Wezimann Magazine Fall 2020

No. 17 • Fall 2020 TheWe i z m a n n International Magazine of Science and People From the President Dear friends, As the world is looking to science for solutions to the coronavirus, we at the Weizmann Institute of Science face an opportunity to contribute to the global effort and make new insights on infectious disease and many other aspects of COVID-19. More than 60 projects related to the virus are underway in our labs, some of which you can read about here. This research has been made possible, in large part, by supporters of our Coronavirus Response Fund, and so we are sharing inspiring stories about some of those special friends in this issue. At the same time, our regular research agenda is forging ahead. In the last issue of Weizmann Magazine, you got a taste of the planned Institute for Brain and Neural Sciences. In this issue, we are excited to introduce you to a second flagship project, Frontiers of the Universe, in which our astrophysicists and particle physicists are expected to make major advances in the understanding of physics on the grandest scale—the cosmos—and the most infinitesimal scale—the particles that comprise our bodies and the world around us. I am personally thrilled about the first formal inter-university agreement between the Weizmann Credits Institute and a partner in the Gulf; this is a major milestone and it follows on the heels of Israel’s A publication of the Department of Resource Development normalization agreement with the UAE in August. I invite you to read about this new partnership Editorial Staff with Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Prof. Roee Ozeri, Vice President for Resource Development Intelligence in our opening story. Science is an Tamar Morad, Head, Donor Communications international endeavor, which involves engaging Yarden Jaron, Visual and Digital Production in valued partnerships and collaborations that will Sharon Reinheimer, Copyeditor benefit humanity in all corners of the world. Writing Staff Sincerely, Sandy Cash • Dinah Elashvili • Tali Galsky • Anne Sperling • Edward Truitt Prof. Alon Chen Illustration President, Weizmann Institute of Science Davide Bonazzi Graphic Design Alexey Kletsel, Netgo Ltd. Photography and Renderings Spokesperson, Bank of Israel • Itai Belson, Ohad Herches of the Weizmann Institute Photo Lab • Ryan Blau, PBL Visit us: Photography • Tommy Harpaz • Yael Ilan • Niall David www.weizmann.ac.il/WeizmannCompass Photography • Weizmann Institute Photo Archives • Shutterstock • Joshua Touster מכון ויצמן למדע FALL 2020 We i z m a n n MAGAZINE Table of Contents New Scientists Science Feature Q&A 12 As far as the eye can 16 Frontiers of the Universe: 22 A conversation see—and beyond: A journey to the future with prolific Israeli Dr. Tali Dekel of physics writer Meir Shalev Science Briefs Alumni Education 2 A new parternship with 30 Weizmann alumni take on COVID-19 50 The Plant Microbiome Project: Mohamed bin Zayed University Making desert research bloom in the UAE; the earliest Spotlight On proteins on Earth; memory- 34 Joyce Eisenberg Keefer: Earning Students related odors; and more... to give, yearning to give more 52 Stepping into Weizmann 38 Miel de Botton: A magnetic connection science: The Neubauer New Scientists Young Scholars Program 14 Elucidating cancer in its Weizmann World Opinion environment: Introducing 42 Stories and updates from our Dr. Leeat Keren international committees 55 Dr. Liat Ben-David: An ode to science literacy Cover Story Up Close Art and Science 26 Targeting COVID-19 48 Launching dreams from Lod: Honorary PhD recipient Shirin Natour Hafi 56 When science meets dance: A Braginsky Center residency program מכון ויצמן למדע We i z m a n n MAGAZINE Science Briefs Weizmann signs MoU with Mohamed bin Zayed University מכון ויצמן למדע FALL 2020 We i z m a n n MAGAZINE Science Briefs 2–3 memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Weizmann Institute of Science and the Mohamed bin Zayed University A of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) in the United Arab Emirates was signed in mid-September, on the heels of the recent agreement for normalization in relations between Israel and the UAE signed in Washington, DC, on September 15. An initial signing ceremony between the two University is part of a broader national strategy institutions was held virtually on September 12, in to make the UAE a leader in artificial intelligence. the presence of Weizmann President Prof. Alon It offers doctoral and master’s degree programs in Chen and His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, the fields of computer vision, machine learning, and Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and natural language processing. member of the Federal Cabinet, and Chairman of the MBZUAI Board of Trustees. Prof. Chen and other Speaking about the agreement, His Excellency senior Weizmann management will travel to Abu Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, says: “As a pioneering Dhabi to finalize the details of the MoU and discuss university, MBZUAI seeks