A lifetime experience...
The Dr. Bessie F. Lawrence International Summer Science Institute (ISSI) is an annual summer camp taking place at the world-renowned Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS) in Rehovot, Israel.
The program is addressed to young talented students who have finished their school career and are about to start their studies. Since 1969, they are offered the chance to research together with top scientists in the laboratories of the WIS and to establish international contacts during this time. A varied social program completes the scientific part of the summer camp and allows to get to know the country and the people as well as the fellow students. It is this very combination that makes the ISSI such a unique experience!
This website has been established by German ISSI alumni and aims to provide public information on the ISSI, to support potential applicants and to strengthen national and international contacts among the alumni.
Welcome message
from the German coordinator Jochen Reder
Shalom!
Welcome to the Homepage of the Alumni of the Dr. Bessie F. Lawrence International Summer Science Institute (ISSI).
For more than 30 years I have been enjoying to organize the selection procedure, in the beginning for young Heidelberg High School Graduates and at a later date for all the German participants of the ISSI, as well. That it really is an endeavor to enjoy, you may catch from this impressive homepage.
In 1969, for the first time Dr. Moshe Rishpon invited young High School Graduates to take part in a Science Summercamp in a tent village on the Weizmann Institute Campus.
Later on, the participants were lodged in straw-huts and finally, since 1993, in a bungalow village, the Laub International Science Youth Village situated quite close to the Clore Garden of Science, a Science Park amid a marvellous garden ambience, that allows an easy access to physics by playing, even for kids.
If the Garden of Science has become a playground (not only) for kids, then the ISSI is a Garden Eden for prospective science students. To spend one month on the Weizmann Institute Campus, to experience the introduction into scientific research in real labs together with real scientists, not to forget the international environment with fellow students from all over the world – this is a unique experience, for sure.
The international group, the world-renowned institute, the insider perspective into real research, sharing interests and activities in the Youth Village, all this creates an atmosphere that puts a lasting mark upon each participant in his or her future career. The enthusiastic reports of the alumni reflect this in a convincing manner.
The German Association of the Friends of the Weizmann Institute of Science has been organizing the selection interviews for many years and, during the past years, has been financing the stays of the German participants, with the helpful assistance of several sponsors.
We do wish that the alumni will keep in touch with the Weizmann Institute and with our Association of the Friends and may always keep in mind their stay at the Weizmann Institute as a wonderful experience. From the many feedbacks of former participants I know that the global contacts are made use of over and over again and that travels around the world pretty often lead to meeting their friends from the summer in Israel anew.
This homepage is meant for helping to carry on the established contacts, to revel in memories and to introduce the program to future applicants.
Having all this in mind, I wish you may find a lot of pleasure in surfing this website. Furthermore, I do hope that the internal section will soon be filled with lots of interesting contributions from the alumni.
Jochen Reder
Member of the Board of the
German Association of the Friends of the Weizmann Institute of Science