Since its inception, the BSF has awarded over $700 million to over 5,000 research projects of the highest quality. Many of these have led to important scientific, medical and technological breakthroughs.
The U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF) promotes scientific relations between the U.S. and Israel by supporting collaborative research projects in a wide area of basic and applied scientific fields, for peaceful and non-profit purposes.
Founded in 1972 by an agreement between the United States and Israel, the BSF is an independent body, directed by a board of governors consisting of five American and five Israeli members. Its base of operation is in Israel.
Announcements
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September 14, 2020Recent BSF webinars are now available to view on the website
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September 1, 2020Website open for 2020 Research Grants submission
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August 18, 2020Recipients of BSF 2020 Memorial Awards
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August 10, 2020Joint NSF-BSF and regular BSF research funding opportunities fully explained in 4 live webinars in September!
Our Funding Opportunities
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NSF-BSF Joint Research Grants
More about NSF-BSF Joint Research Grants -
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Start-Up Research Grants
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Prof. Rahamimoff Travel Grants
More about Prof. Rahamimoff Travel Grants
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September 29, 2020Deadline for NSF-BSF program in Combinatorics; Foundations (NSF deadline is Sept. 22)
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October 1, 2020Deadline for NSF-BSF program in Probability (NSF deadline is Sept. 25)
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October 11, 2020Deadline NSF-BSF program in Analysis (NSF deadline in Sept. 30)
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October 15, 2020Deadline for NSF-BSF program in Algebra and Number Theory (NSF deadline is Oct. 09)
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November 8, 2020Deadline for NSF-BSF program in Materials (NSF deadline is Nov. 2)
- 46 Nobel Prize laureates
- 07 Winners of the Turing Award
- 63 Recipients of the Wolf Prize
- 08 Recipients of the Fields Medal
- 23 Winners of the Albert Lasker Medical Research Award
Scientific Achievements
BSF support has paved the way for numerous scientific, medical and technological breakthroughs with wide-ranging practical applications.
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Nobel-winning discovery of critical cell function
The 2004 Nobel Prize for Chemistry was awarded to Profs. Avram Hershko and Aaron Ciechanover (Technion), together with Prof. Irwin Rose (UC Irvine), for…Read More -
Pioneering Advances in Computer Science and Robotics
BSF-supported research in computer science has spurred pioneering advances in computational geometry, which lies at the heart of diverse areas such as robotics and…Read More -
Cancer Diagnostics
The BSF played a key role in the worldwide use of PET (Positron Emitting Tomography) to identify functional disorders, indicating cancer. The development of…Read More -
All Scientific Achievements
Dr. Sherry Tamone (Univ Alaska) with her student and a graduate student of Prof. Amir Sagi (Ben Gurion Univ.) Tom Levy at their study area in Alaska 
Discussing the results are Profs. Phil Baran (Scripps Research Institute) and Doron Shabat (Tel Aviv Univ.) 
In the lab of Prof. Jerri Bartholomew (Oregon State Univ.) , her student Stephen Atkinson with Prof. Tamar Lotan (Univ of Haifa) 
Computer scientists Dr. Jonathan Berant (Univ. Tel Aviv) and Dr. Vivek Srikumar (Univ. Utah) with students 
Dr. Onn Crouvi (Geological Survey of Israel) with students studying regional modelling of calcic soils on site in Southern Israel 
Hydrologists Profs. Yokochi Reika (Univ. Chicago), Peter Mueller (Aragone National Lab.), Yossi Yechieli (Israel Geological Survey), Eilon Adar (Ben-Gurion Univ.) and their students at the end of a intense two weeks sampling campaign at the shores of the Dead Sea (Ein Kedem hot spring) [pictured by Dr. A. Burg, Israel Geological Survey] Resume slideshow Pause slideshow
Enjoying art are mathematicians Profs. Vladimir Berkovich (Weizmann Inst.) and Mattias Jonsson (Univ. of Michigan)
Facts & Figures
Facts & Figures
Magazine Top Stories
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Fall Edition 2020Letter From the Executive DirectorIn his final magazine letter before he retires, Yair Rotstein looks back on his 16 years with BSF (including the past year’s pandemic-related challenges) and shares why BSF has a bright future ahead. Read More
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Fall Edition 2020Meet BSF’s new Executive DirectorMeet Prof. Anton Post, who becomes BSF’s new Executive Director in October. A former BSF grantee, this marine science pioneer comes to his new position with plenty of experience in Israel and the United States – and with big ideas for BSF’s future. Read More
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Fall Edition 2020BSF Board of Governors – Prof. Mouna MarounAmong many firsts, Prof. Mouna Maroun is the first Arab woman to head a university science department in Israel. As a new BSF Board of Governors member, she hopes to strengthen awareness of BSF among Arab students interested in science careers. Read More
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Fall Edition 2020Coronavirus UpdatesAs Israel and the United States continue facing the ravages of the coronavirus pandemic, current and former BSF grantees are making promising discoveries in several areas, including more efficient testing, how the virus spreads, and how it affects the body and mind. Read More
The support of the United States – Israel Binational Science Foundation has not only been a valuable factor in the important scientific developments achieved at the present time, but will also prepare the next generation of U.S. and Israeli scientists for a leadership role in our global tomorrow.
Shimon Peres
The support of the BSF for over 23 years was essential for the discoveries that brought me the Nobel Prize. Thus, the BSF had a very important role in this achievement…..While I can survive without a BSF grant, this is not so with young Israeli scientists. This is very important for the future of Israeli science.
Avram Hershko
“I have known many Israeli and American scientists that have benefited enormously from these binational collaborations. In this way science in both countries has been greatly aided, but also the relationship between our two countries has been greatly strengthened.
David Gross
The deep friendship and strategic partnership between Israel and the United States is built on the pillars of shared values, one of which is the perpetual search for knowledge and the advancement of science and technology for the good of mankind. For more than three decades, the BSF has embodied that vision…As former ambassadors who have been deeply involved in U.S.-Israel relations for many years, we strongly affirm the critical importance of the Israeli-American scientific enterprise, which the BSF is doing so much to promote with extraordinary effectiveness.
Martin Indyk
My research was supported by the BSF for almost 30 years…This enabled my research group to collaborate with two of the most outstanding scientists in the field of chemistry…..An additional important aspect of the BSF is the social-cultural one….builds bridges between Israeli and American researchers…with several [U.S. partners] I have continued to collaborate long after BSF grants have expired…I have also used BSF travel grants to send to the USA other researchers in my group, allowing them to interact directly with American colleagues, including graduate students. I believe this is a very important part of the BSF program…
Yitzhak Apeloig
The BSF has had a major influence in my career, when I started a collaboration with Jacob Klein (Weizmann)…My often twice per year visits to the Weizmann Institute increased contacts with other groups there and at other Israeli universities…There is no doubt that the BSF has had a defining influence on my global research program.
