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University of Haifa to Present Honorary Doctorates to Neri Oxman & Bill Ackman for Visionary Leadership and Global Impact

By: Fern Sidman

The University of Haifa announced it will confer honorary Doctor of Philosophy degrees on Neri Oxman and Bill Ackman in recognition of their groundbreaking contributions to innovation, leadership, philanthropy, and their enduring commitment to the State of Israel. The ceremony, scheduled for Sunday, September 14 (21 Elul), will take place at the university’s Hecht Auditorium, marking a significant moment of celebration for two individuals whose work has redefined fields as diverse as design, business, and social responsibility.

Neri Oxman, the founder and CEO of OXMAN and previously the pioneering force behind The Mediated Matter Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has long been considered one of the most influential design thinkers of her generation. Her philosophy, which fuses cutting-edge technology with biology, seeks to erase the divide between built environments and the natural world.

Oxman’s interdisciplinary approach has redefined architectural, product, and urban design, demonstrating how the principles of nature can guide human creativity. From bio-based robotic manufacturing to AI-directed ecosystem engineering, her work envisions a future where innovation harmonizes with compassion and ecological responsibility.

Her projects have been exhibited in prestigious institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), where entire retrospectives have highlighted her bold vision. For Oxman, design is not merely about objects or structures—it is a philosophy of integration, sustainability, and renewal. By shaping scalable innovations at the intersection of art and science, she has influenced an entire generation of designers, engineers, and thinkers worldwide.

In parallel, the University of Haifa will honor Bill Ackman, founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P., for his trailblazing leadership in the world of finance and his deep commitment to public service. Ackman is widely credited with revolutionizing activist investing, not through hostility or opposition, but through constructive engagement with corporate management teams and boards of directors.

His innovative approach has consistently driven companies toward greater growth, improved efficiency, and sharper capital allocation strategies. The ripple effects of his strategies have not only reshaped boardroom practices in America but also established new precedents for responsible shareholder activism.

Ackman’s reputation as a decisive and innovative investor is matched by his devotion to philanthropy and social change. Through Pershing Square Philanthropies, he has funded transformative initiatives in public health, education, scientific research, and cultural advancement. His work reflects not only a keen business acumen but also a moral vision for leveraging capital to generate broad social good.

What unites Oxman and Ackman beyond their professional achievements is their shared dedication to philanthropy and their deep investment in the future of Israel. Both have championed efforts to combat antisemitism on the global stage, recognizing the rising threats that Jewish communities face in many parts of the world.

Through their philanthropic endeavors, they have supported global initiatives across health care, education, and culture, while also focusing on economic development that benefits Israel directly. Their commitment is more than financial—it is a testament to their enduring belief in Israel’s role as a hub of innovation and resilience.

In many respects, the University of Haifa’s recognition highlights not only their contributions to Israel’s economic and cultural vitality but also their role in advancing the values of tolerance, creativity, and civic responsibility.

Professor Gur Alroey, President of the University of Haifa, underscored the symbolic importance of honoring Oxman and Ackman at this moment.

“Awarding honorary Doctor of Philosophy degrees to Neri and Bill is an expression of recognition for their groundbreaking leadership and the profound influence they both have in the fields of society, culture, and innovation,” Alroey said. “Their contributions to the University of Haifa and to the State of Israel are a model of commitment to values of excellence, generosity, and vision for a better future. We are proud to honor them as a source of inspiration for our students and our community.”

The university’s selection of Oxman and Ackman as honorees reflects its ongoing mission to serve as a bridge between Israel and the world, and to recognize figures who embody a combination of intellectual innovation, cultural leadership, and social responsibility.

The timing of this recognition is notable. At a moment when Israel continues to navigate global challenges, honoring two figures so closely tied to innovation and international engagement signals the country’s emphasis on creativity as a source of strength.

