פרסים ומענקי מחקר 2023-2024
School of Mechanical Engineering
Prof. Yoram Reich was awarded Fellow of the Design Society at its Biannual conference in July 2023.
Dr. Yoram Kozak
Dr. Yoram Kozak received the Bergmann Memorial Research Award for 2023. This award will run concurrently with BSF Grant No. 2022191, "Modeling and Analysis of Heavy Hydrocarbon Liquid Fuel Spray Detonation” and carries a stipend of 10,000$.
Dr. Gregory Zilman
An ongoing R&D project of Tel Aviv University (Ramot), Israel Aircraft Industry, and Elta Ltd.:
Mathematical model of AUV manoeuvring: AUV (Autonomous Underwatered Vehicles/submarines) can be used for surveillance, as anti-submarine and anti-warship weapon, and much more.
See an official film in https://youtu.be/vvJ6pzR7rYQ?si=TeGfORQkQsHi55Re
Explanations are available by request (zilman@tauex.tau.ac.il, 054-4679195)
Prof. Hadas Mamane
The course "Introduction to Environmental Engineering" is focused on developing technological solutions for pressing environmental challenges. Its goal is to integrate environmental, technological, and social entrepreneurship. The course is conducted in cooperation with the "Connected Plus" (מתחברים פלוס) program. Studies involve learning and experiencing problem-solving, guided by industry experts, based on problem-based learning (PBL) principles.
This year most of the projects were dedicated to the WAR challenges, working with the ARMY and Zalul/NGO and Ministries.
Project 1: Cooperation with the "Zalul" (NGO) to reduce single-use plastics in the IDF:
The goal was to reduce the number of disposable single-use plastics in IDF. In cooperation with the "Zalul" (NGO), following their success with the provision of reusable cups (8000+) and a saving of about 2 million disposable cups per month, our students focused on the problem of disposable single-use plates and cups. A survey was sent through the association to the various units and through members in the reserves, to characterize the problem and the need for a solution (would multi-use be a desirable solution if the washing solution would not be painful for the soldiers for example). Based on the responses to the survey, a solution was drawn up for multi-use dishes by washing the dishes many times in a portable washing machine in the field - with an air pressure compressor connected to a vehicle.
Image 1: illustration of the proposed portable dishwasher for small units in the IDF. The structure of the machine: (1) Base (2) drum (3) Axis (4) brush (5) Coverage (6) Crank.
Project 2: Modeling the environmental effect of the war – car burning:
The goal of this project was to model pollutants in the ground as a result of the war zone, with an emphasis on a model for heavy metals such as lead, which probably spilled in large quantities in the area of the massacre in Kibbutz Reim where hundreds of vehicles with lead batteries were burned. Based on collected data from the hydrological and metrological service, a model of the pollutant was drawn (in the Hydrus 1D software) to show how the problem might affect the groundwater, the agricultural land, etc., and what to do in order to reduce environmental damage. In the lack of access to sample the ground and determine the environmental effect in a war zone, this work found that the lead pollutant most likely did not leak into the groundwater, and remained on the level surface. The result of this work indicates that the best clean-up method should be focused on the ground-level soil only, focusing on the resources and helping the rehabilitation of the area
Image 2: Re'im music festival massacre (left), and simulation model of lead profile in the area.
Project 3: Asbestos in war zones:
Innovative methods for detecting, measuring, and removing solid asbestos/asbestos particles in the air. Currently, there are gaps in the ability to detect, measure, and remove solid asbestos/asbestos particles in the air. The accepted measurement methods, as described in the tender issued by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, require a long presence on the ground, expensive laboratory tests, and a long period during which asbestos may leak into the environment. The existing methods for removing asbestos after its detection are also expensive, especially when it comes to friable asbestos. According to the Knesset Research Center, there are several barriers to asbestos removal, particularly in conflict zones and during “the Iron Swords War”. As a result of the declaration of many areas as "closed military areas," access to sites contaminated with asbestos is difficult. Consequently, the author provides an example of a fire that "burned for several days without treatment," as well as an asbestos hazard at a base that was impossible to reach because of its proximity to the border. A comparison of alternative, innovative, and globally accepted measurement, identification, and treatment methods will be presented in this study to provide authorities and the military with a faster and more efficient method for measuring, identifying, and treating asbestos. A feasibility analysis will also be conducted to evaluate their economic viability.
