Congressman Tours Quantum Lab, Research Security Operation and SB Medicine

November 28, 2023
2 min read
Lalota quantum figueroa
Rep. Nick LaLota (left) and Eden Figueroa, SBU’s quantum information technology research leader in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, touring Figueroa’s quantum lab.

Rep. Nick LaLota (NY-1) visited Stony Brook University on Tuesday, November 21, to tour the cutting-edge defense research labs and robust research security operation of New York’s #1 public university.

The congressman received a closeup view of Stony Brook’s groundbreaking quantum communication research in Eden Figueroa’s lab — SBU’s quantum information technology research leader in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. During the campus tour, Interim Vice President for Research Miguel Garcia-Diaz and Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences Andrew Singer briefed Rep. LaLota on SBU’s Office of Navy Research collaborative research, cybersecurity research, and other innovative defense research SBU is conducting to support US troops overseas, in addition to enhancing national security.

Vice President for Enterprise Risk Management and Chief Security Officer Larry Zacarese, along with Director of Research Security Susan Gasparo, provided the congressman with a tour of SBU’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Zacarese and Gasparo highlighted SBU’s vital efforts to safeguard the community from harm in addition to protecting intellectual property and research.

Lalota mobile stroke
Left to right: Peter Igarashi, William Wertheim, Rep. Nick LaLota, and members of SBU Medicine outside the Mobile Stroke Unit.

Following the EOC visit, Interim Executive Vice President of Stony Brook Medicine William Wertheim and Dean of the Renaissance School of Medicine Peter Igarashi led a tour of SB Medicine’s state-of-the art medical facilities and advanced technologies. Highlights of the tour included the Mobile Stroke Unit, cyclotron, Hot Cell Lab, Metabolite Lab and positron emission tomography (PET) scanners.

SBU’s Office of Federal Relations worked with SBU Research to coordinate the congressman’s campus visit. The Office of Federal Relations engages closely the New York congressional delegation, federal agencies and the administration to advance the mission of Stony Brook University and Stony Brook Medicine.