BEER-SHEVA, Israel (Press Release)—Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) on Thursday announced a new partnership to pursue pioneering breakthroughs in civilian safety and protective technologies for humanitarian purposes in conjunction with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI). Both are top-tier higher education institutions in the field of engineering and across the STEM disciplines, in Israel and the United States, respectively.
Launched with a $500,000 donation from siblings Melisa T. Gerber and David J. Gerber, which includes separate grants of $250,000 each to RPI and Americans for Ben-Gurion University (A4BGU), the collaborative program seeks to establish a long-term partnership between the institutions by leveraging their respective strengths in science and technology innovation.
The partnership will foster active collaboration between individual researchers, nurturing new technologies and research areas that can lead to tangible outcomes and potential commercialization. Possible collaborative research areas include, but are not limited to, developing resilient buildings capable of withstanding earthquakes, blasts, and fire; enhanced glass and windows for shattering reduction; and smart sensors for detecting toxic and solubilized volatiles, including pesticides, persistent chemicals, air or water pollutants.
“Ben-Gurion University has long believed that the most meaningful research improves lives,” said Prof. Raz Jelinek, Vice President and Dean for Research & Development at BGU. “This partnership with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute combines world-class scientific expertise with a shared commitment to translating discovery into real-world impact. Together, our researchers and students will pursue innovative technologies that strengthen civilian safety, enhance resilience, and address challenges that extend well beyond our two campuses.”
*
Preceding provided by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.