BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY | THE WAY FORWARD

Quantum Metrology Laboratory The development of accurate time standards, independent of external vulnerable signals like the GPS, is of the utmost strategic importance for the State of Israel, and the Quantum Metrology Laboratory develops and operates frequency and time standards at the highest possible levels of accuracy. The lab is equipped with state-of-the-art devices for producing time and frequency signals, enabling research that leverages photonics microresonators and electro-optic materials for quantum computing and quantum metrology. The lab’s primary focus is on developing an optical atomic clock that will produce time signals with extremely high accuracy. Envisioning a network of these atomic clocks, the lab’s researchers collaborate with scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science, investigating the sharing of time signals between the laboratories and the distribution of accurate standards. The purchase of the lab’s specialized equipment and devices was enabled with donor support. National Artificial Intelligence Resilience Laboratory While AI technologies possess unprecedented capabilities, they also present a landscape rife with security vulnerabilities that malicious actors are eager to exploit. The National Artificial Intelligence Resilience Laboratory, a collaboration between BGU and the Israel National Cyber Directorate, aims to strengthen AI-based models’ resilience to cyberattacks, by increasing understanding of AI’s vulnerabilities, developing new methods for the detection and prevention of attacks on AI systems, and improving their robustness to attacks. Donor support enabled the lab’s launch and first five years of operation. Duet Center for Early Childhood Therapy and Training In response to the acute shortage of qualified early childhood mental health professionals, lack of affordable care in southern Israel, and the growing demand for therapeutic services for young children in the wake of the ongoing war, the Duet Center plans to establish a University based therapeutic center in Beer-Sheva in partnership with dedicated donors committed

of individuals and families were displaced from their homes and entire communities were devastated, and welfare, healthcare, and education systems were overwhelmed, the lab leapt into action. Recognizing that the unprecedented crisis and challenges demanded integrated, real-time technologies capable of supporting both frontline responders and public agencies, the lab pioneered AI driven technologies to strengthen emergency preparedness and community resilience; with donor support, the lab set out to develop multilingual decision-support tools that provide real-time psychological first-aid guidance for first responders and digital platforms that enable coordinated, data-driven crisis management for displaced families, service providers, and local authorities. By combining cutting-edge research and close collaboration with national institutions, the lab and its donors are advancing evidence-based social welfare policy and practice, improving public services through data-driven decision-making, and training a new generation of researchers at the intersection of AI and social welfare. 3D Printing and Soft Lithography Lab BGU’s 3D printing capabilities were markedly enhanced with the establishment of a new 3D Printing and Soft Lithography Lab, made possible with donor support. The cutting-edge facility is equipped with state-of-the-art 3D printing systems and innovative technologies, enabling 3D printing of soft materials. The lab allows researchers and students to bring innovative ideas to life, as they use the equipment to create devices, develop materials, and address scientific and engineering challenges, fueling research and breakthroughs in nanotechnology, materials science, chemistry, biology, and bioengineering. Interest and use of the lab has grown since its establishment in mid-2026. To encourage hands-on work in the lab and new research projects, a formal lab tour was held, along with a call for proposals. Seven projects were awarded grants supporting the use of the laboratory’s equipment and technologies, enabling researchers to explore a wide range of topics previously out of reach.

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