| 7 | This past year has been one of resilience, transformation and growth at the Bar Ilan Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials (BINA). Despite our unique challenges, we are incredibly proud of the strides we have made in research, collaboration, supporting our students and researchers, and our ability to continue infrastructure developments. Since stepping into our roles—Ilana just a few months before and Ehud actively on October 8, 2023—we have worked alongside our dedicated team to keep BINA on track and ensure that we continue to advance the frontiers of science and technology. At the start of our tenure, the war quickly became a major backdrop to our operations. Several of our colleagues and their families were impacted, with some losing loved ones and others called up for reserve duty. However, we quickly realized that our core mission was to maintain BINA’s operations and ensure a sense of normalcy for our researchers, students, and industry partners. We felt strongly that keeping the institute running smoothly was important for BINA and the entire Bar Ilan community. Thankfully, we were able to resume normal activities faster than we anticipated. By November, our operations were back to full capacity, and our equipment was being utilized by researchers and companies alike. We’ve also placed a strong focus on supporting our students throughout the year. Although we had to cancel our annual two-day conference, we created new spaces for students to learn, grow, and connect. One of the most exciting initiatives was the studentled "Pirate Club," where students could gather in a relaxed environment to discuss scientific ideas, challenges they faced, and ways to overcome them. It became a valuable space for peer support and intellectual exchange. Workshops on key professional skills, including AI, LinkedIn, and networking, to provide students with the “soft skills” were organized. We believe it is essential to provide our students with tools to help them thrive in their research and their future careers. This is one of our core missions—to prepare our students for life beyond academia and set them up for long-term success. "We created new spaces for students to learn, grow, and connect. One of the most exciting initiatives was the student-led "Pirate Club," where students could gather in a relaxed environment to discuss scientific ideas, challenges they faced, and ways to overcome them" This year, BINA awarded Reserve Fellowships to nine exceptional students who balanced their academic pursuits with an impressive commitment to national service. Each of these students served 90 consecutive days in reserve duty while also achieving remarkable milestones in their scientific careers, including publishing articles and maintaining high grades. The Reserve Fellowships celebrate their resilience, dedication, and contributions to both their country and their fields of study, embodying the spirit of excellence that defines BINA. At BINA, we recognize that industry collaborations are crucial for translating scientific research into real-world solutions, and this year we strengthened our ties with leading companies. We hosted two highly successful gatherings, one with Merck and another with Nova, which allowed us to showcase the incredible research happening at BINA and better understand what these companies are looking for in their partnerships. Moving forward, we aim to be a
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