Binghamton University recorded its highest figure to date for research expenditures in 2025-26, crossing the $100 million threshold for the first time. Expenditures - the money spent on externally sponsored research and scholarly activities - rose about 18% to $103,261,584.
That figure includes the exciting efforts associated with the Binghamton-led battery ecosystem, as well as research in subjects ranging from mental health to archaeology. Committed funds - money available to be spent on future research - reached $89.2 million in the fiscal year that ended in June.
Binghamton's research portfolio is a testament to the innovative work done by faculty, staff members, and students across numerous disciplines. A small sampling of the significant federal grants recorded during the most recent fiscal year includes:
- Funding from the Department of Energy to support work by Ziang "John" Zhang, professor of electrical and computer engineering. Zhang, co-principal investigator ECE Assistant Professor Zixiao Ma, and their industry partners received $5 million to develop and demonstrate a 10-hour energy storage system designed to improve the resilience and efficiency of critical facilities.
- A $2.5 million project to develop a next-generation avian flu vaccine designed to be easier to manufacture, store, and transport than current options. Sha Jin, professor of biomedical engineering, will lead that work with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
- Support from the National Institutes of Health for work by L. Nathan Tumey, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences. Tumey is advancing antibody-drug-conjugate technology for the treatment of cancer and immunological disorders with a $2.75 million Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA).
Sheena Murphy, vice president for research, joined Binghamton this summer and has already had an opportunity to get involved with campus and SUNY-wide initiatives in areas such as quantum computing and artificial intelligence.
"The Division of Research is excited about the prominent role for research and scholarship in the University strategic plan," Murphy said. "The research success demonstrated by this new funding milestone lays a strong foundation for future growth."
Lisa Gilroy, associate vice president for research and Research Foundation operations manager, said the research spending figures represent an exciting milestone. "It has been our goal for many, many years to pass that $100 million mark," said Gilroy, who served as interim vice president for research during 2025-26.
She noted that last year's expenditures include significant investments in equipment for the new Battery-NY facility in Johnson City. Energy and materials science now represent the largest share of sponsored research at Binghamton, accounting for 42% of all research funding. Healthcare follows with 21%, while education, training, and student support represents another 13% and electronics packaging and systems science accounts for 10% of research funding.
About two-thirds of the campus' research expenditures are federal grants, while another 18% comes from state and local governments, 11% comes from other research institutions and hospitals, and about 4% comes from industry.
