Elad Dvir

Elad Dvir is a PhD candidate in the field of genomics, the study of genes and their functions. He studies changes in nervous system development in the context of disorders, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and Huntington’s disease. Studying ASD- associated genes, he uses advanced methods to investigate how genetic mutations affect the development of pluripotent cells (embryonic cells that generate all types of cells in our body) toward the nervous system. He aims to identify different types of ASD mutations that may respond to different therapeutic approaches.

Elad aims to identify different types of ASD mutations that may respond to different therapeutic approaches.

Elad earned his BSc in psychobiology and the Amirim-Natural Sciences Honors Program, as well as his MSc in genetics with bioinformatics specialization from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He was born and currently resides in Jerusalem with his wife. Before his military service, he participated in the Meitzar pre-military program and volunteered at the Ramat Tveria Medical Centre for adults with neurodevelopmental disorders. In his free time, he enjoys music, chess, and spending time with family and friends.

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Tomer Cohen

Tomer Cohen is a computational biologist and PhD candidate. His research aims to improve our understanding of how antibodies, which are proteins used by the immune system to neutralize pathogens, interact with their targets. To achieve this, he uses tools like deep neural networks, a type of machine learning, to develop accurate computational models. Tomer aims to enhance the accuracy of predicting antibody interactions, which is crucial for designing new and effective therapeutics.

Tomer aims to enhance the accuracy of predicting antibody interactions, which is crucial for designing new and effective therapeutics.

Tomer earned his BSc and MSc in computer science and computational biology from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Originally from the small moshav of Alon HaGalil, he now lives in Tel Aviv. Tomer served as a combat soldier and commander in the Meitar unit of the IDF. He enjoys hiking, especially multi-day treks abroad, and has explored Nepal, New Zealand, and Kyrgyzstan, among other places. In his free time, Tomer also likes running and cooking for family and friends.

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Iddo Better Pocker

Iddo Better Pocker is a PhD candidate in Israeli history, studying the audiovisual history of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. His research focuses on propaganda films produced or subsidized by Israeli authorities and Palestinian organizations from 1967 to 1987 to advance national agendas. By blending historical inquiry with visual analysis, Iddo’s work explores how films shaped the conflict’s dynamics, not just depicting but actively influencing its course. His research aims to uncover the historical role of audiovisual media in determining the conflict’s trajectory and its impact on national perception.

Iddo aims to uncover the historical role of audiovisual media in determining the Israeli-Palestinian conflict’s trajectory and its impact on national perception.

Born and raised in Tel Aviv, Iddo holds a BA in Jewish history and film studies from Tel Aviv University. He served in the IDF’s intelligence unit 8200 and has been serving as a consultant for Israel’s Ministry of Defense. Iddo is also a student editor for the Journal of Israeli History. He enjoys reading, watching movies, and filming documentaries in his free time.

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Asaf Ben-Haim

Asaf Ben-Haim is an archaeologist and PhD candidate, studying urbanization in Jerusalem during the Hellenistic and Early Roman periods. He is working on a geographical database of archaeological excavations in the Upper City, the aristocratic residential neighbourhood. His research tracks the neighbourhood’s development from the Hasmonean era—c.140 BCE to 37 BCE—to its destruction by the Romans in 70 CE, aiming to reveal how the spread of Hellenistic and Roman cultures affected Jewish society as portrayed in the city’s architecture and layout.

Asaf aims to reveal how the spread of Hellenistic and Roman cultures affected Jewish society, shown by Jerusalem’s architecture and layout.

Asaf earned his BSc in biology and archaeology and his MA in archaeology from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He grew up in Ra’anana and now lives in Tal Shahar with his partner, David, and their dog, Augustus, and cat, Matthias. Asaf has volunteered with Hoshen, an LGBTQI awareness NGO, and enjoys hiking, long walks around Israel, and singing Israeli folk songs.

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Shai Ben Ami

Shai Ben Ami is a PhD candidate in the field of nonlinear optics. Shai’s research focuses on how light and sound waves interact within silicon microchips, which are essential components in the integrated photonics industry. For these waves to interact, they must overlap as they travel through the chip. However, standard silicon chips typically prevent this from happening. While others have explored non-standard materials or exotic designs to address this challenge, Shai uses surface acoustic waves—vibrations that travel along the chip’s surface—to overcome this limitation, enabling light and sound to work together in standard chips and unlocking new possibilities in photonics technology.

Shai seeks to unlock new possibilities in photonics technology by enabling light and sound to work together in standard silicon chips.

Shai completed his BSc in electrical engineering and physics and an MSc in physics at Bar-Ilan University. He lives in Givatayim with his wife, their daughter, and their dog. He served in a tank crew in the IDF and spent six months on reserve duty during the Iron Swords War. In his free time, Shai enjoys playing basketball, travelling with his family, and listening to lectures about advanced topics in physics.

