Beacon Institute's Strategic Alliance with Clarkson University
announced October 20, 2011 at Denning's Point, Beacon, NY
L to R: Beacon Institute Chair, Brian Ruder;
John Cronin; Dr. James Bonner;
Clarkson University President, Tony Collins
QUICK FACTS
- The new Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries, Clarkson University will advance real-time monitoring of New York's rivers, commercialization of emerging environmental sensor technology and long-term public policy solutions to protect waterways.
- Aligned to Governor Cuomo's priorities to drive economic growth and jobs, the strategic alliance ensures that the State of New York is well positioned to protect and utilize its own abundant, clean water resources to create high quality jobs and technology based industries. It promises far-reaching environmental and economic benefits to the Hudson Valley, Capital District and North Country regions and New York State.
- The River and Estuary Observatory Network (REON) is a first-of-its-kind real-time monitoring network. REON allows for continuous monitoring of physical, chemical and biological conditions from points in the Hudson, Mohawk and St. Lawrence rivers via an integrated network of sensors, robotics, mobile monitoring and computational technology.
- The new Institute will be focused on rapid commercialization of sensor technology R&D with potential for long-term job growth and economic growth. This strategic alliance will also encourage the world-wide marketing of REON technology and services and other innovative water monitoring and protection technologies from New York State.
- New legislation enables Clarkson University to utilize Dormitory Authority funding to locate the new Institute's design, fabrication and testing facilities for the development and commercialization of real-time monitoring technologies in the historic Old Main building on the University's Potsdam, New York, campus.
- Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries at Clarkson University is an excellent model for the kind of university/industry/government collaboration that is at the core of Governor Cuomo's regional economic development initiatives. This is a rare opportunity for public investment to advance a project that promises as much or more for environmental conservation as for economic development.
