On May 5, Stony Brook University Interim Vice President for Research and Innovation Mónica Bugallo joined fellow State University of New York (SUNY) research leaders and federal relations staff in Washington, D.C., for a series of high-level meetings with key federal science agencies organized by SUNY Federal Relations.
The SUNY cohort met with leaders across the federal research enterprise, including Joda Thongnopnua, special advisor at National Science Foundation (NSF) TIP Directorate; Rebecca Keiser, acting chief of staff and chief of research security strategy and policy at NSF; Bindu Nair, associate director of Basic Energy Sciences at the U.S. Department of Energy; and Whitney Mason, director of the Microsystems Technology Office at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
Discussions focused on shared priorities between SUNY and federal agencies, including artificial intelligence, quantum science, next-generation microsystems, energy resiliency and advanced materials. During the meetings, participants emphasized the importance of strengthening collaboration between academia, government and industry to advance U.S. competitiveness and innovation, underscoring the central role public research universities play in driving these national priorities.
A primary focus of the visit was SUNY’s emerging system-wide approach to research, workforce development and commercialization. As a unified network of 64 campuses, SUNY is advancing a coordinated framework that integrates discovery, prototyping, manufacturing and talent pipelines at scale. SUNY leaders also highlighted alignment with New York State partners, including NY CREATES and Empire State Development, positioning the system as a strategic partner for piloting mission-driven collaborations with federal agencies.
A central point of the discussions was quantum science and technology, an area in which Stony Brook University is a recognized national leader. The university recently launched a new Quantum Institute to further accelerate interdisciplinary research across quantum networking, computing, sensing and simulation, supported by a $300 million investment from New York State. Building on years of foundational work, Stony Brook is home to the nation’s largest quantum network and is advancing efforts to develop a future quantum internet, positioning the university at the forefront of this transformative field.
“Stony Brook is playing a vital national role in advancing U.S. leadership in transformative fields such as quantum science, artificial intelligence and energy resilience,” Bugallo said. “Engaging directly with federal agency leaders helps ensure that we clearly understand their priorities and align our work with the most pressing needs of the country. That alignment remains a top priority for our institution.”
A strong partnership between Stony Brook’s Office of Research and Innovation and the Office of Federal Relations underpins the university’s engagements in Washington, ensuring close alignment between the institution’s research priorities and its federal strategy. This collaboration enables Stony Brook to effectively position its expertise and advance institutional priorities at the national level.
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