The Board of Trustees of the Jerusalem College of Technology (JCT) has appointed professor Avi Domb as president-elect. In recent years, Domb, a chemist and pharmacist by training, has headed the school of pharmacy in the faculty of medicine at the Hebrew University and served as chief scientist of Israel’s Ministry of Science and Technology. He is expected to assume his position in October and will replace te current JCT president, professor Chaim Sukenik, who is retiring after three terms.
Domb has extensive experience in academia and industry. Throughout his career, he has held senior positions at Hebrew University and leading research institutions in the United States. Previously, Domb headed the forensic science division of the Israel Police and served as president of Azrieli College of Engineering. He has been involved in groundbreaking technological ventures and has led innovative developments in medicine and chemistry.
“I am privileged and excited to join JCT, an institution that combines academic and scientific excellence with Torah studies and Jewish values,” said Domb. “The connection between Torah and science is one of my core values. I look forward to leading JCT to continued growth and impact in science, industry and Israeli society.”
Domb added that he has encountered many JCT alumni during his career, both in the health-care system, where many alumni hold senior positions, and in the defense industry, where JCT graduates lead some of the nation’s most cutting-edge and critical projects. According to Domb, the opportunity to advance the next generation of Israeli leaders in science and technology is one of the main reasons for accepting the position.
The appointment comes at the end of Sukenik’s 12-year tenure. Sukenik led JCT through a renewal process, most notably the establishment of the new Tal Campus for women, which recently began construction.
“I am concluding a period of work alongside excellent people, partners in the vision and mission,” noted Sukenik. “I am grateful for the privilege of leading JCT, an institution that trains the future generation of scientists and engineers, whose uniqueness lies in being Torah-observant scientists.”
JCT, known for its approach of integrating Torah study and high-level academia, is a center of excellence in engineering, computer science, nursing and health sciences. The appointment of Domb marks a natural continuation of the vision established by the institution’s founder, the late professor Ze’ev Lev, who imbued JCT with an aspiration for scientific excellence and leadership in innovative fields in the academic and technological arena.