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Postdoc Program

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Call for Nominations
2024/25 Cohort

The Zuckerman Postdoctoral Scholars Program attracts high-achieving postdoctoral scholars from premier universities in the United States and Canada to do research at one of eight Israeli universities. Once they complete their research, many Zuckerman postdocs are expected to accept faculty positions at top North American universities, weaving a network of academic collaboration and goodwill that will greatly benefit US-Israeli scientific cooperation.

The program enriches scholars with high-quality workshops and world-class speakers.

Zuckerman Scholars enjoy programming and activities organized especially for them by their host universities and the Zuckerman Institute in Israel, including touring, educational experiences, and social programs. These activities are designed to strengthen the scholars’ knowledge of and connection to Israel, as well as to foster new relationships cultivating an esprit de corps and encouraging the exchange of ideas.

Candidates for the Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program are assessed based on their academic and research achievements, as well as on personal merit and leadership qualities, without regard to race, religion, gender, ethnicity, or age. Recipients may not accept other scholarships concurrently with the Zuckerman STEM scholarship.

Participating universities are Ariel University, Bar-Ilan University, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, University of Haifa, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Tel Aviv University, and Weizmann Institute of Science. Candidates may apply to more than one university.

Two postdoctoral scholarships will be given per participating university for the 2024-2025 academic year in two tracks. Candidates may apply to more than one of the eight participating Israeli universities. Israeli citizens are not eligible for this program.

A two-year postdoctoral scholarship where scholars conduct research exclusively at one of eight participating Israeli universities.

  • Postdoctoral candidates must be citizens of the United States or Canada or have a documented status that allows them to remain permanently in the US.
  • Candidates must hold a PhD degree from a leading American or Canadian university, or if still studying for a PhD, must submit their PhD thesis before October 1, 2023. They should be planning to return to the United States or Canada to compete for an academic position.
  • Postdoctoral candidates must obtain consent from a potential hosting supervisor at the Israeli university/universities to which they are applying.

A two-year joint postdoctoral scholarship where scholars spend part of their time at one of eight participating Israeli universities, and the other part at a US or Canadian university.

  • Joint postdoctoral candidates must be citizens of the United States or Canada or have a documented status that allows them to remain permanently in the US.
  • Candidates must hold a PhD degree from a leading American or Canadian university, or if still studying for a PhD, must submit their PhD thesis before October 1, 2023.
  • Joint postdoctoral candidates must obtain consent from potential hosting supervisors at both the Israeli university and the American or Canadian university to which they are applying.

Israeli University Postdoc Track

$63,000 scholarship / academic year (up to two years)
  Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program stipend: $60,000 including:
  • Living expenses: $4,300/Mo. (Annual total: $51,600)
  • Relocation expenses: $8,400 (first year) Includes:
    • One round trip ticket to Israel (economy-class)
    • Up to 14 nights hotel accommodation in Israel (maximum $250 per night)
    • Research equipment (from remaining budget allocation)
  • Research and travel to academic conferences (second year): $8,400
  Research funding: $3000 allocated through research supervisors (in Israel)

Joint North American-Israel Postdoc Track

$63,000 scholarship / academic year (up to two years)

  Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program stipend: $60,000 including:

  • Living expenses: $4,300/Mo. (Annual total: $51,600)
    On the provision that the scholar is present and conducting research at the Israeli university for a minimum of six months/year
  • Relocation expenses: $8,400 (first year)
    On the provision that the scholar resides in Israel and conducts research in the program for a minimum of one year
    Includes:
    • One round trip ticket to Israel (economy-class)
    • Up to 14 nights hotel accommodation in Israel (maximum $250 per night)
    • Research equipment (from remaining budget allocation)
  • Research and travel to academic conferences (second year): $8,400
    On the provision that the scholar resides in Israel and conducts research in the program for a minimum of six months of the second year

  Research funding: $3000 allocated through research supervisors (in Israel)

