TECHNION ISRAEL = - Canadian Technion Society

TECHNiOnews
Newsletter of the Canadian Technion Society
September 2008
Making it happen........one lab at a time
TECHNION
ISRAEL =
60 INNOVATION
MoNTreal
Azrieli Library Dedication
ToroNTo
TTT Fund
WiNNipeg
Blankstein Lectureship

TECHNIONEWS 2
A Message from the National President
This newsletter will inform you about activities of the Canadian Technion Society
this year.
The Montreal and Winnipeg offices, under the recent hiring of Anne Kalles and
Ronna Goldberg respectively, began to foster local initiatives and the renewed
involvement of our members.
We were very proud of the visits to Technion in Haifa of ELEVEN Presidents of
Canadian Universities along with other senior administrators. Details about these
visits are described on the opposite page.
Our readers will recognize the importance of these visits and what they mean
for Canada-Israel academic relations at the individual institution level and more
generally the relevance this has to both Technion and the Canadian Technion
Society.
Ten directors of the Canadian Technion Society visited Technion during the last
six months. Please consider joining our mission at the end of January, which
will focus on northern Israel and Technion’s influential role in the development of
Israeli technology.
We are preparing to launch a fundraising campaign for $ 5.0 million to refurbish
and enhance the laboratories and facilities of the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry.
Several steps have been taken to advance the status of the Canada Student
Residence project.
We look forward to your involvement in support of Technion. This newsletter will
present some of Technion related activities that might interest you.
Best wishes for a happy, healthy and productive New Year.
Gary Goldberg
A Message from the National Chair
This year, Israel celebrates 60 years of independence and at the same time
Technion – Israel Institute of Technology marks 84 years as Israel’s centre for
high technology education and research.
Israel’s achievements in high technology and science-based industries are a
direct result of the knowledge, the highly qualified scientists and engineers, the
cutting-edge research and the initiative to succeed in a global marketplace that are
provided by universities like the Technion. Technion graduates are the core and
driving force behind Israel’s high-tech and science-based industries.
Technion’s President Yitzhak Apeloig noted that there are, however, real, longterm,
strategic threats to Israel’s ability to grow and thrive. Without world-class
research institutes, and a leading technological university such as the Technion,
Israel will not be able to maintain a modern, technologically oriented and vibrant
economy.
At this momentous time in Israel’s history I am proud to be the National Chair of
the Canadian Technion Society, a long time partner of Technion and want to share
this pride with you.
Please join me in supporting Technion and Israel’s future by becoming a member,
helping plan an upcoming event, taking on a leadership role, visiting Technion or
making a long lasting gift. However you choose to show your support, I welcome
you.
Doreen Green
Join the Canadian Technion Society’s
Mission to israel and Technion
Chair
Doreen Green
Secretary
Clifford Rand
David Azrieli
Naomi Azrieli
Mark Bernstein
Morley Blankstein
Sydney Cooper
Richard Cooper
Pearl Sperber Gameroff
Harold Garfinkle
Gary Goldberg
Frieda Granot
Doreen Green
January 28th to
February 6th, 2009
Explore Israel through a high-tech lens
Get a different view of Northern Israel
For more information contact
your local Technion office
National Officers
Treasurer
Harold Garfinkle
Honourary Vice Chair
Morley Blankstein
National Board of Directors
Sheva Honig
Warren Kimel
Peter Kovac
Eric Levy
Alex Magil
Peter Menkes
Marvin Ostin
Eddie Pal
Clifford Rand
Arnold Recht
Eugene Riesman
President
Gary Goldberg
Honourary Life Presidents
David J. Azrieli
Sydney C. Cooper
Barrie Rose
Andrea Rush
Henri Rothschild
Harry Sheres
Irwin Tauben
Linda Wenger-Minc
Bill Wiener
Scott Woodrow
Ben Wygodny

TECHNIONEWS Canadian Technion Society 3
Canadian University presidents Visit Technion
president of University of Toronto and
University of British Columbia Visit
Technion
On May 14, 2008, Dr. David Naylor, President of University of
Toronto, Dr. Stephen Toope, President of University of British
Columbia, and Dr. Eliot Phillipson, President and CEO of Canada
Foundation for Innovation, accompanied by Gary Goldberg, CTS
National President, visited Technion. They were greeted by Prof.
