FAU Participates in Historic Trip to Israel with Gov. Ron DeSantis
Florida Atlantic University President John Kelly, along with FAU Board of Trustee members Dr. Jeffrey Feingold and Brad Levine, Daniel Flynn, Ph.D., FAU vice president of research, and James Sullivan, Ph.D., executive director of FAU’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, recently traveled to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Jamal Sowell, Florida’s secretary of commerce, on a historic Business Development Mission to Israel.
During the trip, FAU signed five Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with both universities and organizations to further strengthen the university’s ties with higher education and research in the State of Israel.
FAU and the University of Haifa signed an MOU to collaborate on research focusing on the fields of marine science and engineering, invasive species and harmful algal blooms, and other opportunities. In a separate MOU, the two schools agreed to collaborate on exchange programs for faculty and students, especially in support of marine sciences and diplomacy programs.
FAU signed an MOU with Tel Aviv University to collaborate on neuroscience research, which will allow both universities to explore the development of research and training from molecular genetics studies to behavioral analyses and disease states.
FAU also signed an MOU with Ariel University to develop and exchange opportunities for scholars and students alike, and explore cooperative research opportunities in areas ranging from medicine and human health issues to diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
FAU’s Institute for Sensing and Embedded Network Systems Engineering (I-SENSE) and the agricultural research organization Volcani Center signed an MOU that outlines a shared goal to develop advanced technologies to improve monitoring, communications, data analytics and machine learning in the agricultural industry.
“These Memorandums of Understanding mark the initiation of promising work between educational experts from Florida and Israel on issues that directly impact our citizens,” said DeSantis. “This is a journey that we will share together to the benefit of both Israelis and Floridians and we look forward to more comradery and collaboration in the future.”
The trip also included a visit to U.S. Ambassador David Friedman’s residence and a ceremonial meeting of Florida’s cabinet members at the embassy in Jerusalem.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to attend Gov. DeSantis’ Business Development Mission to Israel,” said Kelly. “As one of two sponsors of the Florida–Israel Institute, FAU has long-established ties with several Israeli universities that already are benefitting education and innovation in business, engineering, marine science, medicine and more. We strengthened those relationships during this trip and built on previously signed MOUs to provide additional research and educational opportunities for students, both here at FAU and in Israel.”
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