UC San Diego Secures $1.3 Million Funding from Koret Foundation for Cross-Border Marine Archeology Studies Collaboration
The Koret Foundation's generous donation of over $1.3 million has played a significant role in fostering a unique collaboration between UC San Diego's Scripps Center for Marine Archaeology (SCMA) and the University of Haifa's Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies. This partnership, facilitated by the Koret Foundation's U.S.-Israel Bridge-Building Initiative, aligns with the Foundation's mission to elevate the quality of life, strengthen the Jewish community, and address societal and systemic problems.
UC San Diego, a top 15 research university in the world, established in 1960, is renowned for its culture of exploration and experimentation, driving innovation and change to advance society, propel economic growth, and make the world a better place. The University of Haifa, too, boasts a strong reputation in maritime studies, with the Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies leading the way in research and education.
This collaboration will focus on marine archaeology, specifically exploring coastal environments in Israel over the past 11,000 years to understand human adaptation to climate and environmental change. The exploration of submerged settlements, ancient harbors, and sunken ships will provide valuable insights into the lives of ancient civilizations and their relationship with the sea.
The funding from the Koret Foundation facilitates international academic partnerships, advances archaeological knowledge, supports comprehensive interdisciplinary research, and enhances the capacity for discovery and preservation of submerged archaeological sites. This collaboration will create a state-of-the-art research facility in Akko, Israel, where qualified scientific diver students will come on annual field school seminars.
Assaf Yasur-Landau, director of the Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies at the University of Haifa, expressed excitement about the collaboration, stating that it will create pathbreaking underwater and coastal research and a joint training program on the Carmel Coast. Thomas Levy, distinguished professor in the Department of Anthropology at UC San Diego and co-director of SCMA, stated that the collaboration will provide unique opportunities for original research concerning climate, environmental, and culture change.
The joint project between the University of Haifa and UC San Diego is anticipated to bring to light new discoveries, including ancient shipwrecks and submerged villages, ports, and cities from the past 10,000 years in the Mediterranean region. John Hildebrand, distinguished professor of oceanography at Scripps and co-director of SCMA, stated that the collaboration will allow SCMA to build up its international presence and bring the tool-kit developed to San Diego for local application.
Anita Friedman, president of the Koret Foundation, stated that the partnership will benefit all humankind and strengthen ties between the U.S. and Israel. Thomas Levy and John Hildebrand anticipate significant public and scientific impact from this joint project.
The Koret Foundation is a philanthropic organization dedicated to the Bay Area, the Jewish community in the US, Israel, and around the world, grounded in historical Jewish principles and traditions, and committed to humanitarian values, innovation, and serving as a catalyst for change. Scripps Oceanography, a part of the University of California San Diego, is one of the world's most important centers for global earth science research and education, focusing on understanding and protecting the planet, investigating oceans, Earth, and atmosphere, and offering unparalleled education and training for the next generation of scientific and environmental leaders.
This collaboration between two leading institutions promises to push the boundaries of marine archaeology and deepen our understanding of ancient civilizations and their relationship with the sea.
- This collaboration between UC San Diego and the University of Haifa, driven by the Koret Foundation's generous donation, is focused on marine archaeology and will explore coastal environments to understand human adaptation to climate and environmental change.
- The joint project will advance archaeological knowledge through oceanographic research, leading to valuable insights into the lives of ancient civilizations and their relationship with the sea.
- This unique collaboration in climate science and environmental-science will also utilize technology to create a state-of-the-art research facility, enhancing the capacity for discovery and preservation of submerged archaeological sites.
