The Ministry of Science and Technology convenes for the first time a national forum to examine Israel's science policy and formulate a national science policy for Israel
For the first time, the Ministry of Science and Technology convenes a national forum to discuss the science policy of the State of Israel. Decision makers and key stakeholders in the field of science policy in Israel will participate in the forum.
The "Rehovot Conference" for science and technology 2005 is the first event of its kind to formulate the science policy of the State of Israel and the consequences of this policy on society, economy, national security and foreign relations of the State of Israel. The conference will examine, among other things, the state of science in Israel, the contribution of science to the economy, industry and national security.
The "Rehovot Conference" is held in collaboration with the National Academy of Sciences and the Weizmann Institute of Science, and each year the Rehovot Index for the scientific and technological capacity of the State of Israel will be presented, which provides an immediate indication of Israel's scientific capacity and its ability to exploit the economic benefits of its scientific infrastructure. The index was developed by Prof. Baruch (Buki) Raz MTN Technology.
Prime Minister Mr. Ariel Sharon will close the committee with a speech on national science policy. Also participating in the conference will be Finance Minister Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu who will present Israel's economy in the global era and Prof. Stanley Fisher, Governor of the Bank of Israel in his first public appearance who will try to answer the question "Is economics a science?"
Among the topics that will be presented at the conference:
o Prof. Eitan Domani from the Weizmann Institute of Science - new trends in the field of science that require national preparation.
o Dr. Yair Sharan from the Interdisciplinary Center for Technological Analysis and Forecasting - the relationship between technological forecasting and science policy.
o Dr. Jacob Shainin, CEO of the Economic Models Company, Eli Ayalon, President of the DSP Group and Dr. Yoram Gabbai, CEO of the Activists Group, will examine the connection between science and Israel's economic potential and the most viable support channels for scientific and technological development .
o Prof. Hanoch Gutfreund from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem will reveal the first details from the conclusions of an inspection team of the National Academy of Sciences on the relationship between universities and industry in Israel.
o Dr. Yossi Verdi will examine the connection between science and the growth of the internet industry in Israel.
o Prof. Dan Shechtman from the Technion - a model for scientific entrepreneurship and business opportunities and the chief scientist at TMT.
o Dr. Eli Ofer, will describe the relationship between science and the hi-tech industry in Israel.
o Prof. Yitzhak Bin Yisrael, Head of the Defense Studies Program at Tel Aviv University and Moshe Kerat, CEO of the Aerospace Industry, on the interrelationships between the security system, the defense industry and the scientific infrastructure.
o Prof. Asher Prism from the Weizmann Institute of Science - the future contribution of the science of electro-optics to security.
