Utica, NY – The newly merged SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE)/SUNY Institute of Technology (SUNYIT) offered area high school students a unique opportunity to explore nanotechnology at a three-day academic day camp on CNSE/SUNYIT’s Utica campus.

The July 28-30 camp gave area high school students hands-on lab experiences with presentations about nano-applications and careers from Thomas Begley, Associate Professor of Nanobioscience and Associate Vice President and Director of the Systems Toxicology Laboratory, and Sara Brenner, Assistant Vice President for NanoHealth Initiatives and Assistant Professor of Nanobioscience. Camp attendees also toured the Computer Chip Commercialization Center (Quad-C) project.

“In keeping with Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Nano Utica initiative, nanotechnology camp and other STEM-related programs for K-12 students are an important part of CNSE/SUNYIT’s transformative role in shaping the regional workforce of the future,” said Robert Geer, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “In partnership with area school districts and sponsors, K-12 outreach provides encouragement and motivation for young people to choose New York’s 21st-century educational and career opportunities.”

The nanotechnology camp is one of a series of academic day camps being offered this summer on the Utica campus, along with robotics, girls' math & science, computer security, and renewable energy. The annual camps, taught by faculty and community partners, offer a variety of opportunities for area middle- and high-school students; the emphasis is on fun and challenging explorations for participants in the company of like-minded students.

“Students who attend our summer academic camps are passionate about the subjects they’re exploring,” said Elizabeth Rossi, K-12 outreach coordinator. “Professors create lively and diverse experiences to spark their imaginations and push them to broaden and deepen their thinking.”

#################### About SUNY CNSE. The SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) is the world leader in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience, nanoengineering, nanobioscience, and nanoeconomics. CNSE represents the world’s most advanced university-driven research enterprise, with more than $20 billion in high-tech investments and over 300 corporate partners. The 1.3 million-square-foot Albany NanoTech megaplex is home to more than 3,100 scientists, researchers, engineers, students, and faculty. CNSE maintains a statewide footprint, operating the Smart Cities Technology Innovation Center (SCiTI) at Kiernan Plaza in Albany, the Solar Energy Development Center in Halfmoon, the Photovoltaic Manufacturing and Technology Development Facility in Rochester, and the Smart System Technology and Commercialization Center (STC) in Canandaigua. CNSE co-founded and manages the Computer Chip Commercialization Center (Quad-C) at SUNYIT and is lead developer of the Marcy Nanocenter site in Utica, as well as the Buffalo High-Tech Manufacturing Complex, Buffalo Information Technologies Innovation and Commercialization Hub, and Medical Innovation and Commercialization Hub. For information, visit www.sunycnse.com.

About SUNYIT. SUNYIT, the State University of New York Institute of Technology at Utica/Rome, is New York’s public polytechnic, offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in technology, professional studies, and the arts and sciences. Its academic offerings in technology include engineering, cybersecurity, computer science, and the engineering technologies; programs in professional studies include business, communication, and nursing; and offerings in the arts and sciences range from sciences to humanities to the social sciences. Athletics, recreational, cultural and campus life programs, events and activities complement the academic experience. Founded in 1966, SUNYIT is a unique high-tech learning environment on hundreds of acres, offering degree programs online as well as on campus. The SUNYIT family of alumni now numbers 25,000. For information, visit www.sunyit.edu.

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Media Contact:

Jerry Gretzinger, VP of Strategic Communications and Public Relations (518) 956-7359 | ggretzinger@albany.edu