2023 IEP Designee - Stony Brook University

Stony Brook University has been named an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University by APLU.

This international designation acknowledges Stony Brook’s role as a leading economic engine, working with private and public sector partners to promote business and industry, talent and workforce development, and innovation and entrepreneurship, sustaining and enhancing Long Island and our state as vibrant and exciting communities.

“Economic development is a major pillar of universities’ work,” said APLU President Mark Becker. “From talent development to path-breaking research to entrepreneurship and beyond, institutions have a central role to play in economic development. We’re pleased to recognize Stony Brook University for its commitment to engaging its community around these issues to advance regional economic development.”

Recent accomplishments achieved by the university include being named the anchor institution of The New York Climate Exchange, receiving a $500 million unrestricted endowment from the Simons Foundation, and being named a flagship university in the State University of New York by Governor Kathy Hochul. In addition, the university provides economic growth for neighboring communities and the wider geographic region with $7.23 billion in increased economic output on Long Island.

“Stony Brook has been a valued leading partner as Long Island’s economy has developed over the last several decades; from a focus on the defense and aerospace sector to industries defined by cutting edge technology and innovation,” said Matt Cohen, President and CEO of the Long Island Association. “We congratulate President [Maurie] McInnis, our board member, on achieving this latest recognition of the university’s powerful and significant economic role in our region and state.”

“Stony Brook has been an esteemed Hauppauge Industrial Association member and participant in our Board of Directors for more than two decades. We are pleased that the university’s latest distinction points out its formidable role in regional innovation as we work together to promote the growth of The Long Island Innovation Park at Hauppauge (HIA-LI),” said Terri Alessi-Micelli, President and CEO, HIA-LI.

Stony Brook received the designation after an independent panel reviewed the university’s application, including an internal review and analysis of its economic engagement activities conducted with outside stakeholder input. APLU’s Commission on Economic and Community Engagement, which manages the designation process, is a national leader in efforts to help public research universities plan, assess, and communicate their work in regional, national, and global economic development and community engagement. The CECE “Economic Engagement Framework” includes tools for university self-assessment, metrics determination, and economic impact analysis.

As part of the self-study conducted with external stakeholders that was central to the designation application process, the university identified three areas of institutional strength in economic engagement and described programs in these areas. Officials also identified areas for growth and improvement for the university’s economic engagement enterprise and developed an improvement plan. This work demonstrated a commitment to continuous learning and improvement in this kind of engagement vital to universities and their regional partners.

Stony Brook University is now one of more than 80 of the nation’s 4,000-plus higher education institutions designated as an IEP university. Institutions that have received the IEP designation have reported significant advancement of their efforts due to the stakeholder engagement and self-study efforts undertaken in conjunction with the program. They are leveraging their status as Innovation and Economic Prosperity universities to identify new areas of opportunity in aligning with economic development objectives. Those campuses are developing deeper engagement with others in their regional innovation ecosystems and making changes within the institution to expand their impact.