Prof. Amos Oz Receives Spain’sPrestigious Prince of AsturiasAward for Literature

Special Program to RecognizeArabic HandwritingDeveloped

New Tool To Prevent Soiland Ground WaterPollution Developed

Prof. Shaul LadanyRecognized by theOlympic Movement

NEWS@BGU Summer 2007

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Ben-Gurion University of the Negev has announced the naming of the Guilford Glazer School of Business and Management. This development was made possible through the generosity of Guilford and Diane Glazer of Los Angeles, California in recognition of the strength and potential of the 11 year old School of Management.

“The Glazers’ decades-old commitment to investing in Israel, with a new focus on the Negev and particularly Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, reflects their steadfast supportof the nation’s long-term growth and development,” University President Prof. Rivka Carmi said upon making the announcement. “We are honored that the Glazer family believes in our potential and look forward to working with the Glazers to realize their dream of training a new cadre of managers for the region.”

The impressive building housing the Guilford Glazer School, designed by Danish-Israeli architect Ulrike Plessner, will be named, “The Diane and Guilford Glazer Building.” Opened in 2003, the Building includes state-of-the-art computer laboratories, the Jeremiah Sundell Executive Auditorium, seminar rooms, faculty and administration offices and the Eva andIrwin Simon Trading Room that enables students to engage in real-time trading on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.

Real estate developer and businessman Guilford Glazer is a long-time supporter of Israel. Together with his wife, media personality Diane Glazer, he has devoted his time and philanthropic activity to strengthening Israel’s economy and image around the world. He was the primary mover behind a Rand Corporation study titled “The Arc: A Formal Structure for a Palestinian State,” which sought to create a blueprint for a viable Palestinian state as part of a business initiative to ensure Israel’s safety and stability.

“This naming is a significant event that recognizes the impressive growth and activityof the School,” said Dean of the Guilford Glazer School, Prof. Arie Reichel. “The endowment of the School provides us with an opportunity to expand our research activities and develop educational and entrepreneurial programs to encourage future Israeli-Palestinian cooperation that embodies the Glazer quest for peace through innovative business ventures.”

The rapidly expanding School offers a variety of undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs designed to prepare students for the management challenges of the 21st century. There are currently 2,192 students enrolled, including 38 Ph.D. students.

Guilford Glazer School ofBusiness & Management Named Full Board of

Governors CoveragePages 7-19

The Diane and Guilford Glazer Building

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Prof. Moshe Justman was elected Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. He will replace Prof. Avishai Henik who has completed a six-year tenure. He will assume the position on August 1, 2007.

A member of the Department of Economics since 1982, Justman’s research interests include the political economics of education, growth and income distribution, the economics of innovation and technology policy and regional development. He received his B.Sc. in Mathematics and Statistics and M.Sc. in Mathematics, both from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and his Ph.D. in Business Economics from Harvard University. He has served as a Visiting Professor at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh; China

Prof. Moshe Justman Elected Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

People’s University, otherwise known as Renmin University in Beijing; Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona; and as an Ameritech Fellow at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.

Justman is currently director of the Economics and Society Program at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute and a member of the University’s Executive and Finance Committees. In the past, he served as Chair of the Department of Economics, Deputy Editor of the Economic Quarterly (Rivon leKalkala), a member of the National Steering Committee on Science and Technology Infrastructure, the Executive Council of the Israel Economics Association and the Executive Committee of the International Joseph A. Schumpeter Society. He has served as a consultant

Prof. Amos Oz has won the prestigious Prince of Asturias Award for Literature 2007 given by the Prince of Asturias Foundation in Spain. The Israeli author was chosen by a jury headed by Spanish Royal Language Academy director Victor Garcia de la Concha. The Award will be bestowed upon Oz and his co-winners — including musician Bob Dylan and former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore, who each won in separate categories for their contribution to humanity, by King Juan Carlos of Spain in an October ceremony.

Oz, a long-time member of the Department of Hebrew Literature, is Israel’s preeminent author. According to the minutes of the jury, Oz has “fashioned the Hebrew language into a brilliant instrument for literary art and for the truthful disclosure of the most dire and universal realities of our time,

focusing especially on advocating peace amongst peoples and condemning all forms of fanaticism.”

Oz has written 18 books in Hebrew, as well as several hundred articles and essays. His works have been translated into more than 30 languages. The Amos Oz Archive is located at the University.

Prof. Amos Oz Receives Spain’s Prestigious Prince of Asturias Award for Literature

In a statement made upon notification ofwinning the prize, Oz said, “If I have to say in one word what my entire literary work is all about, I would say ‘families’. If I had two words, I would say ‘unhappy families’. If I had more than two words, you would have to read my works.”

Former winners of the Asturias literature prize include Mario Vargas Llosa, Günter Grass, Doris Lessing and Arthur Miller. Last year’s winner was American writer Paul Auster.

Spain’s Crown Prince Felipe is the patron of the Asturias Foundation, which distributes eight awards annually. The awards are made in the fields of communication andhumanities, scientific and technicalresearch, social science, arts, letters, international cooperation, international understanding and sports.

to the Israeli Ministries of the Interior; Education; Industry and Trade, Labor and Welfare; the Jewish Agency; and the Ohio Science and Technology Commission.

Prof. Amos Oz

Prof. Moshe Justman

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3NEWS@BGUResearchers from the Department of Computer Sciences have succeeded in developing a prototype for a recognition program that identifies Arabichandwriting in real time, with a success rate of more than 97%. Developed by Dr. Jihad El-Sana and Masters student Fadi Biadsa, the system allows the user to write on an electronic screen, which then analyses the text and translates it into printed letters in a thousandth of a second.

Using calculative geometry to analyze the graphs, forms and dots that build the hypothetical reference points, the system identifies average handwritingand is built to learn new types of handwriting through use.

A mouse and keyboard are the most common devices used to pass textual information to a computer. The development of hand-held computers and devices – which allow writing on a small screen by hand – require new methods of handwriting identificationand its translation to printed text on computer.

El-Sana explains: “When computer use becomes an important element in giving service to citizens, there is an enormous

advantage in using handwriting instead of typing, especially in developing countries. Today, there is already a system in existence for identifying Latin handwriting in high percentages, but there is no system to identify Arabic handwriting, which is used by around one-sixth of the world’s population.

“The identification of Arabic handwritingis difficult because it is joined and mostof the Arabic letters contain dots either above or below the letter. It should be stressed that we have an obligation to maintain the same style of writing without change. For example, in some models of hand-held computers – even in Latin letters – there is a small change in the letters so that it will be possible to identify them as fast as possible without errors.”

On the economic potential of the development El-Sana said, “We are talking about a target population of around one billion people who speak Arabic, Urdu and Kurdish who could be potential users. As far as we are concerned, the sky’s the limit.” B.G. Negev Technologies, the University’s technology transfer company, is currently seeking investors for the project.

Special Program to Recognize Arabic Handwriting Developed

The Centre for the Study of European Politics and Society (CSEPS) organized the first of its kind academic study-tour to institutions in Brussels of the European Union, NATO headquarters and Jewish communities in Europe.

The four-day tour was conducted as part of the EU Jean Monnet Module, titled “The European Union, Israel and the European Jewish Communities” and taught by CSEPS director Dr. Sharon Pardo of Department of Politics and Government.

Eighteen students from the Department and the Pilots’ Academic Program became “Israeli ambassadors” to Europe. They met with senior officials,European decision-makers and leaders of the Jewish communities in Brussels. Participants discussed various questions pertaining to the EU, relations between Europe and countries in the Mediterranean basin and the Middle East, and to relations between the EU and Israel.

Pardo explained, “In a meeting with leaders of the Jewish community, students were able to hear first-handabout the hardships of European Jewish communities and the problems of anti-Semitism, assimilation and emigration.”

Before leaving for Brussels, the students participated in two preparatory meetings at the Foreign and Defense Ministries to familiarize themselves with the official positions of theState of Israel regarding European organizations and institutions.

“This unique study tour was very important for understanding and enhancing the special relationship between Israel and the EU,” stated Pardo.