Project 4: Illegal dumping of construction waste:
A new technological solution is being used to combat illegal construction waste dumping within the Gaza Envelope: ConTracker. The removal and/or transportation of construction waste around the world has several issues, and our focus will be primarily on the problem in Israel, particularly in the Gaza Envelope during wartime. The solution is to install a system that detects when the container it is attached to reaches the unloading angle. It consists of a GPS receiver, gyroscope, Esim, computer and control system, as well as a year's worth of batteries. It is attached to the bottom of the container within a box. When it reaches the unloading angle, a SIM message will be sent with information regarding the time and location.
Project 5: Reducing mixed agriculture waste. Collaboration with Ministry of Environmental Protection:
Since October 7th, there has been a great shortage of agricultural workers. We have volunteered in farmers' fields. As a result, we saw the problem of agricultural waste and wanted to find a solution to reduce the amount of waste mixed with plant material and plastic. The group of students who worked on this challenge focused on the issue of separating dahlia threads from organic waste. After picking the crop, a lot of waste remains in the fields: dahlia strings (plastic waste) and plant waste (bushes, seedlings on which the fruit grows). The dahlia threads support the plants and protect the fruit from dirt, but it is difficult to separate them from the plant debris. The difficulty is that the separation process is manual and requires time and manpower that can be utilized elsewhere. As a result, most of this waste goes to landfill. When the farmers dump the waste, they lose money and resources that could have if he recycled. For example, the plant waste can be put in the composter and the dahlia threads can be recycled and reused. The students studied the literature and chose a solution by passing through an ecological thread, based on an organic material common in Israel - orange peels. Through a fairly simple process, it is possible to make biodegradable ecological thread from the husks, thus reducing the large amounts of buried or burned waste and saving the farmer and the environment a lot of damage.
TKOMA International Center for Water and Climate Resilience: Inclusive and Detailed Overview: The TKOMA International Water Center, initiated in the wake of October 7 to support regional development, is set to transform the TKOMA region and Sderot into a premier global hub for water and climate resilience. This initiative is designed to blend innovative research, propelling Western Negev into the international spotlight as a center of excellence in water.
Location and Regional Significance: The Center is strategically located in the Western Negev, an area exemplifying climate resilience at the desert's edge. This region, featuring a mix of rural and urban landscapes and being home to 70% of Negev fields irrigated by the Shafdan system, serves as Israel's fresh food barn. The presence of leading companies such as Mekorot and WaterEdge further underscores the region's suitability as a model for sustainable water management and climate adaptation.
Components and Strategic Integration. Key elements of the Center include:
- An Applied Research Institute, fostering innovative collaborations between academia and industry.
- Sapir College, playing a crucial role in education and training, with state-of-the-art facilities for experimentation and demonstration.
- Simcha Station, dedicated to extending Israeli water management expertise globally.
- Hydroinformatics emphasizing digital technology in water resource management.
- The Center itself, is envisioned as a "One Stop Shop" for Israeli expertise, offering interactive educational and exhibition spaces.
Impact and Global Outreach. The Center is dedicated to making significant strides in education, research, entrepreneurship, and employment within the region. It aims to attract leading industrial companies, boost local and national economies, and showcase Israeli innovations in water management on a global stage, reinforcing the region's standing as a climate resilience model.
Research and Educational Emphasis. Central to the Center's mission is a robust research agenda focusing on areas such as water system quality modeling, and infrastructure integrity testing including the effects of warfare and pollution. These research efforts are closely aligned with strengthening Sapir College's educational offerings in water sciences. By integrating digital technologies and software into traditional water science disciplines, the center is preparing a new generation of professionals skilled in modern water management challenges.
The multifaceted approach to sustainability in water highlights technologies as extracting energy and nutrients from sewage sludge, recovering precious metals through brine mining, producing hydrogen from wastewater and concentrates, carbon capture via seawater electrolysis, zero emissions in desalination and waste treatment, and assessing the lifecycle and carbon emissions of water technologies during the research phase.
