Yuval Neeman
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Yuval Neeman (Hebrew: יובל נאמן, born May 14, 1925, died April 26, 2006), was an Israeli soldier, physicist and politician, serving as a Minister during the 1980s and early 1990s
Contents |
[edit] Background
He was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, graduated from high school at the age of 15, and studied mechanical engineering in the Technion. At the age of 15, Neeman also joined the Hagana. During the Israeli War of Independence in 1948 Neeman served in the Israeli Defense Forces as battalion deputy commander, then as Operations Officer of Tel Aviv, and commander of Givati Brigade. Later (1952–1954) he served as Deputy Commander of Operations Department of General Staff, Commander of Planning Department of IDF. In this role, he helped organize the IDF into a reservist-based army, developed the mobilization system, and wrote the first draft of the Israel defense doctrine. In 1958–1960 Neeman was IDF Attaché in Great Britain, where he also studied for a Ph.D. in physics under supervision of Abdus Salam at Imperial College London. In 1961, he was demobilized from the IDF with a rank of Colonel.
[edit] Scientific career
One of his greatest achievements in physics was his discovery (in 1962, independently from Murray Gell-Mann ) of the classification of hadrons through their SU(3) flavour symmetry—today known as the quark model. A nobel prize for this discovery was given to Murray Gell-Mann but not to Prof. Neeman. A fact which left him with much frustration in years to come. Never the less, In his scientific career Neeman made other important contributions to particle physics, astrophysics, cosmology and the philosophy of science.
Neeman was founder and director of the School of Physics and Astronomy at Tel-Aviv University from 1965 to 1972, president of Tel-Aviv University from 1971 to 1975, and director of its Sackler Institute of Advanced Studies from 1979 to 1997. He was also the director of the Center for Particle Theory at the University of Texas, Austin from 1968 to 1990.
In 1969, he received the Israel Prize in the field of exact sciences and the Einstein Medal for his unique contribution in the field of physics. In 2003, he received the EMET Prize for Arts, Sciences and Culture for his pioneering contribution in the deciphering of the atomic nucleus and its components, and for his enormous scientific contribution to the development of sub-atomic physics in Israel. [1]
A strong believer in the importance of space research and satellites to the country's economic future and security, Neeman founded the Israeli Space Agency in 1983 and chaired it almost until his death. He also served on the Atomic Energy Commission from 1965 to 1984 and held the position of scientific director in its Soreq facility. Neeman was chief scientist of the Defense Ministry from 1974 to 1976.
[edit] Political career
In the late 1970s, Neeman founded Tehiya, a right-wing breakaway from Likud, formed in opposition to Menachem Begin's support for the Camp David talks that paved the way for peace with Egypt and the evacuation of Yamit. He was elected to the Knesset in the 1981 elections in which Tehiya won three seats. The party joined Begin's coalition about a year after the elections and Neeman was appointed Minister of Science and Development, the role later changed to Minister of Science and Technology.
He retained his seat in the 1984, but Tehiya were not included in the grand coalition formed by the Alignment and Likud. After the 1988 elections Tehiya were again excluded from the governing coalition. Neeman resigned from the Knesset on 31 January, 1990 and was replaced by Elyakim Haetzni. However, in June Tehiya joined the government after the Alignment had left, and he was appointed Minister of Energy and Infrastructure and Minister of Science and Technology despite not retaking his seat in the Knesset. He lost his ministerial position in the 1992 elections and did not return to politics.
He passed away at the age of 81, on April 26, 2006 in Tel Aviv, due to an acute stroke. He left a wife, Dvora, a son and daughter, and a sister, Ruth Ben-Yisrael.
