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The collaboration between SUNY Polytechnic Institute, local government and business leaders, and Wolfspeed is transitioning the Utica-Rome area into a technology hub.
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The collaboration between SUNY Polytechnic Institute, local government and business leaders, and Wolfspeed is transitioning the Utica-Rome area into a technology hub. Moving the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering from SUNY Poly to SUNY Albany will hurt the nexus of technology developing here, stunt the growth of the regional economy and hamper the education of current and future SUNY Poly students. We believe this is a flawed public policy, a tactical mistake, and a strategic miscalculation.
Nearly two decades ago, the economy of Central New York got a sucker punch when the federal government closed Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome. Since that time, this area has clawed its way back. One of the key components of the upswing has been the technology sector, with growth occurring in cybertechnology, drones, and of late, the manufacturing of computer chips.
These components require a strong local academic program. The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering is helping to educate the workforce of today and tomorrow in the many cutting-edge areas of technology.
Some students have had summer internships at Wolfspeed. This gives students the opportunity to enhance their academics with real-world experience in cleanroom technology and the manufacturing of computer chips.
Without the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering in Marcy, it is less likely that these young people would have been tapped for internships at Wolfspeed.
The presence in Marcy of the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at SUNY Polytech is also important to other tech partners, including the Air Force Research Lab, the Griffiss Institute, NUAIR’s drone activities at Griffiss International Airport, and Micron’s soon-to-come computer chip facility in the Syracuse area.
Governor Hochul needs to think beyond political considerations. She should think about what’s best for the Utica-Rome economy and its people — now and the future. We urge her to reevaluate her decision and keep the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering at SUNY Poly in Marcy. She should do the right thing and keep the tech in SUNY Polytechnic Institute.
— Mark and Yvonne Emery, Boonville
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