Bar-Ilan University held a cornerstone-laying ceremony on Feb. 5, attended by Dr. Miriam Adelson, to launch Israel’s first Institute for the Synthesis of Smart Materials, an ambitious new research hub made possible by a generous gift from the Adelson family.
The institute will accelerate the development of advanced materials through the integration of artificial intelligence and robotics, with potential applications ranging from medicine to energy and advanced technologies.
Bar-Ilan University president Professor Arie Zaban said that “science contains countless dimensions that we have yet to fully grasp, and that is the story we are building here today.”
“The ability to produce multidimensional ‘smart’ materials represents a transformative step forward. This is the first center of its kind in Israel and among only a few worldwide, and from here we will help reshape reality for the better. To push beyond the limits of the human mind, we are harnessing automation and artificial intelligence to create new energy systems that are more efficient, affordable and sustainable,” he said. “I thank Dr. Adelson for joining this project with a deep sense of mission for the State of Israel and for humanity as a whole. Together, we will turn this vision into reality.”
Adelson stated that “this innovative center immediately captured my interest as one of the first in the world to promote broad collaboration among researchers across disciplines. The joint work of physicists, biologists, and scholars from diverse fields is both impressive and inspiring. I was deeply moved by the unique spirit of Bar-Ilan, a university where people feel a genuine sense of connection and shared purpose. Congratulations and much success!”
“The Adelson Institute for Smart Materials at Bar-Ilan University is about accelerating what comes next—leveraging emerging technologies in artificial intelligence and robotics to rapidly transform scientific discovery into real-world solutions,” said Jessica Feldan, CEO of American Friends of Bar-Ilan University.
“We are deeply grateful to Dr. Miriam Adelson for her groundbreaking vision and extraordinary generosity,” she added.
