey M. Schoenberg also participated in the ceremony. “The key to expanding life expectancy is public health,” Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn (left) said as he signed a collaborative agreement on behalf of the University of Illinois. Outgoing Faculty of Health Sciences Dean Prof. Shaul Sofer (right) signed for the University The agreement, which was also signed by the outgoing dean of BGU’s Faculty Governor Quinn, adding that “the key to matters. Aharonson-Daniel outlined the of Health Sciences Prof. Shaul Sofer, expanding life expectancy is public health. applied research the center was undertaking. formalizes scholarly and scientific interaction This agreement is designed to extend and between the institutions’ departments of enrich people’s lives.” “The Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan public health through the promotion of Chicago has been proud and pleased to exchange opportunities for academic staff, Before the signing, the delegation was be able to play a role in advancing the professional staff and students, and by briefed by Vice-President for External Affairs relationship between BGU and UIC. Today, encouraging cooperative activities. Prof. Amos Drory and Dr. Limor Aharonson- that partnership moves to a new stage Daniel, the founding director of BGU’s which is sure to bring benefits to both “This is an excellent partnership between Prepared Center for Emergency Response universities and the communities that they two world-class universities, and I look Research, in response to the Governor’s serve,” said Michael Kotzin, Executive Vice- forward to the results of their efforts,” said request for information on homeland security President of the Jewish United Fund. To Africa, With Love from the Zalman Aranne Central Library

About 800 boxes of journals, worth in the library. Rather than just recycle them to several universities in Africa.” hundreds of thousands of dollars, donated them, librarian Ilona Geller wanted to find by BGU’s Zalman Aranne Central Library somewhere to donate them. Through The project to transfer journals from BGU to were recently loaded on trucks to begin their the contacts of Prof. Emeritus Hanan J. Africa falls under the responsibility of Roving journey to academic institutions in various Kisch of the Department of Geological and Ambassador to Africa Dan Shaham, who is African countries. Environmental Sciences, she reached out to responsible for academic cooperation with the Foreign Ministry with the idea of donating African countries on behalf of the Ministry of Aranne Library Director Haya Asner them to universities in the developing world. Foreign Affairs. Shaham praised the move, explained, “After purchasing digital The reaction she received was extremely noting that “academic cooperation with subscriptions to several journals, we positive and the Ministry promised to take Africa, in which I had a partner in the late couldn’t continue to hold the hard copies the journals off her hands and distribute Dr. Tamar Golan, continues to develop.”

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Guzik Family Antiquities Pathway Highlights Negev History

2,000 years ago, the Nabateans established a series of forts along the major southern trade route to guard their spice shipments. Some of the Negev’s most enduring archeological sites are these forts, which became the major cities of the area, such as Halutza and Avdat. Not people to let a good thing pass them by, the Romans eventually conquered the route and incorporated it into their growing empire.

Prof. Haim Goldfus, a member of the Department of Bible, Archeology and The Guzik Family Antiquities Pathway – a joint project Ancient Near Eastern Studies, remarked, of the University and the Israel Antiquities Authority “During the late Roman and Byzantine eras, Fifteen hundred years ago, settlement in the walkway displays a number of archeological from the fourth to seventh centuries CE, Negev flourished under the Romans and artifacts, including pillars and plinths from settlement in the Negev reached a pinnacle Byzantines. The recently completed Guzik local churches. During the Roman and geographically and demographically, Family Antiquities Pathway showcases Byzantine eras, public construction often which is only now being matched once this rich archeological history first-hand. featured columns in keeping with Classical again,” he noted. “The artifacts along the Stretching for 80 meters in front of the Guzik construction. Remains of such pillars were Guzik Pathway represent a glimpse into Family Auditorium Building on the Marcus found in Beit Guvrin in the Ela Valley. At that period of architectural creativity and Family Campus, the Pathway tastefully the time, Beit Guvrin was the capital of the widespread construction.” highlights a number of pieces representative ancient kingdom of Edom (Idumea), which of the different eras and settlements of the stretched from the South Hebron Hills and The Guzik Pathway was designed by Negev and its environs. the Judean Plains to Beer-Sheva and Arad. Nehemia Ari, curated by Ayelet Gruber of the Israel Antiquities Authorities and A joint project of the Israel Antiquities The pieces also highlight another aspect provided through the generosity of the Guzik Authority and the University, the attractive of Negev history: the Spice Route. Over Family Foundation of northern California. Recognizing Our Very Special Friends

