The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) has announced the election of Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Prof. Eliezer Rabinovici as its 24th president – the first one from Israel.

Based in Geneva, Switzerland, CERN is the largest nuclear particle research center in the world.

Rabinovici will be taking over from Dr. Ursula Bassler, who will conclude her term at the end of 2021.

“Professor Rabinovici is a brilliant theorist in the most advanced fields of research,” said Bassler. “During my presidency, I very often had the occasion to exchange with Professor Rabinovici, whose advice and contributions have always been very helpful to steer the ongoing discussions. I am confident that the Council is welcoming an excellent president, whose concern for science is of the utmost importance.”

Rabinovici received his PhD in high-energy physics at the Weizmann Institute of Science in 1974 before working as a research associate at Fermilab and at Lawrence Berkeley Radiation Laboratory in the United States.

Prof. Eliezer Rabinovici. Photo courtesy of Hebrew University

In 1977, Rabinovici returned to Israel and the Hebrew University as a senior lecturer, where he currently serves as a professor at the Racah Institute of Physics. Rabinovici’s main field of research is quantum field theory and string theory.

In 2004, he was appointed as one of Israel’s delegates to the CERN Council, where he served as vice president from 2016 to 2018.

“CERN is a special place where science and collaboration meet to answer some of the most fundamental questions about the world we live in,” said Rabinovici. “Throughout my 16 years as a member of the CERN Council, I have, time after time, been captivated by the commitment, collaboration, and knowledge of people who work together towards the same mission.”

Hebrew University President Asher Cohen said Rabinovici’s election “is a badge of honor not only for Hebrew University but for the State of Israel and its institutes of higher learning.”