About Us
Founded in 1944, the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science develops philanthropic support for the Weizmann Institute in Israel, and advances its mission of science for the future of humanity.
Jul 18, 2022...
Homo sapiens has come to dominate the planet, but what are the traits that have allowed humans to have such a position? On this episode, “Human Story,” Dr. Liat Ben David, CEO of the Davidson Institute of Science Education, the educational arm of Israel's acclaimed Weizmann Institute of Science, discusses her book, The Story of Our Lives, The: Homo Sapiens' Secrets of Success.
Excerpt from Groks Science Show"I do have strong beliefs that through the education processes such as we’re doing at Davidson with youths — from not only Israel but all over the world — creating and developing science literacy as the tools for making decisions and solving problems for more and more of our youngsters, and if we want the bright future that I’m talking about, science literacy is the pillar of building up a better, democratic, and tolerant society.” – Dr. Liat Ben David
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/blog/chaim-weizmann-s-acetone-discovery-was-key-to-british-wwi-effort/
Nov 10, 2022...
More than a century ago, in 1915, a senior lecturer in biochemistry at the University of Manchester named Dr. Chaim Weizmann invented a fermentation process that converted starch — a poly-sugar readily available from corn and potatoes — into acetone and butyl alcohol, facilitated by a bacteria, Clostridium acetobutylicum, that Dr. Weizmann had previously isolated.
This novel method of acetone production became known as “the Weizmann process.” As serendipity would have it, acetone was a key component in the production of the smokeless gunpowder (cordite) used by the Allies in World War I. Acetone had previously been made from calcium acetate imported from Germany, but since the Allies were at war with Germany, this was no longer possible, and the U.S. had a sparse supply. So, Winston Churchill, then First Lord of the Admiralty, requested that the “Weizmann process” be used to mass produce acetone in England, Canada, and the U.S.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/blog/2022-impact-report-a-year-of-boundless-exploration/
Mar 08, 2023...
Through the generous support of our donors, Weizmann scientists and students made 2022 another stellar year of innovative research. You can learn all about it in the 2022 Impact Report from the Weizmann Institute of Science.
This new, digital-only publication highlights the phenomenal people, incredible achievements, and vital research advances at the Institute this past year.A digital format helps us reduce our environmental footprint, allows us to share videos, animations, and links, and makes it easy to forward the report to friends and family.
May 04, 2023... Food security and climate change - Weizmann Institute researchers are working on improving the world's major crops in order to feed the world's growing population. At this critical point for planet Earth, the role of science and its ability to provide transformative scientific solutions to our planet’s most pressing crisis is pivotal. Weizmann Institute scientists are tackling core issues affecting climate change and are engaged in sustainability research that is driven by an unprecedented sense of urgency. For the future of humanity
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/blog/cancer-treatments-see-new-gains-from-car-t-cell-discovery/
Jul 21, 2023...
What once was seen as an incurable disease has been given a 90% remission rate in initial treatment trials.
Multiple myeloma is a bone marrow cancer with a historic prognosis of only two years. That is until a CAR T treatment was developed to target the cancerous mutations that make it so deadly. While this specific use of CAR T treatment is making new headlines, it builds upon the decades-old discovery made by Prof. Zelig Eshhar at our very own Weizmann Institute of Science.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/blog/2023-impact-report-resilience-and-renewal/
Jan 29, 2024... As we reflect upon the achievements and challenges of 2023, we are grateful for your unwavering support of the Weizmann Institute of Science and the American Committee. This year’s Weizmann Institute Impact Report highlights scientific accomplishments over the past year, alongside vivid portraits of a research community coming together to rebuild, strengthen, and uplift the wider Israeli society following the devastating attacks of October 7.
https://www.weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/beating-the-plateau/
Apr 30, 2024... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—April 30, 2024—Jerusalem has been inhabited continuously for thousands of years, serving as both a center of religious significance and a seat of power for kingdoms, yet despite the vast number of historical texts about the city, there are still gaps in its absolute chronology. Researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science, in collaboration with a team of archaeologists from the City of David archaeological site in Jerusalem, Israel Antiquities Authority and Tel Aviv University, have now managed to put together a detailed chronology of Iron Age Jerusalem, when the city would have served as the capital of the biblical Kingdom of Judah. The findings of this study are being published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA (PNAS).