Collaborative Framework. Strategic partnerships are vital to the Center's success. Collaborating with academic institutions like Sapir College, Tel Aviv University, Ben-Gurion University, and government bodies such as the Sderot Municipality and Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council, industry leaders like Mekorot and WaterEdge, as well as companies such as Aquestia. The Center adopts a holistic approach to addressing water and climate challenges.
Development Stages and Financial Planning. The development of the center is focused on research infrastructure, educational facilities, and the visitor center, and then expanding to broader capabilities. A comprehensive financial plan underlines this progression, with detailed estimates for establishment costs, operational expenses, and revenue forecasts extending to 2030 and beyond.
In summary, the TKOMA International Center for Water and Climate Resilience, through its strategic location, innovative approach, and robust partnerships, is poised to make substantial contributions to water and climate resilience, both nationally and internationally. By leveraging local resources, academic strengths, and industry expertise, it aims to become a beacon of innovation and sustainability in these critical sectors.
Dr. Igor Berinskii
The Multiscale Mechanics of Solids group (Head – Dr. Igor Berinskii) works on two projects supported by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and related to homeland security. Both projects develop geomechanical modeling of sedative rocks typical to Israel. One of the projects is devoted to the development of high-performance rock drilling and excavation. The other one is targeted on development of seismic barriers able to reflect and absorb the waves in ground caused by earthquakes. Although these projects are not directly related to the current war, their results already raised the interest of national military research units because the same analytic methods can be used to solve the problems related to the effective access and destruction of the deeply located underground engineering structures.
Roi Livni together with coauthors:
Idan Attias, Gintare Karolina Dziugaite, Mahdi Haghifam, Roi Livni, Daniel M. Roy,
won a best paper award at the ICML 2024 conference, which is a top-tier conference in the field of Machine Learning.
The article dealt with the subject: Information Complexity of Stochastic Convex Optimization:
Applications to Generalization and Memorization
School of Electrical Engineering
Prof. Hagit Messer-Yaron
Prof. Prof. Messer-Yaron is the recipient of the prestigious IEEE Medal for Environmental and Safety Technologies. This award is given for outstanding accomplishments in the application of technology in the fields of interest of IEEE that improve the environment and/or public safety.
Prof. Dana Ron Goldreich
Dana Ron (Goldreich) was named an ACM fellow for contributions to sub-linear time approximation algorithms.
From the ACM website:https://awards.acm.org/award-recipients/ron_4644787
Press release: https://awards.acm.org/binaries/content/assets/press-releases/2024/january/2023-acm-fellows.pdf
Prof. Emilia Fridman
Emilia Fridman was awarded the IFAC (International Federation of Automatic Control) Harold Chestnut Control Engineering Textbook Prize. This Prize is awarded is given to one book, once in three years. It recognizes the author(s) of a textbook judged to have most contributed to the education of control engineers.
Dr. Jonatan Ostrometzky
In mid October, about a week after the situation started, Jonatan was contacted by a colleague of him, Prof. Tirza Routtenberg from Ben-Gurion University, who organized an Ad-Hoc team to try and analyze specific electric signals. He used his expertise in signal processing together with the team to harvest intelligence from a number of real-world sources. They worked intensively in a hackathon-style way for roughly a month, until they achieved a working proof-of-concept algorithm, which was delivered to representatives from the Ministry of Defense for active use.
Prof. George Weiss and Prof. Michael Margaliot
A 2023 report from Yale University indicates the Russian military has launched "widespread and targeted efforts to cripple vital power generation" on the Ukrainian power grid. Israel may be facing a similar challenge if war breaks in its northern front. In a recent news interview the head of the emergency unit of Noga - the Israeli Independent System Operator - estimated that war against Hezbollah may lead to wide-spread damages in the transformation and distribution facilities of the Israeli grid.
Two researchers from the School of Electrical Engineering at Tel Aviv University, Profs. George Weiss and Michael Margaliot, are studying the resilience of the Israeli power grid using dynamical systems stability theory and simulation models. Their research, that is funded by Noga, aims to make the grid less fragile and more robust to various attacks, primarily with respect to the sudden disconnection (failure) of a large generator or a transmission line. In such a scenario, it is desired that clever algorithms should keep the remaining part of the power grid synchronized and stable.
