The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust Gives Grant for State-of-the-Art Computer Science Building at Ben-Gurion University
BEER-SHEVA, Israel, June 29, 2023 – A generous $18 million lead grant from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust will support the construction of the state-of-the-art Helmsley Computer Science Building on the University’s new North Campus. The Computer Science Department is one of the University’s key engines of future growth and is one of the largest departments at the University. This new building will enable increased student enrollment and expand research opportunities. The Department’s graduates often join the workforce at companies in the Advanced Technologies Park adjacent to the campus.
Construction of the Helmsley Computer Science Building is slated to begin in June. This state-of-the-art facility will be the largest building on the North Campus, with at least 60 offices and lab space for each faculty member. The building will also house the Computer Science Student Center, a modern learning environment designed to meet the unique needs of computer science students. Multimedia technology will be seamlessly integrated throughout the Center, with screens, video conferencing, and other tools available to over 2,000 students. It will include designated areas for quiet independent learning as well as spaces for group projects and discussion.
“This grant by the Helmsley Charitable Trust is a game-changer for the University, the Negev and the State of Israel. Following Helmsley’s impactful support of our research in robotics and Crohn’s disease, the Helmsley Computer Science Building is the cornerstone of the new North Campus and will enable many and varied collaborations with industry and the development of new technologies,” said Ben-Gurion University President Prof. Daniel Chamovitz.
“We are committed to supporting Israel’s standing as a world leader in technology and scientific breakthroughs,” said Sandor Frankel, a Helmsley Trustee. “With a new Computer Science Building at Ben-Gurion University, students and faculty will be better able to advance the field of computer science for Israel, further increasing the caliber of the country’s workforce and its ability to lead the world in innovation.”
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About Ben-Gurion University
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) is the fastest growing research university in Israel. At the heart of a growing innovation district, BGU attracts leading multinational corporations to leverage its expertise in desert-tech, cyber-tech, and health-tech for innovative R&D.
Inspired by our location in the desert and our belief that a culture of inclusion, diversity, collaboration, and bridging disciplines is critical to the success of research, we aim to push beyond the boundaries of the known, and to develop real-world solutions to dynamic challenges.
At a glance:
20,000 students | 800+ senior faculty | 3 campuses, in Beer-Sheva, Sde Boker, and Eilat | 6 faculties: humanities & social sciences, health sciences, engineering sciences, natural sciences, business & management, and desert research | 12 schools | 6 affiliated medical facilities