July 8, 2015

Wastewater Treatment, Air Quality, Smart Grid, and Wildlife Conservation Among Projects Funded by SUNY 4E Network of Excellence

Albany – State University of New York Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher today announced more than $400,000 in awards for projects funded by the SUNY 4E Network of Excellence, which supports campus research collaborations in Energy, the Environment, Education, and Economics.

Eight collaborative projects involving 14 SUNY campuses are advancing research in waste water treatment, air quality, smart grid solutions, and conservation efforts, among others.

“The SUNY Networks of Excellence have positioned our university system to take an already flourishing research portfolio to the next level, supporting collaboration by our faculty and students not only with others across SUNY but with leading experts in a variety of fields,” said Chancellor Zimpher. “We are proud to offer participating students and faculty an opportunity be a part of these truly ground-breaking projects, all of which are contributing to SUNY’s economic impact on New York State and increasing the vibrancy and sustainability of our communities. Congratulations to all of the project partners receiving these awards.”

“Given the size and scope of SUNY, we are uniquely positioned to conduct research that directly addresses state needs,” said Alexander N. Cartwright, SUNY Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor and Interim President of the Research Foundation for SUNY. “The connection of SUNY scholarship to the needs of specific communities and the state as a whole is evident in each one of the awards announced today.”

A detailed abstract for each project is available online and includes:

• $135,000 to developing reliable and integrated smart grid solutions (Stony Brook University,  University at Buffalo, SUNY Buffalo State College)
• $135,000 for the use of biomimicry techniques to remove metal contaminants from wastewater (SUNY Polytechnic Institute, University at Buffalo, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry)
• $135,000 to determine the environmental impact of fossil fuel as well as biomass combustion and emission control technologies (SUNY ESF, Upstate Medical University)
• $10,000 to establish a SUNY Water Nodal Network to conduct transformative research on water and its relation to society through impacts on energy, the environment, economics, and education (SUNY ESF, Stony Brook University)
• $10,000 to apply high-resolution sensors to monitor water quality issues in lakes across New York State (SUNY Fredonia, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Oneonta)
• $9,600 to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of science-based conservation, restoration, and management for waterfowl and other wetland wildlife in New York ( SUNY Plattsburgh, SUNY Oswego,  SUNY ESF, SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY Brockport)
• $3,000 to examining the benefits and risks of fish consumption (University at Albany,  Stony Brook  University)
• $3,000 to investigate multi-scale water cycle processes in the Hudson River watershed: (University at Albany, Stony Brook University)

About the SUNY Networks of Excellence SUNY 4E is one of six SUNY Networks of Excellence. Each network assembles scientists, scholars, and external partners from SUNY campuses to conduct collaborative research in high demand areas. The others are SUNY Health, SUNY Brain, SUNY Materials and Advanced Manufacturing, SUNY Arts and Humanities and SUNY Teaching, Learning and Assessment.

About the State University of New York The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive university system in the United States, educating nearly 460,000 students in more than 7,500 degree and certificate programs on 64 college and university campuses, and online through Open SUNY. SUNY students and faculty across the state make significant contributions to research and discovery, resulting in nearly $1 billion of externally-sponsored activity each year. There are 3 million SUNY alumni worldwide. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit www.suny.edu.

Contact: Sherman Jewett 518-320-1311 Email the Office of Communications