NEW YORK, NY—July 6, 2010—The Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, was ranked second among the top international academic institutions on The Scientist magazine’s 8th annual worldwide survey of “Best Places to Work in Academia.” In both 2005 and 2008, the Weizmann Institute was ranked as the top international academic institution (outside the United States) by survey respondents. The Institute has been ranked second two other times, including in 2009.
The Weizmann Institute of Science is home to 2,600 scientists, students, technicians, and supporting staff. Institute research efforts include the search for new ways of fighting disease and hunger, examining leading questions in mathematics and computer science, probing the physics of matter and the universe, creating novel materials, and developing new strategies for protecting the environment. Weizmann scientists have been widely recognized for their research contributions. In 2009, Weizmann Institute Prof. Ada Yonath received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, along with colleagues from the U.S.
The “Best Places to Work in Academia” survey, which will be published in the July issue of The Scientist, reviewed the entries of more than 2,000 respondents from 119 institutions in the U.S. and abroad. The respondents were asked to assess their working environment by indicating their level of agreement with 38 criteria in eight different areas, while also specifying how important each factor was to them. Job satisfaction, research resources, infrastructure and environment, and peers were among the eight categories included in the survey.
Princeton University was ranked the best place to work in academia in the U.S. for the second straight year. The University of Queensland, Australia, a first-timer to the survey, was ranked the top international academic institution.
The Scientist magazine provides coverage of the latest developments in the life sciences. This year’s survey results, full-color charts, methodology, and past survey results can be viewed at www.the-scientist.com/bptw/.
The American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science is a community of dedicated people who share a common vision in support of the Institute. The generous assistance the Institute receives from individuals, foundations, and corporations is vital for its future. Committee members show their devotion to the advancement of the Institute's goals by becoming partners in the search for answers to the most difficult challenges facing humanity.