Oxman’s pioneering work in design science mirrors Israel’s longstanding reputation as a nation of start-ups and cutting-edge technological advances. Her philosophy of blending technology with biology resonates with the values of sustainability and innovation that have driven Israel’s global leadership in sectors like agriculture, water technology, and medical research.

Ackman’s influence in global markets and philanthropy underscores Israel’s economic and cultural integration into the global landscape. His leadership as both an investor and a philanthropist demonstrates the value of harnessing private capital to meet public needs—a principle that resonates with Israel’s dynamic balance between free enterprise and collective responsibility.

The conferral of honorary degrees at the University of Haifa is not merely symbolic. It is part of a broader institutional tradition of recognizing figures whose lives and work exemplify the values of innovation, resilience, and a commitment to humanity. For Oxman and Ackman, this recognition is a marker of their contributions but also a reminder of the work that lies ahead.

Oxman’s continuing research in bio-design points to a future where human creativity will be tasked with addressing the climate crisis and global ecological challenges. Ackman’s activism and philanthropy suggest new frontiers for business leaders who aim not only to generate profit but also to build more equitable and sustainable societies.

As the university prepares to welcome Oxman and Ackman to its Hecht Auditorium, the event becomes not only a celebration of individual achievement but also a reaffirmation of Israel’s role in fostering global innovation and moral leadership.

The University of Haifa’s decision to honor Neri Oxman and Bill Ackman with honorary Doctor of Philosophy degrees on September 14 signals a powerful statement about the values of creativity, leadership, and social responsibility. In Oxman, the university recognizes a visionary who has redefined the very language of design by harmonizing human invention with nature’s wisdom. In Ackman, it honors a business leader who has transformed shareholder activism into a tool for corporate responsibility while demonstrating a deep philanthropic commitment to Israel and the broader world.

For both honorees, the recognition is a milestone in lives already rich with achievement. For Israel, and for the University of Haifa, it is an affirmation of a national and institutional mission: to lead through excellence, to inspire through vision, and to strengthen the ties that bind innovation, culture, and humanity.

Profiles in Innovation and Leadership

Neri Oxman: Nature’s Architect and Pioneer of Material Ecology

Hailed globally as “Nature’s Architect”, Neri Oxman has emerged as one of the foremost visionaries of the 21st century, a designer, inventor, and scholar who reimagines the very relationship between culture and nature. As founder and CEO of OXMAN, her groundbreaking design innovation lab, Oxman leads work at the confluence of computational design, robotic manufacturing, green chemistry, and ecosystem engineering. Her overarching philosophy is nothing short of revolutionary: the unification of the made and the grown across scales, species, and disciplines.

Oxman’s intellectual and professional journey spans continents and disciplines. She earned her PhD in Design Computation at MIT, after completing a Diploma from the Architectural Association in London, complemented by studies at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology and advanced training at the Hebrew University’s Department of Medical Sciences. Before carving her path as a design philosopher, Oxman worked as an architect and research consultant at Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates in London and served as Visiting Associate and Evaluator for the Smart Geometry Group, gaining critical experience in cutting-edge architectural design and computation.

In 2010, she founded The Mediated Matter Group at MIT, pioneering what she called Material Ecology, a new field that fuses technology with biology to revisit and reinvent age-old design and manufacturing practices. Under her leadership, the group transformed the way designers, scientists, and engineers understand and harness materials, creating scalable, bio-integrated innovations that span architecture, product design, and environmental systems.

Her academic trajectory reached a major milestone when she was awarded tenure at MIT in 2017, cementing her reputation as both a scholar and innovator of global standing. Today, through OXMAN, she continues to push boundaries, creating “nature-centric” products and environments that reinvent the very industrial systems upon which modern life depends—from the foods we eat and the clothes we wear to the cities we inhabit and the ecosystems we shape.

Oxman’s impact is not confined to academic circles. Her body of work—comprising over 150 scientific publications and inventions—is part of the permanent collections of some of the world’s most prestigious institutions, including MoMA, SFMOMA, the Centre Pompidou, the MAK Museum of Applied Arts, the FRAC Collection for Art and Architecture, and the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum. Entire retrospectives of her work at MoMA and SFMOMA attest to her status as a cultural icon who has redefined the very possibilities of design.

