Special Technion Program Offered to Evacuated High School Students

Thirty high school students who were forced to evacuate from their homes in northern Israel due to the current war recently arrived at the Technion for a week of academic studies and enrichment activities, and enjoyed a fulfilling experience on campus under full-board conditions. It is the first cycle of the Robophysics program offered by the Atidim NGO that was adapted to the current situation. The participants are 11^th and 12^th graders from schools in Kiryat Shmona, Shlomi and Kibbutz Dafna who were evacuated from their homes as a result of the fighting near the Lebanese border.

Prof. Idit Keidar, Dean of the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, told the participating students: “These are not the ideal conditions for learning, and it’s hard for all of us to concentrate these days, but I hope this program will give you a chance to take a break from the news and to gain important knowledge in an immersive and enriching manner. Graduates of the program receive academic credit points, and of course we would be delighted if you decide to continue your studies here in our Faculty as the result of the program.”

Robophysics is a scientific field that explores the physical principles of how robots move in the real world. The Technion’s program uses this field to teach software, hardware, artificial intelligence, physics, and other related fields, in an experimental and enjoyable way. The program is recognized by the Ministry of Education and Yale University in the U.S.

The Robophysics program was founded a decade ago by the entrepreneur Ofer Danino, who completed two degrees at the Technion (Electric and Computer Engineering, and Education in Science and Technology), and is sponsored by the Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering. When the current war broke out, the program’s management decided to make it accessible to students who were displaced from their homes. The Atidim NGO, which is devoted to maximizing the potential of the human capital in Israel’s geographic and social periphery, agreed to head the project.

According to Meital Shaked, director of the Atidim Youth program, “In just four days, Atidim and the Technion designed an emergency program in response to an urgent need affecting the population with which Atidim has been working for over 20 years. The ultimate goal is for outstanding students from communities that were evacuated to achieve their full potential with regards to their high school matriculation exams and the positions they will have in the army – despite the current crisis and the difficult situation we are all facing these days. The cohort we are currently hosting includes the maximum number of students – 30. In the next few days, we will finalize a second cycle, also consisting of evacuees from the north, and we are working on recruiting additional cycles that will also include students evacuated from communities near the Gaza Strip. The Technion has opened its heart and its campus, enabling the program’s participants to enjoy everything that this excellent institution has to offer, and we greatly appreciate this partnership. I have no doubt that we will continue to collaborate in the future.”