BINGHAMTON, NY – Wayne Jones, inorganic chemist and interim dean of Harpur College Arts and Sciences, will discuss “The SUNY 2020 Smart-Energy Initiative: Binghamton University Supporting the Energy Economy, New York State and a Sustainable World” at the Binghamton University Forum breakfast program, Thursday, Sept. 27. The program will begin at 7:30 a.m. with a breakfast buffet at the Binghamton Club, 83 Front Street in Binghamton, followed by the formal program at 8 a.m.

On Aug. 8, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the approval of Binghamton University’s NYSUNY2020 Challenge Grant proposal with its two key objectives to construct a $70 million, state-of-the-art Smart Energy Research and Development Facility and add 2,000 students, 150 faculty and 175 professional and support staff to develop new, and strengthen existing, academic programs. Jones will speak about the importance of the smart-energy initiative for Binghamton University and the community.

Jones holds a bachelor of science degree in chemistry from St. Michael’s College in Vermont, and a PhD in chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Texas, Austin, and a visiting professor at the University of Pennsylvania in 2000. He joined the Binghamton University faculty in 1993. Jones served as deputy to the Binghamton University president from 2001 to 2006.

Winner of a Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2001, Jones is founding director of the Center for Learning and Teaching, which provides resources to students and faculty to improve the teaching and learning process and annually hosts the Institute for Student-Centered Learning workshops. He also serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Educational Technology Systems.

Jones also developed and leads the Go Green Institute, an annual summer program that brings about 50 of the Southern Tier’s brightest middle-schoolers to campus for an intensive 10-day, hands-on exploration of science with a focus on a sustainable living environment.

As an inorganic chemist, Jones studies photo-induced electron and energy-transfer processes in inorganic and polymer systems, with specific research interests in polymer sensors, photovoltaics and electronic nanomaterials. He has authored more than 125 publications and articles, holds four patents and is a Fellow of the American Chemical Society.

The Binghamton University Forum is a membership organization comprised of business, professional and community leaders that brings nationally known authorities to speak at functions throughout the year. For more information, call the Forum office at (607) 777-4390.