The Ben-Gurion Society honors the Society's members' heartfelt commitment University’s most devoted friends. Every year to the vision of David Ben-Gurion to build since the University’s 40th Anniversary in Israel’s future in the Negev.” 2010, new members receive a hand-crafted pin with the University logo in recognition of Designed by Israeli artist Anat Mayer, the their commitment and generosity. unique pins are made of 14 karat gold and feature Swarovski crystals. At the Ben-Gurion Society Wall Dedication event welcoming new members this May, For more information on becoming a Prof. Rivka Carmi noted that “this event member of the Ben-Gurion Society, contact The Ben-Gurion Society hand-crafted is a true milestone, marking Ben-Gurion [email protected]. pin of gold and Swarovski crystals

4 Interdisciplinary Studies on the Rise New as New Academic Year Begins Academic Secretary Appointed

Students flocked back to campus on the first day of the new school year

A number of new programs were launched tracks, with an impressive increase in many as the 2011/2012 academic year got departments, including Bible, Archaeology underway. Particularly noteworthy are the and Ancient Near Eastern Studies, Jewish Prof. Ariel Feldestein combined medical and engineering program History, Jewish Thought, Geography and of the Faculties of Engineering Sciences Environmental Development, Education, Prof. Ariel Feldestein was recently and Health Sciences; a new interdisciplinary Social Work and Psychology. The appointed Academic Secretary, the degree program in psychology and biology Department of Foreign Literatures and first professor to fill this role at an Israeli and the new flagship MBA in Social Linguistics had 50 students in the incoming research university. Feldestein replaces Leadership, made possible through a class, up from 30 the year before. Avraham Bar-On, who recently retired partnership of the Guilford Glazer Faculty of from the position after 29 years in office. Business and Management with the Mandel Likewise there has been an increase in the Foundation. This unique program integrates number of students registering for studies in Feldestein is a historian specializing in business management skills with social natural sciences in the Departments of Life the research of the Zionist idea and the leadership values to prepare managers for Sciences and Geological and Environmental collective memory, especially issues the nonprofit and public sectors. Sciences, and remarkable growth in the related to the Zionist narrative. He is engineering professions (in departments the Chair of the Public Council for the The "Atidim – Local Government Cadets" such as Software Engineering, Electrical Commemoration of Theodor Herzl, a was launched. This undergraduate and Computer Engineering, Structural position he fills on a voluntary basis. program is organized by the Department Engineering and Mechanical Engineering). of Public Policy and Administration at the There has been an even more pronounced He received his B.A. in history from Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and increase in demand for health sciences BGU, and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Management, in conjunction with the and in particular Medicine, Nursing, Health the Avraham Harman Institute of Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Systems Management and Pharmacy. Contemporary Jewry at the Hebrew The Department of Hotel and Tourism University of Jerusalem. Over the last Noticeable this year is an increased Management has also seen a sharp ten years he served as Dean of Student number of new students in the humanities increase in demand and the number of new Affairs and Head of Academic Affairs at and social sciences, mainly in combined students. Sapir College in Sderot.

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Moshal Scholarship Students Say “Todah”

the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Machon Lev and Bar-Ilan University.

The Moshal Scholarship Program, established at BGU in the 2010-2011 Photo: Yoav Bachar Photo: Yoav academic year, provides substantial scholarships to students with no personal financial support. The program reaches out to first-year students who would otherwise not be able to afford academic studies and is committed to providing them with support throughout their studies. The program will also support a second cycle of Moshal students at BGU next year.

Clearly pleased to be meeting with “his” students, Moshal, joined by his wife Ilana, Martin Moshal (center) with BGU Moshal Scholarship students expressed his wish that someday the Moshal students will be financially successful The message was, “Don’t pay me back, and strengthen the Israeli economy,” he enough to follow in his footsteps and grant just pay it forward,” when students met with explained in his modest fashion. “In this scholarships of their own to students in need. program founder Martin Moshal of London at way, you will join me in my mission by the first annual Moshal Scholarship event this helping others,” Moshal told the 17 Moshal The BGU Moshal students, who stood October. Scholarship students from BGU during an out at the event in their BGU t-shirts, were event that brought together students from delighted to shake Martin’s hand and thank “My hope is that upon your graduation, you the program. Overall there are 85 Moshal him personally for his exceptional generosity will pursue profitable careers and go on to Scholarship students from four Israeli and vision. They proudly presented him with create companies and make breakthroughs institutions, including Ben-Gurion University, a University t-shirt of his own – a perfect fit!

