Congratulations to Dr. Dana Kaplan and Dr. Allona Vazan on their nomination to the Management Committee of 2 new 2023 COST actions.

Dr. Allona Vazan, a senior lecturer in physics in the Astrophysics Research Center (ARCO), Department of Natural Sciences. Her research focuses on theoretical and computational models of planetary interiors and their evolution in time, from an astrophysical perspective. The aim of her work is to better understand planetary worlds - from super-Earth planets to gas giant planets - by characterizing their properties and their history. Her research brings together planet formation theories, observation of exoplanet populations, and knowledge from our solar system.

Dr. Vazan was nominated to the Management Committee of action number 22133 which will work on the topic: The birth of solar systems (PLANETS). The action brings together researchers from Denmark, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Switzerland, United Kingdom and of course Israel.


Dr. Dana Kaplan is a senior lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Political Science, and Communication at the Open University of Israel.  Dr. Kaplan is a cultural sociologist specializing in middle class cultures in Israel, with a specific focus on aesthetics, spirituality, embodiment and sexuality as new forms of immaterial labour. 

Dr. Vazan was nominated to the Management Committee of action number 22165 which will work on the topic: Redressing Radical Polarisation: Strengthening European Civil Spheres facing Illiberal Digital Media. The action brings together researchers from Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey and Israel.

Dr. Gal Levy is a senior teaching faculty & researcher in the Department of Sociology, Political Science and Communication atthe Open University of Israel. Dr. Levy is investigating the emergence, post 2011, of activists’ groups that challenge the neo-liberal order and is following the struggle for social housing in Israel.

Dr. levy was nominated to the Management Committee of action number 22167 which will work on the topic: Participatory Approaches with Older Adults. The action brings together researchers from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Lithuania, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and Israel.