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Around the World
Tel Aviv University (TAU) has launched into space Israel's largest student-built satellite network. Working with Israel’s Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology, the project has been dubbed Tevel 2, a constellation of nine research nanosatellites — the largest Israeli satellite constellation ever deployed. The nanosatellites, each measuring 4x4x4.5 inches, were designed and built by high school students from Israel and were launched into low Earth orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. READ MORE about the launch or WATCH A PODCAST with Professor Meir Ariel, Head of the TAU New Space Center.
Cutting Out the Cancer
Professor Dan Peer, a global pioneer in mRNA-based drugs and the Vice President for Research and Development at TAU, has successfully used the genetic editing tool CRISPR to cut a single gene from cancer cells of head and neck tumors, which successfully eliminated 50% of the tumors in model animals. He and his team demonstrated that there are in fact some genes without which a cancer cell cannot survive, making them excellent targets for CRISPR therapy. Professor Peer is also the Director of TAU's Laboratory of Precision Nanomedicine. READ MORE
Feeling Good, Looking Better
A new TAU study used AI tools for the first time to discover what motivates people to exercise and which strategies are most effective for maintaining physical fitness. The researchers found that 23.9% of the users who engage in sports do so to improve their appearance, 18.9% exercise to maintain their physical health, and 16.9% exercise to maintain their mental health. They used artificial intelligence and machine learning tools to scan thousands of posts on the Reddit social network to reach their conclusions. READ MORE
New School for Environment & Sustainability
Tel Aviv University's School for Environment & Sustainability is being led by Israel's former chief scientist Professor Noga Kronfeld-Schor, who hopes the School will become a major global hub in the field of Environmental Studies and unify research across the TAU campus under one virtual roof. "The advanced laboratories and state-of-the-art infrastructure of TAU, together with extensive international collaborations, enable our students to be at the forefront of environmental research and innovation," she says. Professor Kronfeld-Schor is also a Member of the Board of Directors of the Nature and National Parks Protection Authority of Israel and Head of its Science and Education Committees. WATCH A VIDEO TOUR OF THE NEW SCHOOL
UPCOMING EVENTS
Emergency Webinar Briefing
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
The Middle East, Israel, and the US: Strategic Analysis features Professor Uzi Rabi, former Head of the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies. He will offer a strategic analysis of the current geopolitical situation of Israel and its neighbors, Israel's renewed military operation in Gaza, and the US attacks on the Houthis in Yemen. REGISTER NOW for this webinar
Carnegie Hall
Tuesday, April 8, 2025
The world premiere of TAU alumnus Avner Dorman's A Time to Mourn and a Time to Dance, a concerto for two violins and strings inspired by the work of Johann Sebastian Bach, will take place at Carnegie Hall on April 8, performed by the world-renowned violinists Gil Shaham and Adele Anthony. From now through March 31, readers of this newsletter can enjoy a 15% discount on tickets by using the code SJS51106 when ordering through the link at the end of this item. READ MORE
ALUMNI IN THE NEWS
TAU alum Rabbi Yitzhak Kesselman has been named Corporate Vice President, Messaging and Real-Time Analytics at Microsoft. On LinkedIn, he said that he was "incredibly honored to step into a new role" at Microsoft, where he will become Microsoft's most senior ultra-Orthodox engineer. He holds his bachelor's degree in computer science from TAU. Congratulations, Rabbi Kesselman! READ MORE in The Jerusalem Post
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