Weizmann Institute of Science facts for kids
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מכון ויצמן למדע (Hebrew)
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Former name
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Daniel Sieff Research Institute (1934–1949) |
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| Type | Public research |
| Established | 1934 |
| Founder | Chaim Weizmann |
| Endowment | $600.427 million (2019) |
| President | Alon Chen |
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Academic staff
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952 |
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Administrative staff
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400 |
| Students | 1,082 |
| Postgraduates | 356 |
| 700 | |
| Location |
Rehovot
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| Campus | Urban |
| Postdoctoral fellows | 380 |
| Affiliations | Feinberg Graduate School |
| ARWU World | 1-100 |
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The Weizmann Institute of Science (in Hebrew: מכון ויצמן למדע, Machon Weizmann LeMada) is a special place for science in Rehovot, Israel. It started in 1934, which was 14 years before Israel became a country.
Unlike many other universities, the Weizmann Institute focuses only on advanced studies. This means students come here after their first degree to earn their master's (M.Sc.) and doctorate (Ph.D.) degrees. They study subjects like natural and exact sciences.
It's a big research center where many scientists work together. About 3,800 people, including scientists, students, and staff, are part of the institute. They all work on exciting research projects.
Many famous scientists have been connected to the Weizmann Institute. As of 2019, six people who won the Nobel Prize and three who won the Turing Award (a top prize in computer science) have worked or studied there.
Contents
A Look at the Institute's History
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The Weizmann Institute started in 1934. It was first called the Daniel Sieff Research Institute. It was founded by Chaim Weizmann, who later became the first President of Israel. He was also a scientist himself.
Weizmann wanted a famous scientist named Fritz Haber to lead the institute. But Haber passed away on his way to Palestine. So, Weizmann became the director. He even did his own research in organic chemistry at the institute's labs.
In 1949, the institute was renamed the Weizmann Institute of Science. This was done to honor Chaim Weizmann. The Sieff family, who helped start it, agreed to the new name.
Building Early Computers
The institute played a big part in computer history. In 1954–1955, they built a computer called WEIZAC. This was one of the world's very first electronic computers. In 2006, it was recognized as a major achievement in technology.
Turning Discoveries into Products
In 1959, the institute created a company called Yeda Research and Development. This company helps turn new scientific discoveries into useful products. For example, Yeda has many patents related to marine genetics. By 2013, the institute was earning a lot of money from medicines like Copaxone and Rebif that came from their research.
Advanced Study Programs
The Weizmann Institute is a place for advanced learning. As of 2015, about 2,500 students, researchers, and staff were there. They offer master's (M.Sc.) and doctorate (Ph.D.) degrees.
Students can study many different subjects. These include mathematics, computer science, physics, chemistry, biochemistry, and biology. They also have programs that combine different fields.
A special symbol of the Weizmann Institute is the Ficus tree. It has many branches, just like the many areas of science they explore. All students who are accepted receive full financial support to help them with their studies.
Science Fun for Young People
The Weizmann Institute also has programs for younger students. They offer science clubs, summer camps, and competitions. These programs help young people get excited about science.
One popular program is the Bessie F. Lawrence International Summer Science Institute. High school graduates from all over the world can join this four-week science camp.
The Clore Garden of Science is another cool feature. It opened in 1999 and is a unique outdoor science museum. Everything there is interactive, meaning you can touch and play with the exhibits to learn.
How the Institute Ranks in Science
The Weizmann Institute is known worldwide for its excellent research. In 2019, the Nature Index ranked it number 2 globally for the quality of its research.
In 2019, U-Multirank also placed it among the top 25 research institutes in the world. This was for its highly cited publications and patents.
The institute also does well in getting research funding. In 2020, it was ranked 7th by the European Research Council for its high success rate in getting research grants.
In 2018, the CWTS Leiden Ranking placed the institute 9th globally. This ranking looks at how often a university's scientific papers are cited by others. The Weizmann Institute was 1st in Israel in this ranking.
Leaders of the Institute
The Weizmann Institute has had many important leaders over the years.
- Chaim Weizmann (1934–1952) was the first leader and founder.
- Alon Chen (2019–present) is the current president.
Some leaders were not scientists, like Abba Eban and Meyer Weisgal. They had scientific directors to help them with the research side of things.
Notable Scientists and Discoveries
Many brilliant scientists have worked at the Weizmann Institute. Some of them have made amazing discoveries.
- Ada Yonath won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2009 for her work on ribosomes. Ribosomes are like tiny factories in cells that make proteins.
- Michael Levitt and Arieh Warshel both won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2013. They developed computer models to understand how chemical reactions work.
- Shafrira Goldwasser and Adi Shamir are computer scientists who won the Turing Award. This is like the Nobel Prize for computer science.
- Amir Pnueli also won the Turing Award for his work in computer science.
Other famous scientists include:
- Ephraim Katzir, a biophysicist who became the fourth President of Israel.
- Leo Sachs, a molecular biologist who did important work on cancer research.
- David Harel, a computer scientist known for his work on visual languages.
- Mordehai Milgrom, an astrophysicist who proposed a new theory about gravity.
See also
In Spanish: Instituto Weizmann de Ciencias para niños
- List of universities in Israel
- Science and technology in Israel
