Professor of Biology Shimon Gepstein is a member of the Technion Energy Program team and is focusing his research on plant genetics as it relates to the development of plants for the production of biofuels, an alternative for fossil fuels. His ultimate goal is to develop a platform technology for integrating new genetic traits to plants that will allow them to grow various species for biofuel extraction on marginal lands with minimal requirement for water supply. Developing such plants should provide a net energy gain, have environmental benefits, be economically competitive and be producible in large quantities for biofuel production without reducing food supplies.

As Head of the Technion’s Centre for Pre-University Education he has responsibility for programs that prepare 700 students each year from the minority and low socio-economic sectors of Israeli society as well as soldiers transitioning from the army to university.

He is a member of the Israeli National Committee for Biotechnology and Chair of the steering committee of biotechnology for the Israeli Chief Scientist of Agriculture. He has been visiting professor at Stanford University, John Hopkins University and University of California as well as several Canadian and European universities. He is currently in Australia on sabbatical at University of Sydney.

Cover charge: Members $10, Non-members $15. RSVP: By 17 July 2011. Light supper, no appeal.