THE AMERICAN TECHNION SOCIETY CELEBRATES ISRAEL@ 60
Contact: info@ats.org (212) 407-6300
60 YEARS OF BREAKTHROUGHS FOR ISRAEL AND THE WORLD
Without oil, without enough water and with landmass the size of New Jersey, Israel is focused on developing its only natural resource: the brainpower of its people. In just 60 years, Israel has become a world leader in science, technology and medicine. It has more technology-based start-up companies per capita than any other country; more companies on NASDAQ than any country except the United States; and a standard of living that places it firmly among First World nations.
At the heart of these achievements is the nation’s education and research in science and technology, centered at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. The Technion is ranked among the world’s leading science and technology universities.
The Technion was established in 1924, nearly a quarter century before Israel’s birth, so its impact on Israel, including its total of 72,000 graduates, is actually much greater. Its early graduates literally built the infrastructure for the future State of Israel.
Today, the Technion educates the entrepreneurs whose businesses constitute two-thirds of Israel’s companies on NASDAQ; the leaders who manage 30 of its 100 largest companies; and the innovators whose companies employ 100,000 people. The scientific breakthroughs and economic progress generated at the Technion benefit not only Israel’s people. These achievements in medicine, water conservation and anti-terror technologies enhance life for people around the world. The American Technion Society is proud to be a partner in these efforts. With your help, we can ensure that Israel’s scientists continue shaping a stronger Israel and a better, safer world.
We invite you to view this short video that traces the Technion contributions to the State of Israel over six decades.
Celebrate Israel’s 60th Anniversary with the American Technion Society.
Missions to Israel
There is no better time than 2008 to join an American Technion Society Mission to Israel. Missions offer rewarding and inspirational opportunities to visit the Technion, Jerusalem, northern Israel, and more during this landmark anniversary.
Anniversaries offer opportunities for us to look back, to review and reflect. At this important juncture in Israel’s history, we would like to hear your thoughts on how you have seen Technion research help develop the State of Israel into the high-tech powerhouse that it is today. Maybe you participated on an ATS mission to the Technion and were particularly interested in one professor’s research area. Or maybe there was a something new that didn’t exist the last time you went to Israel. We would like to hear about it:
Palestine to Prosperity: Reflections on Israel
By Leonard Sherman
“In 1947, the United Nations in New York was debating whether a Jewish state should be re-established in Palestine. I was a young, former U.S. soldier who had served my country in the South Pacific during World War II. I heard an appeal for experienced former army men to go to Palestine to volunteer and assist the Haganah. MORE
The Change Has Been Unbelievable
By Jack Bellock
"I go to Israel and the Technion frequently. The change in Israel is not only unbelievable from then to now, but from year to year. MORE
Mazel Tov to the State of Israel on Her Sixtieth Birthday
By Ralph M. Gilbert
"I was twelve years old, living in a public housing project in the Bronx, when the glorious news was broadcast. By vote of the United Nations, the new State of Israel was established. MORE
Israel, the Land of Milk and Honey and the Technion
By Aaron Peer Pipano
"I am a Technion graduate, where I received my PhD in theoretical chemistry over 40 years ago. My beginnings started in the same way as most of the Jews in Israel, by sheer luck and pain and lots of wanderings and loss." MORE
Shalom Uv’racha L’Yisrael (Peace and Blessing to Israel)
By Jo Rosen, Detroit Chapter Director
"The first time I visited Eretz Yisroel was on the occasion of my son's bar mitzvah. We celebrated with busloads of young UJA families from across the country and experienced together the land and its people through activities geared for children." MORE
Magnificent Changes
By Judith Deutsch
I celebrated Israel’s 25th anniversary on Kibbutz Ginossar in the Galilee. It struggled then, as Israel struggled, to define itself and create an economy. Today, both flourish through ingenuity, hard work, and creativity. And the foundation for advancement continues to come from reservoirs of talented individuals, like the Technion.
Israel's 60th and the 1948 Graduates
By Jacques Behmoras
What's memorable of the 1948 graduates, in addition to the graduation ceremony being delayed by nine months , is the fact that the final project test of that class was the following morning of the vote at the UN for the partition. Needless to say that night before the test, we did not sleep too much celebrating the partition.
Paying Tribute
By Dr. Pinhas Barak ( Lt. Colonel - Ret.)
I am VERY PROUD to be a Technion graduate for a bachelor degree 1966 and a master’s degree 1972. Today, I am a full professor in mechanical engineering at Kettering University, MI. USA.I would like to pay tribute to my very dear and friend professor ( Z.L) Dr. Arthur Shtoter from the ME department at the Thechnion who was my mentor and advisor during my service in the I.D.F.Our work solved the heat-transfer problem in the cooling system of the ISRAELI TANK MERKAVA.
Please send your reflections on Israel and its 60th anniversary to: info@ats.org and we will post them here.
Six Decades of Technion Achievement: A Historic Timeline
2000’s
Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded to two Technion professors for their research on human protein degradation, leading to the creation of cancer-treating drugs
Self-assembling nano-transistors invented, the precursor for self-assembling nano-devices
The entire Old Testament of Bible is written on a pinhead using a focused ion beam
Heart muscle with built in blood supply created, with profound implications for tissue-replacement therapy and cardiac development and function research
Virtual reality device to help Parkinson’s and MS patients walk more effectively
Advanced Face recognition system developed that distinguishes identity in just 20 seconds
Azilect, a powerful Parkinson’s drug first developed at the Technion, is approved by the FDA
“Bone Glue,” a combination of synthetic and biological substances, is invented, greatly improving the process of bone repair
An electronic nose that can detect airborne toxins to improve air quality and warn of biological attack
1990’s
The microsatellite Gurwin TechSat II launched, making the Technion one of a handful of universities to build and launch a satellite
The first human stem cells are cultured and isolated by a Technion professor together with a team of international scientists
A nanowire constructed from DNA strands and metal is developed, which could be used for tiny computers and medical devices
Immigration from former Soviet Union expands enrollment from 9, 000 to 10,500 in the early part of the decade. New immigrant talent strengthens the Technion faculty as well
Researchers develop and improve a cardiologic stent that helps prevent strokes
1980’s
Dan Shechtman of the Technion Faculty of Materials Engineering discovers a new class of materials that are come to be called Shechtmanite.
The Faculty of Computer Science, which would become the largest in the Western world, is officially established
1970’s
The Lempel-Ziv algorithm, which became the international standard for Internet data compression, is developed by two Technion professors
A leading think tank in public policy, specializing on science and technology issues, the Samuel Neaman Institute for Advanced Studies in Science and Technology is established
1960’s
The Technion opens its medical school in conjunction with Rambam Hospital, becoming one of an elite few technological universities in the world with medical school
Engineered primarily by Technion graduates, construction of Israel’s National Water Carrier is completed
Enrollment more than doubles between 1963 to 1970, from 2,500 to 6,200
1950’s
The Technion campus moves from the Hadar section of Haifa to the slopes of Mount Carmel
The Technion Graduate school is formally established
1940’s
More than 650 Technion students fought in the War of Independence. The Class of 1948’s diplomas were distributed by the IDF Chief of Staff. Graduation was delayed nine months because of the fighting.