Innovative Program Brings Canadian Students to Israel

The Arni C. Thorsteinson student exchange Israel and Canada to expose the students companies interested in exporting goods or program was reconceived this year, bringing first-hand to the varying aspects of services between Israel and Canada. business students from the Stu Clark Centre international marketing. for Entrepreneurship at the Asper School They then came to Israel to continue the of Business, University of Manitoba in This summer nine students flew to Canada, course with Dr. Amir Grinstein from the Winnipeg, Canada together with students where they met up with their eleven Department of Management. “The Canadian from the University’s Guilford Glazer Faculty Canadian counterparts. Together they took and Israeli teams of students worked on of Business and Management. a two-week intensive course in International real world international marketing projects Marketing that combined site visits, meetings like introducing the Israeli brands Laline and Made possible through the generosity with senior business leaders and hands-on Castro to the Canadian market,” Gristein of Gerald Schwartz and other Canadian learning. They created project groups that explained. The final presentations were held friends, the program combined visits to focused on developing business plans for at the Grand Beach Hotel in Tel Aviv.

6 Prof. Joseph Kost Elected Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Sciences

Kost completed his undergraduate and approved ultrasound based transdermal graduate degrees in chemical engineering at delivery system, SonoPrep™. the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology before earning a doctorate in biomedical In 1996 he was awarded the Juludan Prize engineering at the same institution and by the Technion for outstanding scientific completing post-doctoral training at the research achievements. In 1997 he was University of Washington, MIT and Harvard elected a fellow of the American Institute for Medical School. He later earned an M.B.A. Medical and Biological Engineering and in at the Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business 1999 was awarded the Clemson Award by and Management. the Society for Biomaterials in recognition of his outstanding contributions to applied He was among the founders of the biomaterials research. biomedical and biotechnology engineering Prof. Joseph (Yosi) Kost programs, which have developed into In 2005 Kost was awarded the Jacqueline departments. He was the founder and first Seroussi Award for Cancer Research and Prof. Joseph (Yosi) Kost has been elected President of the Israeli Society of Controlled in 2007 was elected a Foreign Associate as Dean of BGU’s Faculty of Engineering Delivery of Bioactive Materials. Between of the United States National Academy of Sciences, replacing Prof. Gabriel Ben-Dor 2007 and 2011, he was the President of the Engineering (NAE) for discoveries that led to who completed his term. Kost, who until Israel Institute of Chemical Engineers. ultrasonic drug release and self-regulated recently was Head of the Department of drug delivery systems. In 2008 he received Chemical Engineering, is incumbent of He is a pioneer in the field of ultrasound- the Ben-Gurion University President’s Prize the Abraham and Bessie Zacks Chair in based drug delivery systems, co-founder of for outstanding scientific achievements. Biomedical Engineering. Sontra Medical and co-inventor of the FDA-

BGU Students Shine at Microsoft Israel's Smartphone App Competition

A group of third-year students from the won second prize for their Innovative Program Brings Canadian Students to Israel Department of Information Systems application, Wake Me Up, Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering designed for people traveling Sciences were among the 300 students who on public transport who tend to participated in Microsoft Israel’s two-day fall asleep during the ride. Using programmer competition in Tel Aviv this fall. the Smartphone’s GPS, the application wakes the person up BGU students comprised 11 teams that five minutes before arriving at his submitted 12 applications, around half of or her destination. the total number of participants. Though first place went to the team from the College of Four students – Amitai Oliver, Management Academic Studies, BGU took Litan Ilani, Oren Kaplan and Meir the next seven places in the competition. Leuchter – won third prize for their application Cash-It, which Students Vitali Margolin and Sarit Kadosh monitors monthly expenditures. BGU students hard at work

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A glance at BGU events

University friends and family were on hand for the naming of a street in Beer-Sheva to honor University founder and internationally recognized physicist Prof. Zeev Hadari Snapshots

The community came out in droves to participate in “Researchers’ Night” activities across campus. The annual event is cosponsored Two new art exhibitions opened in the George Shrut Vistors Center by the Ministry of Science and Technology

President Prof. Rivka Carmi, Head of the Pensioners Association Zvi Shvartz and Director-General David Bareket dedicate a new The University came together for the annual memorial ceremony marking the 16th Club Room for Pensioners on the Marcus Family Campus anniversary of the assassination of Israel's Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin

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BG Racing Puts Students on the Fast Track

pass rigorous design and safety testing by representatives of the elite carmakers of the world.

