UConn’s Participation in Israel Mission Produces Fruitful Discussions, Partnership Extension
‘It was truly a win-win: a lot of learning, a lot of building relationships, a lot of thinking about what’s next’
UConn’s faculty research expertise, commitment to sustainability, and reputation as a hub for innovation and job creation were all highlighted this month as Interim President Radenka Maric joined Gov. Ned Lamont and others for a historic economic development mission to Israel.
The trip, which concluded last week, also resulted in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to continue and build upon UConn’s partnership with the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology.
That partnership started in 2012 and focuses on clean energy research and the exchange of faculty and students between the institutions for collaborations on that topic and other projects to promote sustainability.
The MOU creates a framework for UConn and the Technion to translate their research into clean energy companies and strategies to transition away from fossil fuel dependence to carbon-neutral economic development. In Connecticut, the research has the potential to help the state become a regional green hydrogen hub.
Maric and Daniel Weiner, UConn’s vice president for global affairs, represented the University during the five-day economic development mission to Israel. They provided critical perspectives throughout the visit on ways in which UConn’s role as a major research institution enhances Connecticut’s attractiveness for new companies and investments.
