Outstanding Research

Exoplanet Astrophysics and Planetary Science
Dr. Allona Vazan

Dr. Allona Vazan is uncovering the secrets hidden in the depths of distant worlds. Together with her team, she characterizes planets and models the formation and evolution of both solar system bodies and exoplanets throughout our galaxy.
 

The discovery of thousands of exoplanets in our galaxy has revealed an extraordinary diversity in planetary compositions and properties, challenging conventional theories of planet formation and evolution. These findings have driven the development of new theoretical models that incorporate additional physical processes to reconcile theory and data. Informed by recent high-precision measurements of solar system planets from space missions, as well as laboratory experiments on material interactions under the extreme pressures of deep planetary interiors, these models are transforming our understanding of planetary systems.
 

Dr. Vazan's latest research aims to deepen insight into exoplanets by bridging theory with empirical data from space-based observations and laboratory studies. Her work underscores the critical role of emerging knowledge in refining models of planetary interior structure and evolution, reshaping our interpretation of exoplanet data, and highlighting the exciting potential of upcoming exoplanet space missions.

Selected publications:
Vazan et al. 2022, Miguel & Vazan 2023, Vazan & Ormel 2023, Barat et al. 2024, Vazan et al. 2024

Reducing Political Polarization Through Moral Learning
Prof. Tal Moran

Affective polarization, the tendency to view political opponents with hostility and distrust, has emerged as a significant challenge in contemporary democracies. This phenomenon not only harms interpersonal relationships and public discourse but is also linked to increasing support for political violence and democratic erosion.  

A recent research project, conducted in collaboration with Professor Eva Walther of Trier University, explored a novel approach for reducing political polarization: the consistent association of individuals from opposing political groups with moral behaviors. In several experiments with participants from the United States, both Democrats and Republicans showed reduced bias toward their own party and became more accepting of the opposing party when they learned about moral actions performed by individuals affiliated with the opposing party.

These findings suggest that emphasizing shared values may help bridge the political divide and provide crucial insights for designing educational programs and social campaigns to reduce social polarization. This research has recently been accepted for publication in the Social Psychological and Personality Science journal.

Real and Virtual Immersive Experiences: Using VR to Study Historic Architecture 
Dr. Neta Bodner

Sometime after 1150 a massive underground Jewish ritual bath (mikveh) was built in the city of Cologne in North Rhine-Westphalia. This large, decorated subterranean space was designed for immersion ceremonies by both men and women, utilizing naturally welling groundwater. In a collaborative research study – bringing together an architectural historian, an environmental historian, archaeologists excavating the site, a 3D architectural and acoustic modeling expert and a digital innovations expert – we sought to uncover the various motivations behind the unique design. A large interdisciplinary project, funded by the Israel Science Foundation (PI Neta Bodner) set out to use a single building as a case study for concurrent analysis of ritual, architecture, archaeology and environment in order to examine the broadest possible implications of monumental construction. This collaborative project, with Dr. Tanja Potthoff, Dr. Christiane Twiehaus, Dr. Tzafrir Barzilay, archaeologists Michael Wiehen and Yulia Lim (ISF grant no. 1502/22) prompted a fresh perspective of the mikveh. In turn, this new interpretation seemed to demand a novel way of envisioning the space and the data we had collected. This formed the background to a follow-up project funded by the Digital Humanities and Social Sciences Hub at the Open University in collaboration with Beni Zaks and Mazi Kuzi. The goal was to model the information and analysis we collected into a Virtual Reality shared meeting point within which we could simulate various aspects of the Cologne mikveh space.

As we experimented with varying lighting conditions at the site and followed changing water levels in its immersion pool, we explored ways in which the building's design facilitated symbolic associations of the rite (gleaned from primary sources) and maximized the potential for unique subjective experience. We added post-production layers of sound, light, movement, changing water levels and infographics onto a 3D photogrammetry model of the mikveh created by the collaborative team. The model combines environmental analysis, information on ceremonies based on manuscript descriptions, soundscapes sampled in situ to simulate the auditory experience and interactive variables (such as torches or changing natural lighting) that users can manipulate within the model to experience their impact on the space. The resulting digital twin serves both as an analytical tool and as a means for presenting conclusions. Throughout the integration of sensory data, we identified vital details and collaborated with experts who reviewed the archaeological material we were modeling. We consulted medieval manuscript descriptions of the space and reconstructed action onto the photogrammetry model, enabling a concurrent consideration of primary sources alongside architectural analysis. At an interdisciplinary conference in Cologne funded by the Open University's International Office we used the model in conjunction with the archaeological site in order to facilitate professional discussions across multiple areas of expertise. 

In the future we envision the model and its VR embodiment as a dynamic database—an immersive environment in which users can access primary sources and explore alternative reconstruction hypotheses for lost architectural elements.

