BGU PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2021

OUR NEXT FIFTY

31

 A BGU volunteer collects tar from Nitzanim Beach.  Transplanting corals in Eilat. Photo: Dor Shefy and Prof. Nadav Shashar.

research charity; Benny Biton , mayor of Dimona; groundbreaking scientist Dr. Shmuel Cabilly , whose work on antibodies led to the “Cabilly Patent”; Dr. Hilla Hadas , Executive director of Enosh; Kfar Rafael Remedial Community ; Prof. Varda Shoshan-Barmat z, founding director of the National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev; Caroline Simon , honorary member of the Board of Governors and longtime supporter of the Faculty of Health Sciences; and Dr. Tal Zaks , MD-PhD graduate of BGU and former chief medical officer of Moderna. The Division of Community Health in the Faculty of Health Sciences was renamed in memory of Prof. Haim Doron , one of its founders and former head of the Negev region for the Clalit Health Fund. BGU awarded the 2020 Israeli Hope Prize for contributions to strengthening diversity and cohesion in Israeli society to the Merkaz Ma’ase organization, Prof. Zehavit Gross , and Hani Gader .

The William Berelson Prize for the Promotion of Jewish-Arab Understanding in Memory of Yitzhak Rabin was awarded to the Efshar Aheret (A New Way) non profit organization.

SUSTAINABILITY The University’s Green Council

established a working group to coordinate the University’s activities with regards to climate change. A number of initiatives aimed at reducing BGU’s carbon footprint are in the early planning stages. Students and faculty members from the Program in Marine Biology and Biotechnology at the Eilat campus are closely involved through volunteer work in restoration of coral reefs damaged by storms last winter, as well as the remediation of the Katza beach. Over 100 volunteers from BGU participated in the cleanup of Nitzanim beach near Ashkelon after the unprecedented oil spill off Israel’s shore in February.