Hebrew University Research Finds Optimism Extends Life Expectancy Among Seniors

Hebrew University Research Finds Optimism Extends Life Expectancy Among Seniors

1 June, 2021

Happiness might lead to better health but does it help you live longer? That’s a question that researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) took on in a longitudinal study they began back in the 1990s.  They looked at the impact of optimism on longevity and found that maintaining a positive outlook can directly extend your life. Professor Jochanan Stessman, Director of HU’s Institute on Aging led the study, along with HU’s Prof. Jeremy Jacobs and Dr. Yoram Maaravi.  They published their findings in The Journals of Gerontology.

Research
Medicine
Hebrew University Researchers Decipher the Sweet Taste of Heavy Water

Hebrew University Researchers Decipher the Sweet Taste of Heavy Water

6 May, 2021

A long-standing, unresolved puzzle concerns the taste of heavy water.  Regular water has no distinct taste but rumors indicate that heavy water tastes sweet.  Why is this so if heavy water, D2O, is practically identical to ordinary water, H2O? 

Research
Sciences
HUJI Bites: A Formula for Success with Prof. Hillel Furstenberg, Abel Prize Winner 2020

HUJI Bites: A Formula for Success with Prof. Hillel Furstenberg, Abel Prize Winner 2020

29 April, 2021

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.

Staff
In the media
Research
HUJI Bites: The Biology of Honeybees with Dr. Sharoni Shafir

HUJI Bites: The Biology of Honeybees with Dr. Sharoni Shafir

16 April, 2021

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.

Staff
Research
Making Sense of Megadroughts with Dr. Nathan Steiger

Making Sense of Megadroughts with Dr. Nathan Steiger

23 April, 2021

Featuring Dr. Nathan Steiger, The Fredy and Nadine Hermann Institute of Earth Science in the Faculty of Science This week we celebrate Earth Day – a day that promotes clean living and a healthy, sustainable habitat for people and wildlife alike. A main component to a cleaner environment is climate education. At The Fredy and Nadine Herrmann Institute of Earth Sciences at The Hebrew University they are doing just that – focusing on the latest in the fields of climate change, water resources and natural hazards.

Research
HUJI Bites: The Power of Listening with Prof. Avi Kluger

HUJI Bites: The Power of Listening with Prof. Avi Kluger

19 March, 2021

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.

Staff
Research
Adi Torfstein

HUJI Bites: Understanding the Climate with Dr. Adi Torfstein

26 March, 2021

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.

Staff
Research
Hebrew University Offers Emergency Aid to Students & Professors from Ukraine

Hebrew University Offers Emergency Aid to Students & Professors from Ukraine

7 March, 2022

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.

Staff
Students
In the media
Facing Climate Change Together: UAE Minister of Food & Water Security Meets Agtech & Foodtech Experts at Hebrew University's School of Agriculture

Facing Climate Change Together: UAE Minister of Food & Water Security Meets Agtech & Foodtech Experts at Hebrew University's School of Agriculture

14 July, 2021

(Jerusalem, July 14, 2021) — United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister for Food and Water Security Mariam Al-Muhairi met today with representatives of Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) to promote a research and innovation partnership based on FoodTech and Agtech. As part of her visit, Al-Muhairi met with HU’s Professor Mona Khoury-Kassabri, VP of Strategy and Diversity, Professor Benny Chefetz, Dean of The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, faculty researchers, and Moshe Nadler, CEO of Agricora.

In the media
Young Girl Receiving Chemotherapy. by National Cancer Institute, unsplash

Hebrew University: Understanding the Impact of Medical Marijuana on Children, a Meta-Analysis

21 June, 2021

(Jerusalem, June 21, 2021)—In recent years, the use of medical cannabis to treat sick kids is on the rise, although questions remain about the benefits and safety of such treatments. Now, a team of researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) has completed a first-ever meta-analysis of pediatric patients treated with medical cannabis to understand better the risks and benefits of cannabis use among young patients.

In the media
Innovation
Medicine
HUJI Bites: A Formula for Success with Prof. Hillel Furstenberg, Abel Prize Winner 2020

HUJI Bites: A Formula for Success with Prof. Hillel Furstenberg, Abel Prize Winner 2020

29 April, 2021

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.

Staff
In the media
Research
Alfred Landecker Foundation Announces $13 Million Dollar Grant to Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Alfred Landecker Foundation Announces $13 Million Dollar Grant to Hebrew University of Jerusalem

9 September, 2020

Largest-Ever German-Israeli Academic Grant to Promote Research on Human Rights and Minority Protections in Age of Rising Nationalism and Authoritarianism

The Alfred Landecker Foundation has awarded the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) a $13 million USD grant to fund academic initiatives that focus on the causes and consequences of the Holocaust, promote studies on human rights, minority protection, the rule of law, and reparations for historical wrongs and injustices.

Staff
In the media
World’s Top Math Prize Awarded to Hebrew U’s Hillel Furstenberg

World’s Top Math Prize Awarded to Hebrew U’s Hillel Furstenberg

20 March, 2020

The Abel Prize, often referred to as the Nobel of Mathematics, was established to recognize contributions that are of “extraordinary depth and influence”.
Today, the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters announced it will award the Abel Prize to Hillel Furstenberg at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Gregory Margulis at Yale University “for pioneering the use of methods from probability and dynamics in group theory, number theory and combinatorics”. 

