The Fritz Haber Center of Molecular Dynamics
The Fritz Haber Center for Molecular Dynamics was established in 1981 by the Minerva Foundation of the Max Planck Society and The Hebrew University. The purpose of the center was to support and develop theoretical scientific research in the field of molecular reaction dynamics in Israel and to strengthen the scientific collaboration with German scientists in these fields. Since its inauguration, the center became a well–known establishment of molecular dynamics research in the scientific world with strong influence on chemical and materials sciences.
The fields of activities by the different researchers form a significant sample of activities in the Molecular Dynamics world: quantum coherent control, charge transfer excitations, attosecond dynamics, coarse grained dynamics, quantum electronic dynamics in nanocrystals, dynamics in biophysical systems, proton-transfer dynamics in water environments and proton wires in proteins.
The Casali Center of Applied Chemistry
The Casali Center of Applied Chemistry was founded in 1975 by Kathleen Casali. The uniqueness of this center lies in being the only research center in Israel that focuses on advancing multidisciplinary research in applied chemistry. The main objectives of the Casali Center are: to be a focus of strategic and applied scientific research directed towards developing Israeli industry; to teach and train M.Sc. and Ph.D. students; to be a center for the transfer of innovative and advanced scientific knowledge for both Israeli and international chemical companies, and to enhance the connection and integration of basic and applied research within the Hebrew University. Over the years, many innovative technologies have been developed at the Casali Center and adopted by the chemical, food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.
The current areas of research at the Casali Center include: colloid and interface science, biomedical polymers, environmental chemistry, composite materials and polymers, forensic chemistry, emulsions and microemulsions, nanotechnology, catalysis, green chemistry, organic synthesis, organic geochemistry, renewable energy and solar cells.
The Center of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
The Hebrew University Center of Nanoscience & Nanotechnology (HUCNN) is a center of scientific and technological excellence. Its first-class faculty members, high level research and publications, state-of-the-art infrastructure, collaborations with international academia and industry, and efficient commercialization have positioned the Center as a premier facility worldwide. The Center’s Units for NanoCharacterizaton and NanoFabrication provide hi-tech nanotechnological services and facilities to researchers from across the University’s faculties, other universities and industry.
Amongst its more than 86 members the HUCNN boasts 300 papers a year in high level leading scientific journals as well as numerous prize winners. Center members are recipients of the EMET Prize, Rothschild Prize, Prime Minister's Prize for Initiatives and Innovations, the Israel Chemical Society Award and many other prestigious honors. Members of The HUCNN are also members of the Israeli and international Academies of Science. 21 of the Center’s researchers have won 23 of the most prestigious funding awards of the European Community (ERC) for their innovative, cutting edge research projects receiving research grants totaling 24 million euros. Moreover, HUCNN is at the frontline of fighting Israel’s academic brain drain by recruiting almost half of its members from abroad, 11 of them now ERC award winners.
Minerva Center for Making new Bonds by Fragmentation
The common approach to fragmentation considers the dynamics of bond breaking. Nevertheless, fragmentation can involve non-trivial dynamics that can lead also to formation of new unexpected bonds. While fascinating from a basic research perspective, the paradigm of forming bonds by fragmentation can be of great importance to various fields, including understanding the molecular composition of the interstellar universe and of our planet's atmosphere, as well as in technological applications such as proteomics. While statistical approaches can sometimes be useful, the challenge in understanding fragmentation on the molecular scale arises from the underlying quantum-mechanical nature of such small sub-nanometer systems. Furthermore, fragmentation can occur on widely different time scales, from ultrafast processes occurring on the femto-second time scale to ultra-slow processes spanning milliseconds and even second time scales.
In recent years, the founding members of the this center independently developed a wide range of novel capabilities, which offer a unique opportunity for investigation of fragmentation processes in general and in particular, the formation of new bonds by fragmentation of carefully prepared molecular or cluster systems.
The goal of this multi-disciplinary Minerva center, it to form an inter-university community of physics and chemistry, experimental and theory research groups for studying the making of new bonds by fragmentation. The center promotes joint experiments, closely supported by theoretical simulations, enabling Israeli groups to perform experiments at unique facilities developed by the German members and vice versa.