Members of the Center

Senior Lecturer in the Mechanical Engineering department and head of the Center for Thermo-Mechanics and Failure of Materials at the SCE College of Engineering.

His research focuses on the study of plastic design processes in metals and composite materials, and on the biomechanics of soft and hard tissue.

In studying these fields he also utilizes advanced computational methods and simulations using low and high-order finite element methods.

Senior Lecturer in the Mechanical Engineering department and head of the Center for Thermo-Mechanics and Failure of Materials at the SCE College of Engineering.

His research focuses on the experimental, theoretical and simulation aspects of the computational biomechanics of bones, using finite element methods.

Additional research fields are related to the study of advanced materials and to the application of 3D technology (stratification) in the medical fields.

Dr. Brigit Mittelman holds a dual Bachelor's degree in Physics and Materials Engineering, a Master’s degree in Materials Engineering and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. Brigit is a senior researcher at the Negev Nuclear Research Center and an expert in classical and generalized fracture mechanics. Dr. Mittelman is a research fellow at the Center for Thermo-Mechanics and Failure of Materials.

Dr. Nissim Nawi holds a Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD in Materials Engineering. He is a senior researcher at the Negev Nuclear Research Center and an expert in plastic design processes in metals. Dr. Nawi is a research fellow at the Center for Thermo-Mechanics and Failure of Materials.

Mr. Michael (Miki) Ben Haroush holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Materials Engineering. He is a senior researcher at the Negev Nuclear Research Center and is currently on research sabbatical at the Center for Thermo-Mechanics and Failure of Materials. Miki is conducting his PhD research at the Center under the dissertation research supervision of Dr. Elad Priel (SCE) and Prof. Roni Shneck (BGU).

Ms. Olga Sinitsky holds a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and this year earned her Master’s degree in Green Engineering under the thesis advisors Dr. Elad Priel and Dr. Nir Trabelsi. She is currently conducting her dissertation research for a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Ben-Gurion University, under the dissertation research supervision of Dr. Elad Priel and Prof. Alva Peled. The topic of Olga’s dissertation is micromechanical modeling of reinforced concrete with carbon fiber sheets, taking into consideration fiber anisotropy

Mr. Nitzan Rom holds a dual Bachelor's degree in Materials Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. He is currently conducting his research for a Master’s degree on the topic of modeling ductile failure in metallic materials, under the research thesis supervision of Dr. Elad Priel (SCE) and Prof. Jacob Bortman (BGU).

Mr. Moti Kayat holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. He is currently conducting his research for a Master’s degree on the effect of the deformation rate on the connection strength resulting from thermal bonding processes of metallic components, under the research thesis supervision of Dr. Elad Priel (SCE) and Prof. Jacob Bortman (BGU).

Mr. David Bleicher holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. He is currently conducting his research for a Master’s degree on the topic of numeric modeling of the mechanical behavior of bones, under the research thesis supervision of Dr. Nir Trabelsi.

Mr. Aharon Farkash holds a dual Bachelor’s degree in Materials Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. This year he completed his research towards a Master’s degree in Materials Engineering under the research thesis supervision of Dr. Elad Priel (SCE) and Prof. Shmulik Hayun (BGU). Aharon’s research focuses on micromechanical modeling of metal composite materials. Aharon currently works at the Negev Nuclear Research Center and continues to conduct active research at the Center for Thermo-Mechanics and Failure of Material.

Mr. Ariel Cohen, first-degree graduate in Mechanical Engineering.

Ariel is currently working on his second-degree research on the subject of: “The effect of micro-structural elements on parameters that control the cold compression process of metallic powders”, under the guidance of Dr. Elad Priel (SCE) and Dr. Nir Trabelsi (SCE).

Mr. Victor Lugavinov is a first-degree graduate in Mechanical Engineering. Victor is currently working on his second-degree research on the subject of: “Realization of micro-mechanical models to forecast cohesive zone model (CZM) parameters, used to characterize connective interfaces by diffusion”, under the guidance of Dr. Elad Priel (SCE) and Prof. Jacob Bortman (BGU).

Mr. Gil Yaacovi is a second-degree graduate in Mechanical Engineering. Gil is currently developing engineering tools to study the mechanical behavior of biological structures, under the guidance of Dr. Elad Priel (SCE).