A Mission of Caring

An Interview with Professor Rivka Carmi, M.D., President, Ben-Gurion University of the

EDITORS’ NOTE With her election in was a direct result of ’s fi rst Prime research, and sustainable desert living.” 2006, President Rivka Carmi made Minister David Ben-Gurion’s vision. He How would you best describe BGU’s pro- history by becoming the fi rst woman to believed that science and technology grams in these areas? head an Israeli university. This came could be harnessed to “make the des- The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert only a few years after she became the ert bloom.” This ethos has infused the Research (BIDR) have been recognized by the fi rst female dean of an Israeli medical University with a special pioneering at- United Nations and many other international school. She has held a number of senior mosphere, attracting students, staff, and agencies for their groundbreaking work in these administrative positions, including faculty who are committed to making the fi elds. We are now in the process of planning Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences; extra effort to reach out and help others, our third international conference focused on Director of the Genetics Institute at the through volunteer work, community ac- deserts, drylands, and desertifi cation, which is Soroka University Medical Center in tivism and focused research projects with held under the auspices of UNESCO. Each con- Beer-Sheva; and Chairperson of the very real applications. ference attracts over 400 people from countries Israeli Association of Medical Deans. Rivka Carmi What return, if any, does the around the world who are interested in learning Carmi’s research focuses on medi- University derive from this invest- more about topics related to sustainability. cal genetics, particularly the delineation of clinical ment in the community? One of our priorities is to promote re- manifestations and molecular basis of genetic dis- We are not looking for a fi nancial return, gional cooperation through scientifi c collabo- eases in the Negev Arab- population. She but one in human potential. One of our most ration. The Albert Katz International School has identifi ed 12 new genes; delineated three new successful outreach programs is called the Open for Desert Studies at the BIDR attracts students syndromes, and established a model of community Apartments, in which students live in disadvan- from around the world, including Jordanians outreach that bridges the distance between clinical taged neighborhoods and work with the lo- and Palestinians. This is particularly important research and preventative health care, for which cal population. They operate mini-community in environmental issues that affect the quality of she has been recognized with a number of inter- centers, reaching out to all the residents of the life for all the residents of the region. national honors, including the Award for Peace neighborhood. We have found that this personal What are the best reasons why the from the Canada International Scientifi c Exchange touch has the ability to change people’s lives. readers of LEADERS Magazine should want Program (CISEPO) and Hadassah’s 2008 Women And this dialogue works in both directions – to contribute to and become involved with of Distinction Award. the community benefi ts from all of these differ- BGU and its programs in coming years? ent programs, but there is an added value for our In 2007, The New York Times commenta- ORGANIZATION BRIEF Ben-Gurion University students who are enriched by their experiences of tor Tom Friedman compared the innovation of of the Negev (http://web.bgu.ac.il/Eng/Home) helping others. I see this as one of our most impor- students at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev is a major center for teaching and research, tant goals – to educate students to be socially aware to “oil wells that don’t run dry.” He had made a with campuses in Beer-Sheva, Sede Boqer, and while nurturing their leadership skills. No matter visit to the University as a guest of Israeli hi-tech Eilat. Some 20,000 students are enrolled in how you look at it, it is a win-win situation. entrepreneur and visionary Yossi Vardi, who has the Faculties of Engineering Sciences, Health You have described BGU’s future goals, been championing the work being done by BGU Sciences, Natural Sciences, Humanities and Social “to become a world leader in strategic research students of engineering for a number of years. Sciences, the Guilford Glazer School of Business areas such as water, alternative energies, and International industrial giants such as Deutche and Management, and the Kreitman School of , as well as taking a leadership Telekom, ExxonMobil, Intel, and Oracle support Advanced Graduate Studies. The University also role in global health and medicine.” How do research at BGU, capitalizing on what Friedman houses major research institutes, including the you envision making this a reality? described as “tapping the power in imagination.” National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Finding the right people, which means we We have recently partnered with KUD the Isle Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and are putting a great deal of energy and resources International and the Municipality of Beer-Sheva to Technology, the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert into attracting the very best and most promising create an Advanced Technologies Park adjacent to Research (BIDR), and the Ben-Gurion Research researchers to our University in these and other the University. Its goal is to leverage the research Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism. fi elds that range from Hebrew literature to water and development infrastructure of the University resources management. Together, with the help and Soroka University Medical Center and create As Israel’s youngest research university, BGU of a number of funds created specifi cally for this the tipping point, which will result in a true trans- has had a major impact on the development purpose – including from the Government of formation of the region. The of the Negev region. For our readers who are Israel – we have succeeded in bringing outstand- will move their elite communications and computer not familiar with the region or the University, ing young researchers in certain strategic fi elds units to the ATP, which will serve as an anchor to what do you think they should know? to the Negev. We are also fostering research co- attract other related companies. The University was created by a government operation with the private sector, particularly in I invite all of the readers of LEADERS Magazine decision in 1969 as a center for higher education applied technologies, to help realize the full po- to come visit and see for themselves how we have to bring development to the Negev desert, an area tential of our research programs. made the desert “bloom with innovation,” and that includes some 60 percent of the country’s land- You’ve noted that BGU is a “worldwide learn more about how we are working to spread mass but less than 10 percent of its population. This leader in the areas of solar energy, water this knowledge and experience to the world.• 68 LEADERS POSTED WITH PERMISSION. COPYRIGHT © 2010 LEADERS MAGAZINE, INC. VOLUME 33, NUMBER 2