Research Centers & Labs - Shenkar Brochure

SHENKAR COLLEGE – ENGINEERING. DESIGN. ART. RESEARCH CENTERS & LABS ACT Shenkar Big Data Lab CIRTex – The David & Barbara Blumenthal Israel Center for Innovation and Research in Textiles The Edelstein Center for the Analysis of Ancient Artifacts Israel Plastics & Rubber Center The Keter Center for Innovation in Engineering and Design The Keter Plastics Digital Prototyping Center

Multidisciplinary Learning Center The Michal and Dr. Avraham Kadar‭ ‬D esign and Technology‭ ‬C enter Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Research Center The Rose Fashion and Textile Archive The Rozen Center for Sustainability The Shenkar Institute for Research and Documentation of Design in Israel Textile Testing Laboratories

Research centers & labs

ACT SHENKAR

Manager: Tami Warshavski

ACT Shenkar connects Shenkar College and the State of Israel with the global trend towards creative economy – one in which, alongside digitization and automation, design and human creative skills are in demand. In support of the business development of students, graduates and faculty members, the center meets with policymakers, raises the funding, builds new capacities in both higher education and economic sectors aligned with the fields of entrepreneurship, design strategy, international relations, and creative leadership. It raises awareness of

the significance of creative economy and nurtures the creative talents in early formative years.

Examples of the center’s activities include a successful ACT Accelerator, which provides necessary business training and seed funding to the most original projects; running the national selection for the annual international "Creative Business Cup" competition; supervising Shenkar’s commercialization and patents portfolio, etc.

Founder and manager of ACT Shenkar, Tami Warshavsky, with ACT Accelerator alumna Renana Krebs and her successful start-up, Algalife, which specializes in manufacturing biodegradable textiles and ecological dyes from seaweed

www.shenkar.ac.il act-shenkar@shenkar.ac.il

ACT SHENKAR

Research centers & labs

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

NEW CAMPUS: SKILLS OF THE FUTURE The “Forum of Countries to Share Knowledge towards the Advancement of the Creative Economy” was founded in February 2019, as an initiative of ACT Shenkar and the Israeli Minister of Economy, Eli Cohen

CLEVER Throughout 2015-2019, ACT Shenkar has been working towards deepening our understanding and awareness of the economic potential of creative industries in Israel within CLEVER (Creative Leadership & Entrepreneurship Visioning Education

Roadmap) project. Funded by the European Commission (EACEA) under the Erasmus+ Programme with a budget of 1.6 million euros, the initiative has united 15 European and Israeli institutions – including the Ministry of Economy.

In 2019, in collaboration with Tel Aviv University, ACT Shenkar launched a new forward-looking curriculum in entrepreneurship and creative leadership, which was generously supported by the Council of Higher Education. The track addresses the skillset and conceptual framework that students need in order to thrive in Israel’s creative economy sector.

BIG DATA LA B

Manager: Dr. Oded Koren

Research centers & labs

The Big Data conference of 2016, attended by researchers, experts and industry professionals confronted various aspects of the field, including changes in digital consumption patterns, ideas on computational learning (Machine Learning), and case studies of security applications and customer service

From navigation systems to Facebook posts, digital images and apps, every day we generate an ocean of data worth billions. The question is, what can we learn from this stack of data and what tools can assist with the analysis?

The Big Data Lab in Shenkar promotes the research of large volume data management, through the application of artificial intelligence (AI). Here, students and academic faculty aim to identify a use case for AI processes, and the domains of its implementation.