Dr. Itai Epstein
In the context of the war effort, we have aided a certain defense company to measure in my laboratory the abilities to identify certain chemicals found in the launched rockets.
Mr. Uri Levin, former CEO of Discount Bank, was appointed as CEO of Tidhar Real Estate Group. Uri is an Alumni (2003, cum laude) of both Electrical Engineering and Computers Science.
Mr. Yoav Turgeman was appointed as CEO of RAFAEL. Yoav got his BSc and MSc degrees with honors in electrical engineering from TAU.
Dr. Alon Stopel was appointed as Chairman of the Innovation Authority and Chief Scientist for Innovation at the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology. Dr. Stopel holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from TAU.
The research of Professor Tal Carmon from the School of Electrical Engineering on 'plasma microcavities' was accepted by the Optical Society of America to appear in the 'Optics in 2023' special issue, which highlights the most exciting optics research to emerge in the preceding 12 months.
Department of Industrial Engineering
Projects Related to the October 7th War
Risk and early signs of PTSD in people indirectly exposed to October 7th events
By Prof. Dan Yamin and Prof. Erez Shmueli (both from the Dept. Industrial Eng.)
The coordinated terrorist attacks on October 7th, 2023, resulted in catastrophic atrocities and marked the beginning of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war. It remains unclear to what extent such indirect exposure influences the occurrence of stress, anxiety, and post-traumatic symptoms. The researchers analyzed data from a three-year prospective study in which 4,797 participants received smartwatches and completed daily questionnaires, supplemented by a nationwide clinical survey with 2,536 participants. Among the participants not directly exposed, the findings estimated PTSD prevalence to be 22.9-36.0% and moderate to severe anxiety prevalence to be 22.9-55.32%, with 752,057 daily questionnaires before and after October 7 further indicating higher stress levels than those reported in previous events, including political disputes, the COVID-19 pandemic, and past armed conflicts. This study demonstrates the unprecedented amplifying effect of mass media on mental health in terror and war settings and highlights the potential of continuous monitoring for early detection and prompt treatment of those in need.
Unveiling of Motivational Drivers for Household Adjustment in Emergencies Toward Equity-driven Emergency Relief Supply Chains - A Cross-Disciplinary Study
By Dr. Reut Noham from the Department of Industrial Engineering and Dr. Moran Bodas from the Department of Emergency & Disaster Management, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University.
The study aims to identify and describe motivators for household adjustment behavior for emergencies and their socio-demographic correlates, in particular, socio-economic status (SES). Next, the project develops a mathematical model that integrates these motivators with decisions regarding supply allocation, aimed at increasing cooperation and enhancing emergency relief operations.
A Data Science for the Approach to The Civil Archive of the October 7th War
By Prof. Eran Toch in collaboration with the School of Historical Studies at Tel Aviv University.
The extensive documentation created by Israeli citizens in the wake of the October 7th attack and the war that followed constitutes an invaluable historical source. “The October 7th Civil Archive" is dedicated to ensuring the long-term preservation of these sources, which play a crucial role in any future investigation into the contemporary social experience. The department researchers and students collaborate with this initiative, using state-of-the-art data science methods and processes to create the largest and most accurate digital archive. Our activities include scraping digital material, name-entity recognition with machine-learning methods, and geographical analyses.
Modeling the impact of emergencies on agriculture in Israel
By Dr. Reut Noham in collaboration with the Yesodot Institute.
The October 7th War emphasized the importance of Israeli agriculture to national resilience, food security, and Israel's economy. In times of emergency, it is crucial to make decisions at both the strategic and operational levels, decisions that have consequences both in the immediate and long term. In light of questions that arose from the field during the decision-making processes in the war, the researchers developed a data-based model that provides a reliable picture of the economy's production capacity (both animal and plant) during the war, as well as in the post-war period until the full rehabilitation of the economy. The model is capable of integrating various scenarios that include conditions of uncertainty, such as active war zones, the timing and duration of the military campaigns, and the intensity of agricultural productivity. The model was used as a first prototype by the Ministry of Agriculture, and is now further developed into an internal product.
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Dr. Dekel Roselfeld won the ERC Starting Grant, for developing wireless magnetic stimulation of the intestine using magnetic adhesive nanocomposites, to control motility and treat inflammatory bowel diseases.
