SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE OVER $4 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDS FOR BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY
Federal Investment Will Be Used To Promote STEM Degree Completion and Careers For Low Income, Academically Gifted Students
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $4,153,852 in federal funding for Binghamton University. The funding was allocated through the Nation Science Foundation (NSF) and will be used to promote Bachelor of Science degree completion in STEM fields through partnerships with community colleges.
“Binghamton University is a world class institution that excels in education and innovation. This federal investment will allow Binghamton to connect directly with community colleges and support academically gifted students through the transition to four year STEM degree programs,” said Senator Schumer. “I will continue to fight for these types of federal programs that invest in our students, institutions and communities who can make a real difference with this type of funding.”
“Binghamton University provides students in the Southern Tier with a high-quality education, and this grant will help encourage low-income, high-performing students to pursue STEM fields and will provide them with the financial support they need to complete their degrees,” said Senator Gillibrand. “I will continue to do everything I can to support these programs that help prepare our students for success.”
“We are excited to strengthen our ties with SUNY Broome and Queensborough Community College. This collaboration will let undergraduate students get involved in world-leading energy research at Binghamton University, and with local businesses such as Corning and BAE Systems. This effort, which provides student stipends, pairs well with the recent SUNY 2020 award ($2.8M) to Binghamton for equipment and resources to increase the number of graduating students in STEM in the area of smart energy,” Binghamton Distinguished Professor M. Stanley Whittingham.
“The students selected for this new program will benefit from a hands-on research experience centered on one of the leading trends in science today: smart energy,” said Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger. "This NSF award will enable us to help many talented-yet-underserved students earn a bachelor of science degree – critical to a career in the STEM fields —as well as further the University’s standing as a leader in STEM education.”
The federal investment will be used to train students, moving from partner community colleges to SUNY Binghamton, in STEM fields including Smart Energy. Participating students will have the opportunity to gain hands on experience in these fields and will work with new technologies and materials for energy storage and generation at cutting-edge research facilities at Binghamton. Students will also have the opportunity to work with the American Chemical Society’s Education Division to work on self-assessment, career planning, goal setting, and skill strengthening. The project will also study interventions to improve retention, completion and academic success for community college transfer students, and will extend support to transfer students as soon as they begin at community college.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and other institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 48,000 competitive proposals for funding and makes about 12,000 new funding awards. NSF also awards about $626 million in professional and service contracts yearly.
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