world

'Let's Make Israel
Youth Technological
Entrepreneurs'

ccepting his Nobel Prize,
Israel's Dan Shechtman
encouraged entrepreneurship
among the young.
Shechtman, of the Technion,
became the 10th Israeli to win the
world's most prestigious prize at
Saturday's annual Nobel ceremony
in Stockholm.
The Royal Swedish Academy of
Sciences said Shechtman's discov-
ery of quasicrystals, long ridiculed
by colleagues, "has created a new
cross-disciplinary branch of science,
drawing from, and enriching, chemis-
try, physics and mathematics. This is
in itself of the greatest importance."
"It has also given us a reminder
of how little we really know and per-
haps even taught us some humility,"
said academy professor Sven Lidin.
Addressing the Nobel banquet,
Shechtman said scientists have a
duty "to promote education, rational
thinking and tolerance.
"We should also encourage our
educated youth to become techno-
logical entrepreneurs. Those coun-
tries that nurture this know-how will
survive future financial and social
crises. Let us advance science to
create a better world for all," he
said." – JTA I I

A

Larry Jackier and

Israeli Minister of

Science and Technology

Daniel Hershkowitz

converse with Nobel

Prize winner Technion

Professor Dan

Shechtman.

Israel's
Technical Genius

Local Technion supporter is proud of institute's
third Nobel Prize in seven years.

W

est Bloomfield resident
Larry Jackier, principal of
Bloomfield Hills-based law
firm Jackier Gould of Bloomfield Hills and
chairman of the Technion International
Board of Governors, was in Stockholm,
Sweden, last week for Nobel Week.
In particular, he was there to celebrate
Technion-Israel Institute of Technology
Professor Dan Shechtman's Nobel Prize
in Chemistry for his discovery of quasi-
crystals, an entirely new form of matter.
Professor Shechtman is the Technion's
third Nobel Prize winner in seven years.
Tova Kantrowitz, director of communica-
tions and public relations for the American
Technion Society (wwwats.org ), caught up
with Mr. Jackier for a brief Q. & A.

Q. Larry, how does it feel to be here

in Stockholm, anticipating Saturday's
momentous ceremony in which one of
Technion's own will receive a Nobel Prize?
Jackier: I am delighted and excited to
be here. Not only is it a wonderful event
for Prof. Dan Shechtman and his family, it
is also an incredibly important event for
the Technion and the State of Israel, and in
my view, the entire Jewish people.

Q. Why is it so important for Israel and
the Jewish people?
Jackier: At a time when half the world
is trying to de-legitimize Israel and what

46 December 15 • 2011

JN

it represents, this is a way to counteract
those claims. Here is an institute that has
received the highest level of recognition
that the world can see — the contribution
of Israel to the world.
I hope this inspires many more Nobels
from the Technion, which I think it
will. Jewish people around the world
feel a sense of pride. Many of the Nobel
Laureates of 2011 are Jewish.

Q. How can we make this moment last
past Saturday, Dec. 10?
Jackier: In my opinion, devoting your
philanthropy to the Technion is as effec-
tive as anything you can possibly do.
Today, most people considering Jewish
philanthropy are not only interested in
giving to general Jewish need — which
used to be the case — when the Jewish
world was in a different place.
Today, people are looking for ways to
connect as a philanthropist — to be the
most effective. Nothing is greater than par-
ticipation in what the Technion does. If not
for the Technion, there would not be a mod-
em State of Israel — a technological power.

Q. To elaborate on that for a moment,
the book Start-Up Nation identifies the
achievements and brainpower of the
Technion as one of the key components
to Israel's technological success. What are
your thoughts?

Jackier: There are factors that are
unique to Israel for its success in science
and in business. The high-tech achieve-
ments are all the result of a concomitance
of elements that exist in Israel, including
the Technion's contributions, and result in
Nobel Prizes.
We are here in Stockholm to participate
in a ceremony and events during this
incredible weekend. For this and all the
achievements in this area, the Nobel is
further evidence of the significance of the
concept of the "Start-Up Nation" introduced
in the book by Saul Singer and Dan Senor.
I would encourage everyone to read the
book and to visit Israel.

Q. I know you've been to Israel and the
Technion many times. What do you gain
from being there that you can't get other-
wise?
Jackier: When one visits Israel, he or
she will see all aspects of the country. He
or she should go to Haifa to feel the energy
of the students and professors working
in their labs; speak to a faculty member
or a teaching assistant and hear about
what they are working on — it is mind-
boggling. Visit the Faculty of Computer
Science — the largest in the Western
World — and see the advances in water
research at the Grand Water Research
Institute that is unique in the world in
terms of its work in re-use, purification,

etc., as water is critical to Israel.
You see UAVs (unmanned aerial vehi-
cles) used by the U.S. and Europe that, at
its core, have Technion technology. The
whole issue of security in the world has
a significant influence from the Technion
and its graduates. The Technion plays a
critical role.

Q. Do you have any last thoughts or
comments to add?
tackier: Israel is at an exciting time
with its research in science and technol-
ogy and products that impact the lives
of Israel and people all over the world in
areas such as medicine, security, cyber
security, etc. Israel is at the top of the list
when it comes to these areas. To make
a difference — support the Technion
through the American Technion Society. I

The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology
i s consistently ranked among the world's
leading science and technology universities.
Home to three of Israel's five winners of the
Nobel Prize in science, the Technion com-
mands a worldwide reputation for its pio-
neering work in computer science, nanotech-
nology, biotechnology, energy, water-resource
management, medicine, drug development
and aerospace. Headquartered in New York
City, the American Technion Society pro-
motes scientific and technological research
and education at the Technion.
•