MIT-Israel Past Seed Fund Winners

MIT-Israel seed funds support new collaborations between faculty and research scientists at MIT and their counterparts in Israel. Learn more about MIT-Israel seed funds here.

MIT-Israel Seed Funds

MIT-Israel - MIT-Lockheed Martin Seed Fund

Automatic 3D Design and Editing

  • Justin Solomon, Professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science 
  • Raja Giryes, Tel Aviv University

MIT-Israel Broshy Brain and Cognitive Sciences Fund

Understanding the behavioral decision making behind chemical discoveries

  • Heather Kulik, Professor, Chemical Engineering 
  • Ori Plonsky, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

MIT-Israel Zuckerman STEM Fund

Israel’s community-based healthcare, urbanization and environment as a basis for developing indicators for pandemic resiliency and planning healthy cities

  • Mariana Arcaya, Associate Professor, Urban Studies and Planning 
  • Noam Shomron, Tel Aviv University

Non-invasive Acoustic Hyperthermia and Local Immunotherapy for the Treatment of Brain Tumors

  • Natalie Artzi, Assistant Professor at BWH, Institute for Medical Engineering and Science
  • Haim Azhari, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

Integrating Machine Learning Methods and Discrete Choice Models

  • Moshe Ben-Akiva, Edmund K. Turner Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Tomer Toledo, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

Vibrational engineering of ferroic order in van der Waals materials

  • Nuh Gedik, Professor, Physics
  • Dominik Juraschek, Tel Aviv University

How abstract is phonology

  • Donca Steriade, Class of 1941 Professor of Linguistics, Linguistics and Philosophy 
  • Roni Katzir, Tel Aviv University

Time Reversal of Nonlinear Hamiltonians for Quantum Enhanced Metrology

  • Vladan Vuletic, Lester Wolfe Professor of Physics, Physics 
  • Michael Rosenbluh, Bar-Ilan University

MIT-Israel - MIT-Lockheed Martin Seed Fund

Uncovering the Design Parameter Space for 3D Microwoven Materials

A collaboration between​:

  • Carlos Portela, Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering 
  • Igor Berinskii, Tel Aviv University                              

Thermochemistry and Irradiation Damage of WTaCrTiV Multi-Principal Element Alloys (MPEAs) as Optimized Fusion Plasma Facing Materials

A collaboration between​:   

  • Michael Short, Associate Professor, Nuclear Science and Engineering
  • Shmuel Hayun, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

MIT-Israel Broshy Brain and Cognitive Sciences Fund

How to Stay in The Zone - Theoretically Motivated Intervention for Optimizing Attentional States

A collaboration between​:  

  • Pattie Maes, Professor, Media Arts and Sciences 
  • Ayelet N. Landau, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem  

MIT-Israel Broshy Brain and Cognitive Sciences Fund and MIT-Israel Zuckerman STEM Fund

Boosting Vision on the Go - Perceptual Learning Through Visuo-Motor Engagement

A collaboration between​:  

  • Pawan Sinha, Professor, Brain and Cognitive Sciences
  • Roy Mukamel, Tel Aviv University

MIT-Israel Zuckerman STEM Fund

Launching the Technion center for computational intelligence in medicine

A collaboration between​:  

  • Leo Anthony Celi, Principal Research Scientist, Institute for Medical Engineering and Science
  • Joachim Behar, Technion-IIT

Fundamentals and applications of highly-polarizable semiconductors

A collaboration between​:  

  • Rafael Jaramillo, Assistant Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
  • Omer Yaffe, Weizmann Institute of Science

Extreme black hole accretion

A collaboration between​:  

  • Erin Kara, Assistant Professor, Physics
  • Iair Arcavi, Tel Aviv University

Digital Glass, Traditional Materials and Architectural Memory

A collaboration between​:  

  • Caitlin Mueller, Associate Professor, Architecture
  • Eran Sharon, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Nanoengineered Silk Bioelectronics

A collaboration between​:  

  • Kripa Varanasi, Professor, Mechanical Engineering
  • Ulyana Shimanovich, Weizmann Institute of Science

MIT-Israel - Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Seed Fund

Improving High-Throughput Dna Sequencing Analysis Through Universal K-Mer Hitting Sets

A collaboration between​:  

  • Professor Bonnie Berger, Mathematics   
  • Yaron Orenstein, Ben-Gurion University                               

Inferring And Overcoming Students’ Misconceptions  In Visual  Programming Environments

A collaboration between​:   

  • Hal Abelson, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Kobi Gal, Ben-Gurion University

Spectroscopy Of Molecules In Unusual States    

A collaboration between​:     

  • Robert W. Field, Haslam and Dewey Professor of Chemistry
  • Joshua Baraban, Ben-Gurion University            

MIT-Israel - MIT-Lockheed Martin Seed Fund

Bottom-Up Synthesis Of High Performance Aerogel Fuel Cell Catalysts

A collaboration between​:  

