State Awards $46.5M for Workforce Training, Tech Research on Long Island

Three Long Island institutions are receiving millions of dollars in state funding for projects that will boost workforce training and technological research, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Tuesday.

The latest payout from New York State’s Long Island Investment Fund totals $46.5 million for new training and research facilities at Long Island University, Farmingdale State College, and Stony Brook University’s Brookhaven National Laboratory. 

“My administration is committed to making Long Island our nation’s premier corridor for life sciences and research innovation,” Hochul said. “The awards announced today will help create jobs in cutting-edge sectors, boost workforce training, and support nation-leading innovation right here in New York.”

During a visit to Long Island University on Tuesday, Hochul was joined by Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, State Sen. Anna Kaplan, and others to announce the new funding, which will:

• Award $6.5 million for Stony Brook University to construct a new Quantum Internet Test Bed
• Award $10 million for Long Island University to build a College of Science Applied Research and Innovation facility
• Award $30 million for Farmingdale State College to build a Center for Computer Science and Information Technology

In addition, Hochul announced that the state would fund the remainder of the Farmingdale State College project with $45 million through its State University of New York Construction Fund.

“Thanks to Governor Hochul, the Empire State Development Corporation, the LIREDC, and the State University of New York, Farmingdale’s long standing vision of a transformative investment in Long Island’s digital future will become a reality,” said State University of New York Farmingdale President John Nader. “This is much more than a building project. The Center for Computer Science and Information Technology Systems will serve Long Island’s high technology workforce needs for many years to come.”

The new, 40,000 square-foot facility at Farmingdale State College will train both employed and unemployed individuals in new technologies, helping to boost Long Island’s workforce into a new era.

LIU Post’s new facility will also be 40,000 square-feet and will house new educational programs for students such as artificial intelligence, digital engineering, and drug discovery and production.

“Innovation will drive our economy forward and these investments in high-tech facilities will further solidify the Long Island region as a hub for scientific discovery and job creation,” said Matt Cohen, president and CEO of the Long Island Association.

The Long Island Investment Fund has so far allocated $56.5 million out of $122 million available for technology advancements and workforce development in the region. In September, Hochul announced $10 million to build new labs at Northwell Health’s Feinstein Institutes.