Technion Waterloo Research Alliance
When University of Waterloo President, Feridun Hamdullahpur, first met with Peretz Lavie, Technion’s immediate Past President, he quickly knew there was potential for a very special relationship between the two universities. Both are world class institutions known for academic and research excellence, innovation, and nation-building entrepreneurship. But what really inspired President Hamdullahpur was the opportunity to build a partnership based on Israel and Canada’s shared democratic values and a common devotion to solve the challenges of the 21st century.
The Technion Waterloo Research Alliance formally began in June 2011, with a focus on 3 areas of national and global importance: Quantum Computing, Water, and Nano-sciences. An initial round of seed funding was bolstered by a generous gift from Gerry Schwartz and Heather Reisman which enabled the alliance to expand in both scope and capacity. Since then, collaborative research teams have produced numerous joint publications, created new intellectual property and start-up initiatives, and partnered with industry, resulting in funding that has more than tripled beyond the initial investment.
Renewed funding from the Schwartz Reisman Foundation continues to support the alliance, and the partnership is attracting new philanthropic visionaries who recognize the incredible potential of this unique collaboration. Further research efforts have focused on Quantum Security, and partnership agreements are currently in progress to support research in AI & Medicine, Photonics, and Smart Cities.
Clearly President Hamdullahpur’s intuition was correct; nearly a decade since that fateful meeting with Peretz Lavie, the Technion Waterloo partnership continues to grow, yielding fruitful joint ventures and scientific advancements that further the global good.
