Yuval Neeman Workshop for Science, Technology and Security for Youth

Announcement from Tel Aviv University

Translated from Hebrew original on News1, published 11 November 2010

In the first conference of its kind in Israel, more than 500 outstanding high school students will come to Tel Aviv University to participate in a seminar on science and technology in the service of security.

Tel Aviv University and the Talpiot Programme together decided to establish a singular enterprise – the Yuval Neeman Workshop for Science, Technology and Security for youth, to promote and encourage focus on the topic amongst exceptional youth, through enrichment lectures, project facilitation, conferences and more. The first project of this joint enterprise is a yearly seminar devoted to a different topic each time. The first seminar in the series will be dedicated to the topic “Science and Technology in the Service of Security” and will be conducted on 12 October 2010 at 9.00 a.m. in Tel Aviv University’s Bar Shir Auditorium.

On this day futuristic technologies will be presented to the youth with an emphasis on space technology, radar and navigation. This will be done through selected lecturers from the leading security industries and senior army and security system officials who are leading directions of development of the security system.

This singular initiative is fruit of the joint enterprise of the Yuval Neeman Workshop for Science and Technology and the Talpiot/Administration for Research and Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructures programme. The Yuval Neeman Workshop for Science, Technology and Security has been active already a decade, led by Major General (res.) Professor Yitzhak Ben Israel, formerly head of the Administration for Research and Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructures and today Professor in Security Studies at Tel Aviv University, and head of the National Institute for Research and Development of the state of Israel. The workshop has set for itself to bring varied publics to learn and work on central topics in the field of national security of Israel as related to science and technology.

The Talpiot Programme is the elite pre-military programme. Talpiot, led by Major General (res.) Yitzhak Ben Israel, has for 30 years been training the best of youth for meaningful service as leaders in the research and development systems of the IDF and the security system. In recent years Talpiot has, together with the education system, initiated the Nachshon Porgramme for developing and nurturing outstanding youth, a programme which draws its outlooks on training and education from Talpiot.

The idea behind the initiative, according to Major General (res.) Yitzhak Ben Israel, is “to expose students to what is being done in these fields in the IDF and industries and to encourage a deepening of study in relevant fields.”

Brigadier (res.) Yaakov Negel, Science Deputy in the Administration for Research and Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructures says that “the Administration for Research and the Talpiot Programme perceive the Nachshon Programme as an important and positive platform for educating youth for the values of love of science and technology, and love of the state. The Administration for Research and Development views this conference as the opening shot for promoting and bringing youth closer to topics of science and technology in their security aspects.”

The first conference of the Yuval Neeman Workshop for Science, Technology and Security for youth is open to invitees only.

Science and Technology in the Service of Security

The following speakers will take part in the conference:

Nissim Hadas, President ELTA Systems

Brigadier Eitan Eshel, Head of R

Dr. Naftali Sela, chief scientist of Rafael

Lieutenant Colonel Ofer Lapid, Space Agency, Ministry of Defence/Administration for Research

Dr. Gabi Avital, chief scientist, Ministry of Education

Dr. Avi Ginsburg, vice president for new programmes in Elbit Systems

Professor Yitzhak Ben Israel, Tel Aviv University