Stony Brook University leaders participated in a national panel at the 2025 Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities (APLU) Council on Governmental Affairs and Council on Research Joint Summer Meeting. The event took place during the week of July 27 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Kevin Gardner, vice president for research and innovation, and Lauren Brookmeyer, associate vice president for federal relations and head of the D.C. Office, were featured speakers in a session titled “Powering Research: SRO & Government Relations Partnership.” The session gathered senior research officers and federal relations professionals from across the United States to discuss how collaboration between these roles can advance research and secure competitive federal funding.
The discussion addressed the increasing competition for federal research funding and changing science policy priorities. As universities face these challenges, they are adopting more coordinated strategies to secure support and influence policy decisions.
Gardner and Brookmeyer joined peers from Oregon State University and Colorado State University to describe Stony Brook’s approach to aligning its research mission with federal relations work. They explained that this partnership helps respond proactively to challenges, maximize funding opportunities, and position Stony Brook within national conversations about research policy.
“Our strategic partnership with Federal Relations is a force multiplier for our research mission,” said Gardner. “It allows us to compete for critical federal funding and ensure that our faculty’s work is recognized and helps shape national priorities. This collaboration is key to translating our science and innovations to drive the U.S. economy and technological advancement.”
Panelists shared practical methods for strengthening partnerships between research offices and federal affairs teams. These included joint advocacy planning, coordinated outreach to policymakers, addressing current funding challenges, communicating research impact effectively, and building internal processes that support flexible advocacy efforts.
“In today’s federal environment, strong coordination between our research operations and our federal relations work isn’t just helpful — it’s essential,” said Brookmeyer. “At Stony Brook, we prioritize this internal synergy because it allows us to be more impactful externally. Our ability to secure congressional support, anticipate policy shifts, and elevate the visibility of our research depends on these partnerships.”
The session also discussed how universities can create lasting frameworks for collaboration that address immediate policy issues while strengthening long-term research capacity.
Gardner serves on APLU’s CoR Executive Committee while Brookmeyer chairs the CGA. Their roles highlight Stony Brook's leadership within both APLU's network as well as in Washington D.C., as part of efforts focused on mission-driven advocacy at the federal level.