United States Secretary of Energy Chris Wright visited Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) on September 30 as part of his tour of the Department of Energy’s national laboratories. During the visit, he met with Stony Brook University President Andrea Goldsmith, BNL leaders and researchers, and Stony Brook scientists to observe ongoing research efforts.
Goldsmith attended in her capacity as vice-chair of the Brookhaven Science Associates (BSA) Board of Directors. BSA is a partnership between Stony Brook University and Battelle Memorial Institute that manages BNL for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science.
Wright began his visit at the new Science and User Support Center at Brookhaven, where he met with Goldsmith, Associate Vice President for Brookhaven National Laboratory Affairs Richard J. Reeder, Interim BNL Director John Hill, and other leaders. The group discussed how Brookhaven’s mission to accelerate discovery aligns with Stony Brook’s research objectives.
“It was an honor to welcome Secretary Wright to Brookhaven Lab and to share with him the lab’s remarkable research advancing the frontiers of knowledge, including unique experiments in quantum networking where Stony Brook is the Lab’s key partner,” said Goldsmith. “Secretary Wright’s visit allowed him to see first-hand how collaborations between BNL and Stony Brook amplify our excellence and impact across research, innovation, and entrepreneurship, driving economic growth and technology leadership for New York and the nation.”
Goldsmith noted that this partnership continues to expand Stony Brook’s influence on national research priorities. Reeder added: “It was gratifying to hear Secretary Wright reaffirm the importance and value of the Lab’s mission in serving the country.”
Wright acknowledged BNL's contributions: “It was great to see how Brookhaven’s scientists, engineers, and staff embody America’s ingenuity as they explore new frontiers in nuclear physics and quantum networking,” he said. “The research that takes place at this laboratory, including at the user facilities it operates for all U.S. scientists, helps keep DOE and our nation at the forefront of discovery science.”
Stony Brook faculty members Abhay Deshpande, Martin Schoonen, and James Misewich—who also hold leadership roles at BNL—met with Secretary Wright during his visit. Their discussions focused on collaborative research efforts in nuclear physics, quantum materials, and energy security.
The tour included visits to several key facilities where Stony Brook researchers work alongside their counterparts from BNL. At the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II), Wright observed beamlines used for studying materials relevant to batteries and energy applications at an atomic scale. He learned about integrating artificial intelligence into these studies to speed up discoveries related to energy conversion and storage.
Wright also toured the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), which will be converted into the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC). The EIC will allow detailed exploration of protons, neutrons, and atomic nuclei over the next decade.
At the Quantum Networking Facility, Wright met Eden Figueroa—SBU Presidential Innovation Endowed Professor—and participated in a demonstration involving quantum communication between Brookhaven, Stony Brook University, and New York City using entangled photons along a 161-mile fiber-optic network.
Figueroa leads much of Stony Brook's quantum networking research in collaboration with BNL. His team continues testing quantum communication across New York State toward developing a future "quantum internet."
In addition to these stops, Wright visited the Center for Functional Nanomaterials to see tools used for creating atomically thin materials for electronics. In computing facilities at BNL he learned about data management systems exceeding 500 petabytes in size as well as robotics designed to enhance research efficiency through real-world learning.
“For me, the Secretary’s visit was both affirmation and motivation,” said Hill. “It reminded us that our work is valued at the highest levels and reinforced a simple truth: when we work together, safely and with purpose, we can achieve amazing things.”
“We would not live in a world recognizable to what we have today if not for the national labs,” said Wright after his tour concluded. “There is a lot of flow between the labs that creates a healthy ecosystem for innovation. They are competitive to be the best but collaborative to bring the best science forward.”
Brookhaven Lab receives most funding from the DOE Office of Science; RHIC, NSLS-II, and CFN are among its user facilities supported by this office.