The Second Hackathon held in memory of Reserves Major Amir Mansur Naim

A Hackathon, held in memory of Reserves Major Amir Mansur Naim, was held on SCE’s Be’er-Sheva Campus, in cooperation with Intel Israel and Amir’s family, for the second time. Amir had studied in SCE’s Department of Chemical Engineering, and prior to his death, he had begun working as an intern at Intel. The subject of this memorial Hackathon was chosen by Intel: “Cooling without heating: A sustainable application for gaseous coolants in industrial systems.”

Amir, a member of the Rapid-Response Squad of Kibbutz Erez, was killed on 7 October, 2023 in the line of duty, while protecting the local residents he dearly loved. His fellow SCE colleagues and Intel interns describe him as a man with outstanding talents. Amir was always both curious and personable. As such, the College—in conjunction with Intel and the bereaved family—decided this year to hold a Hackathon dedicated to the legacy of innovation and curiosity that Amir left behind.

This year’s Hackathon participants were: fourth year SCE students from Amir’s class; Masters’ students in Green Engineering; and students from the special Nanotechnology sub-tracks in the Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering and Electronics. During the Hackathon, each team was guided by a mentor, an Engineer either from Intel or from SCE’s Department of Chemical Engineering.

With the conclusion of the Hackathon, all the teams presented their solutions to the students and faculty members of the Department of Chemical Engineering, Intel Engineers from Amir’s staff, and to Amir’s parents, Ornah and Asher. Amir’s father recounted the story of the bravery and friendship Amir displayed during the events that led to his death in battle, when he went to help a wounded friend.

Significant monetary prizes, totalling 30,000 NIS, were contributed by Intel and distributed to the members of the three winning teams. The first place was awarded to the team, whose members were: Kadri Baha, Mishel Chernyak, Tal Sapir, Nathanel Garsholker, Amnon Abayev, Oriya Amroussi, Alexander Zuyev, Omer Gal, and Sapir Amar.

At the closing event, SCE President, Prof. Semyon Levitsky, said that “Amir’s image will accompany us and will always be remembered within these College walls.” In memoriam, words were offered by Matan Rozen, an Engineer from Amir’s staff at Intel; May Ben Simon, a student of Chemical Engineering and Amir’s good friend; and Dr. Yoram Shotland, who had taught Amir. They all remembered him displaying curiosity, being creative, leading, big-hearted, with a quiet presence and precise statements, and they all agreed that, had Amir been a participant, he would have been on the winning team.