Staff
In the media
Research
Yissum Spinouts Raise $79 million in H1 2020 Despite Coronavirus Uncertainty Clean Tech, Life Sciences Lead Funding Rounds

Yissum Spinouts Raise $79 million in H1 2020 Despite Coronavirus Uncertainty Clean Tech, Life Sciences Lead Funding Rounds

28 July, 2020

Startups from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem raised $79 million in the first half of 2020, Yissum, the technology transfer company of the Hebrew University announced today.  Despite the continuing global uncertainty caused by the coronavirus and ongoing lockdowns around the world, 14 Yissum spinouts raised tens of millions of dollars in early stage funding rounds.  

In the media
New Deans 2022

Series of Senior Appointments at Hebrew University Includes Four New Deans

12 July, 2022

New Deans at the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, and the School of Education

 

(Jerusalem, July 12, 2022) The Hebrew University of Jerusalem has announced the appointment of four new deans who will take up their posts at the beginning of the upcoming academic year in October 2022.

Staff
Students
Hebrew University Appoints New Rector—Professor Tamir Sheafer

Hebrew University Appoints New Rector—Professor Tamir Sheafer

23 May, 2022

Sheafer Replaces Prof. Barak Medina, HU Rector Since 2017

Professor Tamir Sheafer was chosen by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU)’s Senate as the university’s new rector.  For the last six years, Sheafer has served as Dean of HU’s Faculty of Social Sciences.  His field of expertise is digital and comparative communications.  Over the past two decades, Sheafer has led several international research groups to study the impact of political systems and the strength of a democracy on that country’s political processes and communications.

Staff
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky Addresses Hebrew University Community

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky Addresses Hebrew University Community

23 June, 2022

On Eve of 4 Month Anniversary of Russian Invasion, Zelenskyy Asks the World, “How Can You Not Help the Victims of Such Aggression?”

Today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) in a live speech from Kiev. The speech was broadcast on the university’s social media channels and followed by Q&A with students and staff.

Staff
Students
The 2022 Hebrew University Dan Maydan Prize for Nanoscience Goes to MIT Prof. Pablo Jarillo-Herrero

The 2022 Hebrew University Dan Maydan Prize for Nanoscience Goes to MIT Prof. Pablo Jarillo-Herrero

25 May, 2022

MIT physics Professor Pablo Jarillo-Herrero has won the 2022 Dan Maydan Prize for Nanoscience Research for his pioneering work on two-dimensional nanomaterials.  The Dan Maydan Prize was established by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) in 2018, with the generous contribution of Dr. Maydan, who played a central role in establishing the Israeli National Nanotechnology Initiative (INNI).  The INNI helped position Israel as a leader in nanotech and led to the opening of 10 nanotech centers in the country, including HU’s Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology.

Staff
Ecuadoran President Guillermo Lasso visits Hebrew University

Ecuadoran President Guillermo Lasso visits Hebrew University

12 May, 2022

Ecuadoran President Guillermo Lasso became the 1st sitting president of his country to visit Israel.  He arrived with a 100-member delegation that will remain in country for two weeks to visit Israeli universities and innovative projects.

Today at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Lasso and his wife First Lady Maria de Lourdes Alcivar, inaugurated Ecuador’s Office for Technology and Innovation and held a business conference called “Ecuador Open for Business” to develop investments and public-private partnerships with key players in Israel’s ecosystem. 

Staff
Following Hebrew University's Emergency Aid for Ukrainian Academic Staff & Students: 10 Refugees Arrive on Campus

Following Hebrew University's Emergency Aid for Ukrainian Academic Staff & Students: 10 Refugees Arrive on Campus

13 April, 2022

Considering the threat on the lives of academics and university students in Ukraine, and in a show of solidarity, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) has offered academic hosting for Ukrainian academic staff and students.  To date, 18 such refugees have been accepted to continue their studies at the University and 10 have already arrived at our Jerusalem and Rehovot campuses. 

Staff
Students
Hebrew University Drs. Moran Yassour & Haitham Amal Awarded 2022 Krill Prize for Excellence in Scientific Research

Hebrew University Drs. Moran Yassour & Haitham Amal Awarded 2022 Krill Prize for Excellence in Scientific Research

6 April, 2022

Dr. Moran Yassour at Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU)’s Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, and Dr. Haitham Amal, at HU’s Institute for Drug Research and the School of Pharmacy, have been awarded the prestigious Krill Prize for Excellence in Scientific Research, which is administered by the Wolf Foundation. The Krill Prize is awarded each year to 10 outstanding young researchers who have not yet been granted tenure. Winners are chosen based on standards of excellence and on the subject of their research.

Staff
Research
Sciences
Senior Moroccan Academic Delegation Visits Hebrew University

Senior Moroccan Academic Delegation Visits Hebrew University

31 March, 2022

Israel’s academic cooperation with Morocco hit a high point this week with the visit of a senior delegation from Morocco’s Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI).

Seeking to establish a medical school and school of pharmacy, the UM6P representatives met with Professor Dina Ben Yehuda, Dean of the Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, to learn how HUJI prepares its future doctors for a medical career based on computational medicine and AI, while maintaining humanity and compassion for their patients.

Staff
Students
The Hebrew University Student Wins Prestigious Apple AI Fellowship Israelis Nab 2 Out of 15 Spots Worldwide

The Hebrew University Student Wins Prestigious Apple AI Fellowship Israelis Nab 2 Out of 15 Spots Worldwide

17 March, 2022

(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”.

Staff
Students

Students - news

The Hebrew University - In Space!

The Hebrew University - In Space!

3 September, 2020

A joint Israeli-Italian nanosatellite has been launched into space – with a Hebrew University experiment on board!  

Innovation
Research