Celebrating a Decade of Academic Leadership and more…

What Ten Years Taught Us

Participants were treated to a heartfelt address by Eric Gertler, President of Zuckerman Israel Institute.

A decade, close to 280 scholars, and 62 new labs later, four lessons stand out:

• Talent goes where it is trusted. Give outstanding scientists independence and support, and they will build their careers in Israel.
• The scholars built this program. We wrote the guidelines; they wrote the story.
• The strongest bridges are built by people. Personal ties between American and Israeli researchers have held strong, even in challenging times.
• Excellence has no gender. We will keep working to see more women and men thrive in Israeli academia.

Partnership with Israel’s Council for Higher Education

A Decade of Partnership with the Council for Higher Education.

The Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program has been fortunate to work alongside many important partners, first and foremost Israel’s research universities and their former and current presidents. Yet the program’s broader vision would not have been possible without one partner in particular: the Council for Higher Education (CHE) and its Planning and Budgeting Committee.

From the very beginning, the CHE provided what philanthropy cannot achieve on its own: a national framework, a presence at every one of Israel’s research universities, and the long-term planning that turns a gift into lasting infrastructure. Philanthropy can move quickly and take risks; the CHE brings scale and continuity. Together, this combination has accelerated the program’s reach and impact.

We are grateful to Prof. Ami Moyal who joined us at the celebration, for a partnership built on trust.

A Time Capsule for the Next Decade

As a special tribute, the Zuckerman Scholars presented the Institute with a time capsule, filled with their stories, reflections, and hopes for the future. The segment was led by Yael Kiro, Zuckerman Faculty Scholar at the Weizmann Institute of Science; Alex Brodzky, Zuckerman Faculty Scholar at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; and Dr. Claudèle Lemay-St-Denis, Zuckerman Postdoctoral Scholar at the University of Haifa. Sealed at the celebration, the capsule will be opened in 2036, at the program’s twentieth anniversary, offering a glimpse back at where this journey began and a reminder of the dreams that continue to drive it forward. As a special tribute, the Zuckerman Scholars presented the Institute with a time capsule, filled with their stories, reflections, and hopes for the future. Sealed at the celebration, it will be opened in 2036, at the program’s twentieth anniversary, offering a glimpse back at where this journey began and a reminder of the dreams that continue to drive it forward.

Shaping the Next Phase of AI in Research and Academia

A highlight of the evening was a special session on artificial intelligence, led by Prof. Nadav Cohen in conversation with Dr. Aya Soffer. Their engaging discussion explored how AI is transforming scientific research and academic life, and what the next phase of this revolution may hold, both globally and in Israel.

The session offered valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges ahead, and into the role Israeli academia can play in leading the way. We are grateful to Prof. Cohen, who is leading the next generation of AI leadership in Israeli academia, and to Dr. Soffer for an inspiring and thought-provoking conversation.

The session was moderated thoughtfully by Dror Globerman, technology and innovation journalist.