Yitzhak Apeloig who provided the group with a presentation on
Technion’s role as a source of ideas and talent that is contributing
greatly to the development of Israel’s infrastructure, high tech
industry and national economic growth.
The group had an active discussion with Prof. Moshe Eizenberg,
Vice President Research, who is responsible for research activities
and technology transfer and commercialization at Technion. Ben
Soffer, Manager of Technion’s R&D Foundation explained how
incubation programs have succeeded at Technion.
A highlight of the visit was the tour of HP Laboratories Israel, a
global research centre of Hewlett Packard that is located on the
Technion campus.
Following his return to Canada, Dr. Naylor wrote an op-ed article
that was published in the Globe and Mail entitled, “Building an
economy based on innovation”. It summarized his impressions
of his May visit to Israel.
University of Western ontario president
paul Davenport Visits Technion
Prof. Yitzhak Apeloig and Dr. Paul Davenport
Last November, Dr. Paul Davenport, President of University of
Western Ontario and his wife spent five days in Israel, visiting
Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, Tel Aviv, and Haifa where he met with
the Prof. Yitzhak Apeloig, President of Technion. The following
month, Dr. Carol Herbert, Dean of the Schulich School of
Medicine & Dentistry at The University of Western Ontario, a
post she has held since 1999, visited Technion and met with
Prof. Ido Perlman, Dean of Medicine and Prof. Moris Eisen, Dean
of the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry at Technion.
eight Canadian University presidents Visit
Technion
In June, Canadian University Presidents, David Johnston,
University of Waterloo; Sheldon Levy, Ryerson University; Dr.
Luc Vinet, Université de Montréal; Peter MacKinnon, University
of Saskatchewan; Gilles Patry, University of Ottawa; William
Barker, King’s College in Halifax and Yvon Fontaine, Université de
Moncton, on a mission organized by CIJA, visited Technion.
The mission was co-hosted by two Canadian academics,
University of Toronto law professor Ed Morgan and York
University historian Irving Abella.
Prof. Moishe Eizenberg and
Dr. Heather Munroe-Blum
Dr. Heather Munroe-Blum, Principal of McGill University, led an
academic delegation from McGill that met with Prof. Moishe
Eizenberg, Executive V.P. of Research the previous evening and
then visited the campus the following morning with the Canadian
Presidents’ group.
The purpose of these visits was to increase the familiarity of
Canadian academics with the global competitiveness of the
Israeli universities, with a view to fostering closer academic ties,
joint research projects and collaborative scholarship.
innovation lab Dedication
The Innovation Lab at Technion, a novel program fostering a team
approach to entrepreneurial activity for students at Technion
received its initial operating funding from Canadian Technion
Society’s TTT Fund.
Judith Wolfson, Gary Goldberg, Dr. David
Naylor and Eliot Phillipson

TECHNIONEWS Schulich Faculty of Chemistry 4
“Connect
yourself
…to someone’s future at Te c h n i o n ”
Launch of the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry
Refurbishment Campaign
In order to ensure state-of-the art- research facilities and optimal teaching
CANADIAN TECHNION SOCIETY
venues, in the Schulich Faculty ISRAEL of Chemistry INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY building at Technion, a
refurbishment program is now underway. The Canadian Technion Society
Winnipeg
is commencing a $ 5.0 million National Capital Campaign to provide funds
204-896-3372
for a variety of projects in that building.
Toronto (National Office) Montreal
416-789-4545 514-735-5541
1-800-935-8864 info@cdntech.org
www.cdntech.org
“This is an opportunity for people who would like to identify with research
and teaching at Technion. By providing The Canadian funds Technion to renovate Society hasa operated room or in space
support of Technion-Israel Institute of Technology
in the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry for overbuilding 60 years, helping you it can to grow connect and flourish. yourself
to Technion and someone’s future,” was how Gary Goldberg, National
President, explained this opportunity.
