Zuckerman Postdoctoral Scholars Program: Joint North American-israel Postdoc Track Grant

Zuckerman Postdoctoral Scholars Program: Joint North American-israel Postdoc Track Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Mortimer B Zuckerman Foundation
Amount: Up to US $126,000
Last Updated: February 07, 2026

Summary

The Zuckerman Postdoctoral Scholars Program fosters collaboration between leading scientific institutions in the U.S. and Israel by attracting top postdoctoral researchers. With a focus on STEM leadership, this program offers a unique two-year scholarship, allowing scholars to conduct research at participating Israeli universities and North American institutions. The initiative aims to strengthen academic ties, enhance research capabilities, and support the return of talented Israeli scholars to their home institutions, ultimately enriching the global scientific community.

Overview

About The Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program supports future generations of leaders in science, technology, engineering, and math in the United States and Israel and, over time, fosters greater collaboration between the world’s most advanced scientific research centers. Goals It is our goal to: Support future generations of leaders in science, technology, engineering, and math in the United States and Israel.Foster greater collaboration between the world’s most advanced scientific research centers by attracting outstanding postdoctoral researchers from top universities, thus creating a cycle of excellence.Facilitate the return of top Israeli scholars to Israeli institutions, allowing them to compete with North American institutions for the most promising candidates, and cultivating world class scientific talent.Infuse a unique spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation in our scholars.Enrich students in our program with high-quality programs, workshops, and world-class speakers.Empower Israeli leading centers for advanced STEM research, by providing vital talent and resources needed to develop top-tier research labs, projects and programs.Strengthen the international reputation of Israel’s higher education system and Israel’s diplomatic, social, and economic ties. Postdoctoral Scholars Program The Zuckerman Postdoctoral Scholars Program attracts high-achieving postdoctoral scholars from premier universities in the United States and Canada to do research at one of eight Israeli universities. Once they complete their research, many Zuckerman postdocs are expected to accept faculty positions at top North American universities, weaving a network of academic collaboration and goodwill that will greatly benefit US-Israeli scientific cooperation. The program enriches scholars with high-quality workshops and world-class speakers. Zuckerman Scholars enjoy programming and activities organized especially for them by the program and their host universities in Israel, including touring, educational experiences, and social programs. These activities are designed to strengthen the scholars’ knowledge of and connection to Israel, as well as to foster new relationships cultivating an esprit de corps and encouraging the exchange of ideas. Candidates for the Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program are assessed based on their academic and research achievements, as well as on personal merit and leadership qualities, without regard to race, religion, gender, ethnicity, or age. Joint Israeli-North American Postdoc Track A two-year joint postdoctoral scholarship where scholars spend part of their time at one of eight participating Israeli universities, and the other part at a US or Canadian university. Funding $63,000 scholarship / academic year (up to two years) on the condition that the scholar be present and conducting research at the Israeli university for at least six months per year.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Joint postdoctoral candidates must be citizens of the United States or Canada or have a documented status that allows them to remain permanently in the US.Candidates must hold a PhD degree from a leading American or Canadian university, or if still studying for a PhD, must submit their PhD thesis before October 1. Joint postdoctoral candidates must obtain consent from potential hosting supervisors at both the Israeli university and the American or Canadian university to which they are applying.Participating Israeli universities are: Ariel UniversityBar-Ilan UniversityBen-Gurion University of the NegevUniversity of HaifaThe Hebrew University of JerusalemTechnion – Israel Institute of TechnologyTel Aviv UniversityWeizmann Institute of ScienceCandidates may apply to more than one of the above universities.

Ineligibility

Recipients may not accept other scholarships concurrently with the Zuckerman STEM scholarship.Israeli citizens are not eligible for this program.