Immersive Experiences, Photogrammetry and the History of Religious Architecture

Rethinking the Beginning of the Kabbalah
Prof. Tzahi Weiss

The body of Kabbalistic literature, with its enigmatic secrets, vivid mythical depictions, and profound mystical content, alongside exhortations and admonitions to study its contents with great caution, is acknowledged as a cornerstone of medieval Jewish intellectual tradition. The sudden appearance of this unique body of literature at the outset of the 13th century captivated scholars as early as the 19th century, establishing itself as a central inquiry within the historiography of the Kabbalah. This book (Hebrew: Mossad Bialik Press; English: Stanford University Press)

offers a comprehensive historiographic account regarding the beginning of Kabbalah.

The book reassesses the legitimacy of "Kabbalah" as a term while shedding light on the intricate tapestry of early 13^th-century Jewish religious thought, unveiling a nuanced spectrum beyond the conventional dichotomy between "Kabbalah" and "Philosophy."  

https://openu.academia.edu/TzahiWeiss

http://www.openu.ac.il/Personal_sites/tzahi-weiss/

Military institutions and their relationship to the surrounding society and political system 
Prof. Yagil Levy

Prof. Levy's work as a political sociologist has focused on military institutions and their relationship to the surrounding society and political system. Over the years, he has developed several key theoretical frameworks that advance our understanding of this interface.

The concept of convertibility has been central in demonstrating how social groups convert military service into civilian advantages—shaping social hierarchies, military motivation, and the perpetuation of militarism through reward systems and the conversion of social capital. Applying this framework to the Israeli case, Levy had shown how attenuated convertibility has led to a profound transformation in the social composition of the Israeli military. This shift is notably reflected in the evolving social mapping of fallen soldiers—a line of inquiry that broke a longstanding taboo in Israeli society.

Research on death hierarchy has revealed how societies differentiate between military and civilian casualties and how these distinctions shape operational decisions. Levy has also reconceptualized civilian control beyond traditional paradigms, distinguishing between control over the military apparatus and control over the legitimacy of using force—what he calls "control of militarism." In addition, his research on religious influences in military institutions has advanced the study of military religion and traced the theocratization of the Israeli military.

Levy is one of a small group of scholars worldwide who have pioneered critical perspectives within military studies. This approach challenges conventional wisdom, exposes power dynamics, and opens new research avenues that illuminate the social costs of militarization.

Through regular contributions to Haaretz, he aims to impact public discourse by applying sociological insights to challenge dominant narratives, especially those surrounding militarism and civil-military relations. This effort has had significant impact, including revealing social tracking in the military and the rising influence of the religious sector.

Neuro-Biomorphic Engineering Lab (NBEL)
Prof. Elishai Ezra Tsur

Prof. Elishai Ezra Tzur specializes in neuro-biomorphic engineering, a field dedicated to the development of computers and algorithms based on neural computation.

This discipline offers a novel computational paradigm with broad implications in robotics, artificial intelligence, and high-performance computing.

The laboratory headed by Prof. Ezra Tzur serves as a second home for postdoctoral research fellows and master's students in computer science, computer engineering, and machine learning. These researchers work on a range of projects in the neuromorphic domain, spanning theory, hardware, algorithmics, and applications.

The lab's research team is at the forefront of innovation, bringing together students with academic backgrounds in aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, physics, neuroscience, and computer science.

Recently, the lab was awarded a grant from the Israel Innovation Authority as part of a consortium that includes leading industry companies and top academic research groups. The consortium is focused on developing Israel's first “blue-and-white" neuromorphic computer.

https://nbel-lab.com/

Towards an Ecology of Jewish Printed Broadsides: Reclaiming a Neglected Early Modern Textual Object
Avriel Bar-Levav

Jewish broadsides and single-sheet prints have a long-standing presence in Hebrew printing, dating back to the first days of the printing press. As a trailblazing category in print history and communication, these single-sheet prints reflected a novel approach to disseminating information and diverse subject matter.

This project breaks new methodological ground by positioning Jewish broadsides as an untapped resource for reconstructing Jewish history. It pioneers fresh analytical approaches to understanding how these print materials reflected and shaped communal life, religious practices, and cross-cultural interactions with Christian and Muslim neighbors throughout the early modern period and beyond. The research establishes a cutting-edge database through an original, comprehensively tagged catalog, coupled with digitized scans of Jewish broadsheets from global collections—creating an unprecedented scholarly infrastructure complemented by innovative historical analysis methodologies. The fragile, transient nature of these ephemera makes surviving broadsides extraordinarily rare artifacts, often existing as singular witnesses to lost worlds of Jewish expression.

The project is funded by the Israel Science Foundation and the research authority of the Open University of Israel, with the cooperation of the National Library.