Chemistry Dean, Prof. Moris Eisen said, “Chemistry is the central science.
Students from many departments take their required Chemistry courses
in the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry. If you want to support improved
facilities for a wide range of students at Technion you can do this by
helping to upgrade our building”.
Schulich Faculty of Chemistry
Facility
Office
Seminar Room
Outdoor Patio
Faculty Lounge
onnect
yourself
Instrumentation Room
Laboratories
Special Projects
Cost
$15,000
$50,000
$75,000
$100,000
$150,000
$250,000 and up
TBD
Mr. Seymour Schulich is keen to encourage others to participate in this
renewal program, and has agreed to match each donor gift made to the
Schulich Faculty of Chemistry Campaign on a one-to-one (1:1) basis. This
is in addition to his original donation of $ 22.5 million for scholarships in
the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry.
If you would like to find out more about this Campaign and specific
opportunities for involvement and donor recognition at Technion please
contact your local Canadian Technion office or 1-888-935-8864
…to someone’s future at Te c h n i o n ”
The Schulich Faculty of Chemistry is
recognized globally for its excellence
in teaching and research. Mr. Seymour
Schulich, with his gift of Cdn$22.5 m i l l i o n
has transformed the possibilities for
this faculty by providing monies for an
i m p ressive set of scholarships, fellowships
and lectureships.
“ A hundred years from now it will not
matter what your bank account was, the
sort of house you lived in, or the kind
of car you drove, but the world may be
d i ff e rent because you were i m p o rtant
in the life of a young person”
Consistent with his vision, Technion is
u n d e rtaking to renew and refurbish the
laboratories and technical infrastructure
of the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry.
Canadians have a long association with
Chemistry at Technion. The original
building was named the Canada Chemistry
Building to acknowledge the Canadians
who have donated funds to outfit
laboratories and other facilities in
this building.
Seymour Schulich
from “Get Smarter”, 2007
The Schulich Faculty of Chemistry is
recognized globally for its excellence
in teaching and research. Mr. Seymour
Schulich, with his gift of Cdn$22.5 m i l l i o n
has transformed the possibilities for
this faculty by providing monies for an
i m p ressive set of scholarships, fellowships
and lectureships.
Consistent with his vision, Technion is

TECHNIONEWS Montreal 5
Marcel Adams Visits Technion
Marcel Adams and President Apeloig
On a recent visit to Technion Marcel Adams
met with the Technion doctoral students
who received an Adams Fellowship.
Technion Salutes Louis Magil
Louis Magil and Pearl Sperber Gameroff
Technion awarded a medal to Louis Magil, a
founding member of the Canadian Technion
Society, on his 100th birthday. Mr. Magil
served as President of the Montreal Chapter
from 1967 to 1973. He is an Honorary
Director of the Canadian Technion Society
as well as an Honorary Life Member of the
International Board of Governors of Technion.
Mr. Magil has been a long time supporter
of Technion students through the Louis
B. Magil Student Loan Fund, The Louis B.
Magil Scholarship and a major contributor
to the Canadian Student Residences and the
Canadian Nuclear Engineering Institute.
Summer BBQ
Doreen and Gerald Green extended their
generous hospitality to the Montreal Council
for a Sunday afternoon barbecue.
Doreen Green and Hela Boro
Azrieli Library Dedication
Another page in the history of David Azrieli’s giving
back to Technion was written when the Azrieli Library
was dedicated this June 4, 2008. Technion President,
Prof. Yitzhak Apeloig and the Dean of the Faculty of
Architecture and Urban Town Planning, Prof. Yerach
Doytsher praised and thanked Azrieli for his long time
support of Technion. His tenure as President of the
Canadian Technion Society, his commitment to the
Board of Governors of Technion and his incredibly
generous support of the Faculty of Architecture and
Urban Town Planning are all examples of his “giving
back” to the school he says made him what who
he is today.
The extensive renovations to the Library were as
a result of a very significant contribution Azrieli
made to mark his 85th birthday and the 60th
anniversary of his graduating class at Technion.
