Stony Brook University hosted its first annual Congressional Staff Visit Day on August 21, bringing staff from the offices of Senator Chuck Schumer, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Representative Nick LaLota, and Representative Laura Gillen to campus. The event was designed to give a detailed view of how federal research funding is supporting innovation and economic growth on Long Island.
During the visit, university President Andrea Goldsmith met with the delegation to discuss Stony Brook’s goals for research leadership and its role in national priorities. Goldsmith, who has a background in wireless communications and experience as a researcher and entrepreneur, emphasized her commitment to expanding Stony Brook’s impact through research and community engagement.
Since 2020, more than $175 million in federal appropriations have been directed to Stony Brook researchers. This funding has supported projects across various disciplines, including biopolymer research, energy security initiatives, quantum networking infrastructure, new medical research units at the university hospital, and studies into alternative fuel technologies.
“We are deeply grateful for the support of Stony Brook by our Congressional leaders,” said President Goldsmith. “It was a privilege to welcome Congressional staff members to our campus for direct conversations about Stony Brook’s pivotal role in driving innovation, economic growth, and workforce development across Long Island, our great state of New York, the nation and the world. These collaborative partnerships are vital to our mission and reinforce the position of both the university and Stony Brook Medicine as flagship institutions for New York. We look forward to continuing this important work together to accelerate Stony Brook’s excellence and impact in education, research, healthcare, innovation, and service.”
Vice President for Research and Innovation Kevin Gardner highlighted how federal investment underpins faculty-led advancements. “Our research enterprise thrives because of the strong partnership between federal investments and the groundbreaking work of our faculty,” said Gardner. “This visit gave us the opportunity to highlight how that support translates into advancements that matter today, while also laying the foundation for discoveries that will shape the future of health, security, and economic growth. We look forward to continuing this tradition and providing our elected representatives with a front-row view of the talent and expertise that make Stony Brook a leader in research and innovation.”
The day began at the Charles B. Wang Center with an overview of Stony Brook’s expanding research activities. Faculty from engineering, materials science, computer science, and robotics shared updates on projects such as cybersecurity applications in extreme environments; semiconductor crystal growth; soft robotics; artificial intelligence; antifreeze hydrogels for cold regions; low-power AI chip design for space missions; and aerial/underwater vehicle technology.
On East Campus at Renaissance School of Medicine and Stony Brook University Hospital, congressional staff learned about federally funded health programs addressing infectious diseases like tick-borne illnesses as well as cancer trials, neuroscience initiatives, drug discovery efforts, aging-related imaging technologies—all supported by strategic plans aimed at advancing patient care.
The afternoon included tours through hospital-based labs such as an ABSL-3 infectious disease facility; biorepository freezer farm; PET/Cyclotron imaging center; cancer center labs—demonstrating how academic breakthroughs move quickly into clinical practice due to ongoing federal support.
On West Campus at facilities like the Institute for Advanced Computational Sciences (IACS) and New York State Quantum Internet Testbed—the largest entanglement distribution network in America—faculty described advances in computational science powering multiple fields. Lunch discussions featured joint faculty from nearby Brookhaven National Laboratory discussing collaborations spanning materials science to planetary geology.
Advanced engineering labs focused on high-voltage electronics or alternative fuel combustion further illustrated how federally backed efforts are helping shape resilient energy systems while bolstering U.S. scientific competitiveness.
The event concluded by highlighting how close collaboration between SBU’s Office of Research & Innovation with its Office of Federal Relations ensures continued coordination with Washington policymakers—a relationship seen as crucial for sustaining progress toward solutions on major societal challenges.