partnerships with leaders its implementation. in their respective fields to further our collective scientific understanding and push the boundaries The agreement covers a range of opportunities of technological innovation. Therefore, I welcome for collaboration between the two institutions, the opportunity to collaborate with such a renowned including student and postdoctoral fellow exchange establishment as the Weizmann Institute of Science. programs, conferences and seminars, various Through this MoU we can leverage the expertise forms of exchange between researchers, sharing of of both our institutes towards using artificial computing resources and the establishment of a joint intelligence to address some of the world’s most virtual institute for artificial intelligence. pressing challenges, from COVID-19 to climate change and beyond.” The partnership will advance the Weizmann Institute’s flagship project, the Artificial Intelligence Enterprise “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to collaborate for Scientific Discovery, which will build on the with this unique, pioneering institution and to Institute’s prominence in mathematics and computer advance the field of artificial intelligence together,” science, and which is meant to activate the potential says Prof. Chen. “As a neuroscientist, I believe that of AI to speed knowledge acquisition in data-heavy AI is an extension of the power and intricacy of the endeavors like biomedicine, environmental research, human brain into the digital realm; the implications chemistry, and astrophysics. will be vast, affecting our lives, our health, and the global economy. It is said that science knows The Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial no borders. I have every hope this collaboration Intelligence, established in 2019, is a graduate-level, between scientists in the same region will be a research-based academic institution located in shining example of this expression, and will extend Abu Dhabi. Named for the UAE crown prince, the the boundaries of human knowledge.” מכון ויצמן למדע We i z m a n n MAGAZINE Science Briefs Clocking it to Triton Weizmann-made timepiece will assess data after voyage to Neptune’s oddball moon by Sandy Cash pictures beamed back from Voyager 2, a NASA space probe that was launched into the solar system three etting to know Triton—just one of 14 moons decades ago—marked Triton as one of the most known to orbit the planet Neptune, Earth’s very youthful moons ever observed. It has winds and an G distant neighbor—might seem a surprising goal atmosphere, as well as surface dynamics that hint at for a scientific space mission. But the mysteries of the presence of large reserves of liquid—a hidden, this particular moon are so compelling that NASA’s underground ocean. Discovery Program, which supports missions dedicated to advancing planetary science, recently This combination of factors makes Triton an exciting chose a proposed Triton-bound launch as one of four target for space exploration, because it could finalists to receive funding and further development. help us understand how habitable worlds might The proposed mission, which will include several develop in our solar system and beyond. However, novel technologies including one designed by analyzing evidence gathered on future fly-by scientists at the Weizmann Institute in collaboration missions to Triton requires extremely powerful and with the Israel Space Agency, may help clarify the accurate technology. That’s where the Weizmann conditions needed to support life on other planets Institute—specifically, the work of Prof. Yohai within our solar system, and even beyond. Kaspi—comes in. Triton, which orbits in the opposite direction of all of Neptune’s other moons, is an intriguing oddity. Some A hidden, underground scientists believe that eons ago, Triton wandered ocean? into our solar system from the outside, where it became trapped by Neptune’s gravitational field. A member of the Department of Earth and Planetary Characteristics of its surface—identified through Sciences, Prof. Kaspi is part of the team behind מכון ויצמן למדע FALL 2020 We i z m a n n MAGAZINE 4–5 Trident—a space mission designed to examine Weizmann supporter Triton’s atmosphere and surface, and to determine whether this moon indeed has a subterranean leads COVID vaccine ocean. Headed by Dr. Louise Prockter of the Lunar deal for Latin America and Planetary Institute in Houston, Texas, and partially funded by $3 million in grant money recently by Tamar Morad conferred through the NASA Discovery Project, the mission would involve flying a spacecraft over Triton harmaceutical giant AstraZeneca’s at a distance of only 500 km from the lunar surface. COVID-19 vaccine, now in advanced clinical trials, P is being licensed and produced in Argentina and The data gathered through this mission will be Mexico by Grupo Insud. Dr. Hugo Sigman, President beamed back to scientists on Earth in the form of of the Argentinean Association of Friends of the radio beams.

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