Technion Inaugurates Sagol Center for Composite Materials

The Technion inaugurated the Sagol Center for Composite Materials. The ceremony took place in the Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering during the Technion’s Board of Governors meeting, with Tova, Sami and Itzhak Sagol and their family, and the Technion management all on hand. The plaque honoring the Sagol family was unveiled at the closing of the ceremony.

From left to right: Prof. Peretz Lavie, Itzhak, Tova and Sami Sagol, Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan and Prof. Gitti Frey

Technion President Professor Uri Sivan thanked Mr. and Mrs. Sagol and said that “Sami Sagol, who is an alumnus of the Technion’s Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, a businessman and philanthropist, is a true friend of the Technion and a role model for Technion alumni around the world. In recognition of his activities throughout the years, the Technion awarded him an honorary doctorate. He is also a Guardian, a distinction reserved for supporters who have made the highest level of commitment to the Technion. Sami Sagol and his wife Tova direct their resources towards doing good through endless involvement and a strong commitment to the future of the State of Israel. I have no doubt that their contribution to the establishment of the Sagol Center will have a significant impact on the advancement of Israeli society and of humanity as a whole.”

From left to right: Prof. Peretz Lavie, Maj. Gen. (ret.) Amos Horev, Sami Sagol and Scott Leemaster Chairman of the Board of Governors

Professor Peretz Lavie, Chairman of the Israel Friends of the Technion, said: “Sami Sagol has made ‘Tikkun Olam’ the guideline of his life. In his philanthropic activity, as much as in his business, he sees what’s to come before anyone else, and acts for a better future for Israel and the whole world. The new building for composite materials, which will carry his name, will ensure the continued excellence of the faculty, which already boasts a Nobel Laureate among its faculty.”

From left to right: Prof. Gitti Frey, Dr. Joshua Grolman, Tova, Itzhak and Sami Sagol and Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan

The Department of Materials Science & Engineering has undergone a major transformation over the last few decades. In the beginning, the department mainly characterized specimens originating from the industry. Today its researchers also develop new materials, as well as characterizing and manufacturing them. Composite materials, which will be at the heart of the new Center’s activities, are truly revolutionary materials in a variety of fields, including aviation, green energy production and storage, interfaces with the human body, construction, and civil engineering.

From left to right: Tova, Sami and Itzhak Sagol

The new center will be fitted with the most advanced infrastructure for developing and producing composite materials – graphene, protein-based materials, materials for extreme environments, and more. Researchers, post-doctoral fellows, students, engineers, and technicians will work in a spacious dedicated space to bring the world innovative, state-of-the-art composite materials. The Dean, Prof. Gitti Frey, who led the ceremony, said, “the establishment of the new Center will enable the Technion’s researchers to develop better materials in terms of their strength, weight, cost, and durability. These materials will be of great use to all of humanity. Composite materials often display qualities that don’t exist in the separate materials from which they are composed. They are used for an increasing number of applications, ranging from defense systems and space engineering to sports equipment.”

Sami Sagol

Sami Sagol was born in Turkey. His family immigrated to Israel when he was a boy. He received his bachelor’s degree from the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry at the Technion. Under his leadership, “Keter Plastic,” a small family business founded by his father, became an international enterprise. In 2019, the Technion granted Mr. Sagol an honorary doctorate.

Sagol Center for Composite Materials