Rochester鈥檚 Center for Emerging and Innovative Sciences drives research commercialization in key technology fields, from photonics to life sciences.
A longstanding partnership between the 暗网吃瓜鈥檚 and New York has been renewed for another 10 years, reinforcing a joint commitment to expand the New York State economy through university-industry collaboration.
CEIS is one of 15 designated by the . CATs are competitively selected for their ability to drive research commercialization and strengthen New York鈥檚 position in strategically important technology fields.
The renewed designation comes with $1 million in annual state funding, which CEIS uses to support industry-sponsored research in optics, photonics, and imaging鈥攕ectors in which the Finger Lakes region is a 鈥攁s well as in other sectors important to the New York State economy such as integrated electronics, communications, and life sciences.
鈥淲e鈥檙e extremely grateful to New York State for its continued support of CEIS and to our state delegation in Albany who continue to advocate its funding,鈥� says , CEIS director and a professor of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Rochester. 鈥淐EIS and the CAT program play a vital role in Governor Hochul鈥檚 economic development vision that focuses on innovation in strategic industries, such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI), and builds on our regional assets, including the New York State Center of Excellence in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, the University鈥檚 , and .鈥�
State legislators praised the renewed partnership for its role in strengthening New York鈥檚 innovation economy and supporting workforce development.
鈥淥ur Centers for Advanced Technologies and Centers of Excellence continue to be one of the state鈥檚 top-performing economic development programs, driving entrepreneurship, attracting and training qualified workforces, and enabling New York to remain competitive in transformative industries,鈥� says Assemblymember Harry Bronson. 鈥淐EIS has been instrumental in advancing next-generation technologies while producing significant economic impact鈥攈elping New York businesses innovate, expand, and create good-paying jobs.鈥�
Senator Jeremy Cooney also emphasized the regional and statewide benefits of CEIS鈥檚 collaborative approach to research and development.
鈥淭his renewal is a recognition of the transformational impact CEIS has had in cementing Rochester, the Finger Lakes region, and all of New York State as a leader in the optics and imaging industries,鈥� Cooney says. 鈥淏ringing together businesses and academia to collaborate is a proven model for success and is key to advancing our state鈥檚 economic priorities.鈥�
Hope Knight, the ESD president and commissioner, called the Centers for Advanced Technology vital to growing the state鈥檚 economy and innovation ecosystem.
鈥淏y investing in the industries of tomorrow, New Yorkers benefit today through dynamic partnerships that help to create new jobs, generate more revenues, and encourage more companies to establish a footprint in communities all throughout the state,鈥� Knight says.
A decade of economic impact
In the last decade, CEIS has helped create more than 270 new jobs and generate more than $537 million in economic impact. The center does this by using its funding to provide matching grants to university researchers鈥攁t the University of Rochester and the Rochester Institute of Technology鈥攚orking on projects sponsored by private industry partners.
鈥淭he CAT program has been an engine for growth, connecting world-class university researchers with forward-looking companies,鈥� says , director of the CEIS Intelligent Imaging Initiative. 鈥淲ith this renewed investment, we鈥檒l continue to strengthen the Rochester region鈥檚 leadership in fields that are critical to everything from healthcare and defense to telecommunications and consumer electronics.鈥�
One of those companies, Clerio Vision, has leveraged CEIS support to accelerate development and attract investment. 鈥淪ince Clerio鈥疺ision鈥檚 inception, CEIS has been more than a funding source鈥攊t has been a strategic partner that helped us turn university science into a commercial platform, attracting major corporate collaborators and multiple venture capital rounds,鈥� says Mike Totterman,鈥痺ho chairs the board a Clerio鈥疺ision. 鈥淭heir matching grants minimized the risk of early research and development and kept high-value jobs, labs, and manufacturing right here in New鈥痀ork. We would not be on the cusp of bringing disruptive vision correction technology to market without CEIS.鈥�
Another long-time collaborator, SiMPore, credits the center with helping bring breakthrough technologies to life.
鈥淐EIS has been an indispensable partner in growing our technology in partnership with SiMPore,鈥� says company cofounder and 暗网吃瓜 biomedical engineering professor James McGrath. 鈥淭hanks to the boost CEIS has provided through the years, we鈥檝e been able to consistently implement one idea while forging the next.鈥�
CEIS supports a diverse portfolio of research collaborations in ophthalmic and vision science, fiber optic communications, biomedical imaging, geospatial imaging, precision optics, consumer imaging and display technologies, microelectronics, radio frequency communications, and sensors.
As the region continues to attract attention as a hub for advanced manufacturing and innovation across multiple sectors, the renewed CEIS-NYSTAR partnership plays a key role in ensuring New York remains at the forefront of emerging technologies.
