History

The Austrian Technion Society was founded 1984 after having been promoted by Helmut Gutmann and Eli Tenna during the years 1982 - 1984. The actual founding act took place on April 12, 1984 at the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science and Research (now of Education, Science and Culture) in Vienna in the presence of the then Federal Minister Univ.-Prof. Dr. Heinz Fischer, now Federal President of the Republic of Austria, and the then Israeli Minister of Science Dr. Gideon Patt.

The first president of the society was Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ewald Nowotny. Since its foundation the society had been managed by Helmut Gutmann on an honorary basis, who also followed as president till his retirement in November 2005, when in a General Assembly Univ. Prof. Dr. Peter Weinberger was elected as the new president.

After concentrating on the promotion of joint scientific projects, in particular in the fields of technological safety, elementary particle physics, and advanced electron-microscopy during the first years after 1984, the Austrian Technion Society organized a series of International Austrian-Israeli Technion Symposia cum Industrial Forum ”Technology for Peace - Science for Mankind”.