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2021: Beginning Our Next Chapter

From the CEAS Dean

Welcome and thank you for visiting the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS) at Stony Brook University.

Having spent my entire 25-year career at Stony Brook, I have seen our institution grow into a leading destination for cutting-edge research, education, innovation and a platform for social and economic mobility. Our college has been a driving force for this exceptional transformation, carried forward by the energy, dedication and perseverance of our world-class faculty, students and staff. 

One of Stony Brook’s enduring qualities I enjoy the most is its rate of change: founded less than 65 years ago, we are a young university, still very much in the process of growing and forging our identity. And change is most certainly upon us. We find ourselves at a pivotal moment nationally. The past 18 months have represented an unprecedented life change for all of us as the world faces down COVID-19. With the pandemic finally receding, the new normal is still very much in flux. We also face challenges from increasing global competition, stark differences on political and social issues and ever-more-frequent indicators that we ignore our impact on the environment at our own peril.

But challenge is inexorably wed to opportunity. Our College continues to play a pivotal role in addressing the current and future challenges that we face. We are preparing tomorrow’s leaders and innovators by providing a world-class education based on excellence, experiential learning, respect and inclusiveness. Our internationally recognized faculty are engaged in a broad portfolio of cutting-edge research to provide solutions to problems near and far. We reside in one of the most diverse regions of the country, and embracing diversity and inclusiveness is part of the very fabric of our institution.

There are also promising trends on the horizon. National attention to issues such as climate change, energy, health care, infrastructure and global competitiveness are emerging, with the resources needed to address them. In 2019, for example, New York State passed the Climate Leadership and Clean Energy Act to adopt renewable energy and dramatically reduce greenhouse gases. At the time of this writing, the U.S. Innovation and Competitiveness Act is passing through Congress to address global competitiveness in key strategic areas. As a College, we are uniquely positioned to address these grand challenges.

The conversation about diversity and inclusiveness has reached a scale that most of us have not seen in our lifetimes. Our College has been on the forefront of this mission for many years, supported by a broad suite of programs and opportunities for women and underrepresented minorities. As engineers and applied scientists, we are driven to build, innovate, and educate, with the goal of bettering society as a whole. Our success requires us to work together, and value and engage all perspectives and segments of our society, with an unwavering drive for excellence.

As a backdrop, we enjoy the trappings of the greater New York area, with its diversity of talent, culture and ideas. We have Brookhaven National Laboratory just a few miles away and the beauty that Long Island provides when we are able to take a break from hard work.

Finally, in taking the reins, I would like to thank and acknowledge our previous Dean, Fotis Sotiropoulos, for his leadership, energy and inspiration over the past six years. He has raised the College at all levels of its mission, including research, education, outreach and diversity.  

Once again, welcome and thank you for taking the time to visit. Please feel free to explore our College through our website, social media platforms and in person on our ever-growing campus. I have every confidence that, like me, you will be inspired by the many ways our students, faculty, and alumni are making a difference in our local, national and global communities. I am honored and humbled to serve you as Interim Dean, and I welcome you to join me as we move forward to the future that promises uncertainty yet tremendous opportunity.

Jon Longtin
Interim Dean, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Professor of Mechanical Engineering
#CEASdeanSBU