Four young scientists had left because of the lack of opportunities for teaching and research here.
By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met at Rehovot's Weizmann Institute of Science on Tuesday with four young scientists who returned to Israel after living abroad for years because of the lack of opportunities for teaching and research here.
"The larger the institute gets, the more scientists will join so it can advance excellence in Israeli society for all of us," Olmert said.
He was received on campus by institute president Prof. Daniel Zajfman, who presented four outstanding young scientists among 16 who returned to Israel and joined the Weizmann Institute faculty during the past year.
The four were Dr. Avishai Gal-Yam (an astronomer); Dr. Nirit Davidovich (a physicist); Dr. Michal Sharon (a biochemist); and Dr. Roni Paz (a brain researcher).
Olmert described the Weizmann Institute as a "pearl in the crown of Israeli society."
He later met with youths who are neither studying in high school nor working full time, but are part of a work-study project initiated by Dr. Ovad Kerem of the Davidson Institute for Science Education of the Weizmann Institute.