Prof. Daniel Zeifman was elected president of the Weizmann Institute of Science

Prof. Zeifman, an expert in particle physics, will be only 47 years old when he takes up his post on December 1

(Prof. Daniel Zeifman on the right in the photo from the Institute's magazine, 1996)

The board of directors of the Weizmann Institute of Science today elected Prof. Daniel Zeifman as the tenth president of the Weizmann Institute of Science. Prof. Zeifman will begin serving in his position on December 1, 2006, upon the end of the term of office of the current president, Prof. Ilan Hat. Prof. Zeifman is the youngest president in the history of the Weizmann Institute of Science. When he begins to serve he will be 47 years old.

Prof. Daniel Zeifman was born in Belgium in 1959 and immigrated to Israel in 1979. He received a bachelor's degree (1983) and a master's degree (1989) in atomic physics from the Technion. He then did post-doctoral research at Argon's laboratory in Chicago. In 1991 he returned to Israel and joined the Department of Particle Physics at the Weizmann Institute of Science as a senior researcher. In 1997 he was promoted to the rank of associate professor, and in 2003 he was promoted to the rank of professor. In 2001 he was appointed a member of the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, Germany, and in 2005 he was elected as a member of the management of this institute.

Prof. Zeifman's research focuses on dynamic reactions of small molecules, and the way in which they affect the composition of the interstellar matter. To this end, he reproduces in the laboratory the conditions prevailing in outer space, among other things using special facilities called "ion traps" or storage rings. These facilities allow him to maintain and measure the properties of small clusters of matter containing hundreds of individual atoms or molecules, subjected to extreme conditions similar to those existing in interstellar space (extremely low temperature and density). These experiments led to an in-depth understanding of the decomposition processes of molecules as a result of exposure to light or free electrons. His other studies focused on the question of the formation processes of complex molecules in space.

Prof. Zeifman invests quite a bit of his time in contact with the general public in general and with teenagers in particular, with the aim of expanding everyone's interest and knowledge of what is happening at the forefront of science.

Prof. Daniel Zeifman is married to Joel, who has a master's degree in physics, who is currently engaged in sculpture, and is the father of Eyal (17) and Langa (15).
Immediately after his election, Prof. Zeifman addressed the members of the board of directors, the institute's scientists, his employees and his friends:

The Zionist dream

"First of all, for me it is a great privilege to be elected the tenth president of the Weizmann Institute of Science, at the age of 47. It is a great privilege, because when I immigrated to Israel, as a young student, immediately after finishing my high school studies in Belgium in 1979, I had two dreams. The first dream was related to the Zionist idea: as a young Jew, I was brought up with a vision of a progressive state of Israel, which is essentially a light to the Gentiles, and I wanted to help fulfill this vision. The second dream was more personal: before I came to Israel, I visited it several times, as a tourist, and felt that Israel is the land of unlimited opportunities. A place where a young man can fulfill his dreams. I felt that everything that is done here in Israel has a completely different flavor than the same thing when it is done abroad. A taste of milk and honey, a taste of victory for the small Jewish people, which is an example and a model for the idea that it is the quality, not the quantity, that really matters.

Knowledge will become an industry, research a product and education a must

"What are the goals of the Weizmann Institute of Science, today? Our goals are tied to the cornerstone of human culture. We create new ideas, invent new inventions, and not least, train young people to implement these ideas and inventions for the common good. There are no more important goals than these. Engaging in the creation of new ideas, and in education, is the deepest expression of trust in the future of the State of Israel, in the future of the world, in the future of the human race. This is what the Weizmann Institute of Science does, and this is what makes us so special. And that is what made me accept the position of president of the institute.

"Today, the amount of time that passes between basic scientific discoveries and their applications is shorter than ever. It is no secret that the world economy is largely influenced by technologies recently developed in research laboratories. The great increase in life expectancy, which has almost doubled in the last century, is a direct result of this scientific revolution. All this happened in the last century. In the current century, the 21st century, I believe that knowledge will become an industry, research a product and education a must.

Life, and the study of life processes, will progress at the speed of light

"Huge challenges await us in each of the scientific fields. Today's physics is reinventing itself, and is on the verge of breakthroughs in quantum technology, understanding the universe and unifying the forces of nature. Chemistry is undergoing a tremendous change in the development of advanced analytical tools, and in the study of artificial materials and complex biological molecules. Mathematics is already shaping new horizons for us and offers new ways to explore and understand the processes of life. The life sciences are also undergoing a revolution that will change the ways in which we treat diseases and design medicines. We live in a century where life, and the study of life processes, will advance at the speed of light.

The Weizmann Institute of Science will be forever young, and constantly renewed

"But the right to be president of the Weizmann Institute of Science is not separated from obligations. Our institute is strong and is among the best research institutes in the world, but I pledge here, before you, to strengthen and promote it even more. I pledge to act so that he will be forever young, and that he will be constantly renewed. I undertake to promote the good ideas of our scientists, and to support them, so that they can shape a better world for all of us.

We will share scientific knowledge with the public

"We will reorganize our array of activities in the field of education. We will launch new initiatives that will increase public awareness of the great and fascinating scientific challenges that lie ahead of us. We must cultivate a community that understands the importance of science and how it works, a community that is not afraid of innovations and uses the new knowledge we create to improve life. We must deal directly with irrational perceptions. We can do this if we reach out and share our knowledge with larger parts of the community. Understanding the scientific foundations that shape our lives will provide the public with basic tools that are essential for making logical decisions in everyday life, in matters of medicine and health, in marketing and advertising, in economics and investments, in technology and various devices, in ecological issues, and in fact - in all areas of life. The Weizmann Institute of Science has an important role in this field, and it will raise the flag."