European Center Takes Student Study Tour

Dr. Jihad El-Sana

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The rapid growth of the University is most acutely felt during May and June as the Marcus Family Campus hosts a series of graduation ceremonies. This year, the University awarded 137 doctoral degrees from the Kreitman School of Advanced Graduate Studies, reflecting the significant increase inthe number of students engaged in advanced research at BGU. Among those who completed their studies was Hyun-Joon Choi from Korea, who fell in love with the Hebrew language. His thesis dealt with “Adverbs in Biblical Hebrew in the Dead Sea Scrolls and Mishnaic Hebrew: Grammatical and Semantic Aspects.”

At a seperate ceremony, 57 graduates of the Joyce and Irving Goldman Medical School received their medical degrees.

Thousands of Graduates atSeries of Ceremonies

The incoming 33rd class took their Physicians Oath, committing themselves to caring for the welfare of thier patients.

Some 5,533 undergraduate and graduate students received their degrees in two consecutive ceremonies. This is the largest number of degrees the University has granted in one year. The majority of graduates were from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (2,256 including recipients of teaching certificates). Some 850graduates were from the Guilford Glazer School of Business and Management; 1,243 from the Faculty of Engineering Sciences; 599 from Health Sciences; and 542 from Natural Sciences. Forty-three students received their Masters degrees from the Albert Katz International School for Desert Studies.

Faculty and Students Assist Refugees from Africa

The academic procession at one of the four graduation ceremonies held this year

Students in the Charlotte B. and Jack J. Spitzer Department of Social Work have been actively aiding and canvassing support for Sudanese refugees who have been crossing the border from Egypt into Israel. Since the beginning of this year, some 1,200 refugees from Darfur and other areas in Africa have entered Israel. The majority have been literally left on the streets of the Beer-Sheva, where there was little infrastructure to accommodate them.

Dr. Julia Mirsky and Prof. Vered Slonim-Nevo, veteran faculty members of the Department, heard a lecture about the plight of the refugees and tailored an academic course for students that would address the situation. The course was called “The Psycho-Social Intervention of the Sudanese Refugees in Israel” and required participating students to visit refugees in the Beer-Sheva area and offer whatever help possible. They were also asked to interview people and record their stories. The students organized a conference and issued a report on their findings to draw attention to thesituation.

Many of the students became personally involved in caring for the day-to-day welfare of the ever increasing number of refugees. One of the students, Elisheva Milikowsky, was dubbed “the Angel of the Sudanese” by a national newspaper for her work that has included everything from organizing formula and diapers for the youngest refugees to working with the Beer-Sheva municipality to find lodgingas each new group arrives.

Slonim-Nevo: “Our students didn’t just say, ‘this isn’t our responsibility.’ They have worked tirelessly to help these people.”

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Researchers have discovered a possible link between diseases caused by obesity and fat-tissue inflammation in theabdominal area of the body.

The international team includesDr. Assaf Rudich of the Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Dr. Iris Shai of the Department of Epidemiology andthe S. Daniel Abraham International Center for Health and Nutrition;Prof. Nava Bashan of the Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Head of the Metabolic Lab in the Faculty of Health Sciences; Dr. Ilana Harman-Boehm, Director of the Diabetes Program at the Soroka University Medical Center; and colleagues from the University of Leipzig, Germany. The researchers’ discoveries were published in June in

Study Links Inflammation of Intra-AbdominalFat and the Ill-Effects of Obesity

two American Endocrine Society journals – Endocrinology, and the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

The researchers obtained paired biopsies from intra-abdominal and subcutaneous (under the skin) fat taken from patients undergoing abdominal surgery. Researchers demonstrated that fatty tissue collected within the abdomen attracts inflammatory cells ofthe immune system to a greater degree than the subcutaneous fat. The number of these cells increases in people suffering from obesity, specificallythose whose fat accumulation is found primarily in the abdominal cavity. The research has found a correlation between the degree of intra-abdominal fat inflammation and markers for

Jordanian citizen Dana Rassas received her Masters degree from the Albert Katz International School for Desert Studies (AKIS) at the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research at the University’s Sede Boqer campus. She is the first of a groupof seven Jordanian students studying at the AKIS to complete her degree requirements. Next year, five studentsfrom the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and one from the Palestinian Authority will begin their graduate studies. Like all of the Jordanian students, Dana began her studies at the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies on Kibbutz Ketura.

Her research focused on the effect of Israel’s new desalination program on a variety of local stakeholders. In a survey of Israeli farmers, she found that as many as one-third of them could feasibly utilize desalinated water at present prices.

She examined a range of environmental challenges associated with desalination and made concrete suggestions as to what must be done if desalination is to be sustainable in a broad regional context.

Rassas has begun work at the Israel-Palestine Center for Research and Information, a public policy think-tank that seeks creative solutions to transboundary issues. She hopes to continue her training eventually in a doctoral program in the United States.

Rassas doesn’t consider her decision to study in Israel as exceptional. “At the beginning it was a bit hard because I was the only Jordanian there,” she said. “It was a little easier later on because others came too,” she added. “It’s also easier for me because I’m a Jordanian-Palestinian, so in my family it’s not as a big a taboo to

First Jordanian Masters StudentCompletes Degree at Albert Katz School

come to Israel,” Rassas said. “Dana is a uniquely talented woman who showed significant personal courage incoming to Israel as a graduate student in order to acquire the knowledge and skills that she will need for her professional future,” explained Prof. Alon Tal, one of her thesis advisors and a founder of the Arava Institute.

“Her work is among the very first effortsto understand the implications of this new era into which we have entered – where Israel and its neighbors can now utilize the sea for providing domestic water needs,” he continued. “There is no doubt that desalination is going to be an important part of our region’s water infrastructure, and it is particularly valuable to have research conducted by a Jordanian on Israel’s experience in this area.”

increased risk of developing type-2 diabetes and heart disease.

When comparing the two types of fatty tissues, as well as obese versus lean people, researchers were able to pinpoint two specific inflammationresponse signals that were increased in the intra-abdominal fat of the obese patients. These findings provide newinsight into the possible cause and effect in this situation, and may open new therapeutic avenues for treatment.

The research was funded by the Russell Berrie Foundation and D-Cure Diabetes Care in Israel, the Israeli Foundation for the Study of Diabetes and the Israel Science Foundation.

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7NEWS@BGURegistration has begun for two new Masters degree programs at BGU that were recently approved by the Council for Higher Education – in Hotel and Tourism Management and in ConflictResolution.

The tourism and leisure industry – one of the most developed commercial branches in the world – is considered to be instrumental in contributing to the national gross product in many countries. Experienced academic professionals are needed in a wide range of positions to develop and manage the many areas of the industry. The Masters degree in Hotel and Tourism Management at the Guilford Glazer School of Business and Management is the first of its kindin Israel. It is designed for graduates

working in service industries in general and particularly in the tourism industry. Department Chair Dr. Natan Uriely said that the best possible candidates with a management background will be chosen for the program, which aims to provide managers with the opportunity to broaden their academic knowledge and management skills.

The degree will be awarded by the Department of Tourism and Hotel Management, which was established a decade ago. Its hundreds of graduates have joined the work force in the field inIsrael and abroad.

Over the past decade, the understanding of the causes and nature of the conflictand of the process of conflict resolutionhas undergone a profound change. A permanent end to a conflict requires

Unique New Masters Programs Offered transforming the relationship between the antagonists into one of cooperation through a process of reconciliation. This is true on the international, national and local level. Headed by Prof. Shifra Sagy from the Department of Education, the new interdisciplinary Masters degree program in Conflict Resolutionat the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences will combine theoretical developments and in-depth research with the development of practical tools to enable candidates to qualify for work in the field of conflict resolution.

Applications are now being accepted for the program, whose focus will be on inter-personal, community and organizational relations, as well as on political education. Particular emphasis will be placed on the prevention of violence and education for peace.

The Department of Behavioral Sciences was recently divided into two: the Department of Sociology and Anthropology and the Department of Psychology. The new constellation offers students a greater variety of degree programs and professional specializations.

The creation of separate departments came in response to demands by both students and faculty. “Sociology and Psychology have moved in different directions,” explained Department of Sociology and Anthropology Chair Dr. Lev Grinberg. “A large number of the psychologists have moved in the direction of cognitive and experimental issues, while the majority of the sociologists and anthropologists have become increasingly focused on political and cultural issues.

