|
CONTENTS
|
|
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S DESK |
|
Page 1 |
|
No. 2, 2007 |
|
|
|
It is not possible in this short newsletter to describe all the research projects supported by the BSF in this important field. However, even the selected few illustrate the wide spectrum covered by this work and its significant impact.
Since the last issue of the newsletter, several major changes have taken place at the BSF, affecting all those in the scientific community who are in contact with us -- applicants, grantees, reviewers, science advisors and research authorities. By far the most important of these changes is the move to electronically based operations, which is almost complete. Submission of applications, reviewing and consultations with the Scientific Advisors is already fully electronic, and the final step of moving the grant administration to the BSF website is in progress.
Another important step we have taken is to simplify grant administration by changing to a single contract for the entire duration of the grant, which recently replaced the former annual contracts. All the new contracts have been issued in this form.
One area in which there has not been any progress is increasing the BSF endowment, curtailing severely the Foundation’s ability to cope with the growing demand for support, leading to increasing attrition in the scientific cooperation between the United States and Israel. The BSF has been cooperating with the two other United States-Israel foundations (BARD and BIRD, dealing with agricultural research and industrial innovation, respectively), with the hope that working together will increase the effectiveness of such efforts. However, in view of the lack of progress, the BSF Board recently decided to initiate a fundraising campaign. Of course, we are aware of the difficulties and fierce competition, but we hope that our unique mission of promoting not only scientific research, but also cooperation between the United States and Israel, will give us an important advantage.
In the season of the Jewish New Year, I would like to take this opportunity of wishing everybody associated with the BSF a healthy, fruitful and peaceful year. |
|
The BSF, which has awarded close to 4,000 grants since it was founded 35 year ago, has become a household name in research institutions in Israel. The BSF plays a major role in maintaining close cooperation between researchers in Israel and the United States, which remains the unrivaled world leader in most scientific fields.
This second issue of BSF News and Views focuses on the BSF’s contribution to the cutting edge of medical and scientific research in the field of neurodegenerative diseases. |
|
BSF CALENDAR
September 1, 2007 BSF website opens for submission of new applications in the Health Sciences, Life Sciences, Biomedical Engineering and Social and Developmental Psychology November 15, 2007 Submission deadline for applications in Health Sciences, Life Sciences, Biomedical Engineering and Social and Developmental Psychology December 20, 2007 Submission deadline for BSF-Supported Workshops March 1, 2008 Results for the BSF-Supported Workshop Program July 9, 2008 BSF Annual Dinner in Jerusalem July 15 Results for BSF Research Grant Applications |