This involves defining and extracting

data, considering methods of collection, structuring, managing and analyzing. The lab teaches coding, data examination, and strategies of experimentation for developing algorithms, utilizing machine learning and deep learning disciplines. The outcome is the creation of innovative research projects and publications, that seek to improve our ability to understand, predict and improve data.

www.shenkar.ac.il

Managing director: Arch. Ayelet Karmon

Sample of a knitted spacer fabric, developed for TRC (textile reinforced concrete) composite materials, applied for infrastructure damage repair

Research centers & labs

CIRTex – THE DAVID & BARBARA BLUMENTHAL ISRAEL CENTER FOR INNOVATION AND RESEARCH IN TEXTILES

CIRTex is dedicated to advancing textile innovation and research, driven by the primary objective of reinvigorating this crucial field by promoting exciting new textile techniques, developing novel materials, diversifying industrial applications, and increasing awareness of eco-conscious thinking.

The center oversees and coordinates a series of parallel projects, utilizing applied process-specific and productspecific research methodologies that encompass material prototyping,

simulation, modelling and testing.

The work at CIRTex typically combines academic, industrial and commercial contexts, leveraging interdisciplinary expertise in science, engineering and design.

The areas of CIRTex research span across electronic sensor fabrics, functional fabrics, composite materials, environmental textiles, biological textiles, textiles 4.0, virtual textiles and non-developable surfaces.

www.cirtex.org info@cirtex.org

CIRTex

Research centers & labs

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

Work process: digital visual data converted into knitting machine code and knitted samples

FISHSkin Supported by the EU Horizon 2020 RISE funding, CIRTex is the managing entity of the FISHSkin research initiative. A collaboration of 8 European and Israeli organizations with academic and non-academic profiles, this project concentrates on developing a new category of raw material for fashion – fish leather. The aim is to integrate the

KNITIT mariculture and fashion industries by using fish flesh and skin as viable, economically useful products.

Circular economy principles combined with innovative technologies and the shaping of consumer tastes will challenge the existing fashion assumptions and explore the viability of fish leather in this industry.

An example of CIRTex’s commercial research collaborations is the KNITIT project, a collaboration with Nike’s Digital Innovation Team. This research focused on developing a computational parametric tool for digitally designing and industrially producing knitted fabrics, creating a direct link between design and manufacturing. The tool includes an

integrated physical simulation component for estimating fabric deformation. It allows users to visualize and control compensations in the fabric’s knitting structure, to better match the initial graphic intent of design to the outcome: physical knitted fabric.

The historical sources of the center’s pigment-based research confront important topics pertinent to the needs of today. Investigating ancient techniques and materials, could yield more sustainable yarndying solutions in the future

Research centers & labs

THE EDELSTEIN CENTER FOR THE ANALYSIS OF ANCIENT ARTIFACTS

Director: Prof. Zvi Koren

This unique research center focuses on the examination of ancient textile artifacts found in archeological digs around the world, concentrating on the sources of the colors, pigments and fibers used. The chemical data unlocks essential information pertaining to their origin, contributing to our knowledge about the lives of people in ancient times. The center

answers a variety of historical and cultural questions, promoting greater understanding of the textiles that people wore in various eras, and their relationships and trade routes with their neighbors. The studies at the center are carried out in collaboration with archeological departments in universities and museums in Israel and abroad.

edelsteincenter.wordpress.com zvi@shenkar.ac.il

Research centers & labs

ISRAEL PLASTICS & RUBBER CENTER

Managing director: Prof. Amos Ophir

Together with the Israeli high-tech company Elbit Systems Ltd., IPRC researched and developed a biodegradable polymer technology known as HyDrop™ an innovative solution enabling high-altitude highprecision aerial firefighting

The center was renovated in 2018, providing the ideal space for student activity, courses and project work

For over 25 years, the center has servedas an independent institute for applied polymer research and development, specializing in analytics, consultation, training, and technical services to the polymers, plastics, and rubber related industries. The team of senior scientists all come from industrial backgrounds and hold various academic positions within the institution, providing a wealth of knowledge to students and industry alike. With over 2,500 m2 of modern laboratory

and production facilities, the center is professionally equipped for implementing polymer formulations, special compounds, production processes, testing procedures and end-products for the consumer – such as medical, chemical, and food industries. It is committed to enhancing the technological infrastructure, professional level, quality and product portfolio for customers, assisting them to improve their competitive edge in today’s global markets.

