News

 Despite advances in increased food production, half of all world’s harvested food is lost due to rot caused by microorganisms.  Plants emit various volatile organic compounds into their surrounding environment, which can be monitored for early detection of plant disease and prevent food loss.

When it comes to the world’s climate, in the past decade, planet Earth keeps sending us its summer siren’s call. According to NASA, nineteen of the hottest years have occurred since 2000, with 2016 and 2020 tied for the hottest on record. This summer is already making worldwide headlines, with England scorching beyond 40 degrees Celsius.

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) climbed 13 places to rank 77^th among the world’s top universities and number one in Israel, according to the 2022 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), published today (Monday).  Topping the list were Harvard, followed by Stanford, MIT, Cambridge, and UCLA Berkeley.  Two other Israeli universities placed in the top 100, as well—the Technion and Weizmann Institute both shared the 83^rd spot.  This is a major achievement for Israel’s higher education at large and for Hebrew U., specifically.

As the world grapples with the cataclysmic events associated with climate change, it is increasingly important to have accurate climate models that can help predict what might lie ahead. 

With a Constant Renewal of Cell Vitality in Diseased Tissues, This New Drug Will Hopefully Lead to the Treatment or Prevention of Diseases, Such As Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s

Archaeological Excavations Near Temple Mount Also Unearth Pool Built by Soldiers From Rome’s 10th Legion and Byzantine Lamp Inscribed “The light of Christ Shines for All”

2022 Academic Ranking of World Universities Ranks Hebrew University 17^th Worldwide in Mathematics and Communications, and #1 in Israel in Earth Sciences, Food Sciences, Water Resources, Economics, and Public Policy

Hebrew University & Hadassah Medical Center Researchers Attribute Discrepancy in Pain Med Prescriptions at Emergency Rooms in US and Israel to Reduced Empathy

Researchers at Hebrew University Have the Answer  

Findings will Help Develop New Strains for Medical Cannabis Users and Increase Crop Yields

From the Middle Bronze Age, Egypt played a crucial role in the appearance of calcite-alabaster artifacts in Israel, and the development of the local gypsum-alabaster industry. The absence of ancient calcite-alabaster quarries in the Southern Levant (modern day Israel and Palestine) led to the assumption that all calcite-alabaster vessels found in the Levant originated from Egypt, while poorer quality vessels made of gypsum were local products.

Hebrew University Team Finds People Overestimate the Presence of Minorities Around Them, Impeding Efforts to Build a more Equitable and Inclusive Society

(Jerusalem, March 17, 2022)—Moshe Shenfeld, a computer science PhD candidate at Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU)’s Rachel and Selim Benin School of Engineering and Computer Science has been selected as an Apple Scholar in AI/Machine Learning for 2022.  Shenfeld is one of only 15 awardees worldwide, the other Israeli recipient is from Tel Aviv University.  The PhD fellowship in Machine Learning and AI was created by Apple “to celebrate the contributions of students pursuing cutting-edge fundamental and applied machine learning research worldwide”.

Plus Teaching Posts, Stipends and Studies for Fleeing Ukrainian Academics and University Students

In a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) and HU Student Union hoisted the Ukrainian flag on its campus on Mt. Scopus.  The University and its students seek to send a message of support and encouragement to Ukraine, which is now suffering the second week of a brutal invasion by the Russian military.

New Hebrew U. Survey Finds 53% of Israelis Expect Situation to Worsen for Jews in Europe; France Now Tied with Poland as Europe’s Most Antisemitic Country, According to Israelis

The CERN Council announced the election of Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) physicist Professor Eliezer Rabinovici as its 24th President as of January 2022.  Based in Geneva, Switzerland, CERN is the largest nuclear particle research center in the world.   Rabinovici will be taking over from Dr. Ursula Bassler, who concludes her term at the end of 2021.

Among 2,000 universities surveyed worldwide, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) ranked 90^th in the 2021 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU)’s evaluation of higher education institutions.  This marks HU’s best showing since 2016.

Smoking among young teens has become an increasingly challenging and costly public healthcare issue.  Despite legislation to prevent the marketing of tobacco products to children, tobacco companies have shrewdly adapted their advertising tactics to circumvent the ban and maintain their access to this impressionable—and growing—market share. 

Board of Trustees Re-elects Asher Cohen as University President

Infants are born unable to care for themselves. Their survival and development depend on their caregivers. Studies show that early social bonding with a primary caregiver is necessary for mental and physical health and is associated with greater well-being and success in adulthood.

This week marks Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haatzmaut.  A time to honor Israel’s fallen soldiers, as well as celebrate Israel Independence Day.

On this episode of HUJI Bites, we speak with Dr. Sharoni Shafir, head of the recently established Institute of Environmental Sciences at The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment at The Hebrew University. The Institute works to promote research and teaching in environmental sciences in agriculture – combining the diverse research approaches of the over 40 research laboratories that comprise the Institute.

Professor Hillel Furstenberg, a researcher in the Einstein Institute for Mathematics and professor emeritus at The Hebrew University, was awarded the 2020 Abel Prize – the Nobel Prize of Mathematics. The award recognized his incredible achievements and contributions in the field, and he is the first Israeli to win this prestigious prize.

Listen to this - Avraham (Avi) Kluger is a professor of Organizational Behavior at the Jerusalem School of Business Administration at The Hebrew University. His area of expertise – listening.

Kluger has studied the destructive effects of performance feedback for over 20 years and is considered the father of many HR methods that are being used in some of the biggest companies around the world.

On this episode of HUJI Bites, Kluger explains why he became interested in this field and how learning to listen can lead to a change, not only in others, but in yourself.

On this episode of HUJI Bites, Dr. Adi Torfstein shares his research, which reconstructs past climate changes and the mechanisms driving them to better understand current and future global climate change. Using field observations together with chemical analysis, Dr. Torfstein and his team are able to understand the past and apply it to evaluating potential future climate change trends.

Dr. Torfstein, is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Earth Science at the Hebrew University, and at the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences of Eilat.