Azrieli shared this special day with his wife
Stephanie and daughter Danna.
Azrieli Foundation Fellowships
MSc student, Fatina Abreek-Zubiedat
receives her fellowship from David Azrieli
President Apeloig, Stephanie and David Azrieli
David Azrieli
Technion reaped three of the 11 fellowships
awarded to Israeli graduate students by the Azrieli
Foundation. Fatina Abreek-Zubiedat, Tal Modai and
Shira Sprecher are all MSc students in the Faculty
of Architecture and Town Planning. Abreek-Zubiedat
is on the architecture-urban design track, focusing
on the ethnographic and spatial patterns of minority
communities and the role of informal planning in
designing the image of a city or country. Modai—
urban and regional planning—researches the current
and future development of the Tel Aviv metropolis,
focusing on strategic planning for satellite cities in
the metropolitan Tel Aviv area. Sprecher, studying for
her MSc in architecture and urban design, uses psychoanalysis and social-political relations to
study problems in the construction of urban spaces.
This fellowship program, established by real estate magnate David Azrieli, aims to mitigate
the “brain drain” of top Israeli graduate students. Azrieli noted that in recent year’s budgetary
constraints and a decrease in resources available to Israeli academics has led to the problem of
how to encourage the country’s brightest young minds to do their graduate studies in Israel.

TECHNIONEWS Toronto 6
Dr. Frieda Granot C.M.
TTT Fund and Technion
The TTT Fund has played and continues to play an important role in
supporting both Technion Research and Development Foundation and
incubation activities at Technion. Technion recognizes commercialization
activities as an important complement to the teaching and research focus of
the University, and is very enthusiastic about generating returns for Technion
and economic benefit for Israel from commercial products developed from
Technion research.
See www.technionseed.co.il.
The Toronto Technion High Tech Fund (TTT) was established in 1989 by
Canadian Technion Society donors to assist Technion to expand and enhance
its technology transfer and commercialization activities. To date, 29 families
have each contributed $50,000 to the capital of this Fund.
TTT Fund supported the establishment of the Technion’s first incubator in
1990, as well as many other current Technion commercialization activities.
Morley Blankstein
Blankstein Lectureship
Morley Blankstein, Interim Chairman of the
Winnipeg Chapter, National Board Member
and a retired award winning Architect, is
a tireless champion of projects relating to
Technion. The Lectureship in Architecture
and Town Planning at Technion was initiated
Profile of a Board Member
The Canadian Technion Society has had a
long history of dedicated Board Members
who share their time, their expertise, and
resources to further the mission of the CTS
– to support the students and faculty of
Technion. In a first of a series of profiles we
would like to introduce Dr. Frieda Granot.
Frieda Granot received a BSc in Mathematics, cum laude, a MSc
in Computer Science, with distinction, from Technion, and an
interdisciplinary PhD in Mathematics, Computer Science, and Business
Administration from the University of Texas at Austin.
In 1975, she joined the Faculty of Commerce and Business
Administration at the University of British Columbia. Between 1996
and 2006, she served as Dean of the UBC Faculty of Graduate Studies.
In 2006 Granot became the Senior Associate Dean for Strategic
Development and External Relations in the Sauder School of Business
at UBC.
Technion regards the TTT
model as a very effective,
efficient and supportive
mechanism to stimulate startup
activity. TTT supports
Technion’s ability to participate
in Office of the Chief Scientist
programs at the initial stage
of incubator start-ups, and
downstream by providing
Technion with a buffer against
dilutive pressures.
Harry Stuart and Walter Bick at a recent
TTT Fund luncheon.
One of the most advanced and
promising of these start-up companies is Regentis. In 2007 the company
raised $7.5M. Its product is GELRIN a biomaterial developed by Technion
professor (Biomedical Engineering) Dr. Dror Seliktar that may have significant
potential as a cartilage tissue replacement. Regentis was chosen as the Best
Incubator Company of 2008 by Israel’s Ministry of Industry, Trade, and
Labour.