“We have an experienced faculty made up of young and dynamic researchers,” Grinberg said. He noted that the BGU department has the greatest emphasis on Israeli society among all universities in the country. The newly-created department specializes in political sociology, gender studies, political economy and cultural studies.

“What is new in the program is that students in the Department can now study sociology and anthropology in combination with any other academic studies of interest to them,” said Grinberg.

The Department will now offer Masters degrees in: the Sociology of Organizations, Theoretical Sociology, Political Sociology and Anthropology.

According to Department of Psychology Chair Prof. David Leiser, the newly-created Department is one of the most competitive in the country. “The undergraduate program in psychology is in high demand and was recently ranked top in a survey among Israeli students. Our graduate programs are also very prestigious.”

Academic specializations include: Developmental Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, and Social Psychology and Brain and Cognition. “We are involved in a very high level of advanced research,” Leiser said, “Many of the students who have recently completed their Ph.D.’s won prestigious post-doctoral fellowships and are already publishing in the top academic journals.”

Department of Behavioral SciencesDivided into Two

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Some 350 guests from Israel and abroad participated in the University’s 37th Annual Board of Governors Meeting this May. The four-day event provided Board members and guests with an opportunity to learn more about the growth and development of the University, while marking a number of its important milestones, many of which are highlighted on these pages.

The business of the Board began with the important Committee Meetings, which included timely presentations by students and faculty members. The Finance Committee Meeting highlighted the fiscal responsibility ofthe University’s senior administration, while detailing the breadth of the financial challenges facing highereducation in Israel in light of ongoing government budget cuts. The Academic Development Committee opened with a short presentation by Nobel laureates Prof. Claude Cohen-Tannoudji andProf. Sir Aaron Klug OM FRS, who have been actively involved in combatting academic boycotts in their respective countries of France and the United Kingdom and who spoke about the

37th Annual Board of Governors Meeting Celebrates University’s Accomplishments

implications of the looming British boycott movement. Held in the midst of the six-week student strike, the Student Affairs Committee provided a critical opportunity for guests to hear first-hand from members of the Student Association about the situation. The Associates Affairs Committee Meeting brought together lay leaders and

Associate professionals from around the world to discuss matters concerning the University’s fundraising efforts and hear the annual reports of the various organizations.

The Opening Plenary Session of the Board included the unanimous reelection of Chairman of the Board

From L-R: Prof. Yehuda Gradus, Lawrence Goodman ,President Prof. Rivka Carmi, MK Prof. Avishay Braverman and Efrat Duvdevani

Leadership of Worldwide Associates together with Chairman of the Board Roy J. Zuckerberg and BGU President Prof. Rivka Carmi. From left: Zuckerberg, Paul A. Nouwen (Netherlands), Lic. Osvaldo Schvartzer (Argentina), Barry D. Lipson, Q.C. (Canada), Raya Strauss Bendror (Israel), Carmi, Gerard Worms (France), Bertie Lubner (South Africa), Carol Saal (USA); Ariel Kleiman (Mexico), David Wernick (UK)

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Roy J. Zuckerberg and a panel discussion on, “The Negev: A Plan and a Vision for the Future,” with the participation of: MK Prof. Avishay Braverman; CEO of the Israeli company Ormat and member of BGU’s Board of Governors and Ben-Gurion Society Yehuda (Lucien) Bronicki; Director-General of the Ministry for the Development of the Negev and Galilee Efrat Duvdevani; National Chairman, American Friends of the Beer-Sheva Foundation and

member of BGU’s Board of Governors and Ben-Gurion Society Lawrence Goodman; and founding Director of the Negev Center for Regional Development and Director of the Ben-Gurion Research Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism, Prof. Yehuda Gradus. The Challenges for the Future – Second Plenary Session of the Board Meeting, led by Chairman of the Executive Committee, David Brodet, provided members with an opportunity to review committee resolutions regarding

developments concerning the University and the Negev within the context of higher education in the State of Israel.

Over the four days, visitors had ample occasion to meet with faculty, students and staff at a myriad of fascinating and uplifting events, including the annual Student Evening, sponsored this year by American Associates Alexander Goren, Lyon Roth and Harriet Soffa. The event included performances by the Zlotowski Dance Troupe and other student presentations, including a special surprise birthday party for Vice-Chairperson of the Board Suzanne Zlotowski of the United Kingdom, who is known affectionately as the “Mother of the Students.”

Friends and family were on hand for the unveiling of the new names on the walls of recognition, saluting the addition of 12 new members of the Ben-Gurion Society, followed by the annual ceremony at the Founders Wall. Visitors were also introduced to the robot receptionist, Ms. Saya, in the lobby of the Alon Building for Hi-Tech by Prof. Shlomi Dolev and members of the Department of Computer Sciences. They also met the team that created the Spirit of Ben-Gurion – a race car that they built as thier student project, under the supervision of Prof. Eran Sher from the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Internationally-acclaimed author BGU Prof. Amos Oz delivered the Hyman

Elsa Weinberg and son Hillel Cherni of Israel join Prof. Carmi in unveiling their names on the Ben-Gurion Wall

The student team shows off the Spirit of Ben-Gurion race car, built under the supervisionof Prof. Eran Sher from the Department of Mechanical Engineering (center)

Chairman of the Executive Committee David Brodet

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and Irene Kreitman Annual Memorial Lecture. He spoke about the process of writing his award-winning memoir, A Tale of Love and Darkness, captivating the audience with humorous vignettes and bittersweet memories from his childhood in Jerusalem.

Two of the Honorary Doctorate recipients presented public lectures to students and faculty as well as the community-at-large: Prof. Michael I. Posner of the Department of Psychology at the University of Oregon, first made apublic presentation to Israeli educators and neuroscientists and then delivered the Zlotowski Annual Lecture which addressed the fascinating issue of “How Genes and Experience Shape Attentional Networks.”

Dr. Mary-Claire King, the American Cancer Society Professor from the Department of Medicine (Medical Genetics) and Department of Genome Sciences at the University of Washington and a former consultant to the National Commission on the Disappearance of Persons for the Republic of Argentina, gave a riveting presentation on “Human Genomics and Human Rights: The Search for the Disappeared Children of Argentina.”

The moving ceremony of the Conferment of M.D. Degrees upon the 2007 Class of the Medical School for

International Health in collaboration with Columbia University Medical Center introduced Board members to the broad range of activities of the University’s Faculty of Health Sciences. The twenty-nine graduates representing the School’s sixth class included an international array of students who were attracted by the School’s global approach. The keynote speaker,Dr. Fitzhugh Mullan, M.D., is the Murdock Head Professor of Medicine and Health Policy at George Washington University.

Vice-President and Director-General David Bareket addresses the Finance Committee. Seated (from left):Roy J. Zuckerberg, Committee Co-Chairs Eric Charles and Micha Daft, President Prof. Rivka Carmi

Nobel laureates Prof. Claude Cohen-Tannoudji (left) and Prof. Sir Aaron Klug

Vice-Chairperson of the Board Suzanne Zlotowski and Adelene Zlotowski of the United Kingdom (center) in the newly-dedicated Suzanne Zlotowski Garden together, with Hugette Elhadad-Charbit and student recipients of Zlotowski Merit Scholarships

Member of the Board Lloyd Goldman, USA

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10NEWS@BGU 11The University recognized the 30th Anniversary of the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research (BIDR), together with supporters and friends from around the world at a series of events that took place on the Sede Boqer campus. BIDR DirectorProf. Avigad Vonshak acknowledged the international community of guests saying, “Credit is given, not taken, and you all deserve credit for your continuing support, which makes our work possible.”

University President Prof. Rivka Carmi saluted the Institutes for their exceptional accomplishments and noted that, “this year, we have had a great deal to celebrate.” She mentioned two highly successful conferences: “Deserts and Desertification – Challenges andOpportunities” and “From Invention and Development to Product; From Research Institutes to the Water Industry,” both of which attracted an impressive array of international guests and media attention.