© Image courtesy of Lior Avitan www.isplrc.co.il amosophir@shenkar.ac.il

Manager: Prof. Mel Rosenberg

Research centers & labs

THE KETER CENTER FOR INNOVATION IN ENGINEERING AND DESIGN

The rooftop setting of the Keter Center has been host to big‫־‬name industry players for exciting collaborative events, including internet visionary Jeff Pulver, Alon Cohen (inventor of VoIP) and pioneering entrepreneur Rony Ross

Focusing on creativity and entrepreneurship, the Keter Center initiates and hosts meetings, formal and informal conferences, and inspirational networking events for students and graduates, with key business players and experts. Guests from different worlds – technology, art, science, academia, hightech and economics – come to discuss the future of education and technology. The

center hosts TED initiatives, including TEDxShenkarCollege and TED Circles, and has recently launched Shenkar’s first podcast. The center also hosts a wide variety of student initiatives, including a highly successful internship program and the SheCodes project, which promotes female involvement in the hightech industry through teaching code and facilitating placements.

www.shenkar.ac.il mel@shenkar.ac.il

Research centers & labs

THE KETER PLASTICS DIGITAL PROTOTYPING CENTER

Manager: Yaniv Elmaliah

Link samples by Diana Naruzhnik and Ira Isterin, designed and developed as part of a 3D Textiles course in the Textile Design Department, in collaboration with the Digital Prototyping Center

Research of rapid prototyping is one of the most significant challenges facing practical research in the academic world. It is the basis for manufacturing, optimization and flexibility in the context of a pluralistic consumer society. Herein lies the importance of the center, which benefits from a wealth of academic information and technological know-how on digital design.

Among the center’s areas of expertise are implementation of electromechanical systems, understanding of chemical processes, and utilization of available technologies in the design processes.

Benefitting students of all faculties, the center is equipped with advanced 3D printers, as well as laser-cutting and CNC milling equipment, thus offering solutions for decorative and mechanical projects alike.

Calliope is a modular 3D printed ballet shoe made from fully recyclable plastic parts, designed by Noy Saias for her graduate project in Industrial Design (2019)

www.shenkar.ac.il yaniv3d@shenkar.ac.il

MULTIDISCIPLINARY LEARNING CENTER

Director: Liat Resnick

Research centers & labs

The center houses an ever-evolving collection of digital and printed resources assisting students, researchers and lecturers with their academic goals. Spanning across numerous fields, the comprehensive collection features a variety of specialist resources: textbooks and reference books, periodicals, hardcopies, graphic albums, final projects and theses, compact discs, films, slides and subscriptions to professional databases.

Occupying a full floor of the Mitchell Building, the flexible layout contains a central open space designed around collaborative study, with computers

© Images courtesy of Lior Avitan

and scanners at public’s disposal.

It then breaks into several enclosed zones for quiet study and reading.

Unlike in conventional libraries, Shenkar’s collection is scattered throughout all of those spaces, making the access more natural and inviting. The dedicated team of staff are available to assist with navigation in the information world, offering online courses and oneto-one assistance. In addition, the center offers subscriptions for professionals, nurturing mutually beneficial relationships between academia and industry.

We pride ourselves on the high sofa per user ratio in this contemporary learning environment

www.shenkar.ac.il sifria@shenkar.ac.il

Research centers & labs

THE MICHAL AND DR. AVRAHAM KADAR DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER

Founding director: Michal Rinott Technical manager: Shachar Geiger

‘TWO RIDERS’ a double-sided bike, designed as an interactive installation that reflects synchronized movement between the two riders. When a shared pace is found, music begins to play, going in or out of tune as the riders attempt to maintain harmony.