Winnipeg
by the Winnipeg Chapter in his name and then supplemented by a
generous contribution from Mr. Blankstein. He selected this Lectureship,
which will bring internationally famous architects to Technion to give
a public lecture on his or her work, and will spend some time with
architectural students informally in their lab, discussing architecture in
its various forms and purposes. Blankstein sees this as being a very
important stimulating educational experience for architectural students
today, as it was for him as a student of architecture.
Vancouver
Granot is author and co-author of over 50 publications in top peerreviewed
journals. Her research is interdisciplinary in nature, covering
theoretical and applied aspects in areas such as discrete mathematics,
mathematical programming, game theory, and network flows.
Granot currently serves as a Governor of the International Development
Research Centre (IDRC), Vice-Chair of the Board of the National
Council for Early Child Development, Board member of the Canadian
Technion Society, the Halbert Foundation, the Business Families
Centre at the Sauder School of Business, the Louis Brier Home and
Hospital Foundation and Advisory Board member of the Centre for CEO
Leadership at the Sauder School of Business.
Granot is the winner of the 1998 Faculty of Commerce Academic
Research Excellence Prize, the 2002 Golden Jubilee Medal from the
Government of Canada and the 2006 YWCA Woman of Distinction
Award in the Education, Training, and Development category.
In 2007 Dr. Granot was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada for
her contribution as a leader, role model and catalyst for change in the
areas of university administration and graduate studies.
in the areas of university administration and graduate studies

TECHNIONEWS 7
Quebec Minister of Economic
Development, Innovation and Export
Trade, Raymond Bachand Visits
Technion
Raymond Bachand, Quebec Minister of Economic
Development, Innovation and Export Trade, recently led
an impressive group of business and venture capital
leaders and life science researchers on an economic
and technological mission to Israel. The mission’s goal
was to promote exchanges between Israel and Quebec
in the areas of life sciences and venture capital.
The Minister and his group visited Technion where
they met with Prof. Moshe Eizenberg, Executive VP for
Dr. Hossam Haick – One of 35 Leading Young
Scientists in the World
Dr. Hossam Haick of Technion’s Faculty of
Chemical Engineering and the Russell Berrie
Nanotechnology Institute has made the list of
the world’s 35 leading young scientists for
2008 – TR35 – of the prestigious scientific
journal MIT’s Technology Review. The
TR35 list is an elite group of scientists who
epitomize the innovative spirit.
As a child growing up in the mixed Jewish-
Arab Israeli city of Nazareth, Hossam Haick
loved to do puzzles. Haick, 33, has been
recognized for his work on artificial noses
that can sniff out cancer. “The person blows into the e-nose, which
is based on nanometric sensors, and the device detects the type of
They reached the conclusion that while only a professional pilot would be able to
cancer” explains Dr. Haick. “The diagnosis has a potential to detect
use the suit he could go much farther with it than with conventional gliding suits.
the cancer at early stages of the disease, even before the tumour
begins to spread. Thus the treatment will be immediate and will kill
the disease in its initial stages. In our research, we have already
shown that it is possible to distinguish between a healthy person
and one with cancer, using miniature sensors. The challenge before
us now is to distinguish between the disease’s stages.”
Technion Students Design “Batman” Suit
Students at the Technion‘s Faculty of
Aerospace Engineering have designed
a winged flight-suit that should, allow
someone dropped from an airplane to
glide on their own
We wanted to prove that such a suit
could be designed posing no risk to
the wearer and having better performance than existing models,”
said Yair Segev, one of the suit’s five developers who worked under
the supervision of aeronautical and space engineering Prof. Gil
Yossilbeski.
After some 100 experiments, stringent filtering out and many
changes, the students arrived at the ideal suit – one that is stable,
can be maneuvered and also gives good performance.
Research, who provided an overview
of teaching and research; Prof. Yachin
Cohen, Dean, Faculty of Chemical
Engineering, who presented an
overview of Technion’s nanotechnology
research; and Yafit Oron, a partner at
Vertex Venture Capital and a member of
the Board of Directors of TechnionSeed,
a leading Israeli technology incubator,
who spoke on the Technion incubator
concept and the university’s interaction
with industry and venture capital.