  • Professor Yogesh Surendranath, Chemistry
  • Lior Elbaz, Bar-Ilan University                                        

Model And Experiments Developing Metal-Bromine Flow Batteries

A collaboration between​:   

  • Martin Bazant, E.G. Roos Professor, Chemical Engineering
  • Matthew Suss, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

Resolving Near Order Structure Of Poly-Amorphous Li-Garnet For Solid State Battery Electrolytes

A collaboration between​:       

  • Jennifer Rupp, Thomas Lord Associate Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
  • Igor Lubomirsky, Weizmann Institute of Science              

MIT-Israel Zuckerman STEM Fund

A Bone Microstructure Approach To Studying Animal Domestication In The Levant

A collaboration between​:  

  • Professor Christine Ortiz, Materials Science and Engineering
  • Filipe Natalio, Weizmann Institute                                       

Artificial Proteins For Energy Transport Devices

A collaboration between​:   

  • Gabriela Schlau-Cohen, Thomas D. and Virginia W. Cabot Career Development Assistant Professor, Chemistry
  • Nadav Amdursky, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

Elucidating The Neural Mechanisms Of Expectancy-Based Effects In Psychotherapy 

A collaboration between​:       

  • John Gabrieli, Grover Hermann Professor of Health Sciences and Technology and Cognitive Neuroscience; Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST) and Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences
  • Sigal Mano-Zilcha, University of Haifa

The Quest For Dark Matter Interactions

A collaboration between​:  

  • Jesse Thaler, Associate Professor, Physics
  • Tomer Volansky, Tel-Aviv University

Transient Strongly Nonlinear Dynamics: Opportunities And Challenges

A collaboration between​:   

  • Themistoklis Sapsis, Mechanical Engineering
  • Oleg Gendelman, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

Ultrasound-Induced Immunotherapeutic Nanomedicine Delivery To Brain Tumours Under MRI Guidance

A collaboration between​:       

  • Natalie Artzi, Research Affiliate, Institute for Medical Engineering and Science
  • Haim Azhari, Technion Institute of Technology

MIT-Israel - Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Seed Fund

Boneh - Pec Rheology of Subducted

A collaboration between​:  

  • Slab Matej Pec, Assistant Professor, Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences    
  • Yuval Boneh, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Digital Archaeology and Virtual Narratives

A collaboration between​:   

  • Mark Jarzombek, Professor, Architecture
  • Takehiko Nagakura, Associate Professor, Architecture
  • Eliyahu Keller, PhD Student, Architecture             
  • Eytan Mann, Researcher, Architecture
  • Yuval Yekutieli, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Photoconductivity Chemical Sensors for Agriculture      

  • Rafael Jaramillo, Assistant Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
  • Yuval Golan, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

MIT-Israel Seed Fund

An Innovative Computational Framework for Dynamic Assortment Planning

  • Retsef Levi, Professor, Management
  • Danny Segev, University of Haifa

Ancient Roman Construction Technologies: Fundamental Insights to Inform the Future

  • Admir Masic, Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Elisabetta Boaretto, Weizmann Institute of Science

Designer Antibodies: An End-to-End Computational Framework for Identification

  • Joseph Jacobson, Associate Professor, Media Arts and Sciences
  • Sarel Fleishman, Weizmann Institute of Science

Information-Optimal Exploration of Excited State Dynamics

  • Gabriela Schlau-Cohen, Assistant Professor, Chemistry
  • Yoav Shechtman, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology

Networks of Knowledge: How a New Field of Knowledge is Created and Maintained

  • Michael Fischer, Professor, Science, Technology, and Society
  • Uri Shwed, Ben Gurion University

US Israel Reading

  • John D. E. Gabrieli, Professor, Brain and Cognitive Sciences
  • Tzipi Horowitz-Kraus, Technion – Israel Institute of Technology

MIT-Israel - Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Seed Fund

New Tools for Predictive Computational Catalysis Through Collaboration

A collaboration between:

  • Heather Kulik, Joseph R. Mares '24 Career Development Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering 
  • Sebastian Kozuch, Assistant Professor, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Systems Ecology of Biopolymer Degrading Communities in the Cow Rumen

A collaboration between:

  • Otto Cordero, Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering 
  • Ithzik Mizrahi, Associate Professor, BGU

MIT-Israel Seed Fund

Comparative Internet Policy and Technology Research Workshops

A collaboration between:

  • Daniel Weitzner, MIT Internet Policy Research Initiative Director, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science  
  • Niva Elkin-Koren, Professor, University of Haifa

Extreme Light-Matter Interactions

A collaboration between:

  • Marin Soljacic, Professor, Physics 
  • Meir Orenstein, Professor, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

Probing the Evolution and Ecology of a Bacillus Subtilis Mobile Genetic Element

A collaboration between:

  • Alan Grossman, Praecis Professor and Department Head, Biology
  • Avigdor Eldar, Tel-Aviv University