The project was part of the 2*200 Bicycle Exhibition at the Bloomfield Science Museum, Jerusalem (2018)

© Image courtesy of Lior Avitan A unique space for interdisciplinary research and learning, the center aims to explore the interaction between people and technology, with two main areas of interest: designing technology-mediated human interactions (the MEET project), and designing new materials for the interactive dialog (the MATI project). The center operates in an expansive open-layout creative space, offering students and researchers a variety of modern tools (software and

hardware, micro-controllers, sensors, filming and editing tools) that allow rapid sketching and prototyping in an interactive process. This enables a wide range of activities, from courses, workshops, student and faculty-led research projects – to the creation of interactive installations for cultural institutions and collaborations with industry on “blue sky” projects, which introduce novel interaction design concepts.

As part of the Triennale di Milano 2018, students and teachers of Kadar collaborated with Israel’s Microsoft R&D Center, presenting four interactive installations entitled On Leaving Home, posing the idea of the house as a threshold in contemporary living

www.shenkar.ac.il michalrin@shenkar.ac.il

Research centers & labs

PHARMACEUTICAL AND COSMETIC RESEARCH CENTER

Director: Nir Debotton

Participating in a number of truly unique projects (both internally and externally), the lab actively conducts its research with commercial and academic entities, while also interacting with the wider public through social engagement.

Research carried out in the lab is at the forefront of advanced drug delivery systems known as nanomedicines and nanocosmetics, focusing on the development of

active encapsulation in an attempt to enhance drug absorption through the skin and intestine. The lab is fully equipped with relevant machinery and instruments for researchers and students to carry out their work.

Among other topics, the institute specializes in the development of sun protection preparations, using SPFtesting technology in collaboration with industry-leading Israeli cosmetics experts.

www.shenkar.ac.il nird@shenkar.ac.il

PHARMACEUTICAL AND COSMETIC RESEARCH CENTER PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

TEM images of bacillus coagulans probiotic bacteria encapsulated within a natural polymeric matrix

Research centers & labs

AHAVA The institute regularly hosts elementary school children for an experiential workshop “From the Sea to the Store”, as part of AHAVA's socialeducational project for promoting the sciences. Focusing on color and fragrance, children learn about the stages of production, research,

development and marketing of the Dead Sea cosmetics by experimenting with materials and learning about advanced cosmetic processes. Thus, they become more aware of the ecological and environmental thinking surrounding the cosmetic industry.

SNOW PROJECT The institute is part of the SNOW project – conventional industry consortium founded with support from the Israeli Innovation Authority.

The consortium started its multiyear activity in June 2017, having a mandate to develop generic technologies for the production of

smart non-woven fabrics sensitive to changes in environmental conditions.

The products derived from these technologies are expected to target hygiene, cosmetic, medical and technical markets, offering fabrics that are liquefying, absorbing, pHneutralizing and much more.

Manager: Tal Granovsky-Amit

Research centers & labs

THE ROSE TEXTILE AND FASHION ARCHIVE

Rose Archive is a unique research and learning center, housing Israel's only collection dedicated to the study of fashion and textiles as a sociocultural phenomenon. Recent years have come to show that fashion exhibitions are the rising star of the global cultural world.

Recognizing that, the archive plays an active role in Israel’s creative scene and collaborates with top museums, including an eye-catching display of fashion items for the 2017 exhibition, Gilding the Lily: Buttons and Other

Ornaments, at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art and the 2018 retrospective of local fashion, Fashion Statements: Decoding Israeli Dress, at the Israel Museum of Art. Featuring over 5000 garments, textiles and accessories, with designs from 67 countries, the archive makes sure that all items are duly catalogued, documented and arranged in professional museumstandard conditions in the storage space on Shenkar campus, built in 2018 especially for the needs of the collection.

