Yael Amitay

Yael Amitay is a computational biologist and PhD candidate, studying how the immune system responds to cancer. Her research focuses on spatial proteomics, cutting-edge technology that maps the location of dozens of proteins in tissue at high resolution. She combines computer vision and data science to analyze this complex data, aiming to predict melanoma recurrence and identify patients who may benefit from preventive treatment. Through her work, she hopes to deepen our understanding of both cancer and the immune system.

Yael hopes to deepen our understanding of cancer and the immune system.

Yael earned her BSc in software engineering from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and completed her MSc at the Weizmann Institute of Science. Originally from Ashdod, she now lives in Rehovot with her partner. She currently volunteers by tutoring students displaced during the Iron Swords War. To relax, she enjoys drawing, reading, and travelling.

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Paul B. Sharp

Dr. Paul B. Sharp is a cognitive scientist whose research investigates how we plan and why we worry. To do so, he develops models of how people determine when and what to plan for, which allows him to test the specific ways chronic worriers over-plan for potential threats. Paul hopes this program of research will explain core mechanisms of human intelligence and the precise ways that planning gives rise to anxiety.

Paul hopes to explain core mechanisms of human intelligence and the precise ways that planning gives rise to anxiety.

Paul received a BA in psychology from Temple University’s Honors Program and a PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was a postdoctoral researcher at University College London, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Yale University. Paul is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and currently resides in Ramat Gan. He has volunteered at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and as mentor for Científico Latino. Paul enjoys tennis, basketball, and searching for the best cortado at local coffee shops.

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Oded Padon

Dr. Oded Padon is a computer scientist specializing in programming languages and formal verification. His research develops new techniques that apply formal mathematical reasoning to verify that complex software systems are free of bugs and meet their correctness specifications. His work aims to enhance automation in software verification and to make it widely accessible. His research also applies programming languages’ techniques to other domains such as quantum computing and machine learning.

Oded’s work aims to enhance automation in software verification and to make it widely accessible.

Oded received a BSc in physics and mathematics from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, an MSc in environmental physics from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and a PhD in computer science from Tel Aviv University. He was a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University and a senior researcher at VMware Research. Oded grew up in Ganei Tikva, and currently resides in Rehovot with his wife and two children. In his free time, he enjoys reading and spending time with his family.

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Shilat Haim-Nachum

Dr. Shilat Haim-Nachum is a trauma researcher, investigating the role different mechanisms play in psychopathological development following childhood trauma. Shilat’s work primarily examines negative self and public perceptions related to childhood traumatic experiences of abuse and neglect, such as shame, self-blame, and stigma. Her research aims to develop new cost- effective interventions to reduce trauma-related negative perceptions and increase openness to treatment among survivors of childhood trauma from diverse cultures.

Shilat’s research aims to develop new cost-effective interventions to reduce trauma-related negative perceptions and increase openness to treatment among survivors of childhood trauma from diverse cultures.

Shilat received a BA in educational counselling and English literature and a PhD from Bar-Ilan University as an Azrieli Graduate Studies Fellow. She was a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University’s Department of Psychiatry. Shilat was born in Yavne and currently resides in Rehovot. She has been involved in volunteering with various trauma-exposed populations, including firefighters, veterans, and individuals with special needs. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and travelling.

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Daniel Fuks

Dr. Daniel Fuks is an archaeobotanist, studying plant remains retrieved from archaeological excavations to reconstruct ancient agriculture and landscapes. His current focus is on sites from the first millennium CE in southern Israel, to explore the significant agricultural changes and related social and economic developments of that era. Ultimately, this research contributes long- term perspectives on food security, biodiversity, climate change, and globalization.

Daniel’s research contributes long-term perspectives on food security, biodiversity, climate change, and globalization.

Daniel completed a BA and BSc at the University of Pittsburgh, an MA and PhD at Bar-Ilan University, and a postdoc at the University of Cambridge. He is also the founder of the Crop History Consortium—a multi-disciplinary research group focused on geographic and evolutionary trajectories of crop plants across the Middle East and Mediterranean. Daniel lives with his wife and children on a moshav in the northwest Negev where he has volunteered to tutor youth at risk. He is passionate about sustainability, capoeira, and jazz.

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Idan Frumkin

Dr. Idan Frumkin is a molecular biologist who studies how living things change over time. He explores how nature creates new cellular functions in bacteria and viruses by creating novel genes. Using both laboratory experiments and computer analysis, Idan investigates how these newly evolved genes help species adapt to different environments and challenges. This research can lead to improvements in drug development and help create better industrial processes using specially designed cells.

