Governor Kathy Hochul announced that Empire State Development has executed a $100 million Grant Disbursement Agreement for the transformative Electron-Ion Collider project at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy marks a major milestone toward bringing the world’s only next-generation EIC to Long Island and launches New York State’s investment in a one-of-a-kind effort to support breakthroughs in energy, science, technology, and medicine.
“With this $100 million state investment, we are one step closer to bringing this transformative, one-of-a-kind technology to New York State,” Governor Hochul said. “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. I thank the Biden administration, New York’s congressional delegation, and Brookhaven for their partnership to transform our state into a global hub for innovation.”
Brookhaven Lab was selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as the site of the world’s only next-generation polarized Electron-Ion Collider. Following negotiations between Empire State Development and DOE, the State’s $100 million investment was finalized in February 2024. Over the next four years, these funds will support the design, construction, and hardware infrastructure installation of the initial four buildings out of a potential 14 that are a part of the EIC project. 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.
Brookhaven National Lab has over 2,900 full-time employees and an annual influx of more than 5,000 visiting researchers from various sectors.
Empire State Development President CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “The Electron-Ion Collider exemplifies the profound impact of strategic investments in groundbreaking research and development. 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. 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.”
Established in 1947 and overseen by DOE, Brookhaven National Laboratory is a multidisciplinary facility that works to address the nation’s energy, environmental, and nuclear challenges through transformative science and technology solutions. The $1.7-$2.8 billion EIC, 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 from throughout the United States and around the world, will offer groundbreaking insights into the structure and behavior of atomic particles. This particle collider is unique as it will be the only electron-nucleus collider operating globally, designed 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. The EIC is expected to have broad-ranging impacts beyond nuclear physics, impacting health, medicine, national security, and industrial applications with its advanced particle beam technology.
