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Director's Report
In last year's Annual Report I had to relate to the Institute's financial difficulties, even before I was able to report about our productive work. The global economic crisis was felt in the budget of our Institute and I was forced to take the drastic measures of significant firing of staff and dramatic salary cuts. We have indeed managed to cross this stormy water safely. The Institute's deficit budget was balanced in 2009 and it seems that we will do even better in 2010. It was not only the above mentioned measures that were helpful but also the wonderful success of our researchers in obtaining new external research contracts in unprecedented total sums. The reputation of the institute, its credibility and abilities were in our favor. This helped in terms not only of balancing the Institute's budget but also of breaking new ground; the work taking place at present in the Neaman Institute is extensive, thus enhancing the influence of our activity among state decision makers in a wide range of topics. As a research institute for public policy involved in a wide variety of subjects in the field of economic, social and scientific-technological development in Israel, our research activity deals with the infrastructures that determine our national resilience: (a) the human capital infrastructure - policy studies in the field of higher education, society and health; (b) the physical infrastructure - policy studies in the field of transportation, quality of the environment and energy; and (c) the science, technology and industry infrastructures - surveys and studies on the subject of scientific, technological and economic resilience. The projects undertaken by the Neaman Institute convey also the interrelatedness of these subjects. The Neaman Institute formulated a program that constitutes one of our major frameworks - "The Vision and Strategy Plan for the State of Israel". The plan deals with all the three above-mentioned areas: the field of physical infrastructures of the state of Israel and the quality of the environment, human capital and higher education, leveraging traditional industries and the influence of globalization. This frame of activity constitutes a continuance of the program "Israel 2028: Economic-Social Vision and Strategy in a Global World. This is a national plan that, among other things, sets as its goal the purpose of doubling the GDP per capita in Israel within the next 20 years, including all the implications regarding society at large. This plan is the result of an initiative taken by U.S. - Israel Science and Technology Commission, which also funded the work that was done for the most part by the researchers of the Neaman Institute. The program was set by a public committee, headed by Eli Hurvitz and managed by David Brodet. A considerable part of the program "Vision and Strategy for the State of Israel" is led by Dr. Gilead Fortuna with the participation of many researchers. A cluster of interesting studies on the subjects of science, technology, industry, economy and human capital is conducted by a group of researchers and information specialists, headed by Dr. Daphne Getz. These studies include the examination of indices for science and technology in Israel, examining the innovative system in Israel, evaluating the "Magneton" program and appraising the Rothschild Fellowships Program. The group also conducted a research and development survey in Israel, studying the production of Israeli patents and comparing them on an international basis as well as conducting a research output survey comparing the quality of research with that of the rest of the world. It also examined the citations of articles written by Israeli researchers. Another important and extensive project is mapping national research infrastructures. Most of these studies are conducted at the request of, and with the cooperation and funding of the National Council for R&D through the Ministry of Science. Also, the group headed by Dr. Getz conducted studies that survey and evaluate the nanotechnology program, some as part of the programs of the European Community. The scope of funding as the result of cooperation agreements with Dr. Getz's group amounts to the impressive sum of about 3 million NIS. The BioNorth activity continued in 2009 and was presented in workshops held on the subject of bioscience and medicine. The workshops serve as an important meeting place for researchers from the academy and industries in the field of biotech in the northern part of Israel. Also, BioNorth maintains an active and updated website, which serves as another meeting place for researchers from Israel and abroad. The activity takes place in collaboration with the Technion, RAMBAM Medical Center, Rapaport Institute and Haifa's Economic Fund, and we are currently in the final stages of harnessing the Industrialists Association and Haifa University to this activity. One of the most influential and remarkable programs, which also has considerable presence in the press, radio, television and internet as well as among professionals and government offices, is the activity of the Neaman Institute on the subjects of energy and the environment. The conclusions of the study on the subject of the future of the Dead Sea were quite prominent in the report of the State Comptroller. The Energy Forum, which holds several workshops a year, manages to attract the best experts in Israel and policy makers in the various fields of energy. The research group in the field of environment and energy won the tender to execute a survey of mapping technologies in the field of energy. Also, the group conducts studies and surveys on a variety of subjects, such as improving the efficiency of use of energy, working on the subject of a national master plan and project outline for energy infrastructures - “TAMA 41”, the waste separation project, Israel's alignment with the post-Kyoto Agreements and reducing greenhouse gases. As part of the activity in the field of environment, the Samuel Neaman Institute holds workshops within the framework of the expert forum on waste. The Institute is also a participant in the "Green Campus" project run at the Technion. In 2009, the environment group study at the Samuel Neaman Institute, led by Dr. Ofira Ayalon, completed an important part of a joint venture with the Ministry for the Protection of the Environment, which includes the operation of a national program that records and reports the emission of greenhouse gases by companies, organizations and even by the IDF. As part of this venture and in particular the work of the Samuel Neaman Institute staff, a code for the Israeli economy was adapted, based on the realization that "if it can be measured or calculated - it can be managed." As is well known, the President of Israel undertook at the Copenhagen Conference in 2009 to meet the objective of reducing 20% of the greenhouse gases emission in Israel over the next decade, in comparison with the emissions envisioned in the scenario of 'business as usual'. The new code, drafted in 2009, is a significant and operative landmark in improving the quality of the environment. This is another excellent example of the influence that the work of the Samuel Neaman Institute has on the decision-making system in Israel. The Martin and Dorothy Kellner health promotion program became more established this year and defined its plans. The program deals with encouraging the Israeli population to lead a healthy lifestyle and began with a pilot project in Tirat Carmel. Two volumes were written, detailing the future line of action for this important project. The project "People Israel," which is conducted within the framework of the Samuel Neaman Institute, continued with the development of its website, gaining popularity and considerable exposure in the media. An interesting activity began in 2009, at the initiative of Prof. Zehev Tadmor, on the subject of incorporating the ultra-orthodox population in the Israeli economy and society. Today, a "road map" is planned for the activity of the Samuel Neaman Institute on this important subject. The activity is led by a new senior researcher who joined the institute recently, Dr. Reuven Gal. A new agreement signed with the Ministry of Absorption this year concerned examining the success of the assistance plan that finances the salaries of immigrants in order to facilitate their penetration into the labor market. An empirical examination is under way and its conclusions will be delivered to policy makers in 2010. The forum to accelerate the integration of the Arab population in Israel's economy and businesses, which is a joint initiative of the Samuel Neaman Institute, the Economic Development Authority of the Arab, Druze and Circassian Sectors and the Jewish-Arab Center for Economic Development, is currently searching for an appropriate path of action to continue its last year’s activity. The researchers of the Samuel Neaman Institute participated and contributed this year to the panels of the Israel Business Conference organized by the business newspaper Globes held in December 2009. In this conference, various projects of the institute were presented. The major subjects in which the Samuel Neaman Institute participated include the program "Israel 2028," higher education, infrastructures, and the panel on the protection of the environment. In 2009, discussions began regarding the upgrading of the Samuel Neaman Institute's website, which is frequently visited. The publications of the Samuel Neaman Institute have a wide readership and are often quoted in the press. Highly visible are, as already mentioned, the policy studies of the institute on the subject of the environmental issues. The work of the Samuel Neaman Institute in recent years has involved members of the academic staff of the Technion and other academic institutions and persons from the industry who are interested in national policy studies and related issues that are researched by the institute. Samuel Neaman Institute, Director |
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