Episode 27 | Tech Giants from Israel

In this episode, three distinguished technologists share their experiences of growing up in Israel, immigrating reluctantly to the US, fighting in wars, and the differences in culture. Three guests include a Gödel Prize winner and Knuth Prize Winner, two ACM Fellows, two AAAI Fellows, two AAAS Fellows, a MacArthur (Genius) Grant winner, and a cancer survivor.

The three superstar distinguished researchers include:

• •   Moshe Vardi (Professor, Rice University): Gödel Prize, Knuth Prize, AAAI/ACM/IEEE Fellow
  •   Tal Rabin (Professor, UPenn and Algorand Foundation): #4 Top 22 Women in Tech (Business Insider), ACM/AAAS/IACR Fellow
  •   Regina Barzilay (Professor, MIT): MacArthur Genius Grant, AAAI Fellow, cancer Survivor, Double Immigrant from Moldova to Israel to the US.

Topics covered in this episode: Kibbutz upbringing, Ancestry, Persecution, Fighting in Israel's Wars, Language, Culture, Research beginnings that are chance, Computing in the 1960s/70s/80s, surviving cancer, and much more!. Of the three, one was born a US citizen, one was born in Moldova (and is a double-immigrant), and one was born in Israel. One is a cancer survivor.

Additional resources we think you'll enjoy:

•  Episode 27 guide
•  Immigrant Computer Scientists Podcast home
•  Resources on CS/STEM-related education and immigration

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