The Rothschild Prize for 2024 was awarded last week to two faculty members from the Technion: Professor Michael (Miki) Elad for his research in engineering, and Professor Mordechai (Moti) Segev for his research in physics. The ceremony was led by the philanthropic foundation Yad Hanadiv of the Rothschild family. The awards were presented at the National Library in Jerusalem, and the following day, a scientific conference was held at the library to showcase the winners' achievements and their impact in their respective fields.
The Yad Hanadiv Foundation awards prizes every two years to outstanding Israeli researchers from leading institutions in Israel. The prizes, totaling 1.5 million NIS, are given in recognition of exceptional scientific achievements, breakthroughs, or discoveries in the following fields: mathematics, computer science, engineering, life sciences, environmental sciences, chemistry, physics, social sciences, Jewish studies, and humanities.
• Professor Miki Elad from the Taub Faculty of Computer Science received the prize for his research in engineering, which has led to practical developments, including reduced radiation levels in CT scans and shortened MRI scan times. The award was given in recognition of his pioneering contributions in the fields of signal and image processing and computational learning. Professor Elad's research has revolutionized the ways in which digital information is handled by developing groundbreaking tools and algorithms based on sparse representations and advanced AI techniques. His work over the years has introduced advanced models based on machine learning that offer dimensionality reduction for signals and images, thereby enabling efficient processing of these data sources for tasks such as compression, inversion problems, and more. A unique feature of his research is the continuous bridge between deep theoretical and mathematical analysis and the practical world, where applications are developed directly based on these contributions. Professor Elad's work has led to the emergence of a rich new research field that has changed how information is processed and handled, and his contributions continue to inspire researchers worldwide.
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