At its General Assembly meeting held on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities elected five distinguished scholars as new members, bringing the Academy's total membership to 160.
The newly elected members are:
- Prof. Dorit Aharonov, Computer Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
- Prof. Ruth HaCohen-Pinczower, Musicology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
- Prof. Maya Schuldiner, Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science
- Prof. Gideon Shelach-Lavi, Asian Studies, Archaeology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
- Prof. Haim Sompolinsky, Neuroscience, Physics, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
The new members will be formally inducted during a festive ceremony scheduled for Hanukkah, December 2026.
Prof. David Harel, President of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, welcomed the new members, stating:
“The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities today warmly welcomes five new members, each of whom is a leader in their respective field, and together they represent the diversity and depth of Israeli scientific research at its very best. Their election reminds us that even in challenging times, Israel continues to cultivate generations of innovative, boundary-breaking scholars. The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities will continue to foster and safeguard independent scientific research in Israel, one of the country’s most important assets, and I wish the new members every success in their continued research and in their activities within the Academy.”