University of Haifa and the Neri Bloomfield School of Design have signed a historic agreement that will usher in a new era of education and innovation in diverse design disciplines. As part of the new merger, the WIZO Academic Center will become The School of Design and will continue to operate at its current location in the German Colony in downtown Haifa.

Israel's Ministry of the Interior recently established the International Center for Regional Research and Development in partnership with a consortium of Haifa Bay municipalities. The Center's academic leadership will be led by Prof. Itai Beeri (School of Political Science) in partnership with UofH's Research Authority and VP and Dean of Research Mouna Maroun. Prof. Beeri's research focus lies in local governance, local democracy, central–local relations, spatial inequality and regionalism and is highly published in leading academic journals. Knesset Speaker MK Amir Ohana noted during the ceremony, "The local government has much more influence than the central government, therefore its power must be strengthened as regionalism has the potential for a variety of solutions." READ MORE (HEBREW)

(l-r) Adrian Teper, Mariza De Aizenstein and Avi Gelberg from the Brazilian Friends Association, President Ron Robin, Lieutenant General Aviv Kohavi and his wife Yael, and Prof. Shira Rotman (Department of Medical Imaging Sciences). (far left) LTG Aviv Kohavi at the event.

Mr. Eli Horn (University of Haifa 2022 honorary doctorate recipient) and his wife Susy hosted a select groups of supporters of the Brazilian Friends Association in their São Paulo home. The event showcased the landmark partnership between the University and Rambam that will see state-of-the-art laboratories opened at the Helmsley Health Discovery Tower, situated on the Rambam campus. Guests were treated to a fascinating talk by Lieutenant General Aviv Kohavi, the former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces. President Ron Robin highlighted groundbreaking joint research initiatives in neuroscience and medical imaging and the tremendous potential for improved health outcomes stemming from research collaborations between the two institutions. Prof. Shira Rotman (Department of Medical Imaging Sciences) discussed artificial intelligence for computer-aided diagnosis research in the future Computational Medical Imaging Lab. Mr. Avi Gelberg, President of the Brazilian Friends of the University of Haifa, welcomed guests and members of the Israeli delegation. The visit was coordinated by the Latin American Desk, headed by Adrian Teper.

(l-r) Prof. Assaf Distelfeld and Lady Barbara Davis.

Sir Mick and Lady Barbara Davis, longtime supporters of the University of Haifa UK (UHUK), hosted a festive dinner that highlighted leading research taking place at the Institute of Evolution. In his remarks, President Ron Robin presented an introduction to the University and outlined its recent news and developments, while Prof. Assaf Distelfeld, (Director, Institute of Evolution) presented pioneering studies at the Lady Barbara Davis Wild Cereal Gene Bank and new regenerative agriculture initiatives that aim to address  global food security challenges while protecting the environment. Sir Prof. Walter Bodmer, a Trustee of the University of Haifa UK (UHUK) and a member of the University's Board of Governors, gave his endorsement for the Institute. Longstanding friend and University governor Lady Irene Hatter and UHUK's Co-Chairs Dr. Efrat Sopher and Mr. Russell Jacobs attended the event, held at the elegant Dorchester Hotel and coordinated by the UHUK headed by Marcus Rees-Roberts.

University of Haifa is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Hussam Bishara (CPA) as Chairman of the Carmel-Haifa Economic Corp Ltd - the commercialization and business arm of the University of Haifa that is responsible for protecting and commercializing its intellectual property. Mr. Bishara serves as the managing partner of RSM Accounting firm and served in a number of leading positions in the private and public sectors, among them as chairman on the board of directors of TransIsrael Ltd, (Hotze Israel in Hebrew) and Israel Railways Ltd. He has served on the Board of Directors of Carmel-Haifa and for the past 14 years he has been a senior lecturer at the University of Haifa's Department of Economics.

Carmel-Haifa has an important role to play in advancing Haifa University's mission to promote sustainability and meet 21st century global challenges. Research at the University can be harnessed to develop commercial products such as new drugs for incurable diseases, genetics that combat hunger, and technological innovations that improve health and wellbeing. - Hussam Bishara (CPA), Chairman of Carmel-Haifa Economic Corp

Credit: Nir Slakman

UofH alumnus, Charlie Mbariky has been listed among Forbes Magazine's 30 under 30 list for Israel. Charlie is a Senior Firmware manager at Nvidia, a world leader in AI computing. He grew up in the town of Shafaram and was an outstanding high school student who was accepted to University of Haifa's prestigious Etgar Program, an undergraduate program leading to a BSc in computer science for high school seniors. Mbariky leads the Firmware design and verification team at Nvidia that has developed two patentable innovations, of which one has been registered with the US Patent Office, and the other currently under examination. In his spare time, he volunteers with the Christian Scouts in Shafaram where he also serves as a member of the board. "Being able to influence youth in my community to reach for their dreams gives me great satisfaction." |  READ MORE IN FORBES (Hebrew)

Mr. Baruch Marzan, Vice President for Internationalization and Sustainability and the leadership of the International School recently hosted the Chinese Embassy's Educational Affairs Attaché and Consul for Culture and Education. The Chinese embassy is playing an important role in promoting academic exchange and cooperation by promoting study abroad programs for Chinese students at Israeli universities and a new scholarship program offered by the Chinese government to Israeli students.

Congratulations to Dr. Maayan Sudai (Faculty of Law) on being awarded the Cheshin Award for Academic Excellence in Law. Dr. Sudai specializes in health law policy, bioethics and gender and the law. The award committee noted, "The research she publishes in leading platforms is both innovative and groundbreaking." The Cheshin prize is awarded by the Shneur Zalman Cheshin Foundation and the Faculty of Law of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in memory of the President of the Supreme Court, Judge Shneur Zalman Cheshin.

UofH researchers from the Maritime Policy and Strategy Research Center, Dr. Nizan Feldman (School of Political Science), and Mark Shipton, presented their pioneering study at the annual ISA convention on the impact of naval power and merchant fleets on trade security. According to their findings, published in Securities Studies Journal, the ability of trade to deter conflict declines when states possess substantial maritime capabilities. The US-based International Studies Association (ISA) brings together students, researchers, and professionals from around the world at their annual meeting.

Credit: Hagai Nativ

As a result of ocean warming, oxygen levels are predicted to decline by up to 7% by 2100. A trailblazing interdisciplinary and international study led by a team of scientists from the University of Haifa's Charney School of Marine Sciences found a significant impact of oxygen depletion on the physiology and gene expression of corals over time. Coral reefs perform numerous important functions for marine ecosystems and human ecology. They provide a habitat for around 25% of all marine organisms and contribute to the biodiversity of the marine system. The study, published in the Frontiers in Marine Science, was led by Prof. Smadar Ben-Tabou de-Leon and Prof. Dan Tchernov (Department of Marine Biology), in collaboration with Dr. Eli Shemesh (DeepMed Lab), and scientists from the Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research Institute in Eilat, City University of New York and  Shandong University, China. READ MORE in NOCAMELS

The remains of two brothers at Tel Megiddo from more than 3,500 years ago during the 2016 excavation in northern Israel. (Courtesy: Megiddo expedition).

For thousands of years, ancient civilizations around the globe have performed cranial trephination, a medical procedure that involves drilling holes in the skull. One particular type of trephination dating back to at least the late Bronze Age was recently discovered in the remains of two young adult males at Tel Megiddo. DNA analysis was used to determine that the males were brothers. Prof. Israel Finkelstein (Head, School of Archaeology and Maritime Cultures), was among the co-authors of the study, published in PLOS ONE. READ MORE in SCIENCE DAILY and TIMES OF ISRAEL

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