April 24, 2017

To the SUNY Poly Community:

Today, the State University of New York Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Dr. Kristina M. Johnson as SUNY’s 13th Chancellor, who will provide the type of leadership and wide-ranging experience that will undoubtedly pave the way for an even brighter future at SUNY’s 64 campuses, including SUNY Poly. Under her leadership, SUNY Poly looks forward to continuing to strengthen its academic and research mission, and on behalf of our institution, I congratulate and warmly welcome her.

I am excited Dr. Johnson’s background aligns so well with many of the academic and research areas that are not only important for faculty, staff, and students at SUNY Poly, but also for society as a whole. As an engineer, inventor, and entrepreneur, she holds 118 U.S. and international patents. A former Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Johns Hopkins University, she also served as Dean of the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University, and more recently, as U.S. Under Secretary of Energy. Dr. Johnson has received numerous academic awards, and is a recognized advocate for women in leadership who has advanced STEAM education, in addition to higher education-industry partnerships.

Dr. Johnson succeeds Chancellor Nancy Zimpher, who has been a champion of SUNY as a world-class educational system, and one in which SUNY Polytechnic Institute has earned a distinct and important role as New York’s public polytechnic institution. Under Dr. Johnson, we look forward to maintaining our emphasis on providing a rigorous academic experience for students, along with enabling world-class research in areas such as semiconductors, social sciences, and clean energy, for example.

Dr. Johnson is an inspiring choice to lead SUNY, and I congratulate the SUNY Board of Trustees on their superb selection.

Warm regards,

Dr. Bahgat Sammakia
Interim President, SUNY Poly

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View SUNY News Release: SUNY Board of Trustees Appoints Dr. Kristina M. Johnson as the 13th Chancellor