Dr. Or Perlman won the ERC Starting Grant (~1.5M euros). He proposed developing a transformative molecular MRI technology that will enable specific, quantitative, rapid, contrast-material-free treatment monitoring of pediatric brain cancer using a combination of biophysical models and AI.
Prof. Gili Bisker won the 2024 Kadar Family Award for Outstanding Research at Tel Aviv University.
פרופ' גילי ביסקר מהמחלקה להנדסה ביו-רפואית זכתה בפרס קדר לשנת 2024, קטגוריית "צעירים.ות" (עד 10 שנים במסלול עם קביעות). הפרס הוענק לה במסגרת אירועי חבר הנאמנים.
מדי שנה, מוענקים 2 פרסי קדר בקטגוריית "ותיקים.ות" ו- 2 בקטגוריית "צעירים.ות"; בכל אחת משתי הקטגוריות – פרס אחד לצד "המזרחי" של הקמפוס (מדעים מדויקים, הנדסה, רפואה, ומדעי החיים), פרס אחד לצד "המערבי" (ניהול, משפטים, מדעי החברה, מדעי הרוח, ואומנויות).
Prof. Bisker started her position as Director of the Marian Gertner Institute for Medical Nanosystems, which is managed jointly by the Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences.
Ben Maoz:
פרופ' בן מעוז זכה ב"פרס מחקר מקרן ע"ש יולודן" לשנת תשפ"ד בתחום יישומי המדעים המדויקים או הטכנולוגיה מתקדמת.
הפרס מוענק לו מטעם הטכניון עבור הישגיו בעבודת המחקר:
"The development of means to restore the ability to sense, and the creation of advanced models for studying human physiology using tools such as "organ on a chip" and stem cells and in the field of bio-hybrid robots."
Ms. Chaviva Sirote-Katz won a Clore scholarship for excellent PhD students.
Department of Materials Science and Engineering
Prof. Noam Eliaz, Dean of Engineering, is the recipient of the prestigious 2024 TMS Leadership Award. This award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the national and international materials community in some aspect of the fields of metallurgy and materials, as a representative of an industrial, academic, governmental, or technical organization. His citation states: “For his academic and scientific leaderships; founding DMS&E at Tel Aviv University; development of materials and processes for biomedical industries; his enormous impact on Israel's defense.”
The award has been given annually since 1986 to maximum one recipient. Noam is the 34th recipient, following 31 from the USA, 1 from Japan, and one from Brazil. Past awardees include a director of Brookhaven National Laboratory, the Associate Director of Manhattan Project, a Director of NSF & NIST, a President of Carnegie Mellon University, a Director of AFOSR, members of national academies, etc.
Prof. Brian Rosen
The Rosen laboratory was awarded the 2023 Climate Solutions Breakthrough Research Prize from KKL and JNF-Canada for their work on novel catalytic materials to produce ammonia at a much lower energy consumption and greenhouse emission rate compared to the conventional process. Ammonia is used as a primary component in fertilizers, and enables for the production of enough food to sustain the current global population; however, the current practice for producing ammonia is responsible for 1.6% of all carbon dioxide emissions.
Dr. Hanna Bishara won the Maof Scholarship for excellent new faculty from the Arab society.
מלגות
רון אופיר (ביה"ס להנדסת חשמל, מנחה: פרופ' מיכאל מרגליות) ולהדס הקסטר (ביה"ס להנדסה מכאנית, מנחה: פרופ' ראמי חג'-עלי) על זכייתם במלגת חזנוב לדוקטורנטים.ות ולבתר-דוקטורים.ות.
דוקטורנטים: גל ליפשיץ (ביה"ס להנדסת חשמל), אור הירשהורן (ביה"ס להנדסת חשמל) ומתן אל יחזקאל (המחלקה להנדסת תעשייה) על זכייתם במלגות ע"ש דוד ופאולינה טרוצקי ז"ל לשנת הלימודים תשפ"ד.
רותם גל קציר ודניאל בן חיים - מלגת הות"ת לדוקטורנטיות מצטיינות בתחומי ההייטק
רוני גטניו, דוקטורנטית בהנחיית טלי אילוביץ, זכתה במלגת אדמס היוקרתית.