“Representatives of Ferrari and Maserati judged our car. The guy from Maserati told us, ‘You’ve done a good job,’ which really made our day,” Plachinsky said.

“Passing the tests was amazing; getting the car to go around the track without breaking down or bursting into flames was incredible, but when we heard the results on the last night of the competition, we just lost it,” Plachinsky recalled with emotion.

“Engineering is an art, not a science,” says BG Racing team leader Tamir Plachinsky The best part for Plachinsky was the encouragement and feedback from the “Fifteenth place overall, 15th place overall!” Formula SAE is an international university other teams. “The winning team, Stuttgart, shouted the jubilant members of BG Racing competition organized by the Society said their first car was nowhere near as Team after the results of the Formula SAE of Automotive Engineers, according to good as ours. Another German told me Race Car competition were announced which students must build a Formula ‘Please come again next year, please build in Italy in September. It was a moment of race car including four wheels outside more cars.’” overwhelming joy for the BGU students of the frame and an open cockpit. With who had poured their energy, time and Plachinsky’s guidance, the 20 students Plachinsky is already on his way to do just money into building a Formula race car from embarked on an odyssey, which closed its that with a new team of eager students. scratch. first chapter at the racecourse in Italy. According to Plachinsky, BG Racing is a The students had much to be proud of. This BG Racing had to overcome many fourth year final project like no other. The was the first time that they participated in a difficulties during the design and students put in hours of work and became Formula SAD competition. They were also manufacturing process as its members extremely involved in the success of the the first Israeli team to ever participate in any lacked the funding needed to bankroll the project. Speaking at a celebration held similar event. They placed 15th out of 57 process. Instead, Plachinsky and his fellow at BGU a few weeks later, he noted that competing teams, and first out of the eight students had to recruit sponsors, cajole “Engineering is not a science, it’s an art. teams that were competing for the first time. donations of parts and even fund the project out of their own pockets. “This project gives students opportunities BG Racing’s journey to the competition not found anywhere else at the University. began two years ago with Tamir Plachinsky, Nevertheless, there was never any doubt They learn there is no such thing as a Ph.D. student at the Department of in Plachinsky’s mind that BG Racing would ‘impossible’ while gaining engineering Mechanical Engineering in the Faculty of be sending a car to the Italian competition. experience in a hands-on project,” he said, Engineering Sciences under Prof. Eran Sher. “There were obstacles but there were thanking the many donors, particularly Plachinsky, who dreams one day of working always clear answers about how to Mickey Rahav from the United States and for one of the top automobile manufacturers proceed. Never for one moment did I lose others who played a role in making their in the world, asked Sher if he could revive a faith that we would get to Italy,” he recalled. dream possible. dormant race car project and recruit fourth year engineering students to work on it as BG Racing had to design its own car, write Plachinsky and his new team of fourth years part of their final project. Initiated in 2005, its own business plan, enlist sponsors and are already looking to next year’s contest the project had been left without producing then build the car. In Italy, over and above and hoping that now that BG Racing has a race car. making it around the track, the car had to proven itself it will be easier to find funding.

9 Excellence Recognized

Current RADAR research includes a focus management, such as tourism, local on substance use and related problems government and environmental and health among youth and adults from Israel and issues. the former Soviet Union. With support from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the RADAR Center BGU part of Consortium for is now monitoring substance use in the Middle East; improving methods of clinically Renewable Energy analyzing the treatment needs of addicted persons; and developing an evidence-based Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, the model of smoking cessation among high Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and risk youth in the Negev. the Weizmann Institute of Science won the tender awarded by the Council for Higher Prof. Richard Isralowitz Education to create an Israeli Center for BGU part of EU Border Research Excellence (I-CORE) focusing on renewable liquid fuels. Prof. Richard Isralowitz Consortium Honored The nine researchers from BGU include BGU has become the recipient of a leaders in fields such as production of