She noted that the desertificationconference was a precedent-setting

occasion wherein a “U.N. General Assembly resolution welcomed an Israeli initiative on an issue that is high on the global agenda and acknowledged the State of Israel’s leadership role – therewith the Blaustein Institutes – in the worldwide battle against desertification.” Another cause forcelebration, she said, is the wonderful work being done at the Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research – recently recognized by the government with the historic declaration to establish the National Center for Advanced Water Technologies in Sede Boqer.

Prof. Carmi also acknowledged the University’s friends in France and Switzerland for their magnanimous support of the Institutes, and the “wonderful students at the magnificentAlbert Katz International School for Desert Studies,” which celebrated its first decade of activity, thanks to thesupport of the Negev Foundation. A moving letter from Michael Hirschhorn, the President of the Jacob and Hilda Blaustein Foundation and grandson of its namesakes, was read aloud during the ceremony.

Sent in honor of the occasion, the letter described the close personal relationship between Jacob Blaustein and David Ben-Gurion and expressed the Foundation’s amazement “at the physical and academic transformation of the Institutes from a small research facility aimed at ‘helping to make the Israeli desert bloom’ to a global powerhouse helping nations around the globe.”

During the dedication ceremony for the Building for the Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research, Vice-Prime Minister Shimon Peres, speaking by telephone, saluted the important work being done at the BIDR in Sede Boqer in general and cited the ZIWR in particular. Guest of Honor MK Prof. Avishay Braverman spoke appreciatively about the Blaustein family and about the first visit thatChairman of the Board Roy J. Zuckerberg made to the BIDR and his learning process

30th Anniversary of the BlausteinInstitutes Acknowledged

Vice-Chairman of the Executive Committee and Negev pioneer Aharon Yadlin at the ceremony marking the 30th Anniversary of the Ben-Gurion Law

Roy J. Zuckerberg holds the key to the new building for the Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research with MK Avishay Braverman (right) and (from left) Prof. Avigad Vonshak and Prof. Rivka Carmi

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10NEWS@BGU 11about water-related issues, which culminated in the creation of the Zuckerberg Institute and later, his leadership role at the University.

Roy Zuckerberg praised the wonderful scientists who have turned the Institute into a world-class center: “The reality is that this has been a great experience for me. I have learned enormously… and I now truly believe we are an excellent scientificinstitute, and we will grow and grow.” Guests were also on hand for the dedication of the recently-completed Melvin S. Goldstein Laboratory for Environmental Hydrology in the presence of Lolita E. Goldstein from New York.

Participants then had an opportunity to join one of eight tours around Sede Boqer, to take a closer look at the work being done at the Blaustein Institutes

and at the Ben-Gurion Research Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism. A visit to David and Paula Ben-Gurion’s gravesite was made more meaningful with a presentation by Dr. Natan Aridan, from the Ben-Gurion Research Institute and the editor of the Israel Studies journal, who reminded guests that the day they were visiting – May 14th – was particularly timely as it was the day that the State of Israel was created 59 years earlier.

The evening’s festivities included recognition of the 30th anniversary of the Ben-Gurion Law that resulted in the establishment of the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research and,a few years later, the Ben-Gurion Research Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism. Also at the event, the University acknowledged the 10th anniversary of the highly-successful Albert Katz International School for Desert Studies. The University recognized the contribution and dedication of then-Minister of Education and initiator of the Law, Vice-Chairman of the Executive Committee and Negev pioneer Aharon Yadlin andRobert Equey of the Negev Foundation, which was fundamental inestablishing the Albert Katz School.Dr. Yariv Ben-Eliezer, Paula and David Ben-Gurion’s eldest grandson, spoke on behalf of the Ben-Gurion family. A performance by the popular multi-cultural music group, The IdanRaichel Project, sponsored byRaya Strauss Bendror, President of the Israeli Friends of the University, reinforced the internationalatmosphere that has become anintegral part of the Sede Boqer experience.

Lolita E. Goldstein and Prof. Eilon Adar at the dedication for the recently-completed Melvin S. Goldstein Laboratory for Environmental Hydrology

Robert Equey and his family acknowledge the 10th anniversary of the Albert Katz International School for Desert Studies

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On Tuesday, May 15, 2007, the University awarded seven Honorary Doctoral Degrees as part of its 37th Annual Board of Governors Meeting.

The degrees were granted in recognition of the individuals’ distinguished contributions to science and humanity, as mentioned in the University’s official citations quotedbelow:

Aharon Appelfeld was honored“in acknowledgement of a renowned Hebrew author who, like a phoenix, has conjured up masterpieces from the ashes; to a child who survived the horrors of the Holocaust, immigrated to Israel and found his unique voice in the Hebrew language; for a writer who throughout his life has sought words to describe the silence, the courage to recount the fears and strength to cope with helplessness, and who

Honorary Doctoral Degrees Conferredon Seven Exceptional Recipients

carved out of the horrors and madness crystals of pure compassion; in honor of a creative mind who has received numerous awards, including the Israel Prize for Literature, the Prix Médicis étranger and the Nelly Sachs Prize, and whose books have been translated into dozens of languages and found their way to the hearts of strangers in distant lands; and in deep appreciation for his dedication and commitment to sharing his immense knowledge and exceptional sensitivity with colleagues and students as a member of the Department of Hebrew Literature at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev throughout the years.”

Prof. Ruth Arnon was recognized for her research in the field of immunologyand as scientist who has dedicated her life to the development of innovative drugs which alleviate the suffering of those with acute illnesses. She is best

known for her pioneering work in the development and implementation of synthetic vaccines in the fight againstautoimmune diseases, including Copaxone for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Prof. Arnon was recognized for “her vital contribution to understanding immune responses in the human body; in honor of a scientist who has received numerous awards, including the Wolf Foundation Prize in Medicine and the Israel Prize in Medical Research, who has mentored outstanding students and filled senior positions, including asVice-President of the Weizmann Institute of Science, Advisor for Science to the President of Israel and Vice-President of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities; in appreciation of her contribution to the development of the pharmaceutical industry in Israel, the promotion of basic and applied sciences and improvement in the quality of life of patients around the globe.”

L-R: Channa Marron, Prof. Aharon Appelfeld, Leanor Segal, Robert Equey, Adv., Prof. Ruth Arnon, Prof. Michael Posner, and Dr. Mary-Claire King

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Robert Equey, Adv., is an esteemed attorney who has devoted his time and efforts to promoting science and knowledge, health, welfare and education. He is an ardent Zionist and one of the pillars of the Jewish community in Geneva, who is active in leading Jewish organizations in Switzerland, including Swiss ORT, Keren Hayesod, the Jewish National Fund and the Swiss-Israel Chamber of Commerce, which endeavors to strengthen the ties between the two countries. The doctorate was bestowed upon “a generous benefactor of institutes of higher learning, medical centers and other nonprofit institutionsaround the globe; and in gratitude to a long-standing and loyal friend of the University and member of the Board of Governors, whose commitment and devotion have been crucial in advancing vital research through the creation of the cutting-edge Ilse Katz Institute for Meso- and Nanoscale Science and Technology and Albert Katz International School for Desert Studies, whose graduates go forth as ambassadors of knowledge throughout the world.”

Dr. Mary-Claire King is a prominent researcher whose discoveries in the fieldof human genetics have marked a new era in breast cancer research. Dr. King has contributed greatly to the early detection, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of breast and ovarian cancer by identifying the hereditary factor in these illnesses and by delving into the genetic basis of the different cancer processes and of additional illnesses. She was acknowledged “in honor of a scientist who is always sensitive to the human condition and who has employed science on behalf of human rights in helping in the identification of victimsof violence in South America and other places, including as a consultant to the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal; and in appreciation of a member of the

U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the National Cancer Institute and other institutions, who has invested of her time and energy in nurturing the next generation of students and researchers as links in the chain of science that ensures the development and flourishingof the human species.”

