The Ariane de Rothschild Women Doctoral Program Academic excellence meets social responsibility: A decade’s review 2009-2019 The Ariane de Rothschild Women Doctoral Program Academic excellence meets social responsibility: A decade’s review 2009-2019 Contents Greetings from Baroness Ariane de Rothschild 6 The Edmond de Rothschild Foundation 8 The Ariane de Rothschild Women Doctoral Program 10 Published in Facts & Figures 12 A personal message from the Program Director 14 celebration of the 10th anniversary of the The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Ariane de Rothschild A letter from the president 16 Current participants 18 Women Doctoral Graduates 40 Program Technion-Israel Institute of Technology A letter from the president 48 Current participants 50 Graduates 80 Writing & Editing Shiri Gerson Tel Aviv University A letter from the president 84 Photography Current participants 86 Eran Lam, Lens! Productions Weizmann Institute of Science Photograph on page 100 A letter from the president 112 © Pez Hejduk, Vienna Current participants 114 Production & Design Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Norbert Design A letter from the president 130 Current participants 132 Index of program participants (2009-2019) 140 Greetings from Baroness Ariane de Rothschild A commitment to solidarity, social responsibility, and the advancement of knowledge has shaped our family’s unique philanthropic tradition, and inspired our call to co-create the future. Our global network of Foundations works to ensure this vision translates into impactful achievements in the arts, entrepreneurship, science, and education. Reflecting these values, the Ariane de Rothschild Women Doctoral Program, a key initiative of the Edmond de Rothschild Foundation (Israel), promotes excellence in academic research and education among talented women scientists and scholars. It not only enables them to focus on research that expands the boundaries of human knowledge, but also encourages them to engage in activities that benefit wide circles, thus becoming true role models for Israeli society. Entering its tenth year, the program redresses the continued under-representation of women from diverse backgrounds in Israeli higher education and enhances their academic standing in a variety of fields. Scholarship recipients are chosen on the basis of their academic accomplishments and determination to pursue their research in a global society, where outdated gender stereotypes perpetuate an unfounded incompatibility between a woman's personal responsibilities and her research and teaching. The program dispels these stereotypes and provides a greater number of talented female scholars with the opportunity and support to succeed in academia. 7 The singularity of the program lies in its dual undertaking, to promote women and social responsibility in academia and the Israeli society. We believe that alleviating some financial constraints will empower brilliant female doctoral students to devote themselves to their research and fully unleash their unique contribution to academia and to Israel. Participants also give back to society throughout their scholarship, by engaging in volunteering educational activities to benefit underprivileged communities and inspire them to realize their ambitions. I would like to congratulate the 77 fellows, both current students and graduates, whose Greetings from Baroness Ariane de Rothschild far-reaching research and educational activities constitute an enduring contribution to bettering our world. Baroness Ariane de Rothschild artists in social involvement, professional standards and The Edmond to invest in groundbreaking excellence in philanthropy. economic and social models, de Rothschild and to nurture a young and committed leadership, affect The arts, towards promoting Foundation (IL) the lives of tens of thousands social impact and involvement of people and shape the future through art, cultivating generation of Israel’s pioneers excellence, and upholding the and initiators. Rothschild family’s enduring The Edmond de Rothschild tradition of supporting the Foundation (IL) works to To realize its vision and arts. create an inclusive and expand its impact on Israeli collaborative Israeli society society, the Edmond de by promoting excellence, Rothschild Foundation is Impact entrepreneurship, diversity, and leadership active in five areas: towards creating a measurable through higher education. business model and Operating within the encouraging the flow of new framework of the international Ensuring access to funds which would address 9 network of the Edmond de and success in higher social and environmental Rothschild Foundations education, towards needs. worldwide, we continue narrowing the gaps in Israeli About The Edmond de Rothschild Foundation About The Edmond de Rothschild Foundation a legacy of philanthropic society, by advancing social innovation, investing in mobility among young people Leadership, towards change agents, and promoting from peripheral populations establishing a reserve of young a pioneering spirit. through the acquisition leaders, who will integrate of higher education The Foundation initiates into positions of influence and its translation into dozens of innovative projects in Israeli society and act to commensurate employment. Baron Edmond throughout Israel, aimed promote social issues. de Rothschild at reducing social gaps and fostering young leadership. Academic excellence, The Foundation’s efforts to towards fostering the next ensure higher education for generation of researchers, as many communities as furthering innovative possible, to foster innovative research, and contributing academic research, to engage to the development of The Ariane de Rothschild Inaugurated in 2009 at activity that will advance The Hebrew University of the research, in the amount Women Doctoral Jerusalem, the program has of 400,000 NIS (about since grown to include the $110,000). In addition, the Program Technion—Israel Institute Foundation has developed of Technology, Tel Aviv a holistic program for the University, the Weizmann participants, encompassing Institute of Science, and professional training and Ben-Gurion University of development opportunities, Founded on Baroness Ariane the Negev. Recipients, who workshops, and social de Rothschild’s vision of demonstrate excellence in activities. furthering gender equality their academic achievements, around the world, this Throughout the course of her represent Israel's diverse unique program aspires to studies, each fellow is required communities, and are engaged advance outstanding women to engage in meaningful in social activity in their from diverse backgrounds educational activities in her community, are selected by a to key positions in Israeli community, thus providing its committee chaired by a senior academia and society. It does young women and men with 10 member of the university’s so by supporting talented role models for excellence and leadership, together with and motivated female PhD giving to the community. the Edmond de Rothschild students in Israel’s leading Foundation and with its The program’s operations are institutions of higher approval. led by a steering committee education, for each of which is composed of whom the program-funded Each year, four new representatives of the scholarship constitutes scholarships are awarded recipients and the Foundation. The Ariane de Rothschild Women Doctoral Program a definitive step towards to female students in each completing her degree. The participating institution. In marking the program’s scholarships are intended to Every participant receives 10th anniversary, this book enable their recipients, who a four-year scholarship, presents the 49 current include women supporting pursuant to her academic fellows, as of September 2019, their own families, to focus and research progress. alongside a highlight of the on their studies and research, It includes tuition, living research and career of the en route to realizing their full expenses, and a one-time program’s 28 graduates. potential—professionally as grant for participating in well as personally. any international academic Fact & The program grants The program was From four active scholars Current program 93% of all program Contributing to society: Of the program’s 28 scholarships to female established in 2009 at in 2009 to 49 in 2019: participants: participants throughout Annually, program graduates, 16 are in PhD students representing the Hebrew University of Throughout its years of participants engage in Figures 11 - at The Hebrew the years completed the the academia, including 12 diverse communities, Jerusalem, growing over operation, scholars over of 77 University of Jerusalem program. 2,900 hours postdoctoral researchers; 7 including Arab society the years to four additional participated in the program. community outreach in the work in the industry; and 5 (22%), Haredi and religious academic institutions. 15 - at the Technion – Israel area of education. work in the public sector. society (11%), as well Institute of Technology as other communities, 12 - at Tel Aviv University including new immigrants, women with disabilities, and 7 - at the Weizmann communities in the social- Institute of Science geographic periphery. 4 - at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev 12 Program Growth Growth in Volunteering Hours 50 3500 3000 2912 Facts & Figures 40 2500 2240 30 1848 The Hebrew University 2000 1456 Technion 20 1500 1288 1008 1064 Tel Aviv Uuniversity 1000 728 10 448 The Weizmann Institute