BGU and You Summer 2013
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שולם P.P 5932 באר-שבע SUMMER 2013 NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV אוניברסיטת בן-גוריון בנגב Serving People is Good for Business BGU-UChicago to Develop Cutting-Edge Water Technologies Asher Heled Esq. Confirmed as New Chairman of BGU’s Executive Committee A Family Affair – the 43rd Board of Governors Meeting Aaron Klug Integrated Centre for Biomolecular Structure and Function Dedicated Prof. Robert J. Zimmer and Prof. Rivka Carmi sign the collaboration agreement while Mayor Rahm Emanuel, City of Chicago, and President of the State of Israel Shimon Peres look on Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the in miracles’.” Thanking the “two great Special insert included — University of Chicago signed an agreement universities” for working together to use in the presence of Israeli President Shimon science to produce water for the benefit Spotlight on Scholarships Peres and City of Chicago Mayor Rahm of humanity and future generations, he Emanuel to create a partnership focused concluded that, “This is a realistic miracle. on innovative water technologies. The God bless you.” cooperation will start by funding “game- changing” projects that hope to develop BGU President Rivka Carmi and University new processes for making clean, fresh of Chicago President Robert J. Zimmer drinking water more plentiful and less signed the agreement, noting that generally expensive by 2020. signings come at the end of a project, but in this case, it marks a beginning. Joint See us on YouTube www.youtube.com/BenGurionUniversity President Peres spoke about the research projects will explore innovative importance of water and Israel’s leadership solutions at the water-energy nexus, Join us on Facebook role worldwide in protecting and developing developing more efficient ways of using www.facebook.com/BenGurionUniversity water, particularly because the country is water to produce energy and using energy primarily desert. “David Ben-Gurion once to treat and deliver clean water. Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/BenGurionU (@BenGurionU) said ‘To be a realist, one must believe Continued on page 2 NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV BGU-UChicago to Develop Cutting-Edge Water Technologies (cont. from page 1) “Chicago’s worldwide leadership in water management continues to grow as we invest in our water infrastructure, creating jobs for our residents and economic activity in our neighborhoods. I strongly support this partnership and I look forward to working with leading institutions like BGU and the University of Chicago to create innovations and opportunities for the future,” he said. The institutions have moved swiftly following the signing of a memorandum of understanding in Chicago on March 8 to explore a research partnership focused on innovative water production and purification technologies. Leading the efforts are Prof. Moshe Gottlieb, BGU’s Frankel Professor of Chemical Engineering and the founding director of the IKI, and Prof. Matthew L-R: Prof. Matthew Tirrel, Prof. Rivka Carmi, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Prof. Robert J. Zimmer, Prof. Moshe Gottlieb, Roey Gilead Tirrell, the Pritzker Director of the University of Chicago’s new Institute for Molecular “Clean, plentiful water is a strategic issue in around the world and will only become Engineering. the Middle East and the world at large, and more acute over time,” said Zimmer. “Our a central research focus of our university for purification challenges in the Great Lakes At the press conference following the more than three decades,” said Carmi. “We region right now are different from some signing, Tirrell outlined the Institute’s believe that this partnership will enhance of the scarcity issues that some of our decision to commit tens of millions of state-of-the-art science in both universities, colleagues at Ben-Gurion are addressing, dollars to develop the field over the next while having a profound effect on the but our combined experience will be a decade. “The Institute for Molecular sustainable availability of clean water to tremendous asset in turning early-stage Engineering aims to bring molecular-level people around the globe.” technologies into innovative solutions that science to technological problems of global may have applications far beyond local importance,” Tirrell said. “Water technology Noting that BGU researchers have been issues.” clearly meets that standard.” at the forefront of water research in Israel through the Zuckerberg Institute for Water University of Chicago also brings to the BGU, UChicago and Argonne have jointly Research (ZIWR) and the Ilse Katz Institute effort two powerful research partners committed more than $1 million in seed for Nanoscale Science and Technology already committed to clean-water research money over the next two years to support (IKI), “We have a lot of expertise that we ‒ the Argonne National Laboratory in at least five inaugural projects, with the first are