33 SUNY Researchers Complete Inaugural Research Leadership Academy at Stony Brook

The SUNY Research Leadership Academy (SRLA) concludes its inaugural year in March 2026 after training 33 researchers in leadership, resource development and public communication. The SUNY-wide initiative was led by the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University in partnership with SUNY and Stony Brook offices including the Office of Research and Innovation, DI3 and SUNY ORIED.

News Stonybrook described the program as equipping 33 researchers with a skill set rarely emphasized in academic training: how to lead teams, secure resources and communicate research to broad audiences. The phrasing underscores the Academy’s focus on translating technical scholarship into team management and broader public engagement skills that university researchers often lack.

Organizers framed the cohort experience as a multi-site journey. News Stonybrook ran the package under the line "From Stony Brook to Buffalo and Albany, a look at the journey that shaped SUNY’s first Research Leadership Academy cohort." Throughout the Albany gathering, leaders from Stony Brook University — including Lindenfeld, Clarke, Senior Associate Vice President for Research and Innovation Nina Maung-Gaona and Interim Vice President for Research and Innovation Mónica Bugallo — and SUNY ORIED’s Shadi Shahedipour-Sandvik, senior vice chancellor for research, participated alongside the cohort, reinforcing the Academy’s integration within SUNY’s broader research infrastructure.

State support for SUNY leadership programming framed the funding context. Suny noted that "The 2026 SUNY Leadership Institute classes are made possible through the generous support of the State of New York." SUNY Chancellor King added, "Part of our mandate is to ensure that every student has the ability to grow, thrive, and unleash their full potential through the education and experience at the SUNY institution of their choice. Through the strong support of Governor Kathy Hochul and state leaders, SUNY is able to uphold our core values and empower our emerging leaders to soar to new heights." State Senator Lea Webb said, "As a member of the Senate's Higher Education committee, I am proud to support the SUNY Leadership Institutes and their continued commitment to developing inclusive, forward-thinking leaders across our state."

Local and statewide implications appear in a Lohud passage supplied by organizers: "SUNY has seen tremendous growth and progress during a challenging time for public higher education nationally, in large part because Gov. Kathy Hochul and our state Legislature prioritize SUNY, and understand that a successful SUNY system helps ensure a strong and prosperous New York. That strong state support has fueled SUNY’s rise as a national research leader at a time when both public and private higher education institutions are struggling with research funding. These forward-looking investments — with support made possible by the governor and state Legislature — will help us continue to attract top researchers, and ensure that the next leaps in technology take place in New York. To keep up this momentum, and to make sure New York continues to benefit from a strong public university system, we must keep investing in SUNY and have a forward-looking vision for our future needs."

The program finished against a backdrop in which SUNY is described as "the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States" and where "more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities." For Suffolk County, Stony Brook’s role as SRLA host places local campus leaders and early-career researchers at the center of SUNY’s push to build institutional research capacity that state officials say depends on continued investment.