Prof. Eviatar Matania

Eviatar Matania (born June 11, 1966) is a tenured professor at the School of Political Science, Government and International Affairs at Tel-Aviv University, and a global thought leader in national security issues, technology oriented strategies and cyber security policies.

Professor Matania was the founding father and first director general of Israel national cyber directorate for 6 years (2012 - 2018). 

Professor Matania is the head of the MA program in Security Studies, the head of the MA international program in Cyber Politics and Government and the head of Elrom Air and Space Studies Research Center.

Matania was the founding head (2012-2017), first and former Director General of Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD) in the Israeli PM office, where he reported directly to the PM, and was responsible for Israel’s overall cyber security strategy, capacity building and its implementation to defend the Israeli civilian sector.

During 2018-2020 Prof. Matania co-chaired (with Prof. Ben-Israel) the AI (Artificial Intelligence) National Initiative to recommend the Israeli PM about a national plan to place Israel as a global power in AI.

Professor Matania is a graduate of the elite Israeli military-academic program "Talpiot" and holds a B.Sc. in Physics and Mathematics (Hebrew University of Jerusalem), a M.Sc. in Mathematics with an expertise in Game Theory (Tel Aviv University), and a Ph.D. in Judgment and Decision Making (Hebrew University of Jerusalem).

Prof. Matania has been a thought leader in policy, technology, and cyber strategy, participating in the foremost international fora, and engaged by leading global companies, top league universities and think tanks, where he has given talks and lectures (Harvard Kennedy School, Columbia SIPA, GW University, Chatham House, Council for Foreign Relations – CFR, Center for Strategic and International Studies – CSIS and Oxford University), as well as by top government officials and formal committees (such as Israeli Knesset Committees and US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and Armed Services Cyber Sub-Committee).

Academic Positions

2018 - 

         Full Professor at the School of Political Sciences, Government and International Affairs, Tel-Aviv University

• Head of the Master Program in Security Studies
• Head of the Master Program in Cyber Politics and Government
• Head of the Elrom Air and Space Studies Research Center

2018 -   

         Strategic Advisor to Corporates, VCs and Governmental Organizations

• Techno-Strategic consultancy to Tech corporates and VCs
• Strategic advisor to top level governmental executives (National Security and Tech Policy)

2018 - 2021         

         Adjunct Professor at the Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University

• Responsible for the cyber module at the Master of Public Policy (MPP) Program.

2018 - 2020         

         Co-Head (with Prof. Ben-Israel) of the "Smart Systems" National Initiative –

         A National plan initiated upon the PM request to recommend the Government of how to make Israel an AI global power. 

Professional Experience (Last Decade)

2012 - 2017         

         Founding Head and Director General, National Cyber Directorate, Prime Minister’s Office (Reporting directly to PM)

         Establishing the National Cyber Bureau on January 1st 2012 following Government Resolution 3611 of August 7 2011,

         Establishing the National Cyber Directorate on February 15 2015 following Government Resolution 2444 of February 15 2015

         to develop and lead Israel's cyber policies, capacity building and International relations, and to operationally manage 

         the Israeli civilian sector cyber defense.

Education

2002-2008          PhD in Judgement and Decision-making, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

                           Dissertation on “Perceptions of Discrimination and Injustice”, March 2008.

1987-1993          MSc in Mathematics (honors), Specialization in Game Theory, Tel-Aviv University

                           Dissertation on “Analysis of the Influence of Time of Diversion Interception on the Operator and Inspector Strategies

                           in Safeguard Problems”, December 1993.

1984-1987          BSc in Mathematics and Physics (honors), Talpiot, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

                           Cadet, Talpiot, Israel Defense Forces.

National Security, Technology and Security, Geo-politics and Technology, Cyber and AI Policies.

Please view through prof. Matania's CRIS profile:

https://cris.tau.ac.il/en/persons/eviatar-matania/publications/

or through Google Scholar profile:

https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=GIrTDM0AAAAJ&hl=iw&oi=ao

2018-               Tel Aviv University

                        The Geo-Politics of Technology (elective for BA in Political Sciences)

                        Issues in Israel's National Security (elective Pro-seminar for BA in Political sciences)

                        Policy and Statesmanship (Mandatory for BA in Political Sciences)

                        Sources of Power in Government – From Theory to Practice (elective for MA in Political Sciences)

                        Technology, Military and Security (Mandatory for MA in Security Studies)

                        Israel Cyber Security Eco-System (Mandatory for MA in Cyber Politics and Government)

2018-2021       Oxford University

                        Cyber Policies: From Netflix to Stuxnet – Strategic Thinking in the Cyber Era (for MA of Public Policy)

2016-2019       Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya

                        Cyber Strategy and Policy (for BA excellence Program)

                        Decision-making in Public Policy – from Theory to Practice (for BA Excellence Program)

2002-2011       The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

                        Strategy and Psychology in Decision-making (for EMBA)

                        Venture Capital (for EMBA)

                        Topics in National Security (for B.Sc. Excellence Program)