Cuomo: SUNY Networks grant program to support science and commercialization

Gov. Andrew Cuomo today announced the State University of New York (SUNY) will launch the first of four SUNY Networks of Excellence to support research collaborations between the system and industry partners.

 

This “SUNY 4E” network will focus on societal challenges in energy, the environment, economics, and education, the governor’s office said in a news release.

 

The SUNY Research Foundation has committed $4 million to support the Research Networks of Excellence.

 

A consortium of SUNY campuses will coordinate each network and jointly direct and oversee a competitive grant-award process.

 

The first competitive-grant process began today for the design of SUNY 4E. Coordinating SUNY 4E are the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), Binghamton University, and the University at Albany.

 

Future networks will include SUNY Health Now, SUNY Brain, and SUNY Materials and Advanced Manufacturing.

 

Building collaborative networks of researchers across SUNY improves the ability to compete for new grant dollars, and exposes system faculty and staff to the kind of “intellectual environment” that will enrich, educate, and sustain students into the future, Tim Killeen, president of the SUNY Research Foundation and SUNY vice chancellor for research, said in the news release.

 

“Our pursuit of the networks springs from a recommendation put forth by the SUNY Research Council to pursue interdisciplinary research in tandem with business and industry. The networks will help lure businesses to partner with SUNY in support of Governor Cuomo’s START-UP NY initiative,” Killeen said.

 

All state-operated campuses, including university centers, comprehensive colleges, and technical colleges are eligible to respond and receive funding, should SUNY 4E select their projects.

 

Applications for SUNY 4E funding are due by Oct. 1 for projects beginning December 1. Coordinators must complete the projects within one year.

 

Funding is available for cross-disciplinary, multi-investigator, multi-campus collaborative-research projects and pilot studies; travel funds for investigators from across SUNY campuses to meet to establish and develop partnerships; along with speaker series, student exchanges, and workshops or institutes for SUNY faculty and visiting scholars.

 

SUNY Networks of Excellence are part of Cuomo’s Innovation Agenda, which is meant to foster entrepreneurialism and economic growth through public-private partnerships and give researchers the tools they need to bring their ideas to market.

 

The agenda includes START-UP NY, which is short for the SUNY Tax-free Areas to Revitalize and Transform Upstate NY.

 

 

 

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com