About LITHF
We all know that venture capital is a key component in Long Island’s economic engine, bridging the gap between invention and marketability. When an idea does take hold, the potential is of great significance to the funders, as well as to the ongoing vitality of a region. Many local companies, some of which are now quite large and diverse, can trace their origins to the support provided by enlightened investors. The Long Island Technology Hall of Fame adds another critical layer to this reciprocation: enlightened philanthropy. Similar to the role played by venture capitalists, the LITHF is also an important bridge through which many companies, remembering their humble beginnings, give back to their community.
As in the past, the Long Island Technology Hall of Fame will raise the funds for scholarships, outreach, and research initiatives that will ensure Long Island’s economic and intellectual leadership continues.Much of this investment is being done at the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS) of Stony Brook University, which is the Island’s largest source of young talent in engineering and technology-related fields and a positive force for the region’s economic development. At the College, the LITHF helped to support nearly $60,000 in scholarships paid to 35 undergraduates in engineering and technology fields. This was also an investment in diversity as CEAS was ranked #3 in the country in Ph.D.’s to women in Engineering and #4 in M.S. degrees to women in engineering.
Our potential for continued invention on Long Island is great, especially with so much young talent. In 2004, 83 students from the Island were selected as semifinalists in the prestigious Intel Science competition. Forty percent of them, 33 in all, worked with Stony Brook faculty, in the University’s laboratories. This is more than 10% of the 300 Intel semifinalists selected nationwide. Similarly, four of the 40 Intel finalists did their work at SBU, which is 10% of the national total. The compelling numbers reinforce the role higher education plays in developing the research talents of exceptional high school students. The LI Technology Hall of Fame served as an important resource for the programs in which these exceptional young people were involved to achieve this level of success.
A high caliber of young talent is the foundation on which a strong higher educationinstitution is built, and Long Island is fortunate to be the home of some of the best. For example, the prestigious Times of London ranked Stony Brook University as #136 out of 8,300 colleges and universities worldwide, and #50 in North America, according to peer review, research impact, faculty-to-student ratio, the ability to attract internationally-known faculty, and the ability to attract students from all over the world. Also, SBU tied for 33rd in the world in research impact, which the Times calculated by measuring citations per faculty member.
This year the Long Island Technology Hall of Fame will begin to extend its outreach to other important programs that nurture and inspire young minds. The LITHF will provide awards to the rookie teams in the Long Island 2005 FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Competition. FIRST is an exciting, multinational competition that teams professionals and young people to solve an engineering design problem in an intense and competitive way. It is just one example of other efforts which LITHF sponsorship dollars will be supporting in the near future. Thank you to all of our enlightened guests this evening for helping to make all of this possible!