The Program

The Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program supports future generations of leaders in science, technology, engineering, and math in the United States and Israel and, over time, fosters greater collaboration between the world’s most advanced scientific research centers.

The program overview

At a time when collaboration is essential to advanced scientific research, this program gives the next generations of leading American and Israeli academics the ability to work together on cutting-edge research in ways that stand to benefit their fields for years to come.

– Mortimer B. Zuckerman

James Gertler, Trustee Zuckerman Institute, Prof. Menachem Ben-Sasson of the Hebrew University, Prof. Daniel Zajfman of the Weizmann Institute, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, Nobel laureates Prof. Ada Yonath, Mortimer B. Zuckerman, Prof. Peretz Lavie of the Technion, Nobel Laureate Prof. Richard Axel, Prof. Joseph Klafter of Tel Aviv University, Nobel Laureate Prof. Eric Kandel, Eric Gertler, Trustee Zuckerman Institute.

It is our goal to:

Support future generations of leaders in science, technology, engineering, and math in the United States and Israel.

Foster greater collaboration between the world’s most advanced scientific research centers by attracting outstanding postdoctoral researchers from top universities, thus creating a cycle of excellence.

Facilitate the return of top Israeli scholars to Israeli institutions, allowing them to compete with North American institutions for the most promising candidates, and cultivating world-class scientific talent.

Infuse a unique spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation in our scholars.

Enrich students in our program with high-quality programs, workshops, and world-class speakers.

Empower Israeli leading centers for advanced STEM research, by providing vital talent and resources needed to develop top-tier research labs, projects and programs.

Strengthen the international reputation of Israel’s higher education system and Israel’s diplomatic, social, and economic ties.

Candidates for the Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program are assessed based on their academic and research achievements, qualities of personal merit and leadership. The program will provide scholarships over the next 20 years through the following initiatives:

provides vital resources to Israeli universities, allowing them to compete with top North American institutions for the most promising candidates. The program facilitates the return of top Israeli scholars to Israeli institutions, cultivates world class scientific talent, and in turn, attracts outstanding postdoctoral researchers from top Western universities, creating a cycle of excellence.
attracts high achieving postdoctoral scholars from premier universities in the United States to do research at one of seven 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.
provides additional support to Israeli researchers who have been accepted to a postdoctoral program with a stipend at an American university.
provides scholarships for up to two years to Israeli women PhDs who have been accepted to a postdoctoral program at an American or Canadian university.
Providing American graduate students and postdoctoral researchers with exposure to Israel’s renowned cutting edge research and startup culture will create a generation of academic, scientific and industry leaders in the United States infused with a unique spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation.
Providing Israeli institutions with access to the large scale funding needed to develop top tier research labs, projects, and programs will bolster Israeli research institutions as world leading centers for advanced research.
Over time, the US Israel partnership will be strengthened as Zuckerman Scholars return to the United States after building long lasting relationships based on mutual collaboration. Israeli academic leaders returning to research institutions in Israel will similarly advance the overarching collaborative effort in science between the two nations as they continue to build bridges with their American colleagues.
  • Scholars 246
  • Faculty Scholars with one patent 50%
  • Faculty Scholars with two patents 25%
  • Government of Israel support $15M