Sustainability beyond moralizing and transforming society into a socialist gulag is indeed an imperative. It needs a concept of sustainability in which growth and conservation of resources are not antagonistic. $50 million has now been put on the table for this grand vision.
And there can probably be no better place than Israel and here again the Technion, which stands in the spirit of Einstein. The Technion in Haifa is without a doubt one of the most innovative place in Israel and therefore also worldwide.
The pressrelease gives details: The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology announced that American philanthropists Lynda and Stewart Resnick, co-owners of California-based The Wonderful Company, have pledged, through their foundation, a $50 million gift to transform the university’s research and development of sustainability and catalysis.
The $50 million gift will establish the Stewart and Lynda Resnick Sustainability Center for Catalysis, designed to empower faculty and students to uncover new ways to maintain global growth while protecting the planet for future generations.
The pledge is the latest in a series of gifts by the Resnicks’ foundation to improve the quality of life of future generations by protecting the ecosystem and preserve natural resources.
The Center’s activity will strengthen the State of Israel and its economy and bolster the Technion’s position as a global center of innovation. It will facilitate the recruitment of young scientists and promote research collaborations with academia and industry.
Catalysis as Approach to Sustainability
Catalysis is a chemical process that dramatically speeds up a reaction between molecules; it also occurs in our bodies. In industry, catalysis is involved in 90% of the production processes. A catalyst is the molecule responsible for this acceleration, and it drives many processes that are not otherwise possible.
The constant improvement of catalysis processes makes industrial methods more efficient and reduces their environmental damage, hence the connection between catalysis and sustainability.
“The daily impact of environmental change is seen through every aspect of our world. We need great minds across the globe working to preserve the planet to prepare for the needs of future generations. It’s now or never,” said Stewart Resnick, chairman, and president of The Wonderful Company. “Through the resources, dedication, and efforts that will emerge from this sustainability and catalysis center, we will confront the climate crisis rather than hide from it. Lynda and I and the Wonderful Company are proud to call the Technion partners.”
Distinguished Professor Ilan Marek, of the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry will head the Center says: “Instead, we must refine the production processes and reduce their impact on the environment. The key is improving the many catalytic processes currently being used in thousands of production processes in all branches of industry. By using new catalysts, we can, for example, not only reduce pollution in the process of plastic production but also make plastics that can be degraded and recycled.”
Distinguished Prof. Marek’s leadership will be especially important as projects emerge that address how to reinvent global production in more sustainable, cost-effective, and efficient ways to reduce environmental harm.
The 65,000 ft2 building with large, open-space laboratories will incorporate a modular infrastructure that meets current needs and can be adapted to accommodate future developments in scientific technology equipment. The facility’s unique architectural design aims to foster collaboration and interaction among researchers.