Albany / Utica, NY – The State University of New York Board of Trustees today appointed Dr. Bahgat G. Sammakia Interim President of SUNY Polytechnic Institute.  A SUNY Distinguished Professor (SUNY’s highest faculty rank) and an internationally recognized scholar in electronic systems integration and packaging, Dr. Sammakia has served as the Vice President for Research at the State University of New York at Binghamton (“Binghamton University”) since 2010. His appointment is effective on or about December 1, 2016.

Dr. Bahgat Sammakia

“In addition to maintaining the highest of academic standards, SUNY Poly also plays a significant role in statewide economic development projects and global technology innovation. Dr. Sammakia has tremendous experience in each of these areas, making him uniquely qualified to provide strong and stable leadership at SUNY Poly,” said SUNY Board of Trustees Chairman H. Carl McCall.  “The Board of Trustees is proud to have identified such a qualified candidate and extend my sincere thanks to Dr. Sammakia for his dedication to SUNY and his commitment to leading this world class institution.”

“We are delighted to have Dr. Sammakia serve as Interim President of SUNY Poly.  His years of leadership at Binghamton University, coupled with his prior management experience at IBM and direction of New York State Centers of Excellence, make him an ideal candidate,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher. “I would like to thank the administration, faculty, and staff of SUNY Poly for their hard work and cooperation throughout this process, and for continuing to deliver unmatched academic opportunities for students.”

“I am so pleased that we were able to attract someone of the caliber of Dr. Sammakia to this important position. He is a dynamic leader who has a passion for academic excellence and student success, and a proven track record in research and business/industry experience. His skill and experience aligns well with SUNY Poly’s needs, strengths, and opportunities as shared with me by the SUNY Poly community over recent weeks and my own observations as Officer in Charge,” said SUNY Provost, Executive Vice Chancellor Alexander N. Cartwright, who will continue to serve as Officer in Charge until Dr. Sammakia is on board.

“SUNY Poly is world-renowned for its cutting edge academic programs as well as its leadership in next generation technology development, and I am honored that Chancellor Zimpher and the SUNY Board of Trustees have entrusted me to serve as interim president,” said Dr. Sammakia.  “I look forward to meeting and working with SUNY Poly’s talented faculty, staff, and students, as well as our partners in government and industry, as we continue to move the college forward.”

As Vice President for Research at Binghamton University, Dr. Sammakia has created a research culture and infrastructure enabling growth of trans-disciplinary research and scholarly activity areas that are transformative and of a high and positive impact on society. This closely correlates to the academic and research mission of SUNY Poly.  Additionally, Dr. Sammakia oversees State and Federal government relations; research advancement; technology transfer and commercialization; and, economic development and entrepreneurship. He is the founding director of the Small Scale Systems Integration and Packaging Center and co-founding director of the Center for Advanced Microelectronics Manufacturing, both NYS Centers of Excellence.  Prior to joining Binghamton University, Dr. Sammakia spent 14 years with IBM and held various management positions.

“Bahgat Sammakia has had a distinguished career at Binghamton and is well suited for the position of interim president at SUNY Poly,” said Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger. “A SUNY distinguished professor of mechanical engineering, Sammakia’s leadership as the founding director of Binghamton’s Small Scale Systems Integration and Packaging Center — a New York State Center of Excellence (S3IP) dedicated to innovations in solar energy, “green” data centers, flexible electronics and electronics packaging — has been crucial to advancing Binghamton’s mission as a research center.”

At Binghamton University since 1998, Dr. Sammakia has earned the rank of SUNY Distinguished Professor and holds a joint appointment in mechanical and materials engineering and systems science and industrial engineering. An internationally recognized scholar, Dr. Sammakia is the founding director of the Small Scale Systems Integration and Packaging Center, a NYS Center of Excellence. He was the founding director of the NSF Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC) on Energy Smart Electronic Systems, in collaboration with Binghamton University Professor Kanad Ghose. Dr. Sammakia has earned the high distinction of Fellow in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME); the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE); and the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). He is recipient of numerous honors and awards including the 2015 ASME Interpack Achievement Award for service, excellence, and international recognition in research/development related to electronic packaging. He holds 21 U.S. patents and 12 IBM technical disclosures; he has published over 250 technical papers in refereed journals and conference proceedings and has contributed to three books on natural convection heat transfer and electronics packaging. He is a member of the Industrial Advisory Board for the Cornell University NSF Center for Materials Research and Chair of the Board of the Southern Tier High Technology Incubator.

Dr. Sammakia earned his master’s degree and doctorate from the University at Buffalo. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Alexandria University in Alexandria, Egypt.

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SUNY Polytechnic Institute. SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) is New York’s globally recognized, high-tech educational ecosystem, formed from the merger of the SUNY College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and SUNY Institute of Technology. SUNY Poly offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the emerging disciplines of nanoscience and nanoengineering, as well as cutting-edge nanobioscience and nanoeconomics programs at its Albany location and undergraduate and graduate degrees in technology, including engineering, cybersecurity, computer science, and the engineering technologies; professional studies, including business, communication, and nursing; and arts and sciences, including natural sciences, mathematics, humanities, and social sciences at its Utica/Rome location. Thriving athletic, recreational, and cultural programs, events, and activities complement the campus experience. As the world’s most advanced, university-driven research enterprise, SUNY Poly boasts more than $43 billion in high-tech investments and over 300 corporate partners. For information visit www.sunycnse.com and www.sunypoly.edu.