Vered Cohen-Barzilay
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Content created by Virtual Intern Bridget Raymundo
Vered Cohen-Barzilay is an Israeli-born social entrepreneur and tenacious advocate for aviation, space and science education. The International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) inspired Cohen-Barzilay, a journalist and women’s rights activist, to change career paths and focus on building religious and cultural bridges through innovation and education. Upon her return to Israel, she founded the nonprofit “Out of the Box” to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), space education, and entrepreneurship for youth in Israel.
Cohen-Barzilay runs the Science Accelerator, a program that has had over 350 student participants. The program is a partnership between many stakeholders, including American iLEAD Charter Schools, the NASA Ames Research Center, U.S. Embassy Jerusalem, the Israeli Ministry of Science, and the Israeli Space Agency. Through lectures and interactive lessons, Israeli and American students interact with space and science experts and entrepreneurs, acquiring the skills to effectively utilize high-tech tools and to pitch and promote their innovative ideas.
Vered Cohen-Barzilay’s passionate promotion of STEM and space education inspires youth in Israel to reach for the stars.
Content edited by Sallie Bestul, Regina Navarro-Gomez, and Jenna Williams
