Prof. Avital Gasith, from the School of Zoology at Tel Aviv University, is the recipient of the Israel Prize, the largest and most prestigious prize awarded by the State of Israel, in the field of environmental sciences and sustainability research for the year 2023. The prize was awarded for his pioneering work in the protection of nature in Israel, especially waterways. He is the second Tel Aviv University professor to receive the Israel Prize this year.
The committee further noted that “Prof. Gasith has been able to apply science to public struggles and political decisions that have found expression on the ground. He is active in many committees for the protection of nature and the promotion of sustainable development in Israel.
“I am very pleased to receive this award,” said Prof. Gasith. “The announcement was a pleasant and moving surprise for me. I see it primarily as recognition by the State of Israel of the importance of investing in and promoting awareness of environmental activity, a recognition that hardly existed at the beginning of my academic career. In my work, I tried to create the infrastructure of an environmental approach among scientists, the public and decision-makers, and to my great joy, there are many students today who can continue on this important path.”
The Israel Prize is the most important and prestigious prize awarded each year by the State of Israel to outstanding personalities in various artistic, cultural, scientific or social fields. This year it will also be awarded to Prof. Yoram Dinstein, former President of Tel Aviv University, in the field of legal research.
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