bringing to this collaboration that Lemont, Illinois, and the Marine Biological projects getting underway this fall. starts with our background in reverse Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. osmosis desalination and we are now at “Water supply and scarcity issues have the cutting-edge through developments in Roey Gilead, Israel’s Consul General to the always been on the mind of people in this nanotechnology,” she said. Midwest and City of Chicago Mayor Rahm region,” Gottlieb said. “Water research and Emanuel hailed the collaboration as an technology development have been part “We feel it is critical to bring outstanding example of the potential for collaborative of BGU for four decades. On these solid scientists together to address water innovation that can improve quality of life foundations, we plan to build the next level resource challenges that are being felt and boost economic vitality. of technologies.” 2 Serving People is Good for Business Ethics lecture recently at the Guilford Glazer He stressed the ever increasing importance Faculty of Business and Management. of running a business ethically, which for him, derives from the Bible. Using his Speaking to an avid crowd of master’s and company as a model, he pointed to the PhD students, Deichmann, who heads built-in checks and balances and the Europe’s largest footwear retail chain – ombudsman’s office, as well as the non- which just marked its 100th anniversary – profit foundation his family has established, spoke about company behavior based on as desired elements for large companies. Christian ethics. “Business and economy are there to serve Deichmann is the grandson of the founder people and not people serving business and of the multi-national company and the son economy,” he cautioned. Deichmann, his of the former CEO of the company and wife Susana, and his brother-in-law Daniel cherished supporter and Vice-Chairperson Lachish also met with Dean Prof. Oded of BGU’s Board of Governors, Dr. Heinz- Lowengart to discuss the nature of pricing, Heinrich Deichmann Horst Deichmann. one of the dean’s research interests. Chairman of the board and CEO of “A company must serve people, especially Deichmann’s sister, Ute, is a Professor of Deichmann SE Company Heinrich those in need,” he told the audience. He History and Philosophy of Science in the Deichmann stressed how absolutely noted that although the temptation to Department of Philosophy at BGU. She essential business ethics are in running raise prices always exists, it is part of a is also the director of the Jacques Loeb companies when he delivered the annual company’s ethical responsibility not to raise Centre for the History and Philosophy of the Dr. Heinz-Horst Deichmann Chair for prices beyond what certain populations can Life Sciences. Distinguished Visiting Professors in Business afford. Asher Heled Esq. Confirmed as New Chairman of BGU’s Executive Committee Asher Heled Esq. was confirmed as the new cases before the National Labor Court and chairman of the Executive Committee during the Supreme Court. He is also a trained the 43rd Board of Governors Meeting. He arbitrator and mediator and a speaker has been a member of BGU’s Board of at professional conferences in Israel and Governors since 1996 and served on the abroad. He is a member of the Executive Executive Committee for many years. Board and Treasurer of the Israeli Society for Labor Law and Social Security, the Israeli Born in Israel in 1948, Heled is the branch of the International Society for Labor managing partner of Asher Heled & Co. Law and Social Security Law. Office in Tel Aviv. He founded the firm in 1978 and has managed it ever since. “I am very happy with this worthy appointment, which will, without a doubt, Heled is one of the foremost experts on support the University’s development,” said labor law and pension funds and has BGU President Rivka Carmi. represented clients in precedent-setting Asher Heled Esq. 3 NEWSLETTER OF BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV A Family Affair — The 43rd Board of Governors Meeting Guests from around the world came together to enjoy the multi-generational event The University administration at the Opening Plenary Session The atmosphere was upbeat during the 43rd Board of Governors Meeting, which brought together over 300 University friends and supporters from around the world. Long-time supporters were joined by new friends, with a noteworthy number of participants bringing children and grandchildren along. At the Opening Plenary Session, Chairman of the Board of Governors Alex Goren welcomed the returning delegates, as well as the new ones. “It’s exciting to see new faces here. We are all honored to be part of the success story that is Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Ben-Gurion had a dream of Oxford in the Negev and we are meeting that challenge.” During the Plenary Session, the University Guests arrive at the American Associates reception thanked outgoing Chairman of the Executive 4 43RD BOARD OF GOVERNORS MEETING www.bgu.ac.il/board Committee Adv.