We equip both master’s and doctoral candidates with another practical tool: hands-on supervised training in BINA’s scientific instrumentation and clean room facilities. Graduate students are crucial for researchers’ success, which is why providing the best possible education for Israeli students at all levels remains a BINA priority. BINA has, on average, 350 students annually training at master’s and doctoral levels. Of these, 29% receive BINA’s sought-after Excellence Scholarship, a stipend offered in addition to the standard university scholarship. To date, 4,396 MSc and PhD students have completed BINA programs that include diverse curricula, advanced research and exposure to nanofabrication techniques, acquisition of advanced analytical tools and experience of challenges that can be addressed through applied nanoscience research. The hands-on work using advanced equipment and the exposure to an industry that works at and receives services at BINA increase our students’ informal skills. The newly minted degree holders will pursue their careers in the industry and in academia as PhDs or in postdoctoral positions. International Initiatives Since 2018 we have emphasized the internationalization of the institute, with the understanding that our researchers may be interested in one or more of the collaborations we have created while empowering the institute and exposing the researchers and their work to potential partners. In two challenging years, amid waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have managed to navigate international relations and even increase international collaborations. This year we expanded our collaboration with the Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute (CATRIN), of Palacký University Olomouc (UP), the Czech Republic. This partnership has enabled us to expand our research activities; the first project, for example, is related to sustainability (energy and agriculture). BINA has hosted delegations headed by Prof. Martin Procházka, the rector and president of Palacký University. This year we held two workshops using Zoom technology. The first was with Sydney Nano, Australia, followed by two collaborations on energy convergence and bioconvergence. The second one was our third workshop with the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), Portugal, followed by four new collaborations on nanosystems for applications leading to a sustainable society, nextgeneration batteries and quantum sensors. Industry Collaboration Additional emphasis was placed on opening the institute to industry, creating rich opportunities for advancing industries by encouraging cooperation between companies and researchers at the institute. Also, exposure to companies in the real world eases our students’ transition into the labor market. Several startup companies have made BINA their home, and the institute has become a leading candidate for research cooperation with companies under the auspices of the Israel Innovation Authority. BINA now provides various services to over 150 companies, including some in Europe and Canada. Scholarship Recipients BINA’s highly selective program for outstanding undergraduates offers a full-tuition scholarship and a monthly stipend to encourage students to make the field of nanotechnology the focus of their future careers. In 2021, 100 outstanding MSc and PhD candidates received the BINA Nano Excellence Scholarship—a highly sought-after award granted in addition to the university’s other stipends. We continued supporting the student excellence club, Excel@BINA, which aims to enrich the student experience through social activities such as theater, opera, a dinner etiquette workshop and preparation for the labor market, and to expose outstanding students to leading researchers and industry leaders from Israel and abroad, enabling them to realize their personal potential and their contribution to society. Students and Publications This year, 2021, was a productive one for students who published research. 75 students received awards for being the first authors in articles published in leading academic journals. These students and others assisted BINA faculty in publishing over 380 academic articles. 55
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