Who is Dan Shechtman?

06/10/2011


“His discovery was extremely controversial. In the course of defending his findings, he was asked to leave his research group… However, his battle eventually forced scientists to reconsider their conception of the very nature of matter… Scientists are currently experimenting with using quasicrystals in different products such as frying pans and diesel engines.”

The Nobel Committee at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

Dan Shectman in 1983, shortly after his discovery
Dan Shechtman in 2010…
still unravelling the implications.


“This is the Israeli spirit. Sometimes this leads to chaos; but free thinking encourages successful scientists. We are living here in a free society… many of us do not follow the rules, and this is part of the national character of a free-thinking people.”


In 1906, 105 years ago, Dan Shechtman’s grandparents came from Russia to Israel . His grandfather, he recalls, was one of the leaders of the Labor Movement. He set up a printing house. “It was the time of the 2ndAliyah,” Shechtman told international press in Jerusalem this week, “Ninety percent subsequently left but the ten percent who stayed made Israel into the great country it is.”

Dan Shechtman was born in Tel Aviv on January 24, 1941. “I went to a youth movement – HaShomer Hatzair. In 1959, I started my military service – it was 2.5 years then. During which, I met my future wife. Then I went to Technion to study engineering. It was the dream of my life. I thought it was the best thing a man could be. I read a book in my youth by Jules Verne, The Mysterious Island. There was a character, Cyrus Smith, who could do everything. He was an engineer, and I wanted to be like him.  

Shechtman received his BSc, MSc, and PhD from Technion in 1966, 1968, and 1972, respectively. He joined the Technion Faculty of Materials Engineering in 1975, and was made Distinguished Professor in 1998. He holds the Philip Tobias Chair in Material Sciences, and heads the Louis Edelstein Centre for Quasicrystals.  “In 1975, I was offered a position at Technion. I was made a Distinguished Professor – there are some 7 and 3 of us are Nobel laureates.”

Dan Shechtman discovered the Icosahedral Phase in 1982. It is the first structure in the field of quasi-periodic crystals, and was discovered in aluminum transition metal alloys.



He instigated the course Technological Entrepreneurship in 1986, referring to it as “my baby,” and has overseen it annually ever since.  The course is offered in the winter semester each year and comprises 14 guest lectures, some of which are inspirational talks delivered by successful Israeli entrepreneurs. Shechtman is invited to lecture worldwide about the Technological Entrepreneurship course, arousing much interest. He considers himself a missionary, “I coordinate the course with pleasure. I do it for Israel.”


“This is the Israeli spirit. Sometimes this leads to chaos; but free thinking encourages successful scientists. We are living here in a free society… many of us do not follow the rules, and this is part of the national character of a free-thinking people.”


Between 2001 and 2004, Shechtman served as chairperson of the sciences division, Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities. Now as a member, he continues to oversee the translation of the Nobel Prize scientific posters into Hebrew, and their annual distributes to schools throughout the country.



Shechtman has been voted as an outstanding lecturer by his students at the Technion for ten years consecutively. He is married and lives in Haifa. He has four children and nine grandchildren.

Shechtman with his family after the spontaneous press meeting at Technion (Oct. 5th, 2011).