The Next Generation of Engineers: Scholarships for FIRST Robotics Graduates
Bar-Ilan University launches three new NIS 40,000 scholarships for outstanding high-school students participating in the FIRST robotics program
What Makes a Future Engineer?
The curiosity to uncover how technology works and the desire to build, disassemble, and experiment with complex devices—often begins early. These are the qualities that drive many children and teenagers to excel in engineering. For thousands of young people in Israel, this spark is discovered in youth robotics workshops.
Bar-Ilan University has launched three new scholarships designed to support exceptional high-school students who chose to develop their engineering talents long before university. The scholarships are open to participants in the FIRST Robotics program, a global nonprofit promoting STEM education through hands-on learning and robotics competitions.
Each scholarship awards NIS 10,000 per year for four years of undergraduate studies. A joint committee from Bar-Ilan University and FIRST will select the recipients. This initiative marks a growing connection between the university and one of Israel’s most vibrant technological communities—teams of teens who spend months each year designing robots, developing engineering solutions, and working in highly organized professional teams. The Faculty of Engineering sees this as a meaningful investment in the next generation of engineers, programmers, and technology researchers in Israel.
FIRST in Israel: A Unique Approach to Technological Education
FIRST operates in Israel in partnership with the Technion and runs innovative robotics programs for students from kindergarten through grade 12. Participants develop not only technical expertise, but also leadership, teamwork, decision-making, and advanced planning and execution skills.
Prof. Amos Danielli, Head of the Bioengineering Track in BIU’s Faculty of Engineering, first encountered FIRST when his son joined the Thunderbolt robotics team (Team 2630) in Emek Hefer.
“I discovered an organization that brings together young people with a genuine passion for technology and learning,” he says. “It’s essentially a high-level technological youth movement—unique in every way.”
Teams work intensively for four months each year to build a robot capable of performing highly complex tasks—from scoring goals to placing objects with precision. “Teams of 15 to 40 teens divide into mechanics, software, and media departments and work together on a project comparable in complexity to university-level capstones,” Prof. Danielli explains.
Connecting Young Innovators With Academia
The talent displayed at FIRST competitions does not go unnoticed.
“In Israel, representatives from elite IDF technological units and industry often attend the competitions to recruit graduates,” Prof. Danielli says. “But in the U.S., you’ll see entire rows of booths from universities, aerospace companies, and tech firms.”
Many FIRST alumni achieve remarkable milestones even before graduating high school—joining start-ups, developing advanced coding and engineering skills, and securing placements in prestigious military technology programs.
The partnership with FIRST was initiated by Prof. Orit Shefi, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, together with Eli Barak, the lead mentor of Team 2630 and a member of the FIRST Israel board. After visiting the Emek Hefer robotics workshop, Prof. Shefi was deeply impressed by the level of professionalism and creativity. The Faculty later supported the team, which ranked highly in the Israeli competition and went on to represent Israel at the international championships in Houston.
“The decision to launch this generous scholarship program stems from the understanding that we must support young people who are passionate about science and engineering—young people whose future, and ours, will be shaped by their talent,” says Prof. Danielli. “It is especially meaningful that so many girls are participating and excelling. Their future in engineering is bright.”
A New Partnership to Support Israel’s Technological Talent
Although FIRST has long been associated with the Technion, the collaboration with Bar-Ilan University received full support from the organization’s board, including Technion representatives.
“The initiative was embraced by everyone involved,” Prof. Danielli concludes. “There is a shared understanding of how crucial it is for universities in Israel to help cultivate technological talent from a young age.”