Quebec Minister Raymond Bachand and
Prof. Moshe Eizenberg
News from
Technion
“Using this, we tried to work out what a person dropped from a
plane to fly in our suit would experience, and how much he would
have to sweat to carry out simple maneuvers,” Segev said. They
reached the conclusion that while only a professional pilot would
be able to use the suit he could go much farther with it than with
conventional gliding suits.
Technion introduces MBA Program in English
After 94 years of teaching all undergraduate subjects in Hebrew,
Technion will, begin the this coming academic year, switch to
introduce an all English MBA program, reflecting the reality that
English is the global language of the business world. As a result,
the school’s students will be better prepared to participate in the
international business world.
The goal of Technion is to make the MBA program competitive with
the best in the world.
Facebook Friends without Internet Connection
Anywhere, anytime you find yourself without an Internet connection,
thanks to a new Facebook application developed at Technion, you’d
still be able to use your laptop computer - sans Internet - to detect
Facebook friends who have also installed the application.
There are two components to the application, dubbed “Peersonalizer”:
a Facebook application and a module inside the free, downloadable
WiPeer software developed by lead researcher Professor Roy
Friedman’s team. WiPeer makes WiFi communication between
computers possible - without intermediary devices - at distances of
up to 900 ft. Peersonalizer - for which Technion has already applied for
a patent - uses technology that can also
be applied to other social networking
sites such as MySpace, Friendster and
LinkedIn. “This application takes social
networking to another level,” says
Friedman. “Peersonalizer demonstrates
that Internet based social networks can
serve as complementary mechanisms
- rather than replacements - to social
and business life.”

The future of israel is in high-technology
and the future of high-technology in israel is at Technion.
Send your Rosh Hashanah greetings to family and
friends on a Canadian Technion Society Card. These
beautifully illustrated cards will be sent out with your
personal message. Those receiving a card will know that
you have shared not only your good wishes with them,
but also your commitment to Technion and to the State of
Israel. Contact your local Canadian Technion office and
provide them with your list and a minimum donation of
$10.00 per card.
For any occasion.......think Technion
What do wine and pomegranates have in common?
Both are traditionally enjoyed during Rosh Hashana – and both are subjects of
research at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology.
Pomegranates – with their 613 seeds symbolizing the 613 mitzvot – have been
shown to be high in antioxidants the Fight hear disease and cellular aging,
The newest Technion research shows that the fruit could also have important
implications in combating breast cancer.
The benefits of red wine in fighting hear disease have been known for years. But
some people prefer whit wine. By increasing the substances in white wine that
counteract oxidation and the resulting blockage of arteries, a Technion professor
has developed a white wine with red wine’s benefits.
Innovative research that can be turned into useful products is just one way the
Technion advances Israel and helps people around the world.
For more than six decades, the American Technion Society has been the
Technion’s vital partner. With your support, we can ensure that Israel’s scientists
and engineers continue shaping a strong Israel and a better, safer world.
The future of Israel is in high technology
and the future of high technology in Israel is at the Technion
Canadian Technion Society
Technion-Israel Institute of Technology
www.ats.org
Canadian Technion Society
Visit us at www.cdntech.org
Mark a special occasion or a life-cycle event by sending
a Technion donor card. What a wonderful way of saying
congratulations or extending deepest sympathies and
at the same time reaffirming your commitment to
supporting Technion. When you make a gift a beautiful
card will be sent with your personal message. Just call
your local Technion Office and we will do the rest.
A Sweet
and
Healthy
New Year
canadian
TECHNION
SOCIETY
National Executive Director: Cheryl Koperwas
Our best wishes to
you and your families for
a New Year filled with
health and fulfilment,
blessings and peace
Doreen Green Gary Goldberg
National Chair National President
Eastern Regional Director: Anne Kalles National Office and Toronto Office
970 Lawrence Avenue West, Suite 206
Western Regional Director: Ronna Goldberg
Montreal Office
4950 Queen Mary Road, Suite 360,
Montreal, QC H3W 1X3
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E-mail: mtltech@cdntech.org
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