Dr. Amit Shocron
The Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research
My life before BGU:
I was born and raised in the Upper Galilee, on Kibbutz Neot Mordechai and Kibbutz Ma’ayan Baruch. After finishing high school, I spent a year in national service and then joined the Atuda Academic Reserve Program, specifically the elite “Barakim” (Lightning) track. As part of the program, I completed both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology, before beginning my military service.
While serving in the army, I started my PhD, also in mechanical engineering at the Technion, on a part-time basis, and then continued full-time after completing my service. During that period, I also met my partner, Doron, who later became my wife. After completing my doctorate, we moved to New Haven, Connecticut, where I began a postdoctoral fellowship at Yale University.
Why BGU?
Having grown up near Israel’s northern border, I’ve always felt a strong connection to the country’s geographic periphery. The atmosphere at Ben-Gurion University—and especially at the Sde Boker campus—fits perfectly with our family and the kind of lifestyle we value.
Professionally, my research focuses on desalination and water treatment technologies, making the Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research the ideal place to continue and deepen my work.
My research:
I study electrochemical applications for desalination and water treatment. My research seeks a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms that drive these processes, with the goal of improving their performance in creative and efficient ways.
An insight from my research:
A deep understanding of basic processes can save an enormous amount of trial and error.
Something that doesn't appear on my CV:
I play the baritone horn and trombone. As a student, I even spent several semesters playing with the Technion Orchestra.
When I grow up…
As a child, I wanted to be an engineer. I haven’t really changed my mind since then. Now, I want to be a researcher in engineering.
In a few words
- Pilates or spinning? Pilates—less sweat involved.
- Morning or night? Morning. Though I’m about to become a father, so I suppose that will depend on the baby!
- Summer or winter? Winter. I like the cold.
- Steak or tofu? Steak, I have Argentinian family...
- Berry Sakharof or Noa Kirel? Berry Sakharof.
- Instant coffee or espresso? Espresso—but Turkish coffee will do in a pinch.
- Trekking or the beach? Trekking.
- Evening with friends or alone? Usually with friends.
- Car or train? Train.
- Sea or pool? River, I grew up in the Galilee.
- City or country? Country.
- Text or call? Usually a text.
- Dog or cat? Dog.
- Fantasy or reality? Fantasy.
