On Oct. 23, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer made an appearance on campus to announce that the federal government had designated the New Energy New York initiative a Tech Hub.

Awarded by President Joe Biden’s administration through the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Agency (EDA), the designation is designed to drive innovation and job creation in the region by bolstering its ability to manufacture, commercialize and deploy technology that will improve the United States’ competitiveness on the international stage. Out of 31 recognized locations across the country, two are in New York state — the other being the NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub for semiconductor manufacturing in Rochester, Syracuse and Buffalo.

Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger, who was present at the announcement, expressed excitement at the designation and what it meant for the University’s future.

“NENY’s designation as an EDA Tech Hub is a momentous day in the history of the University, the coalition, as well as across the Southern Tier of New York,” Stenger wrote in a statement. “With [this] designation, Binghamton and the region will only grow as global leaders in energy storage solutions and will continue to be a driving force working toward a sustainable and secure energy future.”

The announcement included a Zoom conference with White House representatives. University stakeholders accompanied Schumer at the announcement, held at the Innovation Technology Complex.

The Tech Hub designation was created as part of the CHIPS and Science Act, which was signed by President Joe Biden in August 2022. The legislation aimed to bolster the country’s semiconductor capacity and catalyze research and development across the country. It combined two bipartisan bills — the Endless Frontier Act, designed to boost investment in domestic high-tech research, and the CHIPS for America Act, designed to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the United States to compete with China.

In a press release, Schumer expressed pride in announcing the designation.

“Today lightning has struck, and I am proud to announce the region has officially won the prestigious federal designation as America’s next battery Tech Hub,” the statement read. “[BU], its partners and I have worked hand-in-hand to bring this idea to life, and now the ultimate recognition of the Southern Tier as the home to the future of our nation’s battery innovation has become a reality. With Tech Hubs, we can breathe new life into our cities with the industries of the future. And nowhere is that more true than in Binghamton.”

Last week’s announcement came a year after Schumer’s last visit to BU, when he announced that NENY secured over $113 million to establish a battery technology and manufacturing hub in the Southern Tier. He was flanked by local elected officials, including New York State Senator Lea Webb, Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo and Broome County Executive Jason Garnar. Also in attendance were M. Stanley Whittingham, a distinguished professor and a Nobel laureate and Per Stromhaug, the associate vice president of innovation and economic development.

Atticus Fauci, the president of the University’s College Democrats and a sophomore majoring in economics, said he was grateful for Schumer’s advocacy.

“I think this right here is a great example of how Schumer has BU’s back,” Fauci wrote in an email. “He played a key role in advocating for Binghamton’s win out of 400 other locations and has on countless occasions advocated for our best interests.”

Nora Monasheri, a Road Map intern and the current BU Council representative pursuing a master’s in business administration, said that the announcement was representative of the University as a whole.

“It made me proud, as always, to be attending [BU], a place where everyone constantly works hard to stand taller and become more premier than ever before,” Monasheri wrote in an email. “This is a major milestone. The new battery hub will bring a ton of new opportunities for students to get involved with, including research projects, internships with leading tech companies and a chance to be a part of something truly revolutionary right here in our own community.”