Biology’s Wigdahl-Perry receives SUNY research grant

Biology faculty member Courtney Wigdahl-Perry is the principal investigator for a project receiving a grant funded by the SUNY 4E Network of Excellence, supporting campus research collaborations in Energy, the Environment, Education and Economics.

Dr. Wigdahl-Perry’s project is one of eight collaborative projects involving 14 SUNY campuses advancing research in waste water treatment, air quality, smart grid solutions, and conservation efforts, among others. Her research group, including Co-principal Investigators David Richardson of SUNY New Paltz and Devin Castendyk of SUNY Oneonta, received its grant to apply high-resolution sensors to monitor water quality issues in lakes across New York State as part of a SUNY Lakes Ecological Observatory Network.

The group will establish a collaborative working team across the three SUNY comprehensive universities. Each campus partner has its own research program at a nearby lake (Chautauqua, Mohonk and Otsego), providing a unique opportunity to explore water quality issues at important economic and ecological sites spanning the state. Eventually, they hope to gain membership within the Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON) to connect with other sensor buoy collaborators in the Northeast and around the world.

“The SUNY Networks of Excellence have positioned our university system to take an already flourishing research portfolio to the next level, supporting collaboration by our faculty and students not only with others across SUNY but with leading experts in a variety of fields,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher. “We are proud to offer participating students and faculty an opportunity be a part of these truly ground-breaking projects, all of which are contributing to SUNY’s economic impact on New York State and increasing the vibrancy and sustainability of our communities.”

“Given the size and scope of SUNY, we are uniquely positioned to conduct research that directly addresses state needs,” said Alexander N. Cartwright, interim provost and executive vice chancellor for SUNY, and interim president of the Research Foundation. “The connection of SUNY scholarship to the needs of specific communities and the state as a whole is evident in each one of the awards announced today.”

SUNY 4E is one of six SUNY Networks of Excellence. Each network assembles scientists, scholars and external partners from SUNY campuses to conduct collaborative research in high demand areas. The others are SUNY Health, SUNY Brain, SUNY Materials and Advanced Manufacturing, SUNY Arts and Humanities and SUNY Teaching, Learning and Assessment.