Renata Reisfeld (Hebrew: רנטה ריספלד, née Sobel) is an Israeli Professor of Chemistry and D.H.C. Enrique Berman Professor of Solar Energy at Institute of Chemistry of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, author of 532 scientific papers cited more than 30,000 times.

Renata Reisfeld
Professor Renata Reisfeld
Born1930
NationalityPolish, Israeli
Alma materHebrew University
Known forSol-Gel, fluorescence resonance energy transfer, rare earth elements, Optical coatings, Photovoltaic electricity, Nanoparticles, Luminescent solar concentrators
AwardsMedal of Honor, Lyon, France
Scientific career
FieldsChemistry
InstitutionsHebrew University
University of Geneva
University of Lyon
University of Bucharest
Paris VI University
Paris-Sud 11 University Orsay
University of Sydney
Polish Academy of Science, Wrocław, Poland
Doctoral students28 PhD and Master thesis

Biography

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Rina and Eliezer
 
Center - Professor Renata Reisfeld, right - researcher Viktoria Levchenko, left - researcher Tsiala Saraidarov

Renata Sobel was born in Chelm, Poland in 1930.[1] She came to Israel in 1950 and graduated from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Her husband is Lazar Eliezer Reisfeld; her children are Danny and Gideon.[citation needed]

Reisfeld became the head of the science research team at The Institute of Chemistry of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1975. Reisfeld's research interests are luminescent solar concentrators for decreasing the price of photovoltaic electricity, interaction of nanoparticles with luminescent species, anti-reflecting coating, and Sol-Gel glasses.[2] She began developing solar concentrators with her research team in 1978.[3][4]

From 2007 until 2010, Reisfeld acted at GreenSun Energy Ltd as Chief Scientist.[5][6][7]

On 4 July 1976, Reisfeld was among the 102 hostages rescued by Israeli troops at the airport of Entebbe, Uganda. A week earlier, she had been a passenger aboard Air France flight 139 from Tel Aviv via Athens to Paris that was abducted by a commando of Palestinian and German air pirates attempting to press for the release of 55 mainly Palestinian prisoners held in Israel and other countries on terrorism charges. Reisfeld was one of several witnesses who shared their experiences in media interviews immediately after their return to Israel[8] as well as on the occasion of the event's 40-year anniversary.[9]

Recognition

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In 1993 she received an Honorary degreeDoctor Honoris Causa from the University of Lyon, France.[10] In 1993 she was awarded the Medal for scientific achievement of Mayor Lyon, France.[11] In 1998 she received an Honorary degree – Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Bucharest, Romania. In 2005 she received an Honorary degree – Professor Honoris Causa from the Polish Academy of Science, Wrocław, Poland.[12] In 2010 she was awarded the Gold Medal of the University of Wrocław, Poland.

In 2018, the Journal of Luminescence published a special issue in honor of Reisfeld.[13] In 2018, Elsevier highlighted her contributions to physics.[14] In 2020, the International Sol-Gel Society established the Renata Reisfeld Fellowship.[15]

Books

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Jew of the Week: "Renata Reisfeld: The Renowned Chemist Who Survived the Holocaust—and Entebbe"
  2. ^ Judy Siegel-Itzkovich (October 10, 2009). "New World: New light on solar energy". The Jerusalem Post.
  3. ^ Renata Reisfeld; Samuel Neuman (July 13, 1978). "Planar solar energy converter and concentrator based on uranyl-doped glass". Nature. 274 (5667): 144–145. Bibcode:1978Natur.274..144R. doi:10.1038/274144a0. S2CID 4188054.
  4. ^ Renata Reisfeld; Yehoshua Kalisky (January 17, 1980). "Improved planar solar converter based on uranyl neodymium and holmium glasses". Nature. 283 (5744): 281–282. Bibcode:1980Natur.283..281R. doi:10.1038/283281a0. S2CID 4311504.
  5. ^ "Solar energy in Israel: It's knockout". The Economist. 23 July 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  6. ^ "Solar cover on the walls". The Marker. 30 July 2009. (in Hebrew)
  7. ^ Avi Bar-Eli (30 July 2009). "New tech could coat buildings in efficient solar-energy panels". Haaretz. Retrieved 7 July 2011.
  8. ^ "Anti-Hijack Leader Credits Surprise For Raid's Success". Desert Sun. UPI. 5 July 1976. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
  9. ^ Reisfeld, Smadar (1 June 2016). "רינה רייספלד, מחטופי טיסה 139 של אייר פראנס: "החוטפים היו משכילים, השיחות איתם היו מרתקות"". Haaretz (in Hebrew). Retrieved 26 June 2017.
  10. ^ Video (Part 1): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6ECAV9jqK8 Video (Part 2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V16c9uDfshA
  11. ^ Video from the Mayor Lyon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcML-GwVGcc.
  12. ^ Video at the Polish Academy of Science, Wrocław, Poland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lLWoxK-_3E Video from the Ceremony from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem with Ambassador of Poland (Part 1): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UyLt8vpPic (Part 2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V16c9uDfshA
  13. ^ Boulon, Georges; Strek, Wieslaw (2018). "Preface". Journal of Luminescence. 193: 1–2. Bibcode:2018JLum..193....1B. doi:10.1016/j.jlumin.2017.10.030.
  14. ^ Renata Reisfeld in Virtual Special Issue on Women in Physics 2018
  15. ^ "Professor Renata Reisfeld - ISGS". www.isgs.org. 30 June 2020.
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