Taking our Next Steps as a Climate Leader

February 11, 2026

Dear Stony Brook Community,

Over the past few years, Stony Brook has made significant strides in strengthening our position as a climate leader. In addition to our role as the anchor institution of the New York Climate Exchange, we are thinking carefully and deliberately about how we can expand our reputation in climate from Manhattan to Montauk and beyond.

On campus, the climate and sustainability scoping committee has led far-ranging conversations about possible strategies for the university to consider in organizing our academic, research, and external engagement activities related to climate. I am grateful to the scoping committee members for their thoughtfulness, commitment, and hard work. Over the course of this spring, we will work collaboratively across campus to determine how best to adapt and implement some of these ideas.

Additionally, the Collaborative for the Earth has made it possible for the Stony Brook community to access and engage in in-depth conversations about some of the most pressing energy and environmental issues: nuclear and wind energy, the climate impacts of artificial intelligence, emerging environmental contaminants, and the social impacts of climate change on some of our nation’s most vulnerable populations. C4E helped establish the Environmental Humanities Lab, hosted field trips and movie screenings, engaged communities around Long Island, and built a popular podcast that recently created a national public radio special. I am grateful to the C4E advisory board members and Heather Lynch, C4E’s inaugural director, for building the Collaborative into the welcoming and deeply engaged space that it is today.

As the semester gets underway, Heather has expressed to me her wish to return her full attention to her teaching and research, and will step down as C4E director. Her last day will be Friday, February 13. Kevin Reed, associate provost for climate and sustainability, will lead the Collaborative for the Earth over the coming months to allow us time to identify a new director.

As we move into the spring semester, we are focusing our energy on the future of Stony Brook’s climate initiatives and continuing meaningful conversations that will help us to achieve our ambitious goals in this critical area. We will share future updates on these developments. In the meantime, I invite you all to visit the C4E website to learn about upcoming events and opportunities to engage, including the third annual environmental forum about managed retreat and coastal defense on April 3. 

Sincerely,

Carl

Carl W. Lejuez
Executive Vice President and Provost