The Technion’s story has been intertwined with Israel’s for more than a century, from laying the foundations for a new nation to shaping its future.
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Learn MoreBy Uriah Hellay Sharon, Berger Fellow
Ever since I was a little girl growing up in Haifa, I dreamed about studying at the Technion. My parents have no scientific background, but they gave me the best education they could afford, including an annual pass to the Israel National Museum of Science, Technology, and Space. That led to my falling in love with chemistry after witnessing a demonstration of liquid nitrogen properties. Today I am pursuing this love as a Ph.D. student and teaching assistant in the Technion’s Schulich Faculty of Chemistry, having also earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry from the Technion.
I have many diverse interests — from literature to the stock market — but science and community service are part of my DNA.”
Uriah Hellay Sharon
In high school, I was selected for the Young Ambassadors Program, a leadership initiative where I lived in Boston with a host family and attended a private Jewish high school. I learned a lot about the different ways Judaism can be expressed — and how plurality can support greater tolerance and friendship.
I have continued my passion for science and service as a Technion student. While earning my B.Sc., I had a scholarship from the Perach mentoring program, where I volunteered teaching math to elementary school students in Haifa. To supplement that income, I supported myself by working as a cleaner. During my M.Sc. studies, from which I graduated cum laude, I volunteered as a math and science teacher for underprivileged youth in Haifa. I just finished a volunteer project with the nonprofit Tikkun Olam Makers to design solutions for visually impaired individuals.
I hope to also serve my community through my doctoral research in analytical chemistry. My Ph.D. work focuses on improving and validating new analytical technology that can recognize molecules in trace amounts. I hope to adapt the tool for three main applications: to monitor air pollution, detect narcotics and explosives, and improve health care — making life better for individuals in Israel and around the world. I would love to continue to a postdoctoral position and career in academia.
The Technion has been special in another important way: I met and started dating my now-husband, Neta Ben Ari (also a Ph.D. student in chemistry), when we were completing our bachelor’s and master’s degrees together. My Technion journey hasn’t been easy, though, as I’ve had to balance my studies with the challenges of war.
After October 7, I tried to help in small ways — cooking food for soldiers and donating my old army equipment. I also recorded my classes for students serving in the army, taught a special class in analytical chemistry for students returning from service, and provided private chemistry tutoring to students who were serving.
Though my experience was much less trying than many Israelis’, the war took an emotional toll. My master’s research was delayed, and I had to add a few months to my degree program. As the war with Lebanon escalated during the summer of 2024, my husband and I had to move to keep safe. We had been living in an old building without a shelter. The Technion helped us move into a dorm apartment on campus, all of which have shelters, weeks before the official move-in date. Thankfully, my Technion family has supported me every step of the way — enabling this little girl’s dream to become a reality.
About the Program
The Ilene & Steve Berger Technion Visiting Fellows Program brings outstanding Technion students to communities across the United States to meet with American Technion Society supporters. Representing a wide range of disciplines, they share their research, personal journeys, and aspirations, offering a firsthand look at the talent, resilience, and innovation shaping Israel’s future and advancing discoveries that benefit the world.
