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Dr. Jennifer Goff and SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr.
ESF Participates in SUNY Research Expo, Showcasing Faculty Expertise to State Leaders
ALBANY, N.Y. – March 24, 2026 — Researchers from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry were among representatives from 10 SUNY institutions at the SUNY Research Expo earlier this month.
The expo, held at the Legislative Office Building in Albany, highlighted research across the SUNY system. The event featured research that saves lives, strengthens the economy, and improves security in fields including agriculture, environmental, artificial intelligence (AI), and medical research.
“SUNY’s campuses throughout the state are conducting groundbreaking research that improves the lives, health, and safety of all New Yorkers,” said SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. “The SUNY Research Expo is an opportunity to showcase the incredible work being conducted by our leading academics and students, and the event reinforces our commitment to achieving Governor Kathy Hochul’s goal of doubling research throughout the SUNY system.”
Dr. Jennifer Goff, from ESF’s Department of Chemistry, illustrated the relationship between biogeochemical gradients, microbial diversity, and pollutant transformation using Winogradsky columns and petri dishes. Dr. Joshua Millspaugh, ESF Camp Fire Conservation Fund Professor in Wildlife Conservation, displayed tracking gear at ESF’s table. Attendees were interested in learning what can be done to reduce the number of deer hit on the road, how controlled burns affect CO2 emissions at the molecular level, and why outfitting turkeys with solar backpack sensors helps researchers understand movement dynamics.
The interactive elements made the research tangible and led to conversations about other areas of research at ESF including construction management, willow biomass, AI and remote sensing.
“At ESF, good research is a given, but it's connective moments and events like these that help us see the larger picture and continue to advance our work on bettering scientific and environmental research,” said ESF President Joanie Mahoney. “We were excited to have Dr. Jennifer Goff and Dr. Josh Millspaugh represent ESF. Their research spans from microscopic biological processes to large-scale ecosystem management, and these ventures are critical to New York's environmental future.”
“The SUNY Research Expo is a powerful reminder that our public higher education system is the engine of global innovation,” said State Assemblymember Alicia L. Hyndman, Assembly Higher Education Committee chair. “From the vital environmental research at SUNY ESF to the life-saving medical breakthroughs shown, these projects demonstrate that an investment in SUNY is an investment in our collective security and economic future.”
The SUNY Research Expo showcased SUNY’s commitment to achieving Governor Hochul’s goal of doubling research and innovation throughout the SUNY system. SUNY has undertaken major actions to advance research efforts throughout the system, including the launch of the SUNY Research Connect Portal to showcase the research profiles of nearly 7,000 SUNY researchers from 26 campuses, and the SUNY Research Leadership Academy to advance inclusion in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) fields.
“As we work to build a broad and diverse funding base for ESF's research, events like the Expo are invaluable,” said Daniel Noon, research development director at ESF. “State legislators are on the front line of funding the priority research that supports New York’s communities, and there is no better way to raise awareness than to bring our world-class faculty and their work to Albany.”
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.