Traveling Exhibit at RIT Highlights Impact of Israeli Technology in Our Daily Lives

Did you call someone on your cell phone today or use instant messaging on your computer? Chances are you did both.

The first cell phone as well as the technology behind AOL Instant Messenger were both developed in Israel. A traveling exhibit showcasing Israel’s technological innovations in the telecommunications, computer and medical fields will be coming to Rochester Institute of Technology from Dec. 1 through Dec. 7.

The unique exhibit, Israel: Technology for the Next Generation, has traveled to universities across the country including Harvard, Yale, Columbia and NYU. It will be on display in the atrium of RIT’s B. Thomas Golisano College of Computing and Information Sciences from Dec. 1-7. On Thursday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m. a reception will be held in the Golisano College atrium. Community and college leaders will talk about the impact of Israeli technology. The reception is free and open to the public.

Yaniv Koter, a fourth-year information technology major in the Golisano College and the Israeli Affairs Chair for RIT Hillel, worked with Israel’s consulate to bring the exhibit to RIT. Koter, born and raised in Israel, moved to the United States in 2002 after serving a three-year commitment to the Israeli Army. While in the army, Koter worked on information technology related assignments. “I like to connect users and technology, two of my passions. I decided to come to college at RIT because I believed it had the best IT program in the nation.”

It was only after Koter moved to the U.S. that he discovered the kind of technological innovations his native country had developed. He hopes the exhibit will enlighten people of his generation and others. Israel: Technology for the Next Generation is sponsored by Golisano College, RIT Hillel and the Israeli Consulate.