Dr. Refael Barkan is V.P. for Innovation Entrepreneurship and Internationalization at Holon Institute of Technology (HIT), one of the top tier institutions of higher education in Israel, specializing in all avenues of technological progress: scientific, professional, social and cultural. The institute's distinctiveness lies in a sound foundation based on the convergence of four equal spheres of knowledge: science, engineering, design and management. Combinations of, and interaction between, these spheres of knowledge constitute a rich and promising platform for unique avenues of study, creation and R&D.
Dr. Barkan is a Neurologist (M.D.) and a Brain Scientist (Ph.D.) and also holds a Master's degree (M.Sc.) in Computer Science. His current areas of interest are: ICT platforms for detection and intervention (neurocognitive training) in early stages of dementia, medical informatics, medical data mining and process mining, clinical decision support tools and telemedicine. He has been collaborating in various national and international R&D projects, EU grants and initiatives, especially those that focus on active and healthy living and technologies for the elderly.
During the last years, Dr. Barkan has founded, together with academic and industrial partners, several multidisciplinary R&D centers and labs at HIT. One of these centers is CARE - Center for Applied technological Research for the Elderly – an international R&D center that addresses the technological facets of critical challenges in ageing from a multidisciplinary perspective, considering scientific, technological, health, social and legislative aspects.
