About
The Samuel Neaman Institute for National Policy Research is a public policy think tank located at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. The Institute’s mission is to identify, formulate, and analyze national policy issues using scientific and evidence-based tools to support critical decision-making processes, with the aim of advancing the prosperity and resilience of society and state.
Founded in 1978 by philanthropist Samuel Neaman, the Institute was established as an independent nonprofit organization. Research activities began immediately under the leadership of its first director, Prof. Jacob Bear.
Research at the Neaman Institute focuses on policy analysis of nationally significant issues in science, engineering, technology, higher education, and society, generating strategic insights and policy recommendations for decision-makers.
With a diverse research team of experts from academia and industry, the Institute produces in-depth research reports, hosts conferences and workshops, and provides funding for independent research programs.
History
In the early 1970s, Samuel Neaman initiated the creation of an independent and non-partisan policy research institute focused on promoting informed decision-making in Israel through scientific research and data analysis. Encouraged by then-finance minister Pinchas Sapir, the Institute was set up at Technion focusing on areas in which the university had extensive academic activity. The creation of the Samuel Neaman Institute was formally announced at a convention of the American Technion Society in New York in 1972, attended by 14 Nobel Laureates and prominent American economists and industrialists.
Samuel Neaman assumed the role of Chairman of the Board of Directors and played a pivotal role in the Institute’s growth and development. In his words: “It is my desire to contribute to and create an academic environment where side by side, citizens, researchers and scientists can identify problems that impact the lives of both individuals and society as a whole. My vision is that the Samuel Neaman Institute will provide alternative solutions to universal problems and allow the suitable solution to be chosen that will serve the needs of the country, not a particular individual or political party.”
Born in Rosh Pina in 1913, Neaman graduated from Mikveh Israel and joined the Haganah. After serving in the British Army during World War II, he was sent by Moshe Sharett to fundraise in London and the US for the future state. Neaman later became a successful businessman in the US, where he joined the American Technion Society as a lay leader, transforming it into a nationwide organization.
During Prof. Zehev Tadmor’s presidency, a permanent home for the Institute was built in the heart of the Technion campus and dedicated in 1996, in the presence of the donor, Samuel Neaman.
In 1998, Technion President Emeritus Prof. Zehev Tadmor, a central figure in the development of the Institute since its inception, was appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors. Under his chairmanship the scope of research expanded both nationally and internationally, enhancing the Institute’s global reputation. Tadmor’s visionary leadership continued to drive growth and innovation until his retirement from the chairmanship in 2023.
Past Directors