Channa Marron was recognized as “an esteemed actress who conquered the public’s heart with her radiant personality and brilliant talent; in admiration for the Jewish child actress who escaped from Germany and returned to Europe wearing a British Army uniform as a member of the Jewish Brigade entertainment troupe; in gratitude to one of the founders of the Cameri Theater who poured rare qualities into the roles she was cast to play for more than half a century, from ‘He Walked Through the Fields’ and ‘Pygmalion’ to ‘Medea’ and ‘The Glass Menagerie’ and helped Israeli audiences enjoy the best of original and translated drama; in acknowledgement of the recipient of numerous awards, including the Israel Prize for Drama, who successfully took on new roles as a teacher and director and actress in cinema and television, in the Herzliya Theatre Ensemble and the Beer-Sheva Theater, and remains of one of the pillars of Israeli theater; and in esteem of a courageous woman who, despite most painful personal experiences, strives for co-existence and peace between Jews and Arabs in the region.”

Prof. Michael Posner was honored in recognition of being “an outstanding scientist, one of the leading researchers in the field of psychologyand neuroscience, whose research has contributed immensely to understanding the complex workings of the human brain. He is a neuro-psychologist who has broken through the traditional barriers between biology

and psychology whilst exposing the neural networks that support learning, language and attention processes and whose esteemed work helps children with learning disabilities and adults with various brain disorders. Posner is an academician who has received numerous awards, is the founder of the Institute of Cognitive and Decision Sciences at the University of Oregon, the founding director of the Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology at Cornell University, a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and author of enlightening books, who has guided students in Israel and abroad in their search for new ways to unravel the secrets of the brain.”

Leonor Segal is a generous philanthropist whose wide ranging activities serve as a shining example to the members of the Jewish community in Montreal, and whose diverse contributions in the realm of the health sciences make it possible to provide the essential combination of medical treatment, patient support and advanced research. The degree was bestowed upon “a munificent patron ofthe arts, who sees in the preservation of the rich Jewish heritage and the promotion of Jewish education a moral commitment for future generations in Canada, in Israel and around the world; and a stalwart Zionist whose leadership and unflagging support ofJewish communities in the Diaspora and the State of Israel has engendered significant funds for a myriad of worthycauses; and a member of the Board of Governors of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and a dedicated supporter of the “Atidim” Project, which enables students from peripheral communities to excel in their studies and use their skills as officers in the Israel Defense Forcesand helps many students to maximize their potential for the benefit of scienceand Israeli society.”

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Over eighty students and alumni of the Keren Moshe Leadership program came together with members of the Board and guests to celebrate the firstdecade of this unique program. Held in the presence of benefactors Esther and Michel Halperin of Switzerland, the heartwarming ceremony and fascinating panel highlighted the importance of leadership training to enhance student awareness of social issues.

Director of the Community Action Unit and moderator of the event, Vered Serousi-Katz, Adv., spoke glowingly about the program as “a highly effective tool for future leaders to motivate and inspire change.” Program alumnus Shimon Shamilla explained how he, a native of the Daled neighborhood in Beer-Sheva, benefited from the experience. “I wasable to receive my degree in Economics while learning to help others.” These intangible elements, he explained, gave him the skills necessary for success, which led him to his current position as Director for the Jewish Agency in the Dead Sea and Arad region.

University President Prof. Rivka Carmi lauded the program, which offers full

Keren Moshe Leadership ProgramMarks 10th Anniversary

scholarships as well as leadership training. So far, she noted, 385 students have benefited fromthis magnanimous generosity – 276 alumni and 109 who are still studying. “Keren Moshe,” she said, “is about creating

hope and opportunities for the future. It is a testament to the genuine concern and caring of our dear friends, Esther and Michel Halperin, for the future of the Negev, for its leadership and for the leadership of this country.” Carmi also recognized former CAU Director Batchevah Levy for her contribution to the creation of the exceptional program.

Visibly moved, Esther Halperin expressed her satisfaction and pride in the participants of the program. "We

feel rewarded by their action, done with heart, spirit and dignity," she said, "They have accomplished exactly what we hoped they would."

A panel discussion followed the event, focusing on “Leadership in the 21st Century,” with the participation of former member of the Geneva Parliament and President of the Swiss Associates, Michel Halperin, Adv., Switzerland; Chairman of the Israel Venture Network and Vice-Chairman of BGU’s Board of Governors, Eric Benhamou; President Prof. Rivka Carmi; Mayor of Yeruham and former Commander of the Central Command Maj.-Gen. Amram Mitzna; Associate Editor and Chief Economics Commentator of the Financial Times and member of BGU’s Board of Governors, Martin Wolf CBE, of the United Kingdom. The panelists spoke of the importance of leadership from each of their various vantage points – philanthropy, the hi-tech industry, politics, the military and economics.

Esther Halperin (R) receives a gift from Vered Serousi-Katz

Esther and Michel Halperin (center) with Batchevah Levy (left), Vered Serousi-Katz (right) and participants in the Keren Moshe Program

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The University dedicated the Robert H. Arnow Center for Bedouin Studies and Development in honor of the principal donor, visionary and Chairman Emeritus of the University’s Board of Governors, Robert H. Arnow of New York as part of the events marking the Center’s 10th Anniversary. A series of events spanning two days and including a naming ceremony, a panel discussion, a hands-on tour to surrounding communities and a traditional hafla dinnerprovided participants with a broader understanding of the greater issues facing the Bedouin community.

Arnow established the Center in 1997 to encourage and support Bedouin student enrollment. “Robert Arnow’s visionary leadership and extraordinary personal commitment to the University are helping Israel develop the Negev and enabling Bedouins to make an important contribution to Israeli society,” said President Prof. Rivka Carmi at the naming ceremony, moderated by Director of the Center Prof. Riad Agbaria.

“It all started when I met Ismael Abu-Saad, the first Negev Bedouin at BGUto receive a doctorate degree, along with two women in his office,” Arnowrecalled in his remarks. “These women came from unrecognized villages with no transportation, no electricity and no running water. Yet, they were in their second semester at BGU. I was so impressed that I said to myself, I have to help these people.”

The ceremony opened with a presentation by founding Director and current Director of the Research Unit of the Center, Prof. Ismael Abu-Saad, who presented a paper titled, “How Far Have

We Come? A History of Bedouin Arab Graduation from BGU, 1970-2006” that showed how the Center has facilitated the education of hundreds of Bedouin students, including graduating the firstfemale medical doctor, pharmacist and Ph.D. More than 500 Bedouin students now study at the University, at least half of whom are women, as discussed in a presentation by the first female Ph.D.graduate, Dr. Sarab Abu-Rabia Queder.

Robert H. Arnow Center for Bedouin Studies and Development Dedicated

A panel titled “Re-Examining Priorities” focused on successes and predicaments in the Bedouin community and included former Director of the Center and Chairman of the Charlotte B. and Jack J. Spitzer Department of Social WorkProf. Alean Alkrenawi; Ministry of Housing and Construction and Minority Affairs Director-General Arie Bar;MK Prof. Avishay Braverman; PresidentProf. Rivka Carmi; and founder of Maskit Ruth Dayan. The panel was moderated by Amb. Dr. Tamar Golan, who is a member of the BGU faculty.

The scroll presented at the ceremony acknowledged Arnow, for his “belief in the importance of empowerment of the Bedouin community in the Negev and his significant contribution to thepromotion of education and higher learning among women and men and the nurturing of future generations; and in recognition of his dedication and commitment, his love of his fellowmen and belief in the capacity for change in a society that draws from its traditions to create a brighter future for all its youth.”

Robert and Joshua Arnow at the naming ceremony for the Robert H. Arnow Center

From L-R: Prof. Alean Alkrenawi, Prof. Rivka Carmi, Prof. Ismael Abu-Saad and Robert H. Arnowas Abu-Saad is honored at the Hafla dinner

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Dr. Sigal Abramovitch from the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences became the first incumbent of the Dr. Gabiand Eng. Max Lichtenberg Career Development Chair in Natural Sciences in the presence of Dr. Gabi and Eng. Max Lichtenberg of Israel and the United States during the Annual Board Meeting.

This is the sixth Lichtenberg Career Development Chair that the couple has created and the first in the NaturalSciences. Four previous Development Chairs are in the Health Sciences and one is in Engineering Sciences. Career Development Chairs are designed to promote and showcase the University’s outstanding younger faculty members.

