EMET_PRIZE_2017

KING CARL XVI Gustaf of Sweden walks down the stairs
with Ada Yonath, the 2009 Nobel Prize winner in
Chemistry (and who won an EMET Prize in 2006), as
they arrive for the Nobel Banquet in Stockholm that year.
AARON CIECHANOVER (2004)
AVRAHAM HERSHKO (2004)
bered for his international advocacy
for increased science education and
technological entrepreneurship,
which he sees as key to world peace
and prosperity.
“A prize is a good way of becoming
famous or leaving a legacy, but
it is not enough,” says Shechtman,
who last year alone visited 30 countries
and gave well over 100 lectures
promoting education. He also meets
with world leaders in an attempt
to convince them that education
should be the No. 1 job of every
government.
“The most important natural
resource of every country is not oil
or minerals; it is human ingenuity,”
says Shechtman. “It is sustainable
and it will last forever, but you have
to develop it.”
At home in Israel, Shechtman is
likewise influencing society in a
deep way.
He says, “I am a Zionist. My mother
was born in Israel. My grandfather
came here on the Second Aliya
and was among those who built this
country from scratch. I carry with
me this heritage, and I try to contribute
to Israel as much as I can, in what
I can do best.”
Right now, Shechtman is advocating
early scientific education and
later on technological innovation
in the Jewish State. He has worked
with the mayor of Haifa to launch
several scientific kindergartens that
are picking up traction across Israel.
Moreover, he teaches a class on
technological entrepreneurship at
the Technion, which is designed to
encourage graduates to open startups.
Over the last 30 years, 25% of
class graduates have opened startups.
“My theory is that a child who
understands the world around him
or her will like science because he or
she will understand science and vice
versa,” says Shechtman. “Once you
The Jerusalem
Report
May 2017
9