Quantum Digital Noise Spectroscopy

A collaboration between:

  • Paola Cappellaro, Associate Professor, Nuclear Science and Engineering 
  • Nir Bar-Gill, Assistant Professor, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

The BLOSSOMS-AW Project: Technology-enhanced Project-based Pedagogy for the Promotion of Scientific Thinking and Motivation towards STEM-related Careers

A collaboration between:

  • Richard Larson, Mitsui Professor of Data, Systems, and Society, Engineering Systems Division
  • Miri Barak, Assistant Professor, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

The Climate Impact of Semi-solid and Glassy Aerosol Particles

A collaboration between:

  • Daniel Cziczo, Associate Professor, Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences 
  • Carynelisa Haspel, Associate Professor, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

tRNA MODIFICATIONS IN ENTAMOEBA HISTOLYTICA

A collaboration between:

  • Peter Dedon, Professor, Biological Engineering  
  • Serge Ankri, Associate Professor, Faculty of Medicine- Technion - Israel Institute of Technology

MIT-Israel Seed Fund

Advanced Pumped Hydropower Reverse Osmosis System to Provide Power and Desalinated Water to the Aqaba-Eilat Region of the Red Sea

A collaboration between:

  • Alexander Slocum, Professor, Mechanical Engineering
  • Jacob Karni, Professor, Weizmann Institute of Science

Bridging the Theory and Practice of Pseudo-random Functions

A collaboration between:

  • Vinod Vaikuntanathan, Associate Professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Alon Rosen, Associate Professor, The Interdisciplinary Center at Herzliya

Flipped Classroom for STEM Students: Benefits and Challenges

A collaboration between:

  • Albert Meyer, Professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Yehudit Judy Dori, Professor, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology

High-Resolution Mapping of Histone Variants Dynamics During iPSC Reprogramming

A collaboration between:

  • Laurie Boyer, Associate Professor, Biology
  • Jacob H. Hanna, Assistant Professor, Weizmann Institute of Science

Hydrodynamics in Quantum Materials

A collaboration between:

  • Pablo Jarillo-Herrero, Professor, Physics
  • Leonid Levitov, Professor, Physics
  • Eli Zeldov, David and Inez Myers Chair of Condensed Matter Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science
  • Gregory Falkovich, Professor, Weizmann Institute of Science

Schur Positivity and Smith Normal Form

A collaboration between:

  • Richard Stanley, Professor, Mathematics
  • Alexander Postnikov, Professor, Mathematics
  • Ron Adin, Professor, Bar-Ilan University
  • Yuval Roichman, Professor, Bar-Ilan University

MIT-Israel – Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Seed Fund

Effect of Sunlight Intensity on Functional Inhomogeneity and Stability of Organic-Inorganic Perovskite Solar Cells

A collaboration between:

  • Vladimir Bulović, Professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Anna Osherov, Postdoctoral Associate, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Yuval Golan, Professor of Materials Engineering , Director Ilse Katz Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology, Eric Samson Chair of Advanced Materials and Processing, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
  • Eugene Katz, Professor of Solar Energy and Environmental Physics, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Microbial Reduction of Iron and the Formation and Transformation of Natural Clays

A collaboration between:

  • Tanja Bosak, Associate Professor, Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences
  • Orit Sivan, Senior Lecturer, BGU

Switchable Nanocomposite Liquid Crystal Smart Windows

A collaboration between:

  • Gareth McKinley, Professor, Mechanical Engineering
  • George Barbastathis, Professor, Mechanical Engineering
  • Ibrahim Abdulhalim, Professor, Ben-Gurion University

MIT-Israel - Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Seed Fund

Channel Photocurrent Spectroscopy – Characterization Tool for Heterostructure Transistors

A collaboration between:

  • Jesus A. del Alamo, Professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Ilan Shalish, Assistant Professor, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Guiding Students' Learning Using On-line Collaborative Annotation Tools

A collaboration between:

  • David Karger, Professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
  • Yakov (Kobi) Gal, Senior Lecturer, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Identification of Epigenetic Quantitative Trait Loci Associated with Tomato Seed Germination

A collaboration between:

  • Mary Gehring, Assistant Professor, Biology
  • Aaron Fait, Assistant Professor, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Improving the Delivery of Treatments in Spinal Cord Injury Using Ultrasound

A collaboration between:

  • Robert Langer, Professor, Chemical Engineering
  • Timothy O'Shea, Graduate Student, Health Sciences and Technology
  • Joseph (Yosi) Kost, Dean, Faculty of Engineering Sciences and Abraham and Bessie Zacks Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Self-Sustained Agriculture Based on Marginal Water

A collaboration between:

  • John Lienhard, Professor, Mechanical Engineering
  • Amos Winter, Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering
  • Jack Gilron, Professor, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
  • Naftali Lazarovitch, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
  • David Faiman, Professor, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
  • Eilon Adar; Professor; Ben-Gurion University of the Negev