By GREGORY ZELLER //
Suffolk County Community College has officially opened its Renewable Energy STEM Center, with a host of scientific disciplines and innovative workforce-development initiatives in play.
Dedicated to advancing zero-carbon technologies and supporting other industries that leverage science, technology, engineering and mathematics, the 26,000-square-foot facility is designed to “showcase the merits of renewable energy,” according to SCCC – and, with its full complement of state-of-the-art laboratories and instructional spaces, to prepare next-generation professionals for the installation, repair and maintenance of high-tech renewable-energy systems.
Among other bells and whistles, the Renewable Energy STEM Center houses a Cybersecurity Lab, a Biology Lab and the National Grid Center for Workforce and Energy Innovation, a 300-seat, WiFi-enabled symposium center that marks the major-league utility’s latest contribution to the future clean-energy workforce.
Funded by New York State and Suffolk County, the $21.3 million facility was welcomed Thursday with a ceremonious ribbon-cutting on SCCC’s Michael J. Grant Campus in Brentwood, attended by college officials, regional lawmakers, area high school students and several Long Island business leaders – all of whom have a stake in the center’s success, according to Suffolk County Community College President Edward Bonahue.
Edward Bonahue: On a mission.
“We are grateful for the generosity of our county and state sponsors and National Grid for their significant support of our mission to prepare students for service in our regional energy workforce,” Bonahue said. “This beautiful new building will help Suffolk County Community College prepare a new generation of graduates for the demands of the STEM economy.”
The building is net-zero – the energy to light, heat, cool and ventilate it is 100 percent covered by renewable sources, including 468 rooftop solar panels and an advanced geothermal exchange system.
It can service 1,600-plus students, with spaces specifically tailored to teaching environmental science, computer science, marine biology and other in-demand STEM-related pursuits.
Among the lawmakers lauding the new facility at Thursday’s ribbon-cutting were Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter, who applauded “educational and workforce opportunities that keep our highly educated students on Long Island,” and Assemblyman Fred Theile (D-Sag Harbor), who was instrumental in landing the Renewable Energy STEM Center’s state funding.
“This state-of-the-art facility will provide students with cutting-edge resources to excel in science, technology, engineering and math,” Thiele said in a statement. “It represents our commitment to innovation, workforce development and a sustainable future.”
