The Collaborative for the Earth (C4E) at Stony Brook University held its third town hall event on December 4, aiming to strengthen partnerships with community and industry leaders. The focus was on addressing environmental issues through collaboration with faculty, students, and staff.
Heather Lynch, director of C4E, emphasized the importance of connecting campus research with real-world problems. She stated, "It’s critical that we connect the research we do on campus to real world problems, and that we work closely with partners off campus to make sure we’re asking the right questions."
A notable partnership highlighted during the event is Stony Brook University's role as an anchor institution for The New York Climate Exchange at Governors Island. This collaboration has already led to internship opportunities for students like Uzair Mahmud. He worked with the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC) over the summer, merging art and science in his role.
Mahmud expressed gratitude for his experience: "This internship is an example of cross-sector collaboration. I...am learning about how we can preserve our sciences...through art."
Kevin Reed from Stony Brook stressed breaking down silos through internships and coordinated research efforts. Kimberly Joy Dixon from the Career Center reiterated their goal of providing diverse experiences for students both inside and outside the classroom.
John Turner from Four Harbors Audubon Society expressed interest in further engaging students in wildlife conservation efforts.
Derek O’Connor from the Office of Economic Development discussed workforce development opportunities available at Stony Brook's Research and Development Park. He noted programs focusing on offshore wind fundamentals as examples of preparing future workers.
Rebecca Shuford from New York Sea Grant highlighted their long-standing commitment to coastal sustainability research at Stony Brook. She stated, “Everything we do has societal benefit or a connection to trying to make sure information gets into the hands of our coastal constituents.”
The town hall facilitated discussions around building meaningful partnerships aimed at sustainable solutions to climate challenges.
— J.D. Allen