55th Board of Governors Meeting Program

Sunday, May 11, 2025

Pre-Board Program

Beer-Sheva

11:30 Global Development Committee
W.A. Minkoff Senate Hall

(for members only)

14:00 Bus departs from the Marcus Family Campus to Kedma Hotel and the Sde Boker Campus

Sde Boker

14:45 Bus departs from the hotel to the Sde Boker Campus

15:00 Dedication and Tour of the Gitter Family Water Research and Teaching Laboratories
Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research

15:45 pm Bus departs for the hotel

16:00 Board Committee Meetings

(pre-registration required)

Kedma Hotel

18:30 pm Bus departs for Midreshet Ben-Gurion

18:45 Generating the Future Opening Event

Festive sunset dinner overlooking the majestic Zin Valley

21:00 pm Gathering of the Ben-Gurion Society

Ben-Gurion Archives

(by invitation only)

Monday, May 12, 2025

8:30 Bus departs for the Sde Boker Campus

Sde Boker Campus

9:00 Opening Plenary Session

Presidential Address: Prof. Daniel Chamovitz

Rector’s Annual Review: Prof. Chaim Hames

Board Procedures: Lloyd Goldman, Chairman of the Board of Governors

George Evens Family Auditorium

10:30 The Leaders Among Us
Annual Halpérin Event

Meet the young women who led a determined campaign to bring their loved ones home from Hamas captivity

VP Jeff Kaye in conversation with Shay Dickmann, Nufar Buchshtab, and Liron Oberlander

George Evens Family Auditorium

11:30 The Aftermath of October 7: Trauma Insights and Pathways for Recovery

With

Prof. Dorit Nitzan, Director, School of Public Health

Prof. Tehila Refaeli, Spitzer Dept. of Social Work

Prof. Naama Atzaba-Poria, Dept. of Psychology

George Evens Family Auditorium

12:00 Lunch with the BGU Community
Esther and Michel Halpérin Student Center

13:00 Bus departs for hotel

14:45 Bus departs for Beer-Sheva

North Campus, Beer-Sheva

15:30 Transforming Culture in the Negev: Cornerstone Laying Ceremony for the Cultural and Conference Centre and Bus Tour of the North Campus

Marcus Family Campus, Beer-Sheva

17:00 Beyond the Breakthrough: Personal Stories from the Workbench

Breakout meetings with researchers

(Pre-register for your preferred session)

18:00 BGU Radio Live: Students Driving Change

Annual Zlotowski Event

Showcasing student initiatives that make a difference

Hosts:

Prof. Simon Barak, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research

Dr. Buzi Raviv, Director, BGU Radio
W.A. Minkoff Senate Hall

19:15 Zoya Cherkassky: Artistic Reflections

Irene and Hyman Kreitman Annual Event
Honorary PhD recipient Zoya Cherkassky reflects on her artistic journey, from her early works to those created in response to the events of October 7

W.A. Minkoff Senate Hall

19:45 Celebrating 50: The Spirit Leading Israeli Healthcare

Gala celebrating the Faculty of Health Sciences 50^th anniversary and honoring its generous supporters

In front of the Rachel and Max Javit Medical Simulation and Classroom Building

Tuesday, May 13, 2025

8:00 Expedition Negev: Where the Magic Happens

Excursion to field sites of BGU research

(Pre-register for your preferred expedition)

11:00 Break at the hotel

12:00 Lunch at the hotel

13:00 Bus departs the hotel for Beer-Sheva

Marcus Family Campus, Beer-Sheva

14:00 Medical Mavericks: Ask the Experts
Join the next generation of medical professionals (our students) as they engage in a game-show-style conversation with experts:

Prof. Alan Jotkowitz, Head, Sagol Medical School for International Health

Prof. Moshe Phillip, honorary PhD recipient; Director, National Center for Childhood Diabetes, Schneider Children's Medical Center

Prof. Judith Shamian, honorary PhD recipient; past president, International Council of Nurses

With students: Zaki Silas, Orian Polin, Rotem Hoch Kalfon

W.A. Minkoff Senate Hall

15:00 Introducing the Young Family School for the Human Experience

Conversation about investing in today’s students for a better tomorrow. with:

Nicole Krauss, author and honorary PhD recipient

Toni Young, Chair of the BOG Global Development Committee

Moderator: Prof. Amit Schejter, Dept. of Communication Studies

W.A. Minkoff Senate Hall

16:00 Generations of Generosity: Recognizing our Loyal Friends and Supporters

Minkoff Family Senate Court

16:45 Campus Vibes: BGU Student Union Fair

In front of the Zlotowski Student Center

18:00 Conferment Ceremony of Honorary Doctoral Degrees

18:00 Reception

18:30 Ceremony

Recepients:

Zoya Cherkassky

Nicole Krauss

Andrey Makarevich

Prof. Moshe Phillip

Sami Sagol

Prof. Judith Shamian

Nuseir Yassin

Joya Claire Sonnenfeldt Auditorium

19:45 Dinner Reception

Zlotowski Student Center

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

08:30 Bus departs for the Sde Boker campus

Sde Boker Campus

9:00 BGU Shark Tank: Innovation for Impact
Student entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to a panel of “sharks”

Sharks: Karen Basian, Lionel Halpérin, Lisa Scheller, Osi Sessler

Moderator: Dana Gavish, Head, Yazamut 360 Entrepreneurship Center

George Evens Family Auditorium

10:15 AMA with Nas Daily
Engage with Nas Daily (Nuseir Yassin), honorary PhD recipient and one of the world’s most influential content creators, in an interactive “Ask Me Anything” session for guests and students

Moderator: Noa Dekel, Chair of the BGU Student Union

George Evens Family Auditorium

11:00 Step into Science
Join live experiments in breakout lab sessions

(Pre-register for your preferred session)

12:00 Lunch with students

Esther and Michel Halpérin Student Center

13:15 New Frontiers in Science: Interdisciplinary Research Showcase

Inspiring glimpse into the future with BGU researchers:

Dr. Alex Brodsky, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Prof. Tamar Makov, Dept. of Management

Prof. Debbie Toiber, Dept. of Life Sciences

Dr. Benjamin Palmer, Dept. of Chemistry

George Evens Family Auditorium

14:10 Empowering Leaders in Action

Get to know students and alumni of the Mandel Social Leadership Program making an impact

Moderator: Prof. Moriah Ellen, Dept. of Health Policy and Management

With: Alaa Abu Ghalioun, Michal Manhaimer, Liran Levy, Natali Getahon

George Evens Family Auditorium

14:50 Closing Remarks by President Prof. Daniel Chamovitz

George Evens Family Auditorium

15:15 Bus departs for the hotel

18:20 Bus departs for Ramon Crater

19:00 Under the Stars: A Magical Musical Evening

Exciting closing event with BGU students and entertainment by award winning world-music artist Mark Eliyahu

Khan HaGeves, Ramon Crater

Thursday, May 15, 2025

Sde Boker

Farewell Breakfast

10:30 Hotel checkout

11:00 Buses depart the hotel to Beer-Sheva and Tel Aviv

A. To Ben-Gurion Airport and Tel Aviv Savidor Central Railway Station

B. To Tel Aviv Savidor Central Railway Station

C. To the Marcus Family Campus in Beer-Sheva

Post-Board Program

Marcus Family Campus
12:00 noon Dedication of the Toronto Critical Care Ambulance Simulator
Rachel and Max Javit Medical Simulation and Classroom Building

13:15 Bus departs to Tel-Aviv Savidor Central Railway Station

Be sure to check back for updates and further details as we continue working on the program.