SBU Breaks Ground on New Computer Science Building

Stony Brook's computer science department will soon have a new 70,000-square-foot home on the school's west campus in between the lot between the light engineering building and current computer sciences building.

University officials on Friday celebrated a groundbreaking of the new facility, a $40.8 million project that will feature more than 20 general and specialized research labs; more than 75 offices for faculty, post doctoral work, and other staff members; workspace and computing spaces for both undergraduate and graduate students; and conference space and other amenities.

The building is designed to achieve a LEED silver rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. It will feature a storm water reclamation system that will capture enough water to meet the building's entire demand for potable water while reducing stormwater runoff that can harm local bodies of water, along with high-performance mechanical and lighting control systems that will save 28 percent more in energy costs than a comparable building. The building will be constructed using many components made up of recycled content, and it is anticipated that at least 50 percent of its construction and demolition waste will be recycled rather than sent to local landfills.

Computer science professor Steve Skiena said he is excited about the new building and what it will bring for what he called "one of the biggest and best deptartments on campus." He said the improved facilities will lead to bigger and better things from the department.

"You don't tend to see a lot of other people, you don't to interact with other people in our current building," Skiena said. "The new building is designed to support interaction, designed for the professors to be near the students, the labs, to make it easier to communicate. ... It's going to be a much better environment."

The building was funded through a construction appropriation secured by state Sen. Ken LaValle, R-Port Jefferson. Once the computer science department relocates to the new building, the department of applied mathematics and statistics – another fast-growing department at the university – will take up residence in the older building.

University president Dr. Samuel L. Stanley Jr. said the new facility addresses computer science needs as "major areas that are key to the economy."

"It solidifies Stony Brook's position as the eminent computer science program in New York State," Stanley said, "and will prepare a high quality of talented computer scientists who will be ready to contribute to the growth and development of this region, indeed to the entire state of New York."

According to the university, the department of computer science has 45 faculty members, about 700 undergraduate students majoring in computer science and information systems, nearly 400 graduate students, and additional students taking computer science courses to fulfill other graduation requirements.