Amos de-Shalit
Encyclopedia
Amos de-Shalit was a distinguished Israeli nuclear physicist.
and graduated from Gymnasia Balfour.
In 1949, de-Shalit earned his master's degree in physics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
, writing his M.Sc. thesis under the guidance of Giulio Racah. During the Israeli War of Independence, he served in the IDF
Science Corps, together with other students of Professor Racah. Whilst the war was still in progress, de-Shalit, together with some other students, sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion
, stressing that the future of physics is nuclear physics
and cosmic radiation. As a consequence, a number of students, including de-Shalit, were sent to the world's top nuclear institutions to gain the requisite knowledge. In 1951, he earned his doctorate at the ETH Zurich
in Switzerland. From 1952 to 1954, he was a research fellow at Princeton University
and Massachusetts Institute of Technology
and spent some time at the Saclay Atomic Research Institute in France
.
In 1954, de-Shalit was asked to establish the Department of Nuclear Physics at the Weizmann Institute of Science
, which he headed for ten years. While working at the Weizmann Institute, he also served as a consultant to the Israel Ministry of Defense
. From 1961 to 1963, de-Shalit served as science director of the Weizmann Institute and from 1966 to 1969, he served as the Institutes's Chief Executive/General Manager.
He died in 1969, not yet 43 years old, from acute pancreatitis.
and political science
, respectively, at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His sister, Tamar, was married to Arthur Goldreich
.
Biography
Amos de-Shalit was born in 1926 in Jerusalem in the then Palestine Mandate. He grew up in Tel AvivTel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
and graduated from Gymnasia Balfour.
In 1949, de-Shalit earned his master's degree in physics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem ; ; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second-oldest university, after the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. The Hebrew University has three campuses in Jerusalem and one in Rehovot. The world's largest Jewish studies library is located on its Edmond J...
, writing his M.Sc. thesis under the guidance of Giulio Racah. During the Israeli War of Independence, he served in the IDF
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
Science Corps, together with other students of Professor Racah. Whilst the war was still in progress, de-Shalit, together with some other students, sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion
David Ben-Gurion
' was the first Prime Minister of Israel.Ben-Gurion's passion for Zionism, which began early in life, led him to become a major Zionist leader and Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946...
, stressing that the future of physics is nuclear physics
Nuclear physics
Nuclear physics is the field of physics that studies the building blocks and interactions of atomic nuclei. The most commonly known applications of nuclear physics are nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons technology, but the research has provided application in many fields, including those...
and cosmic radiation. As a consequence, a number of students, including de-Shalit, were sent to the world's top nuclear institutions to gain the requisite knowledge. In 1951, he earned his doctorate at the ETH Zurich
ETH Zurich
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich or ETH Zürich is an engineering, science, technology, mathematics and management university in the City of Zurich, Switzerland....
in Switzerland. From 1952 to 1954, he was a research fellow at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
and Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
and spent some time at the Saclay Atomic Research Institute in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
In 1954, de-Shalit was asked to establish the Department of Nuclear Physics at the Weizmann Institute of Science
Weizmann Institute of Science
The Weizmann Institute of Science , known as Machon Weizmann, is a university and research institute in Rehovot, Israel. It differs from other Israeli universities in that it offers only graduate and post-graduate studies in the sciences....
, which he headed for ten years. While working at the Weizmann Institute, he also served as a consultant to the Israel Ministry of Defense
Ministry of Defense (Israel)
The Ministry of Defence of the government of Israel, is the governmental department responsible for defending the State of Israel from internal and external military threats...
. From 1961 to 1963, de-Shalit served as science director of the Weizmann Institute and from 1966 to 1969, he served as the Institutes's Chief Executive/General Manager.
He died in 1969, not yet 43 years old, from acute pancreatitis.
Awards and honours
- In 1962, de-Shalit was elected as a member of the Israel Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesIsrael Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesThe Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, based in Jerusalem, was set up in 1961 by the State of Israel to foster contact between scholars from the sciences and humanities in Israel, to advise the government on research projects of national importance, and to promote excellence. It comprises...
. - In 1965, he was awarded the Israel PrizeIsrael PrizeThe Israel Prize is an award handed out by the State of Israel and is largely regarded as the state's highest honor. It is presented annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state ceremony in Jerusalem, in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister, the Knesset chairperson, and the...
in exact sciences, together with his colleague Professor Igal TalmiIgal TalmiIgal Talmi is a distinguished Israeli nuclear physicist.-Biography:Igal Talmi was born in 1925 in Kiev, Ukraine, then part of the Soviet Union. His family immigrated to Mandate Palestine later that year and settled in Kfar Yehezkel...
, for their work on "shell model" in nuclear physics. - The De Shalit High SchoolDe Shalit High SchoolDe Shalit High School is a high school and two sister junior high schools located in the city Rehovot, in Israel. It is named after the physicist Amos de-Shalit .The school has around 2000 students...
and two junior sister high schools in RehovotRehovotRehovot is a city in the Center District of Israel, about south of Tel Aviv. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 112,700. Rehovot's official website estimates the population at 114,000.Rehovot was built on the site of Doron,...
were renamed after him. - In 1974, In conjunction with the Weizmann Institute, the "Amos de-Shalit Foundation" was founded to foster an increased awareness of the important role of science amongst Israeli youth, and "Amos de-Shalit Summer School program" was launched in his name.
Family
Amos de-Shalit's sons, Ehud and Avner, are professors, for mathematicsMathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
, respectively, at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. His sister, Tamar, was married to Arthur Goldreich
Arthur Goldreich
Arthur Goldreich was a South African-Israeli abstract painter and a key figure in the anti-apartheid movement in the country of his birth.-Early life:...
.