SUNY Chancellor King tours Stony Brook research labs

Thirteen researchers from Stony Brook University presented their work to State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. on October 29. King visited the campus to review active projects in wireless technology, nuclear energy, and public health. He was accompanied by SUNY Trustee Cary Staller during the tour.

The group attended a roundtable and expo at the New York State Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology. Faculty and students demonstrated various projects. The topics ranged from healthy aging and mental health to nuclear energy and clean water sources.

Eden Figueroa, a physics professor and director of the Stony Brook University Quantum Institute, presented his team's Qu-MEM patent. The invention was recently named one of TIME Magazine's Best Inventions. Luis A. Marcos, a medicine associate professor, detailed his work on tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease in Suffolk County. Lokesh Padhye, an associate professor at the Center for Clean Water Technology, discussed methods for removing emerging contaminants such as PFAS and microplastics from water supplies.

Other presentations included research by Pamela Abshire on low power circuits. Christine DeLorenzo presented her work on neuroimaging for mood disorders. Anissa Abi-Dargham discussed PET imaging studies on schizophrenia. Erich R. Mackow described his laboratory's focus on viral cell targeting. Lance Snead and David Sprouster presented research on radiation-resistant materials for nuclear fusion and fission systems.

Raymond C. Bergan, the Stony Brook Cancer Center director, explained his team's discovery of a drug that inhibits cancer cell metastasis. Esther Takeuchi and Amy Marschilok presented developments in battery technology for energy storage and medical devices. Donghee Yvette Wohn discussed how artificial intelligence shapes online social behavior.

SUNY President Andrea Goldsmith stated that the university aims to double its research output. She referenced the ASPIRE 2035 strategic vision. Goldsmith noted that the support from Governor Kathy Hochul and the SUNY Board enables this growth. Hochul has charged the SUNY System with increasing research for the public good.

State Senator Monica Martinez, a 2008 graduate of Stony Brook, said answers to major human questions may be found in the current research. Assemblymember Tommy John Schiavoni, a 1993 graduate, emphasized the importance of advanced energy research for the state economy. Assemblymember Rebecca Kassay described the university as a cornerstone of the community and a major regional employer.

The SUNY system has launched several initiatives to support this research growth. These include the Quantum Research and Innovation Hub at Stony Brook. The system also launched the SUNY Research Connect Portal, which showcases profiles of nearly 7,000 researchers from 26 campuses. The SUNY Research Leadership Academy was also established to develop new research leaders.