About Us
Founded in 1944, the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science develops philanthropic support for the Weizmann Institute in Israel, and advances its mission of science for the future of humanity.
Jan 12, 2021... In this special session, Prof. Avishay Gal-Yam, Weizmann’s supernova hunter, takes us to the Frontiers of the Universe: one of the Institute’s new flagship projects. From studying the tiniest subatomic particles to the far reaches of the galaxy, this initiative aims to put the Institute at the very forefront of advanced physics research – and even into space.
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/video-gallery/wis-talks-prof-roee-ozeri-it-s-about-time/
Jan 19, 2021... We have been measuring time for millennia. Prof. Roee Ozeri of the Department of Physics of Complex Systems and Institute Vice President, provides an engaging history of these efforts, their inspiration, and their efficacy, from the sundial to the pendulum to modern atomic clocks.
Dec 29, 2020... Quantum mechanics, the theory that describes the physics of the universe at very small scales, is notorious for defying common sense. Consider, for instance, the way that standard interpretations of the theory suggest change occurs in the quantum turf: shifts from one state to another supposedly happen unpredictably and instantaneously. Put another way, if events in our familiar world unfolded similarly to those within atoms, we would expect to routinely see batter becoming a fully baked cake without passing through any intermediate steps. Everyday experience, of course, tells us this is not the case, but for the less accessible microscopic realm, the true nature of such “quantum jumps” has been a major unsolved problem in physics.
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/video-gallery/frontiers-of-the-universe-reaching-for-the-stars/
Jan 28, 2021... This webinar introduces Weizmann’s flagship Frontiers of the Universe initiative. Frontiers of the Universe will advance the Institute’s pioneering efforts to understand the nature of space, time, and life itself—from the tiniest subatomic particles to the largest galaxies.
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/going-out-with-a-bang/
Jan 12, 2022...
REHOVOT, ISRAEL—January 12, 2021—In the not-so-distant past, the discovery of a supernova—or exploding star—was considered a rare occasion.
When Prof. Avishay Gal-Yam of the Weizmann Institute’s Particle Physics and Astrophysics Department was a doctoral student, he only located seven supernovas over the course of four years. But today, advanced measuring instruments and analytical methods make it possible to detect fifty such explosions daily. While these improved means may have made these celestial events somewhat less notable over the years, the greater number of observations has also increased the probability that researchers will spot rarer types of explosions that have so far existed only as theoretical constructs. Gal-Yam and his colleagues recently discovered a rare-type supernova that has never been observed before. Their findings are being published today in Nature.
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/in-the-news/expanding-the-limits-of-the-possible-1/
Nov 07, 2022...
A rock star, a Paralympic swimmer, and a Nobel Prize in Physics laureate were among the nine recipients of honorary Doctor of Philosophy degrees from the Weizmann Institute of Science on Monday, November 7, bestowed upon them in recognition of their extraordinary contributions to society.
"Each one of tonight’s honorees has expanded the limits of the possible, while inspiring others to fulfill their own boundless potential," Prof. Alon Chen, president of the Weizmann Institute, said at the conferment ceremony, hosted by news anchor Lucy Aharish on campus at the Michael Sela Auditorium. Part of the Institute’s 74th Annual General Meeting of the International Board, the ceremony and related events are taking place in person — and as usual — for the first time since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dec 08, 2022... Can the Collective Wisdom of Bugs Help Solve Human Problems?
Feb 21, 2023...
REHOVOT, ISRAEL—FEBRUARY 21, 2023 NASA will launch Israel’s first space telescope – the Ultraviolet Transient Astronomy Satellite, or ULTRASAT – into high-Earth orbit in early 2026, as part of a newly signed partnership between United States’ NASA and Israel's Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology.
ULTRASAT, a premier project of the Israel Space Agency (ISA) in the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology and the Weizmann Institute of Science, is expected to revolutionize scientists’ ability to detect and analyze transient events in the universe, such as neutron star mergers and supernova explosions.
Feb 22, 2023... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—FEBRUARY 22, 2023 One of the striking aspects of the quantum world is that a particle, say, an electron, is also a wave, meaning that it exists in many places at the same time. In a new study, reported today in Nature, researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science make use of this property to develop a new type of tool – the quantum twisting microscope (QTM) – that can create novel quantum materials while simultaneously gazing into the most fundamental quantum nature of their electrons. The study’s findings may be used to create electronic materials with unprecedented functionalities.
Feb 22, 2023...
One of the striking aspects of the quantum world is that a particle is also a wave. Quantum particles exist in many places and forms at the same time.
In a study titled “The Quantum Twisting Microscope” just published in the journal Nature, researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot made use of this property to develop a new type of tool – the quantum twisting microscope (QTM) – that can create novel quantum materials while simultaneously gazing into the most fundamental nature of their electrons. The study’s findings may be used to create electronic materials with unprecedented functionalities.
©2023 American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science