Her achievements have been recognized with some of the most prestigious honors in her field. In 2016, Oxman was named a Cultural Leader by the World Economic Forum. She went on to receive the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award in 2018, the London Design Innovation Medal the same year, and an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2019. Each award reflects her unique ability to cross boundaries, elevate design into a philosophy of life, and influence generations of innovators who will follow in her footsteps.

Through her visionary leadership, Oxman has become not only a leader in innovation but also a model of responsibility and compassion in design. By uniting nature and technology, she embodies the possibility of building a future in which human creativity coexists harmoniously with ecological resilience.

Bill Ackman: Investor, Philanthropist, and Public Advocate

If Oxman embodies the unification of design and nature, Bill Ackman represents the powerful intersection of finance, leadership, and philanthropy. As the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P., which he established in 2003, Ackman has become one of the most influential figures in global markets. His career is a testament to how finance, when leveraged with vision and discipline, can reshape industries, empower innovation, and advance broader societal goals.

Ackman’s leadership at Pershing Square is defined by his pioneering style of activist investing. Unlike the hostile tactics that once dominated this space, Ackman introduced a model of constructive engagement—working directly with management teams and boards of directors to maximize growth, increase efficiency, and improve long-term capital allocation strategies. This approach has generated significant value for shareholders while simultaneously reshaping corporate governance across the United States and beyond.

But Ackman’s influence extends far beyond Wall Street. He serves as Executive Chairman of Howard Hughes Holdings Inc. (HHH) and holds leadership roles in entities such as Pershing Square SPARC Holdings, Ltd., where he serves as Chairman and CEO. His past and present board roles include service at Universal Music Group N.V., as well as membership in influential advisory bodies such as the Investor Advisory Committee on Financial Markets of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the Board of Dean’s Advisors of Harvard Business School.

Ackman’s career trajectory began with the co-founding of Gotham Partners Management Co., LLC, where he managed public and private equity hedge fund portfolios before launching Pershing Square. His academic foundations are equally distinguished: he holds a Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude from Harvard College and an MBA from Harvard Business School, where his analytical rigor and leadership skills were first honed.

Equally central to Ackman’s identity is his philanthropic vision. In 2006, he established The Pershing Square Foundation, part of Pershing Square Philanthropies, to invest in innovative leaders tackling some of humanity’s most urgent challenges in health, environment, education, and culture. His foundation reflects not just generosity but a strategic commitment to catalyzing systemic change.

Ackman’s role as a philanthropist is complemented by his outspoken advocacy. He has been a vocal leader in combating antisemitism worldwide, leveraging both his platform and his resources to protect Jewish communities and defend Israel’s global standing. His combined work in finance, philanthropy, and advocacy demonstrates a model of civic engagement that transcends sectors.

In the boardroom and in philanthropy alike, Ackman has set precedents that continue to influence policy, corporate governance, and social investment. His recognition by the University of Haifa acknowledges not only his business acumen but also his deep moral commitment to ensuring that capital and innovation serve the greater good.

University of Haifa: An Institution of Excellence

The University of Haifa, Israel’s largest research institution in the north, has built its reputation not only on academic excellence but also on its unique commitment to pluralism and diversity. With over 18,000 students across six faculties, 64 departments, 17 schools, and 54 research centers, the university brings together Jews, Arabs, Druze, Haredi and secular students, new immigrants, and military personnel in one of the most inclusive academic environments in the country.

Internationally acclaimed in areas such as public health, security studies, Holocaust research, cancer research, and marine sciences, the University of Haifa plays a pivotal role in advancing Israel’s intellectual, scientific, and cultural leadership. Its mission extends beyond education, fostering social cohesion and cultivating leaders who embody tolerance, responsibility, and innovation.