Moderated by Prof. Jiwchar Ganor of the Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, the event reinforced the family-like atmosphere nurtured by the Lichtenbergs. President Prof. Rivka Carmi spoke appreciatively about the Lichtenbergs’ commitment to “adopt” young researchers. She noted that Gabi and Max have “become a legend at Ben-Gurion University.” She recalled how “Last year you said, hamsa, which is five – that’s it. And

Lichtenberg CareerDevelopment

Chair Inaugurated

then came the sixth. This is not unusual; it is unprecedented.”

Dr. Gabi Lichtenberg gladly responded: “Not only do we have six Development Chairs…But we have a family as well and we cherish it.” She also thanked the University for giving the couple the opportunity to be involved with the wonderful young researchers. “Much of Sigal’s research studies are multidisciplinary, focusing on geology, environment and biology and range from historical contexts to future industrial applications,” said University RectorProf. Jimmy Weinblatt in his introduction of Dr. Abramovitch. “[The choice of] this very talented researcher is an excellent and most worthy appointment.”

In her remarks, Abramovitch said,“I am a proud product of the Negev” and noted how at BGU as an undergraduate, she was “captivated by the warmth of the Department” and the excitement of the field of geology. “As I proceeded withmy graduate studies,” she said, “I gained a greater understanding of how truly exceptional the Negev is, as it serves as a natural laboratory for geology and other natural sciences with no parallel in the entire world.”

Chairman of BGU’s Goldstein-Goren International Center for Jewish Thought Prof. Haim Kreisel announced the third triennial Goldstein-Goren International Prize for the Most Important Book in Jewish Thought for 2004-2007. Over 50 books were considered and judged by a committee consisting of Prof. Alfred Ivry of New York University, Prof. Warren Harvey of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Israel Prize laureate Prof. Emeritus Ya’akov Blidstein of Ben-Gurion University, who chaired the committee.

The winner, Tselem Elohim: Halacha ve-Aggada, or The Image of God: Halakhah and Aggadah, was written by Prof. Yair Lorberbaum of the Bar Ilan University Law School. Published in Hebrew by Schocken Press in Israel, an English translation of the book is almost complete and is scheduled to be published by the University of California Press. Kreisel quoted remarks made by the judges: “Yair Lorberbaum’s Image of God is a work of both illuminating scholarship which suggests new meanings and implications for the ‘image of God’ in which man was created … The book will be profitably read by both thosewho enjoy the broad sweep of new and powerful ideas as well as those who seek innovative and provocative readings of recondite texts and sources. It is also likely that some of Lorberbaum’s theses will stimulate debate and even controversy, in as much as The Image of God grapples with basic aspects of religious thought and human identity.”

The announcement was made during the Opening Plenary Session of the 37th Annual Board of Governors Meeting in the presence of member of the Board Alex Goren of New York, who is the son of the late benefactor, Avram Goldstein-Goren.

Goldstein-Goren Prize Winner Announced

Dr. Gabi and Eng. Max Lichtenberg (center) with Dr. Sigal Abramovitch (left), and the other incumbents (L-R): Dr. Yuval Elovici; Dr. Nitza Newman-Heiman; Dr. Yaniv Almog and Dr. Yoram Etzion

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The Sacta-Rashi Building for Physics was dedicated during the annual Board of Governors meeting in the presence of members of the Foundation’s board, including Executive Vice-President of the Foundation and member of the University's Board of Governors Elie Elalouf. The impressive new building includes soaring open spaces, sophisticated teaching and research laboratories and the Ilan Ramon Youth Physics Center.

Master of ceremonies and member of the Department of Physics Dr. Ron Folman opened the ceremony with a salute to the essential beauty of the field of study. “I have no doubt that thisbuilding will facilitate the creativeness and brainstorming required for new breakthroughs, and so I look forward to exciting times within its walls.”

President Prof. Rivka Carmi remarked that "the wonder you see before you is thanks to the generosity of our dear

friends at the Sacta-Rashi Foundation, who see the development of facilities and venues to inspire the acquisition of knowledge as primordial to their efforts." She deeply regretted that the President of the Foundation, Hubert Leven of France, was unable to attend, and lauded the moving force in Israel, Elie Elalouf, who she termed "a pragmatic visionary, compassionate and professional, with a vision that sees several steps ahead.”

Department Chairman Prof. Reuven Shuker noted that “This vivid initiative carries long-term fruits of important scientific development for the youngpeople of Beer-Sheva, the Negev and beyond. It is a unique example for others in terms of the social involvement of the faculty of the Department of Physics with the community."

Speaking on behalf of the Sacta-Rashi Foundation, Elie Elalouf reiterated their commitment to expanding the scientifichorizons of the children in the region.

He cited University efforts already underway, particularly Kidumatica and the Accessibility to Higher Education programs, both supported by the Foundation. Clearly moved by the recollections, he told how, as a 10-year-old child in the Scouts in Morocco, his troupe leader called for a moment of silence in memory of the great Albert Einstein, who had just passed away, and cited Einstein's motto that “all scientific researchersshould never forget the community.”

The Sacta-Rashi Building for Physics includes the Ilan Ramon Youth Center for Physics, named for the fallen astronaut who was raised and educated in Beer-Sheva – a joint effort of the University, the Sacta-Rashi Foundation, the Ministry of Education and the Beer-Sheva Municipality. The Center is unique in Israel and is designed to promote the study of physics among high school students in the region. It includes advanced physics laboratories, a planetarium and a roof-top observatory.

Sacta-Rashi Building forPhysics Dedicated

L-R: Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences Prof. Abraham Parola; Alain Köstenbaum; Prof. Rivka Carmi; Maurice and Daniele Bidermann; Ariel Elia; Edy Freedman; Elie Elalouf (behind: Rina Meyer); Sol Freedman; Tamara Elia; Robert Equey; Esther Halperin; Francis Minkoff; Department Chair Prof. Reuven Shuker; Gerard Worms

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18 19

Visitors had the opportunity to meet old friends and make

new ones at the optional weekend held prior to the Board

Meeting in the Dead Sea resort area of Ein Bokek. The

informal social events offered guests from abroad a chance

to meet with BGU faculty, staff and students and become

better acquainted with University research being done in

the region. From Masada to the Dead Sea; Nachal Zohar to

Mount Sdom; presentations on Hebrew literature, current

affairs in the Middle East and the topography and weather

phenomena of the region, there was a bit of something for

everyone, including the unexpected (and unseasonable)

sand and rainstorms during their brief stay. Despite their

prolonged strike against government policies, a group of

BGU students accompanied the guests and faculty, hiking

alongside the participants and introducing them to all things

Israeli, from language to student life and their experiences in

the Negev.

And more…

The Houston contingent (L-R): Robin Vinegar; Deborah Bergeron, Ellen Marcus and Harold Vinegar

Lolita Goldstein charms University students

Guests set out on a hike of the Zohar wadi Murray Shusterman and Prof. Fred Lazin take a break

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The annual Friedman Prizes were awarded this spring to outstanding graduate and incoming graduate students in the Departments of Mathematics and Computer Sciences.

Alumnus Dr. Yossi Friedman, today the managing director of a hedge fund in New York, created the awards in recognition of the support he received as a student at the formerly unifiedDepartment of Mathematics and Computer Science at BGU.

At the ceremony, Friedman recounted how his formative years at the University paved the way for his subsequent

Annual Friedman Prizes Awarded

achievements at Stanford University and in his professional career.

“The expression Girsa Dyankuta comes from Aramaic, and literally means the things that a person learned in his childhood. The deeper meaning of the expression is that the knowledge, wisdom, and understanding that a person absorbs as a child are deeply impressed on his soul and accompany him for life. Ben-Gurion University is my Girsa Dyankuta,” recounted Friedman.

At the age of 10, Friedman was accepted into a special enrichment course for children at the University. In his speech,

he recalled the “fantastic” Computation Center, which contained only one computer that required special climatic conditions. “We, the pupils in the course, ran around the Center, mingling with the University students... The University loved us…. and gave us computer time and access to lecturers and researchers, helping us to develop intellectual curiosity and to look for solutions.”

