About the Office for Research and Innovation

As the chief research office for Stony Brook University, the Office for Research and Innovation plays an important role in achieving
the two key goals of the University’s Strategic Plan:

• to carry out research and intellectual endeavors of the highest international standards that advance knowledge and have immediate or long-range practical significance
• to provide leadership for economic growth, technology and culture for neighboring communities and the wider geographic region

To further these goals, the Office for Research and Innovation provides numerous services and functions:

First, we help strategically position the university to be successful in attracting external support for research from federal and other government sources, industry, private foundations, philanthropy, and through partnerships with allied organizations such as Brookhaven National Lab, Cold Spring Harbor, and others.

Second, we facilitate the process of applying for grants and contracts and we manage awards to ensure that the research is carried out successfully and that the requirements of sponsoring agencies are fulfilled. We also provide technology tools to disseminate information, facilitate collaboration and streamline research administration. 

Third, we make strategic financial investments in matching funds on grant applications and improvements in infrastructure that supports research at the cutting edge of science and technology on our campuses.

Fourth, we facilitate the translation of basic research and innovation into economic benefits to society, and we promote technology transfer and licensing agreements with established private and start-up companies while also protecting the intellectual property rights of our inventors, the University, and our external partners.

Fifth, we are responsible for assuring that research conducted at Stony Brook is ethical, and compliant with government regulations, while at the same time informing the appropriate regulatory agencies about the seemingly unnecessary burdens some of those regulations may impose on the research enterprise.

Finally, as part of the Research Foundation (RF) for SUNY, we assure that our policies and procedures are consistent with those of system administration.

The Office for Research and Innovation is always open to ideas about how we can improve the effectiveness of our services to the campus, our sponsors, our partners, and our external affiliates. 

Please contact us if you have comments or suggestions. 

Kevin Gardner, PhD, Vice President for Research and Innovation, discusses his vision for innovation at Stony Brook University with Laura Lindenfeld, PhD, Dean of the School of Communication and Journalism and Executive Director for the Alda Center for Communicating Science.