Prof. Richard Isralowitz, Director of €400,000 grant as part of a twenty biomass, photo-catalysis of CO2 and the Regional Alcohol and Drug Abuse university consortium that has won the water to fuels, gasification of biomass and Resources (RADAR) Center and a member tender for the FP7 project of the EU entitled production of liquid fuels from biomass and

of the Charlotte B. and Jack J. Spitzer Borderscapes. The project, to the value of mixtures of CO2 and water. Department of Social Work, recently 8€ million is directed by Prof. James W. received the US National Distinguished Scott at the University of Joensuu in Finland. International Scientist Award. Peace-Building Project Led by Prof. David Newman, Dean of the Founded in 1995, RADAR has established Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences awarded USAID Grant an international network addressing from the Department of Politics and substance abuse prevention, treatment and Government, the BGU team will organize Prof. Alean Al-Krenawi of the Charlotte B. policy issues through education, training a project aimed at reconceptualizing the and Jack J. Spitzer Department of Social workshops, research and publications. significance of borders in a globalized world. Work recently received a $760,000 three- Many of these scholars have attended year grant from USAID for his project, The Center’s efforts include cooperation past conferences and symposia on border “Building Peace Through Knowledge: The with the United Nations Office on Drugs and studies at BGU, the last one in July 2010, Palestinian-Israeli Case.” Crime; the US National Institute on Drug when some of the ideas for the present Abuse (NIDA); the US Substance Abuse consortium were initially thought through. The project brings together 40 Israeli Mental Health Services Administration and Palestinian human service providers (SAMHSA); and major universities, including The BGU team will also examine the and educators to share knowledge and University of California, Los Angeles, management and function of borders within explore ways to facilitate reconciliation and University of Southern California, New York the context of the Israeli-Arab conflict. As forgiveness between their communities. University and Rutgers. The RADAR Center part of the project, three doctoral students They will also teach the tools and has sponsored five international substance will undertake their research at BGU. The techniques that are developed to others abuse experts at BGU for research and project will also be part of the cross-borders within their respective communities. training purposes under the Fulbright research center, which is presently being Scholar Exchange Program – US-Israel set up at the University’s Eilat Campus Al-Krenawi believes that the program will Educational Program. and will focus on areas of transnational foster stronger ties between the human

10 Excellence Recognized

service professionals, which will better enable them to deal with the trauma and bereavement resulting from the BGU Salutes its Friends! conflict, while at the same time becoming ambassadors for peace. • Distinguished Professor Dan Shechtman of the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, BGU Board Four Faculty Members make member and Honorary Doctor, for winning the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Haaretz’s 100 Most Influential People in the Economy List • BGU honorary doctorate Hon. Ronald Lauder and BGU supporters Mrs. Jo Profs. Avia Spivak, Yossi Yona and Dafna Carole Lauder, Mr. Lester Crown and Schwartz and Dr. Jihad El-Sana made Mr. Thomas Pritzker were honored with The Marker’s list of 100 Most Influential receipt of the Andrew Carnegie Medal People in the Economy. The Marker is of Philanthropy. the highly-respected financial supplement of the Haaretz newspaper. Spivak and • The University of Melbourne, Australia Yona were ranked at #39 as the heads conferred an honorary Doctor of Letters of the social protest movement’s expert on celebrated international author committee. Spivak, of the Department of Prof. Amos Oz in recognition of “his Economics, is a former deputy governor of contribution to literature, humanity and the Bank of Israel. Yona, of the Department the pursuit of peace.” Prof. Dan Shechtman of Education, is a long-time social justice activist and one of the founders of the HaKeshet Hademocratit HaMizrahit social movement. and advanced technologies. In addition the Proceedings of the National Academy to leading the Bengis Center, she is a of Sciences of the United States of America Dr. Jihad El-Sana is ranked at number 87 board member of several major Israeli (PNAS) earlier this year. The article “reports and is one of the founders of the Ahed corporations. She is also one of 24 women a novel immunomodulatory approach to School for Science, the first school for to make the list. improve acute myocardial infarction (AMI),” technological excellence in the Bedouin according to Faculty of 1000 member sector, which aims to increase the number Philippe Saas, who selected and evaluated of Bedouin students in the departments of Prof. Smadar Cohen’s Article the article. science and engineering in the universities in Israel. He is also a member of BGU’s Among Top 2% of Articles in Prof. Cohen is the incumbent of the Claire Department of Computer Sciences. Biology and Medicine and Harold Oshry Chair in Biotechnology in the Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Ranked at number 88, Schwartz is Department of Biotechnology Engineering. Co-director of the Bengis Center Faculty of 1000 has chosen Prof. Smadar She is the former founding chair of the for Entrepreneurship and Hi-Tech Cohen’s article “Modulation of cardiac department. Cohen co-wrote the article with Management and a member of the macrophages by phosphatidylserine- Tamar Harel-Adar, also of the department, Department of Business Administration presenting liposomes improves infarct as well as Tamar Ben Mordechai, Yoram at the Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business repair,” to be included in their library. Amsalem, Micha S. Feinberg, and Prof. and Management. The Bengis Center Inclusion signals that it is in the top 2% of Jonathan Leor of the Neufeld Cardiac was established in order to promote the articles published in biology and medicine Research Institute, Tel Aviv University, Sheba research and practice of entrepreneurship this year. The article originally appeared in Medical Center.