Today, concluded Friedman, he enjoys a successful life. “But I always remember the ‘incubator’ of my ambitions and their fulfillment — where they believed in meand treated me like an intelligent adult even though I was still a small child.”

emergency preparedness and trauma. The cooperative project is the work of Prof. Richard Isralowitz from the Spitzer Department of Social Work -- who is currently a visiting professor at Rutgers -- together with Prof. Richard Edwards, Dean of Rutgers School of Social Work.

A delegation from Rutgers, including Edwards, Dr. Kathleen Pottick, a senior faculty member specializing in adolescent mental heath, andDr. Judy Postmus, director of its Center for Violence Against Women & Children, was recently in Israel to meet with the BGU administration and tour Israeli facilities.

The focus will be on programs that “train the trainers” in disaster response — a topic Israel knows all too well. The program will include expert consultation, faculty exchanges and short-term trips by students from the two universities, Isralowitz explained. The RU participants and experts there, he said, bring experience in addressing the needs of people in emergency situations.

The alliance has been made possible through the support of the Jewish Federation of Greater Middlesex County.

The Charlotte B. and Jack J. Spitzer Department of Social Work has met with the School of Social Work at Rutgers University in New Jersey to discuss joint research with educational components that address common social issues of concern including

Program to “Train the Trainers” inDisaster Response Under Way

Members of the Rutgers University School of Social Work meet with University President Prof. Rivka Carmi (seated far right) and Jill Ben-Dor, Director of the Department of Donor and Associate Affairs (standing center) and their colleagues from BGU (from left) seated, Prof. Kathleen Pottick, Prof. Alean Al-Krenawi, Prof. Richard Edwards; standing, Prof. Richard Isralowitz and Prof. Judy Postmus

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21NEWS@BGUArtificial Coral Reef Created inthe Depths of Northern Eilat

A unique research project, supervised by Dr. Nadav Shashar, a researcher in the Marine Biology program at the University’s Eilat Campus, has resulted in the creation of an artificial coral reefin the depths of the Red Sea.

The project incorporates fundamental theories of ecology, marine biology and sustainable development and is being carried out with the cooperation of the Israel Nature Parks Authority andProf. Zvi Abramsky of the Department of Life Sciences; Dr. Ariel Diamant of the National Center for Mariculture in Eilat; and student Omer Pollack.

The increasing popularity of recreational underwater diving has had a negative impact on the natural reefs in the region. “A sad situation now exists whereby the same tourists who love the sea and the life-forms in it destroy that which attracts them,” Shashar explains.

The reef was established on a sandy base at a depth of 6-7 meters and comprises six identical modules made of a special concrete and additional components, which are suitable for the development of oceanic invertebrates. The reef has a rough surface area which provides easy attachment and many hidden places for marine life. Some thousand holes were drilled in the

concrete to enable the planting of coral.

Though it has been in the water only a few months, over 20 species of fishand numerous species of invertebrates — ranging from corals and fan worms to tunicates — have settled on the reef. It has also become an important site for divers.

Students from the program for Marine Biology at BGU’s Eilat Campus are active partners in the creation of the artificial reef. “Our task is to understandwhich factors bring about the development and proliferation of coral reefs, to understand the process behind the expansion of the coral and fishpopulations, and to put this into practice in establishing artificial coral reefs thatwill attract tourists,” he says.

The establishment of the “Tamar Reef” is a joint project of academics and the Israel Nature Parks Authority. It is sponsored by the United States USAID-MERC program and the British Whitely Fund for Nature as part of an Israeli-Jordanian cooperation. The reef was built by the Israeli company OBS. Partners in the project include BGU, the National Center for Mariculture, the Inter-University Institution for Marine Sciences in Eilat and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

A diver explores the new Tamar Reef in Eilat

A team from the Honors MBA program at the Guilford Glazer School of Business and Management placed third in the recent prestigious Biztec entrepreneurship competition for writing a business plan. More than 100 projects entered the competition, and were judged by representatives of venture capitals, private investors and incubators.

The winning business plan was designed for the micro-algae venture based on the research of BGU’s start-up company Negev Renewable GreenFuels (NRG Fuels).

The team members who took part in writing the business plan are Daniel Eisen, Roee Arbel, Noga Bar-El and Avi Avidan, all students in the School of Management’s Honors MBA program.

The School of Management’s mission is to encourage entrepreneurialism and original management, technology and hi-tech management, a global orientation, and environmental, social, and cultural sensitivity.

Honors MBA Students Place Third in Biztec

The Charles and Lillie Ivener Mental Health Library Endowment Fund, made possible through the estate of the late Goldie D. Ivener in the United States, will enable the Beer-Sheva Mental Health Center to expand and develop this facility. The Center will now be able to purchase journal subscriptions, books, computer supplies and internet access to journals. Prof. R.H. Belmaker, the Hoffer-Vickar Professor of Psychiatry and Assistant Director of the Center, called the endowment “a major boost in permanency for our academic endeavors here at the Beer-Sheva Mental Health Center as an integral part of BGU’s Faculty of Health Sciences.”

Mental Health Library Endowment

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21NEWS@BGUNew Tool To Prevent SoilAnd Ground Water Pollution Developed

A new and valuable system for fightingsoil and groundwater pollution has been developed by Dr. Ofer Dahan, a researcher at the Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research at the Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research (BIDR).

The Water and Contaminants Monitoring System (W&CMS) makes possible, for the first time, a simple,fast and cost-effective monitoring tool that provides real time data on water and contaminate transport in the areas above the groundwater level, known as the “Vadose Zone.” The Vadose Zone includes the upper soil and rock layers which lies between the land surface and the aquifer water table beneath. Both water and contaminants must pass through the Vadose Zone to reach the water aquifer. Yet, accurate and affordable monitoring technology has not been available – until now.

The W&CMS has been successfully installed in Israel and several other countries where it has demonstrated that it can enhance the overall

protection of the environment and particularly groundwater by providing earlier and better control of downward water flow and contaminant migrationtoward the groundwater.

According to Dahan, “most sources of man-made pollution originate on land just above the Vadose Zone, including industry, intensive agriculture, landfillsand waste lagoons. Unfortunately, Vadose Zones are not hydraulically isolated, and, as a result, water and contaminants may rapidly migrate downward toward the water table and pollute the groundwater. There is evidence that even the thickest Vadose Zones have limited ability to buffer against the contaminants.”

Worldwide pollution monitoring programs and even laws addressing groundwater protection from pollution hazards were traditionally based on information pulled from groundwater, but according to the research, that method is flawed. In fact, penetrationinto the groundwater for monitoring may

cause irreversible damage and cleaning of the contaminated groundwater is complicated and extremely expensive.

No groundwater or aquifer remediation has been fully successful in spite of multi-billion dollar investments and it is too late to do anything about contamination in groundwater once it is already contaminated.

Therefore, monitoring of contaminate transport in the Vadose Zone, long before it reaches the groundwater, is the key to groundwater protection. Removing contaminants from Vadose Zones is a logical approach to preserving the quality and quantity of groundwater resources.

Dahan concludes, “the availability of the W&CMS system will give governments, as well as environmental protection organizations, more power to demand that potential polluters stay within guidelines, better protect the quality of water and, as a result, the quality of life.”

A group of American students from Metropolitan College in New York City were on the Marcus Family Campus this Spring to learn about university security techniques. The group of nearly 30 students was in Israel for an 11-day seminar that included everything from counter-terrorism training to a full day at Ben-Gurion University focusing on campus policies. The day included an emergency practice drill and a tour of the University's Security Control Room, where the Supervisor of Security and Operations at BGU Ital Dar (far left) spoke to the group.

Campus Crisis Management

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23NEWS@BGU

Young female faculty members who return to work after their maternity leave now have expanded facilities

on the Marcus Family Campus to allow them to continue nursing. Faculty, staff and student moms now have the use of

Mothers’ RoomsRenovated and Expanded

two newly-renovated “Mothers’ Rooms,” located in the Faculty of Health Sciences and the Zlotowski Student Center.

For mothers who wish to store milk for future feedings, the rooms are equipped with hospital-grade pumps and refrigerators, comfortable chairs and cupboards.

