PERSONAL INFORMATION

Family name, First name: Peled, Alon

Date of birth: December 8, 1962

Nationality: Israeli

URL for web site:  https://scholars.huji.ac.il/alonpeled

EDUCATION

1994    PhD, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS)/ Department of Government, Harvard University, USA. Thesis Title: Soldiers Apart: A Study of Ethnic Military Manpower Policies in Singapore, Israel and South Africa. Thesis Advisor: Professor Samuel P. Huntington.

1991    M.A., Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS)/ Department of Government, Harvard University, USA. Advisor: Professor Judith N. Shklar.

1988    B.A. (with high honors), Faculty of Social Sciences/ Department of Political Science, Hebrew University of Jerusalem/ Israel            

CURRENT POSITION(S)

2014 – present  Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences, Political Science, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

PREVIOUS POSITIONS

2002 – 2013     Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Social Sciences, Political Science, Hebrew University

1995 – 2002     Lecturer, Faculty of Social Sciences, Political Science, Hebrew University of Jerusalem

1992 – 1995    Assistant Senior Tutor, Harvard University, Kirkland House, USA

UNUSUAL CAREER PATH (Professional/Industry Positions)

Over the past three decades, I have served as a big data analyst and senior data modeler for enterprise-wide data warehouse projects in large “Fortune 50” corporations such as Fidelity Investments, PepsiCo, IBM Healthcare, Verisign, and several innovative startup companies. I worked closely with the highest-ranking executives of these organizations to identify new business opportunities related to mixing propriety corporate data and external open datasets. I developed blueprints and led software teams to translate these opportunities and blueprints into concrete and executable projects to generate new revenue, cut costs, and improve organizational transparency and citizen services.

RESEARCH GRANTS

To date, I have received about 570,000 Euros in research grants from various foundations including the Israel Science Foundation (ISF), the Google Faculty Research Award, the Hebrew University, the Mellon Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Sinclair Kennedy Foundation, and the Harvard Foundation.

TEACHING DISTINCTIONS

I have received multiple teaching distinction and research awards from Harvard University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

SUPERVISION OF GRADUATE STUDENTS AND POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS

Over the past decade, I have supervised the work of 30 post-doctoral, doctoral and M.A. students including 3 Post-doctoral fellows, 12 PhDs, and 15 M.A. (thesis track) level students. My students advanced quickly in position and rank within and external to academia. Dr. Nili Steinfeld is a Senior Lecturer in Ariel Univ, Israel; Dr. Saar Rave is a Senior Lecturer in School of Staff and Command of the IDF. Dr. Amit Sheniak is currently a Visiting Post-doctoral Research Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Program on Science, Technology and Society (STS). Dr. Michael Miro has served as the General Director of the former Israel Broadcasting Authority and Ms. Noa Blumenthal is a consultant at Deloitte Consulting. Several of my current PhD students are working in computer tech companies while others are serving as leading analysts in the INSS, Israel’s most prestigious and influence strategic studies think tank, and Israel’s National Road Safety Authority.

TEACHING ACTIVITIES

I continue to lead some of my department’s most popular courses on the interrelationships among politics, the public sector, and computer technology. These courses include “Citizen and State in the Information Age” (advanced M.A. level research seminar), “The Information Revolution: Data and Organizations”, and “Business Intelligence (BI) applications for Political Science” (B.A. level courses). In addition, I continue to lead my department’s largest and most important introductory courses including “Introduction to Political Science” and “Introduction to Public Administration and Public Policy.”

INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES (all at Hebrew University)

2017 –             Chairperson, Computer, Communication, and Information Authority.

First-ever non-computer scientist to be elected to this highest-ranking technology position at the Hebrew University.

2017 –             Member, Board of Directors, Library Authority

2017 –             Member, Academic Steering Committee, Teaching Technologies

2015 -              Chairperson, The “Smart Gadgets” and “Smart Wall” Committees

2010 – 2012    Academic Director, The Citizenship and Democracy Academic M.A. Study Track

2008 –             Chairperson, The Internet Committee

2003 – 2009     M.A. Advisor, Department of Political Science

2000 – 2017     Member, Board of Directors, Computer, Communication, and Information Authority

COMMISSIONS OF TRUST

I continue to serve as a reviewer for the MIT Press book series in Information Policy as well as a referee and book reviewer for leading journals such as Public Administration (PS), Administration and Society (A&S), Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology (JASIST), and the eJournal of eDemocracy & Open Government (JeDEM). I also serve regularly as a scientific evaluator of research proposals for institutions such as the Israel Science Foundation (ISF) and the Israeli Ministry of Science and Technology

MEMBERSHIPS OF SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES

I am a member (including presenting papers and attending the major conferences associated with these organizations) of leading academic and non-academic institutions such as the European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR), the American Political Science Association (APSA), and TDWI (the leading industry institution in business intelligence, big data, and deep learning).

CAREER BREAKS

2004 – 2008     Due to back surgeries and recovery time, my movements were restricted during this period, thus hindering my research activities.