SUNY Chancellor King Announces Field Research Partnership Between the State University of New York and the University of Puerto Rico
November 6, 2026
Students from the State University of New York at Buffalo and University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez will Participate in Exchange During Spring 2027 Semester
Albany, NY — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today announced a partnership between the State University of New York at Buffalo and the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. Through the partnership, 10 students from the State University of New York at Buffalo and 10 students from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez will participate in a hydrology field research exchange program during the spring 2027 semester.
"Through our continued partnership with the University of Puerto Rico, SUNY has been able to provide our students with life-changing research experiences and horizon expanding opportunities," said SUNY Chancellor King. "This cross-institutional exchange will help build on SUNY's research excellence and foster hands-on learning experiences for students across both institutions. We are proud to partner with the University of Puerto Rico, and to provide our students with the opportunity to embark on this exchange."
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "Through the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature, SUNY can invest in unique and innovative partnerships that provide students with new experiences and research opportunities. We thank the University of Puerto Rico for their continued partnership, and look forward to seeing how this exchange positively impacts our students."
The exchange program will provide students from both institutions the opportunity to participate in comparative hydrological field experiences in Buffalo and Puerto Rico. The State University of New York at Buffalo students will learn field methods on Puerto Rico's tropical watersheds, and the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez students will learn field methods on Buffalo's groundwater and aquifers. The students, as well as one faculty member from each campus, will spend seven days at their exchange campus during the Spring 2027 semester.
State University of New York at Buffalo President Caroline Attardo Genco said, "I am delighted that, with SUNY's support, the University at Buffalo is partnering with the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez to offer our students this exciting opportunity. Learning side by side, students from both universities will broaden their perspectives, forge lasting connections and sharpen the skills needed to safeguard the vital resources on which our communities depend."
Christopher Lowry, Professor of Earth Sciences at the State University of New York at Buffalo, said, "This program will provide students the opportunity to study how water moves through tropical watersheds in Puerto Rico and groundwater systems shaped by glaciers in Western New York. Working with my colleague Dr. Ingrid Padilla at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, we're bringing together our complementary expertise to give students hands-on field experiences they simply couldn't get in one location. We're also building a partnership that we hope will lead to new research collaborations and opportunities for students at both universities."
State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky, Chair of the Higher Education Committee said, "A textbook can only take a student so far. This exchange will give 20 students valuable experience and educationally connect them with colleagues across Lake Erie and the Caribbean Sea. It also strengthens the longstanding ties between New York and Puerto Rico. I thank Chancellor King, the SUNY Board of Trustees, and the University of Puerto Rico for making this possible."
State Senator Gustavo Rivera said, "This internship exchange is an incredible opportunity to connect students across New York and Puerto Rico while investing in the next generation of environmental leaders. By providing hands-on research experience, fostering cultural exchange, and expanding access to meaningful internships, we are preparing our students to tackle climate challenges and build a more sustainable future. I applaud SUNY Buffalo, the University of Puerto Rico, and Para La Naturaleza for continuing this important partnership."
State Senator-Elect Jon D. Rivera said, "Buffalo and Puerto Rico share deep cultural, familial, and community connections, and I'm proud to see those ties reflected in opportunities that bring our students together. Partnerships like this demonstrate the power of higher education to connect communities, open doors, and create opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom. The University at Buffalo is a tremendous asset to Western New York, and as I prepare to represent UB and our surrounding communities in the State Senate, I look forward to supporting SUNY's continued investment in research, academic collaboration, and transformative educational opportunities for students of all backgrounds. I commend Chancellor King and both universities for making this partnership possible."
State Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes said, "The exchange program between students from the University at Buffalo and students from the University of Puerto Rico is a big win for both institutions. My hope is that this partnership grows to include other fields of study. The ability to learn abroad is a great experience for students. I commend SUNY Chancellor John B. King and the SUNY Board of Trustees for continuing to broaden the horizons for SUNY students."
State Assemblymember Karen McMahon said, "This is an exciting and valuable opportunity to bring together two distinguished institutions of higher education and research: the University at Buffalo and the University of Puerto Rico. I am grateful to Chancellor King for selecting UB to participate in this program and for fostering a partnership that will strengthen collaboration between these two universities. UB has a proud history of pioneering scientific research, and this initiative marks an exciting new chapter in that legacy."
The initiatives between SUNY and the University of Puerto Rico showcase SUNY's commitment to collaborating with partners to increase opportunities for students, and awareness of career paths available to them. In April, SUNY highlighted the partnership with Para La Naturaleza during the 2026 SOMOS Conference in Albany. In 2025, SUNY announced the second year of the internship exchange program between the University of Puerto Rico and Para La Naturaleza. In 2023, Governor Hochul announced a five-year collaboration between the University of Puerto Rico and SUNY during the SOMOS conference in Puerto Rico. SUNY has also launched internship partnerships with the New York State Association of Counties, the New York State Insurance Fund, as well as programs including the SUNY Educational Opportunity Career Development Internship Program, Chancellor's Summer Research Excellence Fund, the SUNY Institute for Local News, the Veterans Enrollment and Support Internship Program, and the SUNY Climate Corps.
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and annually one in three New Yorkers who earn a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
Share this:
Holly Liapis
518-320-1311
Email the Office of Communications
