At Hofstra, a new $75M science center | Long Island Business News

Listen to this article

Hofstra University in Hempstead is now home to a $75 million, 750,000-square-foot Science & Innovation Center.

Housing the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies and the Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science, the center is designed to shape future scientists, engineers and healthcare professionals.

“Hofstra University is excited to open the Science & Innovation Center, the newest and largest classroom and academic building on campus,” Hofstra’s president, Susan Posner, said in a written statement.

“This state-of-the-art facility, with its high-tech, cutting-edge equipment, will offer the most up-to-date education and training for the engineers and nurses of tomorrow, helping to meet the workforce goals and economic growth of Long Island and New York state,” Posner added.

Empire State Development supported this project with a $25 million capital grant as part of the Transformative Investment Program funding allocated to Long Island and $2 million from the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council.

The center “marks a pivotal moment in academia, where we are not just opening doors but building bridges to a brighter future by empowering students with real-world skills,” Empire State Development President, CEO, and Commissioner Hope Knight said in a written statement.

“The center will have a profound impact as graduates emerge as highly capable leaders across STEM fields, ready to meet the evolving demands of our dynamic world with their fresh perspectives,” she added. “By investing in hands-on, cross-disciplinary learning, we are ensuring the innovators solving tomorrow’s greatest challenges begin their journey here.”

At the center, future Northwell nurses and physician assistants can prepare for the current hospital environment with the most up-to-date simulation experiences available. The center features flexible classrooms, a full surgical simulation wing, clinical skills and patient care labs, and two simulated operating room spaces concentrating on cardiac profusion and anesthesia. The labs are equipped with simulated patients that are controlled by a sophisticated console behind a two-way mirror, providing an immersive hospital simulation.

Engineering and computer science students will learn in labs that are focused on big data, robotics, computer architecture, UNIX systems and graphics, virtual reality, and other computer science-related fields. Additionally, a bioengineering lab, a tissue culture facility, and an industrial engineering manufacturing lab are housed in the new building. The center also boasts a large makerspace to facilitate student prototyping, equipped with tools such as 3D printers and laser cutters.

The engineering school secured a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation. With this funding, the university will acquire a high-performance computing cluster that includes a graphical processing unit, supporting Hofstra as well as nearby Adelphi University and Nassau Community College as well.