11 NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV

Local hero given full scholarship to BGU

girl with no training should be so strong, so brave and so cool under fire to do what you did,” she declared warmly to Arina. Turning to Tslil, she said, “We cannot take our existence here for granted. Whoever chooses to live here has to care and to be aware. We have to educate our children accordingly as well.”

Arina’s ties to BGU are longstanding. Her grandfather, Dan Censor, is a professor emeritus of electrical engineering. He and his wife Dalia, who recently retired as a librarian at the Zalman Aranne Central Library, were also present at the ceremony. Arina is also the youngest member of Aharai, a local group run by the BGU Student Association to prepare local high-school students for the army. In addition to physical fitness training, they volunteer in the community and are Arina Shestopolov receives the certificate of appreciation from President Prof. Rivka Carmi involved in leadership training programs.

Seventeen-year-old Arina Shestopolov had just presented her with a certificate Censor holds herself with assurance and of appreciation for her efforts and a full Receive BGU & YOU Online meets the eyes of the local cameras with scholarship to BGU. flair. What’s even more uncommon is that To subscribe, send an e–mail to [email protected] she had that same cool assurance while Arina, who has no formal paramedical and it will arrive directly into your inbox. treating Nati Hachakur, a young man who training, had recalled the diagrams in a Produced by the Department of was wounded when a Grad missile fell book her father gave her to read five years Publications and Media Relations nearby. before about emergency situations. “The last Editor: Faye Bittker time I looked at the book I was 12, but the Text: Ehud Zion Waldoks, Orli Gold-Haklay Seriously injured in the attack, Hachakur diagrams just floated into my mind,” she said. Translation: Jacqueline Watson-Alloun Photos: Dani Machlis would have bled to death without Arina’s Design: www.image2u.co.il jury-rigged tourniquets. She managed Despite the lack of training, Arina and her Further details of the research projects described to save his life despite her lack of formal father’s actions saved Nati and Lior’s lives, here may be obtained from: training and in the midst of the havoc that Dr. Michael Sherf, Director-General of Soroka [email protected], Tel: 972-8-646-1753 followed the missile attack, including nearby University Medical Center confirmed. “When fires and continued missile fire. Nati was brought in to the ER, we took a Join us on Facebook www.facebook.com/BenGurionUniversity picture of Arina’s makeshift tourniquet. I

When two Grad missiles fell on Beer- want to use it to teach this generation how See us on YouTube

Sheva on August 20, Arina and her father to improvise materials from what’s at hand. www.youtube.com/BenGurionUniversity Tslil didn’t hesitate. Hearing the cries of Without their help, Nati would not have Lior George, a BGU student studying made it,” he said. Follow us on Twitter mechanical engineering, they rushed out www.twitter.com/BenGurionU (@BenGurionU) of their building to help, she recounted Carmi applauded Arina and Tslil and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev to University President Prof. Rivka Carmi stressed how important his lessons were. P.O.Box 653, Beer–Sheva 84105, Israel www.bgu.ac.il, Vol.4 No.1 at a small ceremony in her office. Carmi “It should not be taken for granted that a

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