Staff
Prof. Miri Shefer Mossensohn
Academic Director
I am a Professor in the Department of Middle Eastern & African History, specializing in the social and cultural history of the pre-modern Islamic world. My research explores the intersections of the early modern Ottoman Empire, Islamicate health and well-being, and the history of medicine. Among my four books are Ottoman Medicine: Healing and Medical Institutions 1500–1700 (SUNY Press, 2009) and Science among the Ottomans: The Cultural Creation and Exchange of Knowledge (University of Texas Press, 2015), both of which have been translated into Turkish, and the second one also to Arabic. I also developed a MOOC course on edX (now 30k+ learners worldwide) Arab-Islamic History: From Tribes to Empires. My current research investigates the socio-economic dynamics of the early modern medical profession and the role of Ottoman medicine in global scientific history.
Having started my own academic career as a Dan David Post-Doc Fellow in the inaugural 2002 cohort, I know how crucial the right support is at this stage. Now as Academic Director, my goal is to preserve the fantastic foundation built before me while infusing it with a clear career orientation. We will provide our fellows with an environment to push their research forward, alongside the practical tools and real-world strategies needed to turn academic potential into a flourishing, long-term career.
Shiri Malki
Administrative Director
Having lived, studied and worked in various countries in Europe and East-Asia, Shiri brings a unique and extensive international experience across both academia and the private and public sectors. She exercises high proficiency in multiple languages as well as close familiarity with Israeli, Japanese, French and Italian cultures.
Past Academic Directors
The Society’s community and its role at Tel Aviv University have been shaped significantly by the leadership of its past directors which we appreciatively acknowledge.
Prof. On Barak
ACADEMIC DIRECTOR 2024 – 2026
Bio: Professor of Middle Eastern History, and a social and cultural historian of science and technology. His research focuses on energy, environment, and the history and politics of the climate crisis in the Middle East and the Global South. His most recent book Heat, a History: Lessons from the Middle East for a Warming Planet, a Foreign Affairs Best Book of 2025.
Reflection: “Societies of Fellows accumulate in layers. My layer was defined by conviviality, transforming our weekly seminar into a shared table where trust, discipline, and community converged. Amid years of war and global trauma, we aimed to offer both a safe shelter for rigorous scholarship and a reflective shoreline grounded in the world around us.”
Prof. Orit Rozin
ACADEMIC DIRECTOR 2021 - 2024
Bio: Professor of Jewish History specializing in the social, legal, and cultural history of modern Israel. Her work spans citizenship, law, immigration, gender, food culture, and family life. Her latest book Emotions of Conflict, Israel 1949–1967 (Oxford University Press, 2024) received the Chaikin (2025), EAIS (2025), Korenblat (2026), and Azrieli (2026) Best Book awards.
Reflection: “A fellowship program must function as a greenhouse, providing both the material foundation and the collaborative environment scholars need to thrive. As founding director, I set out to draft a framework rooted in generosity and community, knowing it would continue to evolve and flourish under those who followed me.”