Idan’s research can lead to improvements in drug development and help create better industrial processes using specially designed cells.

Idan earned his BSc in life and medical sciences from Tel Aviv University and his PhD from the Weizmann Institute of Science as an Azrieli Graduate Studies Fellow. He completed his postdoctoral research at MIT. Idan currently lives in Tel Aviv with his spouse. He is dedicated to teaching and mentoring the next generation of scientists. In his free time, Idan enjoys reading science fiction and fantasy, listening to podcasts on Israeli and American politics, and spending time with his family.

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Shany Danieli

Dr. Shany Danieli is an astrophysicist, investigating galaxies to uncover the nature of dark matter—an enigmatic substance thought to comprise over 80 per cent of the universe’s matter. She uses cutting-edge telescopes to study galaxies far fainter than the night sky. Though challenging to discover, these galaxies offer a nearly unobstructed view of their dark matter skeletons, revealing the interplay between dark and visible matter and providing insights into the universe’s origins. Shany is spearheading next- generation searches using the most advanced astronomical surveys.

Shany is investigating galaxies to uncover the nature of dark matter and spearheading next-generation searches using advanced astronomical surveys.

Shany received her BSc in physics from Tel Aviv University and her PhD from Yale University. She was a NASA Hubble Fellow and a Carnegie-Princeton Fellow at Princeton University. Originally from Holon, she returned to Israel after 11 years in the United States and now lives in Tel Aviv with her husband and two children. Shany loves spending time with her family and friends, travelling, meeting new people, reading, sports, food, and fashion

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Shachar Carmeli

Dr. Shachar Carmeli is a mathematician specializing in homotopy theory, which examines the properties of shapes that remain unchanged under slight alterations. He studies commutative ring spectra, which extend the concept of algebraic rings—mathematical structures with specific addition and multiplication rules. He also works in chromatic homotopy theory, a field that addresses complex problems in homotopy theory by organizing them into different levels based on repeating patterns. His work has contributed to recent breakthroughs in several open problems in this field.

Shachar’s research deepens our understanding of fundamental mathematical structures, contributing solutions to longstanding open problems in the field of homotopy theory

Shachar earned a BSc in mathematics from Tel Aviv University, and an MSc and PhD in mathematics from the Weizmann Institute of Science. He worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Copenhagen. Originally from Abirim, Shachar now resides in Kibbutz Na’an. During his studies, he volunteered several times in a summer camp for adults with cerebral palsy, organized by the ILAN Association. In his free time, Shachar enjoys practising Thai boxing, hiking in nature, and spending quality time with his family.

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Rotem Botvinik Nezer

Dr. Rotem Botvinik Nezer is a cognitive neuroscientist, studying how beliefs and expectations are formed and changed, and how they impact our minds and bodies. Her research mainly focuses on the placebo effect—how even inactive treatments can influence health. She studies how and when the placebo effect works for different people, aiming to integrate these findings into clinical practice to enhance the effectiveness of active treatments.

Rotem studies how and when the placebo effect works for different people, aiming to integrate these findings into clinical practice to enhance the effectiveness of active treatments.

Rotem holds a BSc in biology and psychology, with a focus on neuroscience, and a PhD in neuroscience from Tel Aviv University. She completed her postdoctoral research at Dartmouth College. Rotem currently resides in Sho’eva, a moshav west of Jerusalem. Rotem has volunteered in various roles, including working with disabled children, mentoring students, assisting Holocaust survivors, and co-leading a group of Israeli neuroscientists and psychologists abroad. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, playing basketball, scuba diving, and making and eating ice cream.

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Gilad Barshad

Dr. Gilad Barshad is a molecular biologist and genomicist. The genome is the complete set of DNA, containing all genes and instructions for when and where to express them. Gilad studies how non-coding regions of the genome, that is, the DNA that is not contained in genes, influence gene expression, or how genes are turned on. He examines changes across species and during early embryonic development—the initial phases after fertilization— using advanced genomic and computational tools to identify factors that affect gene expression. His research contributes to our understanding of “what makes us,” with implications for disease diagnostics and human health.

Gilad’s research contributes to our understanding of “what makes us,” with implications for disease diagnostics and human health.

After serving as a senior sergeant in the IDF’s Paratroopers Brigade, Gilad earned his BSc and PhD in life sciences from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. He completed his postdoctoral training at Cornell University. Originally from northern Israel, Gilad now lives in Nofit with his wife and three children. In his free time, he enjoys reading, swimming, running, and spending time with his family.

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