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SUNY Announces Expansion of the Chancellor’s Summer Research Excellence Fund

Albany, NY – April 17, 2024 State University of New York Chancellor John B. King, Jr. today announced the expansion of the Chancellor’s Summer Research Excellence Fund. A total of $1.4 million will be invested to expand the number of paid internships from 150 to 170 for students from across six campuses. The internships will include 45 new experiences for students focused on Artificial Intelligence research. This is the second year of the program announced last April.

“Following the success of last year’s paid summer internship program, I am pleased to announce that SUNY is expanding the Summer Research Excellence Fund to provide 170 students across six campuses the opportunity to obtain crucial paid internship experiences before they graduate,” said SUNY Chancellor King. “Providing students with paid, equitable internships is an important step in ensuring student success and upward mobility, because these experiences will allow them to use the knowledge gained during the program to attain and succeed at high-quality jobs after graduation.

The internship program will expand research opportunities to students with financial need, first-generation students, and others who may face barriers to securing research experiences. Participating campuses include: the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), University at Albany, Binghamton University, University at Buffalo, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, and Stony Brook University. 

“Internships and research play crucial roles in equipping our students for future triumphs with hands-on, real-world engagement in their chosen fields," said ESF President Joanie Mahoney. "The Chancellor’s Summer Research Excellence Fund enables us to extend these opportunities to more students, relieving financial burdens and averting additional debt during the summer. We applaud Chancellor King for expanding the program to provide these important experiences to more students.”

The internships will be in fields including biology, machine learning, cybersecurity, physics and astronomy, engineering, chemistry, computer science, and clean energy, among others. Approximately 45 internships will focus on artificial intelligence research for the public good. Nursing, a high needs area not often considered in research funding, will also see new internship opportunities.

The Chancellor’s Summer Research Excellence Fund covers all student costs for the internship including, but not limited to, student stipend/salary, tuition/fees, housing, meal plans, childcare, and transportation.

In February, Governor Kathy Hochul announced State University of New York campuses are investing nearly $10 million in annual state funding to provide 3,000 SUNY students with internships and other experiential learning opportunities before graduation. The funding was secured through the historic $163 million increase in direct operating aid to SUNY’s State-operated campuses for FY 2024.

About SUNY ESF

The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) is dedicated to the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable and resilient future through design, policy, and management of the environment and natural resources. Members of the College community share a passion for protecting the health of the planet and a deep commitment to the rigorous application of science to improve the way humans interact with the world. The College offers academic programs ranging from the associate of applied science to the Doctor of Philosophy. ESF students live, study and do research on the main campus in Syracuse, N.Y., and on 25,000 acres of field stations in a variety of ecosystems across the state.

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 state’s only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.4 million students amongst its entire 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 $1.1 billion in fiscal year 2023, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit www.suny.edu.