Stony Brook Southampton recently held an open house focused on careers in drone technology, drawing more than 160 attendees from across Long Island. The event, titled “Careers for Tomorrow,” took place on October 18 and was organized in partnership with the Stony Brook University Office for Research and Innovation, the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS), FoodLab, the New York Power Authority (NYPA), and Drone Cadets.
The open house featured demonstrations by experts from NYPA and Drone Cadets, who provided information on drone piloting and discussed the technology behind drones. Faculty and staff from Stony Brook University also presented, offering attendees opportunities to learn about and connect with professionals in drone-related fields.
“This collaboration reflects the kind of thoughtful, hands-on engagement we’re working to build at Southampton,” said Wendy Pearson, vice president for strategic initiatives and executive director of Stony Brook Southampton, who served as emcee for the event. “The event offers a chance to explore how emerging technologies can shape new career opportunities while helping us gauge interest in future workforce development programs. It’s an important step in our continued effort to revitalize the campus as a center for innovation and opportunity on the East End.”
Derek O’Connor, workforce development manager with Stony Brook’s Office for Research and Innovation, emphasized the growing role of drones across industries. “As drone piloting becomes more universally adopted by a multitude of industries, events like this are ideal to engage the community about workforce opportunities,” O’Connor said. “At Stony Brook Southampton, the attendees are able to learn about infrastructure projects using robotics in their neighborhoods, student enrichment opportunities for children at local schools interested in drones, and advanced image-capturing with SoMAS and the FoodLab. Regardless of discipline or industry we learned from the presenters that there’s a role for everyone with drones.”
O’Connor opened the event by discussing broader workforce initiatives at the university before introducing other speakers. Peter Kalaitzidis, NYPA senior robotics program manager, explained how drones are used for dam inspection, security, and wildlife monitoring, which can make fieldwork safer and more efficient. Tony Reid, founder of Drone Cadets, spoke about training both youth and adults for drone-related careers and efforts to make tech training more accessible for underserved populations.
Christopher Paparo, manager of the Marine Sciences Research Center at Stony Brook Southampton, shared drone footage of marine wildlife and described how drones contribute to research on local bays. Judiann Carmack-Fayyazz, executive director of FoodLab, discussed agricultural uses of drones, such as detecting plant disease, assessing soil quality, and monitoring irrigation to help sustain crop yields.
The event included live demonstrations of various drones used for industrial and recreational purposes. Equipment on display included a power-washing drone, a fertilizer-spreading drone, and other models utilized in different sectors. Attendees were able to ask questions and explore career and training opportunities beyond the scheduled conclusion of the event. Among those present were Lars Clemensen, superintendent of the Hampton Bays Union Free School District, accompanied by several students.