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Dana Azani Sadka

Dana Azani Sadka is a PhD candidate in the field of psychology whose research examines whether social groups can enhance the sense of attachment security, which is the confidence in having supportive others available when needed. Dana’s work explores the idea that groups can help individuals with an insecure attachment style. For group members with an anxious attachment style, the group can make them feel accepted, capable, and less worried. For members with an avoidant attachment style, groups can respect their independence while reassuring them that interdependence can be a positive experience. Her research aims to develop effective group-level interventions to foster security, well-being, and functioning.

Dana’s research aims to develop effective group-level interventions to foster security, well-being, and functioning.

Dana received a BA in psychology and an MA in clinical psychology from Reichman University. She is from Rosh HaAyin and currently resides in Herzliya. Dana is a clinical psychology intern at Geha Mental Health Center. She was an instructor at the Tavor Pre-Military Academy, participated in the Rabin Leadership Program, and volunteered at Heroes for Life in India.

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Ofer Asaf

Ofer Asaf is a PhD candidate in the field of digital architecture, focusing on methods for landscape restoration.

His research draws on ancient architectural and environmental strategies for cultivating vegetation in drylands, which are areas with water scarcity that provide vital ecosystem services to local communities. He uses computational design and fabrication methods to create architectural structures that support tree seedling growth across large areas, aiming for the sustainable development of shared landscapes.

Ofer creates architectural structures that support tree seedling growth across large areas, supporting the sustainable restoration of degraded landscapes.

Ofer earned his BSc in polymer engineering and an MDes in multidisciplinary design from Shenkar College of Engineering, Design, and Art. Originally from Kibbutz Afek, Ofer now lives in Tel Aviv. He volunteers as a tutor at the Wanger Family Fab-Lab at MadaTech. In his free time, Ofer enjoys hiking, visiting art exhibitions, reading, and tending to his plants.

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Lee-or Alon

Lee-or Alon is a PhD candidate in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), focusing on using AI planning tools to revolutionize personalized medical treatment. Her research seeks to determine the optimal drug types, dosages, and timing based on a patient’s medical history and specific needs. The goal is to achieve the desired medical outcome without compromising the patient’s health constraints.

Lee-or’s research aims to bring a new level of precision to medicine, ensuring the desired medical outcome without compromising a patient’s health constraints

Lee-or earned her BSc in computer science from Bar-Ilan University and her MSc in computer science from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Born and raised in Israel, she volunteers with children and youth to expose them to science and technology. She is also the head and founder of the Doctoral Student Forum at Bar-Ilan University. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, gardening, and making jewellery.

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Zachary Sercel

Dr. Zachary Sercel is an Azrieli International Postdoctoral Fellow in the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology under the supervision of Prof. Ilan Marek.

Zachary’s research interests lie at the intersection of target-oriented organic synthesis and the development of synthetic methodologies.

His current research centres on the development of new chemical transformations for the expansion of small rings of carbon atoms bearing many attached substituents or molecular parts. These transformations will facilitate the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and natural products with high 3-dimensional complexity, potentially providing more effective ways of treating diseases with fewer side effects.

Zachary was born and raised in Pasadena, California. He completed his BSc in chemistry at California State University, Los Angeles, conducting research with Prof. Matthias Selke. He completed his PhD in chemistry at Caltech where he studied the total synthesis of the marine natural product aleutianamine and the development of novel reaction methodologies in the laboratory of Prof. Brian Stoltz. During graduate school, Zachary also studied porphyrinoid synthesis as a research intern at the Technion with Prof. Zeev Gross. Outside of the organic chemistry laboratory, Zachary enjoys hiking, learning languages, and restoring vintage fountain pens.

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Vladimir Olivero

Dr. Vladimir Olivero is an Azrieli International Postdoctoral Fellow in the Orion Center for the Study of the Dead Sea Scrolls and Associated Literature at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem under the supervision of Prof. Noam Mizrahi.

Vladimir is investigating the relevance of textual criticism for the linguistic periodization of Biblical Hebrew with a specific focus on the Deuteronomistic History.

The textual fluidity of the biblical corpus has been deemed by many as limiting the possibility of tracing the linguistic development of Hebrew. However, later textual variants illustrate how later scribes intervened and allowed more recent morphological, syntactic, and semantic elements into the earlier texts that they were copying. The text-critical approach to the history of the Hebrew language and the linguistic assessment of the textual variants thus illuminate each other, with the former providing an external set of data against which to check the validity of the traditional linguistic periodization of Biblical Hebrew.

Vladimir was born and raised in Switzerland. He obtained a BA and MA in classics at the University of Milan. He then completed an MSt in Classical Hebrew studies at the University of Oxford, where he also earned his PhD in Oriental Studies under the joint supervision of Prof. Alison Salvesen (University of Oxford) and Prof. Geoffrey Khan (University of Cambridge). After working with Prof. Jacob Dahl, as a research assistant in Assyriology at the University of Oxford, Vladimir pursued his postdoctoral studies at the University for Foreigners of Siena under the supervision of Prof. Marina Benedetti. He then worked as a research associate in Hebrew linguistics and philology for the Grammar of Biblical Hebrew project at the University of Cambridge under Prof. Geoffrey Khan. In his free time, Vladimir enjoys languages, travelling, and playing football.

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