UTICA, NY – SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) is pleased to announce the promotion of Dr. Michael Carpenter to Vice President for Research, where he will continue to serve on the President’s Cabinet. Dr. Carpenter previously served as Associate Provost for Research and Interim Dean of the College of Engineering.

“Mike has been a champion of SUNY Poly and our faculty’s research, while playing an integral role in many key conversations and initiatives on campus as a member of the Cabinet,” said SUNY Poly President Dr. Winston Soboyejo. “I have no doubt he will excel in this new role, elevating the impact of our university’s research portfolio as we chart our path to becoming the nation’s premier public polytechnic.” 

As VP for Research, Dr. Carpenter will lead the implementation of forward-thinking initiatives that align with SUNY Poly’s vision and catalyze growth in research funding, output, and innovation. This includes enabling and empowering faculty to leverage opportunities for Federal, State, and privately sponsored grants and contracts; proactively engaging university stakeholders to advance SUNY Poly’s mission; promote external funding and investment; and build scholarship and endowment support for the institution’s initiatives. He will also play a key role in the establishment of infrastructure to stimulate and support faculty research, and oversee the enhancement of cutting-edge research facilities and infrastructure.

“I am deeply excited to continue to collaborate with our brilliant faculty members in this new role, leveraging our collective expertise to push the boundaries of innovation and discovery,” said Dr. Carpenter. “Together, we will drive forward impactful research that not only enhances our academic community but also contributes meaningfully to society at large."

In addition to being an interim dean and Associate Provost for Research, Dr. Carpenter is also an Associate Professor of Chemistry at SUNY Poly. While at the helm of the College of Engineering, he helped raise $32.5M in funding for scholarships, endowed faculty lines, curriculum and workforce development and equipment resources that have impacted each academic program in the college. 

Dr. Carpenter is also an accomplished researcher, having led the development of plasmonics for use as integratable harsh environment chemical sensors, as well as the development of high temperature compatible multivariable sensing methods. His multidisciplinary research has commonly spanned across fields that include materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, chemistry and optics, among other disciplines and has included over $5.77M in outside funding for research. Moreover, his published works have over 2,100 citations.
He received his B.S. in chemistry from SUNY Geneseo, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in physical chemistry from the University of Rochester. He was also a postdoctoral associate at Cornell University and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.