Rowan University researchers awarded fellowships to Israel, building New Jersey-Israel connection

Program to cultivate future research opportunities, deepen collaborations between scholars in the United States and Israel

Five Rowan University faculty members will embark on a research trip to Israel this summer, courtesy of the Jewish National Fund. The fellowship awards were announced during Choose New Jersey’s four-day economic mission trip to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Feb. 10-13. The program links researchers with their Israeli counterparts at major institutions to gain awareness of the challenges facing the country, as well as insights into Israeli advances. The fellowships are designed to develop collaborations, research projects, co-authored articles, and exchange programs between faculty and students. Rowan University also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Jerusalem College of Technology to share interests in joint research. Steve Weinstein, Rowan University’s executive vice president for policy and external relationships/partnerships, traveled with the delegation and accepted the awards on the educators’ behalf. “Rowan University faculty is renowned for its diversity and global collaboration,” Weinstein said. “These fellowships are a wonderful opportunity for our professors to deepen their understanding of Israeli challenges and insights, as well as to create new partnerships.” “While these researchers are all leaders in their respective fields, a program like this one allows them to meet with their international peers, so they can collaborate on new ideas to solve today’s problems,” said Beena Sukumaran, Rowan University’s vice president for research. The honored Rowan University faculty members include:

• Professor Smitesh Bakrania, Mechanical Engineering
• Professor Yong Chen, Molecular and Cellular Biosciences
• Professor Yusuf Mehta, Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Professor Jill Perry, STEM Education
• Professor Charles Schutte, Environmental Science

Designed to strengthen economic ties between New Jersey and Israel, the Choose New Jersey trip built on progress from Gov. Murphy’s October 2018 visit. Delegation members met with government and industry leaders, strengthening economic ties, cultivating further investment opportunities in New Jersey, and deepening cultural connections between New Jersey and Israel. Choose New Jersey delegation members met with representatives from cybersecurity, unmanned aerial vehicles, technology, life sciences and health care industries. Delegation members also engaged with international startups, Israeli venture capitalists and forged partnerships with university counterparts. To learn more about Choose New Jersey’s economic mission trip, search Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram for posts with the hashtag #NJIsraelMission. Caption: Rowan University delegates Steve Weinstein and Beena Sukumaran accept fellowships awarded by the Jewish National Fund during Choose New Jersey’s four-day economic mission trip to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Feb. 10-13. (From left) Eric Michaelson, Jewish National Fund’s chief Israel officer; Steve Weinstein, Rowan University’s executive vice president for policy and external relationships/partnerships; Beena Sukumaran, vice president of research; Bob Benedon of Cherry Hill, N.J., vice president of the Jewish National Fund’s U.S. National Board.