Six faculty and staff members from Stony Brook University have been appointed to the State University of New York’s (SUNY) new STRIVE Climate and Sustainability Research Task Force. The STRIVE initiative, which stands for Strategic Research Investment, is designed to support research, innovation, workforce development, and economic growth across SUNY and New York State.
The task force will play a role in developing strategies as part of SUNY’s Climate & Sustainability Action Plan. According to SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr., “New technologies and innovative approaches are critical for growing our economy while simultaneously addressing climate change. SUNY research will play a critical role in ensuring our communities’ resilience in the context of global warming and rising sea levels. We are already seeing that most of the new energy sources built worldwide and in the United States are from renewable sources, and the extraordinary research happening in SUNY labs right now will ensure New York remains a leader and thrives in the clean energy future.”
Minghua Zhang, Distinguished Professor at Stony Brook’s School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS), is serving as one of three co-chairs of the task force alongside Michele Grimm from SUNY Albany and Atul Kelkar from SUNY Binghamton.
Stony Brook’s representatives lead several key working groups within the task force: Kevin Reed oversees climate science and predictive modeling; Heather Lynch leads environmental data collection and analytics; Devinder Mahajan heads clean energy systems and smart infrastructure; Nina Maung is responsible for university-industry-government collaboration and outreach; Derek O’Connor manages education and workforce development.
Phase I of the task force began in September 2025 with an executive summary expected by November. Phase II will start in early 2026, expanding participation to more experts systemwide who will help draft a three- to five-year strategic plan involving stakeholders from government, philanthropy, and industry.
Chancellor King has previously convened other STRIVE task forces focused on artificial intelligence, biotechnology, microelectronics packaging, and quantum technology.
Empire State Development President Hope Knight stated, “New York State is driving climate innovation in ways that also fuel economic growth. This climate- and sustainability-focused task force will connect SUNY’s research leadership with industry and government partners to deliver solutions that cut emissions, create good jobs, and strengthen communities all across the state.”