Stony Brook University gets $25M for new engineering program

Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan (2nd Senate District) and Chairman of the Senate’s Higher Education Committee Kenneth LaValle (1st Senate District) announced the award of $25 million in funding to Stony Brook University that will enable the university to begin the initial phases for developing a new engineering building on campus. The funding will enable Stony Brook University to continue leading the effort to educate and train more engineers to live and work in the region and the state.

“This funding will help bolster the academic pursuits of the young men and women who come to Long Island to study while helping improve our economic climate. By creating the facilities needed to attract these talented young people and by providing them with the education they need to work and stay here, this new facility will help foster a brighter future for them and for our region. Under the leadership of President Stanley and the faculty, this funding will be put to good use and we look forward to seeing this new building come to fruition,” stated Senator Flanagan.

Senator Ken LaValle said, “The new engineering building is critically important for our region to continue to attract preeminent students to SUNY Stony Brook. The upgrading of the facilities is essential to meet the growing demand of the Engineering department and provide the Long Island workforce with the talent necessary to succeed. I am pleased that Senator Flanagan and I were able to provide the support to expand the program.”

“Once again, Senator Flanagan and Senator LaValle have secured needed funding for facilities that will enable Stony Brook University to continue on a path of attracting the best and brightest students and faculty,” said President Stanley. “A new engineering facility will help Stony Brook meet the demand for one of our fastest growing schools on campus and will help foster a pipeline of engineering talent and innovation to the region’s workforce and economy.”

Stony Brook is one of the major producers of engineering graduates within SUNY and faces challenges of surging enrollments and aging inadequate facilities to support engineering instruction that aligns with industry expectations. The new building that Senators Flanagan and LaValle have secured funding for will address the enrollment growth and support New York State’s workforce and entrepreneurship needs over the coming decade.

The new facility will promote active learning, inspire creativity and emphasize innovation and entrepreneurship through the most innovative teaching and learning methods that will elevate and set a new standard for engineering excellence.

The new academic building will be designed with active-learning studio classrooms and spaces, and the resources needed to turn student ideas into innovation and discovery. It will support the significant growth in the engineering and computer science fields by providing modern space for experiential learning, industrial quality labs, and entrepreneurial maker spaces, which in turn will enhance the focus on engineering-driven medicine, energy systems for sustainability, resilient cities and ecosystems, cybersecurity and AI-driven discovery.

Most importantly, the new facility will provide our entire region with a chance to be at the center of a burgeoning field that will create high-paying jobs and real opportunity for the residents of the region. The aim is to provide students with new opportunities, empower their skills and encourage them to stay on Long Island after graduation to work in an industry where they can truly make a difference in the world.