SUNY Launches Research Leadership Academy to Empower Next Generation of Top Tier Researchers
July 31, 2025
Initiative is Part of SUNY’s Efforts to Strengthen Communication between Research Leaders and General Public
Applications Open for 30 SUNY Faculty in the Inaugural Class
Albany, NY – State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today announced the launch of the SUNY Research Leadership Academy to advance inclusion in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine (STEMM) fields. Thirty STEMM faculty from SUNY campuses will be selected for a year-long training, designed and led by Stony Brook University, to cultivate a new generation of research leaders. The Academy will help support researchers and provide important skills including how to better communicate effectively with the general public on the tangible, real-world benefits provided by research conducted across the SUNY system.
“At a time when life-saving and world-changing research is at risk, and the general public feels a disconnect with how academic research provides real world benefits, an initiative like SUNY’s Research Leadership Academy has never been more important,” said SUNY Chancellor King. “As SUNY drives to double research innovation across our system, we need to ensure New Yorkers understand the work taking place on our campuses and what it means to our state and our society. The Research Leadership Academy will help our faculty better engage with the public, and more clearly communicate their essential research efforts and purposes.”
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, “As the nation’s largest comprehensive system of public higher education, and thanks to the steadfast support of Governor Hochul, state leaders, and groups dedicated to pursuing academic excellence, SUNY is a hub of talent, discovery, and real-world impact. To meet the demands of today's world, we must develop research leaders who are not simply at the cutting edge of their fields, but who are also able to clearly explain to the public why this research matters. The SUNY Research Leadership Academy is a bold first step, with the long-term vision to grow and help the next generation of research leaders more clearly communicate with the public they serve.”
The initiative, made possible by a $100,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation, is being led by experts at SUNY as well as Stony Brook University’s Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science, the School of Communication and Journalism, the Office for Research and Innovation, and the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Intercultural Initiatives. The kickoff meeting will be held on the Stony Brook University campus this fall. The application is open to SUNY faculty and is available online. The deadline to apply is August 15, 2025.
Dr. Andrea Goldsmith, Incoming President of Stony Brook University, said, “To solve the most challenging problems facing humanity, the next generation of research leaders must convene people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives who can effectively communicate with each other and with the general public. The Research Leadership Academy will enable SUNY STEMM researchers to hone these invaluable skills. The academy demonstrates the power of our state system by bringing together experts across SUNY and leveraging the unique communication techniques pioneered in Stony Brook’s Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science. This bold initiative advances Stony Brook’s mission to empower faculty as research leaders, translate science for broad understanding, and drive discoveries that serve the citizens of the great state of New York.”
Alan Alda, Founding Member of the Alan Alda Center for Communication Science, said, “For fifteen years, the Center for Communicating Science has enabled women and men in STEMM to be better communicators. It’s made them better leaders. The new Research Leadership Academy is the perfect way to bring our training to all of SUNY. We’re excited to get started on this wonderful project."
State Senator Kristen Gonzalez, Chair of the Internet and Technology Committee, said, “Thank you to the SUNY system for making public education shared, accessible, and accountable to the people of New York. Our state’s investment in public higher education is exactly what we need to build a more inclusive and equitable future. The SUNY Research Leadership Academy will empower a new generation of researchers, especially women, people of color, and those too often excluded from STEMM to not only lead in their fields, but to do so in a way that centers community and public good.”
State Assembly Higher Education Chair Alicia Hyndman said, “New York’s public colleges and universities are engines of innovation, discovery, and opportunity. The launch of the SUNY Research Leadership Academy represents a vital step toward ensuring that our researchers not only make groundbreaking advances but also connect their work to the lives of everyday New Yorkers. By empowering SUNY faculty to lead with clarity, inclusivity, and purpose, this initiative helps bridge the gap between academia and the public—and that’s how we build lasting trust in science and scholarship. I commend SUNY and Stony Brook University for their leadership and thank the Henry Luce Foundation for making this visionary program possible.”
State Assemblymember Steve Otis, Chair of the Assembly Science and Technology Committee said, “Congratulations to SUNY, Chancellor John King, and the Board of Trustees for this commitment to enhancing SUNY’s long-standing commitment to faculty research with the launch of the SUNY Research Leadership Academy. At a time when the federal government is eliminating support for important scientific research across many categories, SUNY is expanding the system’s commitment to technology, engineering, and health-related study. Our Assembly Science and Technology Committee has seen firsthand the cutting-edge research undertaken for decades at numerous SUNY campuses. Today’s announcement underscores the commitment to research that will benefit society and strengthen our economy.”
Participants selected to the academy will develop their own skill set, enabling them to better succeed in five core areas, including:
- Building public trust through effective engagement
- Strengthening audience-centered communication skills
- Fostering a SUNY-wide leadership network grounded in shared purpose
- Deepening their capacity for inclusive and community-engaged leadership
- Gaining tools to address gender and systemic biases in STEMM
Leaders will actively address gender and other implicit biases to forge deep connections that foster more collaborative, inclusive, and empathic environments. Grounded in the Alda Method®, participants will receive hands-on training in inclusive leadership practice, science communication, and public engagement focused on growing research capacity and building a stronger SUNY-wide network.
For questions about the Academy, contact: research_academy@stonybrook.edu
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.
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Holly Liapis
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