NYS is investing $100M in Brookhaven Lab’s electron-ion collider

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New York State is investing $100 million in Upton-based Brookhaven National Lab’s electron-ion collider (EIC) project, officials said Tuesday. The collider project is a $3 billion initiative, which was announced in 2020, and is to be funded at both the state and federal level and is designed to support breakthroughs in energy, science, technology and medicine.

The newly announced $100-million investment is thanks to a grant from New York’s Empire State Development, which announced a disbursement agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy on Tuesday.

It marks a “major milestone” in the development of what state officials, in a news release, say is the “world’s only next-generation EIC,” and launches New York’s investment in this effort.

“With this $100 million state investment, we are one step closer to bringing this transformative, one-of-a-kind technology to New York State,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in the news release. 

“Brookhaven National Laboratory’s Electron-Ion Collider will expand our state’s capability to achieve unimaginable breakthroughs in science, attract innovative 21st century businesses and create good-paying jobs,” she added.

Officials say that the EIC is to be constructed over the next decade by scientists, engineers and technical staff from Brookhaven Lab — in partnership with Virginia’s Jefferson Lab — and other institutions throughout the United States and around the world. The project is expected to offer “groundbreaking insights into the structure and behavior of atomic particles,” according to the news release.

The initiative is expected to allow scientists to produce precision 3-D snapshots of the particles’ internal structures, similar to how a CT scanner works but on an atomic level, officials said.

The state’s funding commitment “will support key infrastructure that is essential to the success of the EIC project,” Brookhaven Lab Director JoAnne Hewett said in the news release. “It will provide the resources needed to partner with local companies on conventional construction, materials, and equipment on an optimum schedule. It will also support high-quality jobs both within the lab and across the region.”

The Department of Energy selected Brookhaven Lab as the site for the collider. After negotiations between the DOE and Empire State Development, with the state’s $100 million investment finalized in February.

These funds, over the course of the next four years, are to support the design, construction and hardware infrastructure installation of the initial four buildings of the EIC project. Ultimately, the project may comprise as many 14 buildings. While the state’s portion is expected to be complete by 2027 the overall construction is expected to continue until 2033. The scientific and technical components of EIC and its science program will be funded by the federal government through the DOE Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics.

“The Electron-Ion Collider exemplifies the profound impact of strategic investments in groundbreaking research and development,” Empire State Development President CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said in the news release.

“Through our partnership with federal agencies, we are pushing the boundaries of scientific knowledge while solidifying New York’s status as a worldwide innovation leader,” she added. “This transformative project will serve as a magnet for top talent, catalyze economic growth, and pave the way for revolutionary technologies that will define our future.”

Empire State Development Board Chairman Kevin Law said in the news release that the EIC project “represents a bold step forward, one that will undoubtedly yield groundbreaking discoveries and drive economic prosperity for our state.”

Law described the EIC project as a “visionary endeavor,” and by investing in it, “we are not only advancing the frontiers of knowledge but also creating a lasting legacy of scientific excellence that will inspire generations to come.”