State University of New York (SUNY) Chancellor John B. King Jr. visited the State University of New York at Stony Brook on October 29, spotlighting the university’s groundbreaking research.
King was joined by SUNY Trustee Cary Staller and attended a research roundtable and expo at the New York State Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology (CEWIT), viewing faculty and student projects and engaging with researchers on a wide range of topics, from healthy aging and mental health to nuclear energy and clean water.
“SUNY students and faculty are at the vanguard of vital research efforts for the public good,” said King. “At the State University of New York at Stony Brook, researchers are addressing complex global challenges, opening the door to significant opportunities for our students, and economic growth for our communities.”
“The State University of New York at Stony Brook is the epitome of research and innovation that positions New York State as a global leader,” said Staller. Through state-of-the-art research facilities and cutting-edge projects, we are expanding knowledge, creating better health outcomes, strengthening communities, and cultivating workforce opportunities.”
King met with faculty researchers to discuss projects addressing scientific and societal challenges, including:
- Eden Figueroa, Presidential Professor of Physics, director of the Stony Brook University Quantum Institute and joint appointee at Brookhaven National Laboratory. He is the director of the Center for Distributed Quantum Processing, and he and his former students patented Qu-MEM, which was recently named one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions.
- Pamela Abshire, chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is internationally known for her work in low power mixed-signal integrated circuits (IC), adaptive ICs and IC sensors, and CMOS biosensors. Her research focuses on better understanding and exploiting the tradeoffs between performance and resources in natural and engineered systems.
- Christine DeLorenzo is interim co-director of the Center for Healthy Aging at Stony Brook and professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health and Department of Biomedical Engineering in the Renaissance School of Medicine. Her research advances precision medicine by applying advanced neuroimaging to uncover the biological bases of mood disorders and neurological diseases.
- Anissa Abi-Dargham, MD, is a SUNY Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Radiology, the Lourie Endowed Chair in Psychiatry, associate dean and associate vice president for clinical and translational science and chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health in the Renaissance School of Medicine. Her research uses positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to study the neurobiology of schizophrenia and other mental illnesses.
- Erich R. Mackow, professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology in the Renaissance School of Medicine, whose laboratory investigates viral cell targeting and the regulation of vascular, pulmonary and central nervous system functions to identify potential therapeutics and vaccines for viral pulmonary and neurodegenerative diseases.
- Luis A. Marcos, MD, associate professor of medicine and director of the Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program at Stony Brook Medicine, whose research focuses on tick-borne diseases, including Lyme disease and babesiosis, in Suffolk County.
- SUNY alumnus Lance Snead, research professor in the Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, whose research focuses on radiation-resistant materials for nuclear fusion and fission energy systems.
- David Sprouster, assistant professor in the Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, whose research focuses on developing next-generation energy materials capable of withstanding the extreme environments associated with advanced nuclear fission and fusion reactors.
- SUNY alumnus Raymond C. Bergan, MD, is the Kavita and Lalit Bahl Endowed Cancer Center Director at Stony Brook Cancer Center, vice dean for cancer medicine and vice president for cancer services. His research focuses on cancer metastasis, and his team discovered the first precision-acting drug to inhibit cancer cell movement and metastasis and identified its mechanism of action.
- Lokesh Padhye, associate professor and associate director of Emerging Contaminant Research at the New York State Center for Clean Water Technology, whose research focuses on improving water quality by identifying and removing emerging contaminants, including PFAS, microplastics and pharmaceuticals.
- Esther Takeuchi, chair of the Interdisciplinary Science Department at Brookhaven National Laboratory and the William and Jane Knapp Chair in Energy and the Environment and Distinguished Professor in Stony Brook’s College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, whose pioneering battery technology has helped power life-saving implantable cardiac defibrillators and whose current research focuses on advancing battery technology for energy storage.
- SUNY alumna Amy Marschilok, manager of the Energy Storage Division at Brookhaven National Laboratory and professor of chemistry in Stony Brook’s College of Arts and Sciences, whose research focuses on developing safer, more efficient and longer-lasting batteries for advanced energy storage applications.
- Donghee Yvette Wohn, inaugural chair of the Department of Technology, AI and Society in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, whose research explores human-computer interaction, artificial intelligence and online social behavior, with a focus on how emerging technologies shape digital communities, identity and social interactions.
- Lav R. Varshney, infinity professor and director of the AI Innovation Institute, whose work bridges AI, information theory, and sociotechnical systems to help ensure technology serves people and communities.
“Stony Brook is immensely grateful for the leadership and support of the SUNY Board of Trustees and SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. as we strive to double research at our university. Indeed, our strategic vision, ASPIRE 2035, envisions Stony Brook’s global leadership in advancing the frontiers of knowledge to benefit humanity,” said Stony Brook University President Andrea Goldsmith. “We were pleased to welcome Chancellor King to our vibrant campus, and thrilled to share the highlights of the groundbreaking research being conducted by our world-renowned researchers. From important strides in cancer research, to valuable insights into neurological diseases and the development of transformative technologies, the critical work being done in our laboratories and research facilities is helping people live healthier lives, advancing new technologies for good, and improving the environment and ecosystems that surround us.”
Read the full story on SBU News.