The Chairman of the Adjunct Faculty Association Sion Koren thanked University President Prof. Rivka Carmi, a pediatrician by training, for her help in arranging financing for the purchasesand for her personal involvement in the process. He also thanked the Soroka University Medical Center for its professional advice. “The entire University administration came together to make this possible,” he said at the dedication of the new room in the Zlotowski Student Center. “This is all part of the greater atmosphere that encourages young faculty members.”

“Finding a goldfish in a huge sea isalmost impossible,” said Maj. Gen. (res) Ya’acov Amidror, speaking at a NATO Advanced Research Workshop titled, “Security Informatics and Terrorism – Patrolling the Web” held at BGU in June. “But,” he continued, “Once the user has been tracked and identified, it is possible to collect manymore details about him than through classic tracking methods.”

The goal of the two-day NATO workshop, according to Co-ChairDr. Bracha Shapira of the University’s Department of Information Systems Engineering, “was to bring together experts from many different disciplines – from social sciences to information technologies -- to explore ways to increase cooperation and develop the growing field of ‘terrorism informatics’

NATO Workshop Fights Cyber Terror with an emphasis on new technologies and web-related terrorism research.”

Co-Chair Prof. Paul Kantor from Rutgers University explained that the conclusions of the Workshop only reinforced the advantages a multi-disciplinary approach: “Technology is not enough. It is necessary to have people in the analytical loop, supplying human judgment so that even an automated method of identification ordiscovery would be moderated by some understanding of plausible scenarios.”

Workshop participants agreed, explained Shapira, that “Collectively, nations have the resources needed to counter terrorism, but that it is essential to share information in order to combat the amorphous nature of the terrorist organizations, which have a very small

footprint in any one nation.”

Speaking at the inaugural session of the event, Amidror, former Military Secretary to the Minister of Defense and Commander of the IDF’s Colleges, set the tone for the following panels by outlining ways that terrorists use the internet to expand their activities. First, as a substitute for the “Open Square” meeting place: “Instead of a club or meeting,” he explained, which in the past was easy for the intelligence services to monitor, the internet is a place where people can meet and “no one can know who is listening.” Also, the internet has replaced old-fashioned intelligence gathering. Once, when a group wanted to plan an operation, they would have to go and physically check things out. “Today they look it up on Google Earth,” he said.

BGU President Rivka Carmi with adjunct faculty and student mothers and their babies

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23NEWS@BGUProf. David Shinar was appointed the new Chief Scientist of the National Road Safety Authority as of August 1, 2007. The Road Safety Authority is responsible for the coordination of all government activities to increase highway trafficsafety. In confirming the appointment,Director-General of the Authority Lior Carmel commented that “this is a man who has researched driver and pedestrian behavior and the cause of road accidents for more than 30 years. He is one of the top researchers in Israel and the world in the area of human factors in road accidents.”

The appointment was announced by Minister of Transportation Shaul Mofaz on the recommendation of the director of the board of the Road Safety Authority Dr. Yoav Sarne.

Shinar, a professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management and incumbent of the George Shrut Chair

Prof. David Shinar named Chief Scientist of the National Road Safety Authority

in Human Performance Management, earned his doctorate in Psychology and Engineering from the Ohio State University. At BGU, he established a driver behavior research program that includes a laboratory with a full size driving simulator and an eye movements tracking system.

Shinar is a member of the executive board of the International Council for Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety, anhonorary fellow of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of America and a recipient of the Society’s A.R. Lauer Award for his contributions to highway traffic safety.

Upon hearing of his appointment, Shinar said that his goal in this new position will be to “promote science-based and knowledge-based decisions and activities.” Toward this end, he will “assume responsibility for the management and development of

relevant databases; the planning of long-term and short term research to identify causes of and countermeasures to road accidents and injuries; and the provision of scientific evaluations ofsafety activities.” In addition he hopes to institute evaluation research as a standard component of most of the Authority’s activities in order to assess their benefits and relative efficiency inimproving highway safety.

Prof. David Shinar

Dr. Ron Avni, University Comptroller and a lecturer in the Department of Geography and Environmental Development, found that there is a strong likelihood of a major earthquake in Israel over the next few years.

Israel’s last significant earthquake struckthe northern Dead Sea area in 1927 and hit 6.25 on the Richter scale, killing close to 300 people. Avni said that the 80-year birthday of the last earthquake brings us into a new period called “the range of statistical error.” From what is known regarding the previous earthquake, the time for another destructive earthquake is imminent.

Avni has based his assessments on

statistical data from quakes in central Europe, where earthquakes occur about every 10 years. The region is an appropriate model for determining potential building damage in Israel because the style of construction there is similar.

Since the 18th century, Israel’s three most destructive earthquakes occurred in 1759, 1837 and 1927. The 1837 earthquake that obliterated Safed caused more than 5,000 fatalities.

The government has appointed a committee to explain to the public how best to prepare for a major earthquake, whether at home, outside or in a car. Dr. Avni emphasizes that most local

authorities do not have enough data to assess the durability of buildings during an earthquake. He says that the scenarios prepared by the governmental steering committee established to assess damage and casualties caused by an earthquake between 7 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, point to widespread damage and casualties in the thousands.

In the model simulated by Avni, there is no way to estimate the number of casualties. An estimation of this kind would require the hour in the day the earthquake would take place and data on the number of buildings and their quality in every town; data which does not exist.

Researcher urges earthquake preparedness

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Ben–Gurion University of the NegevP.O.Box 653, Beer–Sheva 84105, Israelwww.bgu.ac.ilVol.2 No.4

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Prof. Shaul Ladany, professor emeritus of the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, has been awarded the Pierre de Coubertin Medal for outstanding services to the Olympic Movement. The Council of the Olympic Order reached the decision at a meeting of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne in June. In the letter of notification, Ladany was citedas “an unusual person with unusual outstanding sports achievements during a span covering over four decades.”

One of the greatest race-walkers in history, Ladany still holds the world record in the 50 mile walk (7:23:50), and the Israeli national record in the 50 km walk (4:17:07 – set in 1972). He began his athletic career as a marathon runner, but turned to walking in the early 1960s. In 1972, Ladany won the gold medal in the 100 km at the World Championships. He also won the Israeli national walking championships 28 times from 1963-1988; the U.S. walking championship six times (from 1973-1981); the championship in Belgium twice (1971 and 1972); in Switzerland in 1972, and in South Africa in 1975. In 1976, Ladany became the first person everto win both the American Open and Masters (40 years old and over) 75 kilometer walking championship. He repeated the feat in 1977 and 1981 (by which time the event had become a 100-km race). Ladany also won the 20 km, and 50 km walk at the 1973 Maccabiah Games. At age 70 in 2006, he set the 100 mile World Record (21:45:34 hours) for the 70-74 age group.

Born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Ladany was sent to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp when he was eight years old. One of the best race walkers in the world in the 1960s and 1970s, he competed in two Olympiads for Israel. At the 1968 Mexico City Games, he finished in 24th place in the 50-kmwalk. At the 1972 Munich Games, he

was Israel’s sole male representative in track and field. The morning after hisrace, Palestinian terrorists broke into the Olympic Village with the intention of taking the entire Israeli delegation hostage. Eleven Israelis were killed by the terrorists, but Ladany and four others escaped.

Despite his high-level devotion to sports, he “moonlighted” as a scientist and university professor, pursuing a very successful academic career. As such, as a side-line of his research activity, he became a world leader in the

development of the field of OperationsResearch in Sports, becoming the pioneer researcher and publisher of scientific articles in the field, theeditor of books and of special-issues of scientific journals devoted to the subject,and the author of the “Management Science Applications to Sports” entry in two issues of the Encyclopedia of Operations Research and Management Science.

The full citation released by the Council of the Olympic Order described Ladany as “an extraordinary example of an athlete in an area not highlighted by the media, who nevertheless devoted a lifetime to vigorous time-consuming and exhausting sport with top achievements at the highest possible levels during a period of over 40 years. He is an example of an amateur athlete (in a fieldin which money is not involved) that should be an example to others. He is a role model others should aim to imitate, to excel in sports at the highest possible level and to stay there for a lifetime, and simultaneously to combine it with excellence in science or in other gainful activity – it is evident that the I.O.C. must bestow him with the award.”

Prof. Shaul Ladany Recognizedby the Olympic Movement

Prof. Shaul Ladany