Posted on 01/10/17
Jerusalem, Israel - Jan. 10, 2017 - For twenty years, Israel and the European Union have been cooperating on scientific research and technological development, under the Israel-Europe R&I Directorate or ISERD.
On Tuesday evening, January 10, at the Rebecca Crown Auditorium of the Jerusalem Theater, European ambassadors to Israel, including Ambassador Lars Faaborg-Andersen, head of EU delegation, joined Israeli scientists, entrepreneurs, and invited guests to celebrate a successful two decades of collaboration.
After opening remarks, the first panel "Excellence in Science" featured five women. Prof, Elisheva Baumgarten, Dept. of Jewish History and Contemporary Jewry, Prof.Yitzhak Becker Chair for Jewish Studies, at Hebrew University, spoke of her research. While most ISERD grants are for work in hard sciences and future technology development, Baumgarten's research is in life before the Black Death in the year 1348. With nine graduate students in her lab, Baumgarten acknowledged a grant in humanities study is rare and very appreciative.
Also on the panel introduced by Dr. Liat Maoz, and moderated by Ms Smadar Hirsh, were Dr, Chen Sagiv and Prof. Ronit Satchi-Fainaro.
Short videos showcasing some of the advanced technology were shown between the second and third panels.
"Transfer of Knowledge" included Chad Leibner, Head of Technology Department of Israel Police. Currently eight projects in security and crime detection are being developed between Israel and Europe. According to Dr Yaron Wolfsthal, Head of IBM Cyber Security Center at Ben Gurion University, "open source" independence found in the campus environment has helped produce "cloud" technology.
Special imagining for large objects, perhaps nuclear material hidden on a ship, was an example offered of a future application. Other science fiction sounding ideas being developed in joint European projects were presented in the last panel.
After a break to network and nosh, the ceremonial part of the ISERD program with Israeli officials, speeches and music, concluded with anthems and presentation of awards.
