The Technion’s story has been intertwined with Israel’s for more than a century, from laying the foundations for a new nation to shaping its future.
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Learn MoreAn ATS donor couple has funded a new prize to recognize exceptional researchers in the Stephen B. Klein Faculty of Aerospace Engineering.
Israel has long depended on the brilliant minds in the Stephen B. Klein Faculty of Aerospace Engineering to safeguard the nation’s skies and advance its technological leadership. Now, the University has a new way to recognize its aerospace stars.
The Max and Desiree Blankfeld Endowed Prize for Transformative Innovation in Aerospace, made possible through a generous gift from Max and Desiree Blankfeld of Houston, Texas, will recognize groundbreaking contributions to the field while fostering international collaboration and academic exchange.
“As the only faculty of its kind in Israel, the Stephen B. Klein Faculty of Aerospace Engineering has educated generations of aerospace engineers who have gone on to lead, shaping Israel’s aerospace ecosystem and contributing to its global standing,” said Technion President Uri Sivan. “The establishment of this new award will enable us to further elevate our research excellence, attract leading scholars from around the world, and expand our work at the forefront of aerospace science and engineering.”
The prize will alternate annually between two tracks: a Distinguished Leader Award, honoring a senior researcher whose work has significantly shaped the field, and an Early Career Award, supporting an outstanding emerging scholar and enabling extended research residency at the Technion. Through lectures, joint research, and close engagement with faculty and students, prize recipients will contribute to a vibrant environment of innovation, mentorship, and global scientific dialogue.
Max Blankfeld’s relationship with the Technion reflects both a deep personal connection and an extraordinary commitment to its future. He initially studied aeronautical engineering, including time as a Technion student, before pivoting to a career as a foreign correspondent and later founding and managing several successful ventures in public relations and consumer goods in Brazil and the United States. Remaining closely engaged with the Technion’s mission, Max was appointed to the Technion Board of Governors in 2025 and, together with his wife Desiree, became a Technion Guardian, establishing the Eli and Chaya Blankfeld Graduate Fellowship in honor of his Holocaust-survivor parents.
Giving back is a deeply rewarding experience, especially when supporting an institution and a faculty that is crucial to the technological future and defense of the State of Israel.”
Max Blankfeld, Technion Guardian
“It has played an important role not only in the nation’s story and the lives of many Israelis, but in my own life as well.”
Over the years, the Blankfelds have also supported undergraduate scholarships, and their recent commitment to create the Max and Desiree Blankfeld Endowed Prize for Transformative Innovation in Aerospace underscores Max’s vision to advance cutting-edge research and global leadership in aerospace engineering.