Applications for candidature
must including the following:

  • Curriculum vitae, including paragraph on demonstrated leadership qualities
  • List of three publications (minimum), noting the journals in which the papers were published
  • Research proposal (3 pages maximum)
  • Recommendation letter from supervisor at Israeli university/universities to which the candidate is applying
  • Three letters of recommendation, including a letter from the PhD supervisor, and, where possible, a letter from a university other that where PhD was granted
  • Personal statement detailing future career plans, including a statement regarding plans to return to the United States / Canada to apply for an academic position.
  • Simplified 200-word description of intended research

 

Joint North American-Israel Postdoc Track
Joint North American-Israel Postdoc track candidates will additional documents as follows:

  • Recommendation letter from hosting supervisor at the American / Canadian university to which the candidate is applying, including a guarantee to provide the necessary funding for travel and research ($8,000 / year)
  • Research proposal must include a description of how the research will be conducted at the two hosting institutions, how the supervisors will jointly oversee the research, any prior collaboration between the two supervisors (if relevant), and the added value of conducting the joint research.
  • Proposed timetable for candidate residency at each institution (if known)

Annual Renewal

  • Scholars must notify their hosting universities that they wish to continue the program for a second year. Notification must be received no later than June 1, 2024
  • To renew for a second year, scholars must obtain a letter of request from their supervisors which must be sent, along with their own request for renewal and a summary of postdoc research conducted to the Israeli university Selection Committee

Attendance at Program events and activities

Scholars are required to participate in Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program events including but not limited to:

  • A day-long academic event at each participating university campus
  • Visits to departments, research programs, and research facilities, including meetings with students and faculty at other universities
  • Social activities and sightseeing. Over the course of the academic year scholars are exposed to Israeli culture, meeting a variety of communities and ethnic groups, and visiting science parks and high-tech incubators in Israel
  • A Zuckerman Israel Institute Symposium featuring scholar research presentions. The program is open to the public and covered in the media

Publications and Recognition

  • Zuckerman postdoctoral scholars must identify themselves as members of the Zuckerman Postdoctoral Scholars Program in all academic and scientific papers, articles, publications, presentations (including web pages) of any material based on or advanced under the Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program, employing the following qualifier: “This work was supported in part by the Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program.”
  • Where appropriate, for purposes of branding, clarity and differentiation, the scholar should include the title “Zuckerman postdoctoral scholar.”

Quota and deadlines

Two postdoctoral scholarships will be awarded at each of the participating universities listed below for the 2024/25 academic year.

First deadline

Applications will be accepted through December 15, 2023. Applications will be reviewed and ranked by the Selection Committee over the course of the month of January 2025. Finalists will be announced in February 2024

Second deadline

Applications will be accepted through February 01, 2023. Applications will be reviewed and ranked by the selection committee over the course of the month of February 2024. Finalists will be announced in March 2024

Third deadline

Applications will be accepted through March 31, 2023. Applications will be reviewed and ranked by the selection committee over the course of the month of April 2024. Finalists will be announced in May 2024

Applications to the Zuckerman Postdoctoral Scholarship Program must be sent by the hosting supervisor(s) via email in a single pdf file to one or more of the following participating Israeli universities:

University
Representative
Ariel University

Moran Yehezkel International Research Coordinator

Bar-Ilan University

Zvi Swisa Student Academic Advisor

Ben Gurion University

Limor Azoulay-Gowans The Kreitman School of Advanced Graduate Studies

University of Haifa

Sigalit Rajuan Administrative Head Graduate Studies Authority and Bloom School for Graduate Studies

Hebrew University

Keren Sagi International Programs

Technion

Ayellet Katalan Visiting Scientists Coordinator Office for Academic Staff

Tel Aviv University

Shlomit Appel Academic Secretariat Foundations and Scholarships Department

Weizmann Institute

Sara Cohen Academic Services Coordinator at Weizmann Institute of Science