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Three scientists from Israeli universities will each be awarded US$100,000 for their groundbreaking scientific research.
(Left to Right)
Benjamin Palmer, PhD – Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Yonatan Stelzer, PhD – Weizmann Institute of Science
Chaim Garfinkel, PhD – The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
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Credit: Blavatnik Awards / The New York Academy of Sciences
Jerusalem, May 6, 2025 – The Blavatnik Family Foundation, the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, and The New York Academy of Sciences announced today the Laureates of the prestigious 2025 Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in Israel. This year’s Laureates, who will each receive US$100,000, are:
- Yonatan Stelzer, PhD (Life Sciences) – Weizmann Institute of Science – Recognized for breakthroughs in modeling the intricate process of mammalian embryonic development and for advancing our understanding of epigenetics, holding significant promise for regenerative and therapeutic medicine.
- Benjamin Palmer, PhD (Chemical Sciences) – Ben-Gurion University of the Negev – Recognized for pioneering research on how organisms create crystals, revealing the biological processes underlying their formation and the unique ways they interact with light, leading to the emerging field of organic biomineralization and inspiring sustainable optical materials.
- Chaim Garfinkel, PhD (Physical Sciences & Engineering) – The Hebrew University of Jerusalem – Recognized for advancing our ability to predict climate change on timescales from months to decades, improving weather forecast systems and providing critical insights for climate policy and adaptation strategies.
The Blavatnik Awards recognize outstanding, innovative scientists at the early stages of their careers for their extraordinary achievements as well as their potential for future discoveries. The prizes are awarded to researchers aged 42 and younger for groundbreaking work in Life Sciences, Chemical Sciences, and Physical Sciences & Engineering.
The 2025 Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in Israel will be conferred at a ceremony in June 2025 at the Peres Center for Peace & Innovation in Tel Aviv-Jaffa.
The Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists are the largest unrestricted prizes available to scientists in Israel aged 42 or younger. Since launching in 2017, scientists honored by the Blavatnik Awards in Israel have received US$2.7 million in prize money. Internationally recognized by the scientific community, the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists are instrumental in expanding the engagement and recognition of young scientists and providing the support and encouragement needed to drive scientific innovation for the next generation. By the close of 2025, the Blavatnik Awards will have recognized 540 scientists from 120 international research institutions and awarded prizes totaling nearly $20 million.
“The brilliant, young minds we honor with these awards are examples of the enormous ingenuity and creativity that has made Israel a powerhouse of scientific progress,” said Len Blavatnik, Founder of Access Industries and Head of the Blavatnik Family Foundation. “We are proud to celebrate their achievements and to support their continued success.”
Professor Nicholas B. Dirks, President and CEO of The New York Academy of Sciences, said, “We are excited to see international representation in this year’s Laureates with our first Blavatnik Awards Israel Laureate from the UK. This international dimension highlights the global nature of scientific pursuit and collaboration in highly promising and vitally important interdisciplinary fields including epigenetics, biomineralization, and atmospheric science.”
Professor David Harel, President of The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities said, “Today we honor the exceptional achievements of Israel’s very best scientists. This is especially important at the present time, with Israel going through one of its worst periods, exacerbated by unprecedented obstacles for science, both here in Israel and in the US. In this light, we are even more grateful to the Blavatnik Family Foundation and The New York Academy of Sciences for our continued partnership in this endeavor. Maintaining Israel’s position at the forefront of global science, which is crucial for its security and economic stability, relies upon supporting and encouraging its scientists. We are proud to honor this year’s Blavatnik Awards Laureates, and we celebrate their innovative breakthroughs with confidence in the far-reaching, positive impact of their achievements on society at large.”
During the nomination period for the 2025 Blavatnik Awards, 36 nominations were received from seven universities across Israel. Members of the Awards’ Scientific Advisory Council – which includes Nobel Laureates Professors Aaron Ciechanover, David Gross and Sir Richard Roberts, along with former Chairman of the Israel Space Agency, Professor Isaac Ben-Israel – were also invited to submit nominations. Three juries, composed of distinguished leading scientists representing the three disciplinary categories and led by Israel Academy members, selected the 2025 Laureates.
Blavatnik scholars are driving economic growth globally by embarking on new scientific trajectories to pursue high-risk, high-reward scientific research. To date, Blavatnik Awards honorees have founded 50 companies after receiving the award, six of which are publicly traded and collectively valued at over $12 billion.
About the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists
The Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists, established by the Blavatnik Family Foundation in 2007 and independently administered by The New York Academy of Sciences, began by identifying outstanding post-doctoral scientists in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. In 2014, the Blavatnik National Awards were created to recognize faculty-rank scientists throughout the United States. In 2017, the Awards were further expanded to honor faculty-rank scientists in the UK and Israel. For updates about the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists, please visit www.blavatnikawards.org or follow us on X and Facebook @BlavatnikAwards.
About the Blavatnik Family Foundation
The Blavatnik Family Foundation provides many of the world’s best researchers, scientists and future leaders with the support and funding needed to solve humankind’s greatest challenges. Led by Len Blavatnik, founder of Access Industries, the Foundation advances and promotes innovation, discovery and creativity to benefit the whole of society. Over the past decade, the Foundation has contributed over US$1 billion to more than 250 organizations. See more at www.blavatnikfoundation.org.
About The New York Academy of Sciences
The New York Academy of Sciences is an independent, not-for-profit organization that since 1817 has been committed to advancing science for the benefit of society. With more than 16,000 members in 100 countries, the Academy advances scientific and technical knowledge, addresses global challenges with science-based solutions, and sponsors a wide variety of educational initiatives at all levels for STEM and STEM-related fields. The Academy hosts programs and publishes content in the life and physical sciences, the social sciences, nutrition, artificial intelligence, computer science, and sustainability. The Academy also provides professional and educational resources for researchers across all phases of their careers. The Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists is part of a series of prominent awards and scholarship programs that the Academy and its partners present each year to accomplished early-career and established scientists worldwide. These initiatives, along with education and professional development programs for students and young scientists, reflect the Academy’s broader commitment to strengthening and diversifying the pipeline for skilled and talented scientists globally. Please visit us online at www.nyas.org.
About The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities
The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities is Israel’s flagship scientific institution. It was established by law in 1961 and acts as a national focal point for Israeli scholarship in all branches of the sciences, social sciences and humanities. The Academy’s membership comprises 152 of Israel’s most distinguished scientists and scholars in its two divisions – the Natural Sciences Division and the Humanities Division. It is tasked with promoting Israeli scientific excellence, advising the government on scientific matters of national interest, publishing scholarly research of lasting merit and maintaining active contact with the broader international scientific and scholarly community. For more information about The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, please visit www.academy.ac.il.
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