Accompanying the exhibition Fashion Statements: Decoding Israeli Dress, (2018), is the catalogue A Place for Fashion – a collaboration between The Israel Museum, Rose Archive and Steimatzky, a major Israeli publishing house

rosearchive.shenkar.ac.il rosearchive@shenkar.ac.il

THE ROZEN CENTER FOR SUSTAINABILITY

Manager: Michael Keidar

Research centers & labs

2019 graduate project by Guy Megides, offering a possibility of turning post-consumer textiles into a unique raw material applicable in other fields of design

The center was renovated in

The center acts as a platform for promoting and implementing the field of sustainability both theoretically and practically. The center’s vision is based on 17 UN Sustainability Development Goals (SDG’s), and building on this framework, it carries out projects with a great variety of collaborators – from the academia through the private sector to government institutions.

The center’s position within the interdisciplinary campus, enables ideas and solutions to be produced in diverse knowledge fields. Recent years have witnessed a growth in

student interest to tackle pertinent environmental issues in their final graduate projects, including development of biodegradable materials, zero waste technologies and plastic alternatives. During the academic year of 2019-2020, the center started the wide range of programs and activities encompassing the entirety of Shenkar’s departments, workshops, classrooms and offices, evolving Shenkar into a truly ecofriendly campus. The Green Campus Project is managed in accordance with the guidelines of the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

2018, providing the ideal space for student activity, courses and project work

The center was renovated in 2018, providing the ideal space for student activity, courses and project work

www.shenkar.ac.il rcs@shenkar.ac.il

Research centers & labs

THE SHENKAR INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION OF DESIGN IN ISRAEL

The institute was initiated in 2006

by Reuben Cohen in order to document the history and culture of design in Israel from the onset of the Jewish settlement in 1882 to the present day.

Having started with documentation of the past, the work of the institute culminated in 2019 with the creation of an online database that now serves for the study and presentation of its collection, while generating academic discussion around contemporary design.

Here, one can discover the entirety of the worldviews prevalent in the sphere of Israeli design during various periods, with information about the creators behind the thousands of items.

In response to the institute’s activity and accumulated wealth of knowledge

DESIGNARCHIVE.SHENKAR.AC.IL Manager: Galit Gaon

and experience, Shenkar was nominated as the professional advisor to the National Library’s project, appointing Itzik Rennert a chairman of the steering committee.

The vision of the institute is to act as an open research platform, engaging in dialog with designers, experts and the wider audience by conducting interviews, producing publications and organizing regular events. The institute enjoys great support from the community of Shenkar faculty and the students of specialized programs – in Design Curating, the History and Theory Unit, and Graduate Studies in Design – all of which have joined in the effort of documenting the present and shaping the

Calendar for and iconic logo of EL AL, one of Israel’s most universally recognizable brands, both designed by Dan Reisinger. Reisinger is also the creator of Shenkar’s logo

sidar@shenkar.ac.il naamaco@shenkar.ac.il

Manager: Shosh Tfilin

Research centers & labs

TEXTILE TESTING LABORATORIES

Founded in the 1970s, the labs were established to provide the Israeli textile industry with professional, reliable and independent testing and consultation services. In 1994, the international chain store Marks & Spencer accredited Shenkar labs to perform testing in accordance with their rigorous standards and authorized them to approve other factory labs that manufactured the

brand’s products in and around Israel.

Thus, Shenkar joined an extremely limited number of test centers worldwide, permitted to grant this stamp of approval. Today, the labs are equipped with advanced facilities and devices, that continue to test the physical and chemical characteristics of textiles, for compliance with various international standards for a number of companies nationwide.

www.shenkar.ac.il labtest@shenkar.ac.il

PRODUCED BY SHENKAR COLLEGE – ENGINEERING. DESIGN. ART IMAGE CREDIT Unless otherwise specified, the photographs in this booklet belong to Achikam Ben Yosef EDITORIAL TEAM Nadia Khismatulina and Sarah Kostick DESIGN Yuval Asis

2020

12 Anna Frank, Ramat Gan, 5252626 +972-(0)3-6110000 info@mail.shenkar.ac.il

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