BGU | PRESIDENT'S REPORT 2024

Dr. Shira Chapman

Dr. Dan Bar Yaacov

Prof. Gonen Ashkenasy

Prof. Tomer Hertz

Prof. Ron Folman

NOTABLE GRANTS • Dr. Shira Chapman of the Department of Physics and Dr. Dan Bar Yaacov of the Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics both received prestigious ERC Starting Grants. The grants provide up to 1.5 million euros and additional funding of up to 1 million euros for equipment over five years. • Prof. Gonen Ashkenasy of the Department of Chemistry, together with three other research groups in Europe, won a prestigious ERC Synergy Grant for joint research. The project aims to understand new principles in the organization of biological systems and shed light on possible scenarios in the early stages of evolution. The grant is given for six years, and BGU's share is about 3.4 million euros. • Prof. Ashkenasy was also selected to head a new Minerva Center for the Study of Planetary Emergence of Life. This center, a collaboration with the Hebrew University and Tel Aviv University, will be established at Ben-Gurion University for six years. Minerva Centers are established for innovative research topics in Israel and are funded by the Minerva Stiftung and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

• BGU was awarded a $1.3 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Prof. Tomer Hertz of the Shraga Segal Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Genetics will develop and validate a novel and safe approach for measuring immune responses to polio viruses. • Prof. Ron Folman will receive $2.6 million from a collective fund created by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Simons Foundation, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation to lead the development of a nanodiamond spatial interferometer that will help bridge the gap between quantum physics and Einstein’s theory of relativity.

78 ISF grants awarded

increase in grant proposal submissions

9%

submissions out of 252 a 4% improvement over last year

increase in new research accounts

28%

Total Investment in Research (US$ M)*

Competitive grants & contracts

Non-competitive grants & contracts

Donations

BGU research funding

Total

2020/21 2021/22 2022/23

50.1 50.7 48.2

39.0 44.2 55.0

33.2 25.0 21.3

8.6

108

14.5

111.6 134.3

9.8

Figures are based on full amounts of research grants or donor commitments, and not payments received.

33

President's Report 2024