Assemblyman Ed Ra (21st Assembly District) recently toured the State University of New York (SUNY) at Stony Brook’s Research and Development Park and Stony Brook Medical Center. Even though Stony Brook is outside of the 21st Assembly District, Ra took the opportunity to visit in order to learn more about the unique contributions from each center and to continue his initiative to bring awareness to first-rate Long Island higher-education opportunities to both students and adults in the community.

“My visit merely confirmed what I already knew: our SUNY institutions are conducting groundbreaking research in a variety of fields, including right here at Stony Brook,” said Ra. “Their innovative research in medicine has resulted in new diagnostic technology that will help save lives. Stony Brook is a strong partner with other local institutions in Hofstra, Adelphi and Nassau Community College.

“The Research and Development Park creates an environment where public and private entities can work with researchers to craft solutions to major energy problems and develop the technologies of tomorrow. These leaders are working to educate our youth and retrain our work force in the newest technological advances to retain and create jobs here on Long Island.”

Some of the centers Ra toured include:

• The Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center, a LEED Platinum-designed building which incorporates many sustainable design technologies and houses researchers and educators working toward advanced energy solutions;
• The Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Techonology (CEWIT) where technology is currently being utilized to advance medicine in conjunction with Stony Brook Medical Center, including the 3D imaging used for the virtual colonoscopy;
• The Stony Brook Medical Center, where Stony Brook Chief Medical Officer Dr. Todd Griffin showed Ra through the Stony Brook Long Island Children’s Hospital, the Stony Brook University Cancer Center, and Heart Center.

“Our local youth and adults should take great pride in knowing that some of the top educational, technological, and medical facilities in the world are located right here in our backyard. I encourage all those in our community to take notice of the opportunity to receive a world-class education at a SUNY institution. These hardworking students and researchers are sure to be the health care leaders of tomorrow.”