The Technion held a cornerstone-laying ceremony for the Nancy and Stephen Grand Aerospace Building at the Stephen B. Klein Faculty of Aerospace Engineering
On September 16, the Technion held a cornerstone-laying ceremony for the Nancy and Stephen Grand Aerospace Building in the Stephen B. Klein Faculty of Aerospace Engineering. The parchment scroll placed in the cornerstone read: “On this day, we are honored to lay the cornerstone of The Nancy and Stephen Grand Aerospace Building in the Stephen B. Klein Faculty of Aerospace Engineering. May this building serve as a vital bridge between leading researchers in aeronautics, engineering, and space exploration, and may their research lead to groundbreaking innovations that define the future and cosmic discovery, propelling humanity beyond its current boundaries.”
The ceremony was attended by Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan, Technion management, members of the Klein Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, and on behalf of the Grand Trust, Alan Schwartz and Josh Opperer. The event was hosted by Prof. Tal Shima, former dean of the Faculty.
Technion President Prof. Uri Sivan said: “I am deeply grateful to Nancy and the Grand family for their steadfast and generous support, and above all, for our long and close friendship with Nancy and Stephen, z”l. Their transformative philanthropy — from the Grand Water Research Institute to the Grand Technion Energy Program — has already left a profound mark on the Technion. The Nancy and Stephen Grand Aerospace Building will build on this legacy, empowering future generations of students and researchers, driving breakthroughs in aerospace engineering and beyond. It stands not only as a symbol of our enduring partnership, but as critical infrastructure for discoveries that will strengthen Israel’s technological edge and directly contribute to the security of the State of Israel.”
Nancy Grand, co-trustee who was unable to attend, said: “The security and defense of Israel were central priorities for my late husband, Stephen Grand. In honor of his vision, I am committed to advancing our shared legacy by supporting the new Aerospace Engineering building at the Technion. This state-of-the-art facility will strengthen Israel’s leadership in next-generation flight, space, and defense technologies. It will provide world-class resources that enable students and researchers to pioneer innovations at the forefront of aerospace. Through this investment, the Technion will continue to drive global breakthroughs and inspire the engineers of the future.”
Nancy’s co-trustee Alan Schwartz said: “During Stephen’s lifetime he and Nancy were significant supporters of Israel, particularly the scientific advancement being pursued at the Technion, and it is my honor to assist in implementing Stephen’s vision for continuing that support through the Trust. I attend today’s milestone event with tremendous hope for the discoveries and advancements that will be achieved by Israel’s great minds working out of what will be this great facility.”
Former Faculty Dean Prof. Tal Shima expressed his gratitude to the Grand family, saying: “This generous gift for a new home for us, to be named after Stephen and Nancy Grand, will enable us to continue to excel in performing world-class teaching and research and to compete for the best minds in our field. We pledge to honor the Grand family legacy by training generations of exceptional aerospace engineers in the new building and advancing research that serves humanity – and above all, safeguards the State of Israel and its citizens.”
Thanks to a generous donation from the Estate of Stephen Grand z”l and the lead gift from Stephen Klein, a new building for the Faculty will be constructed next to its original, historic structure. The new building, named after Stephen and Nancy Grand, will have seven floors, one of them underground, housing advanced laboratories and research and development infrastructure. The construction will adhere to high environmental standards and will be architecturally integrated with the landscape and nearby historic buildings.
The new building will significantly increase the number of students at all degree levels and improve teaching and research infrastructure. Last academic year, the Faculty has already seen a sharp rise in new students starting their first year at the Technion – a 25% increase compared to last year (2023–2024) and 42% compared to the year before that (2022–2023).
Photo credit: Rami Shlush, Technion Spokesperson’s Office
