Experienced research leader tapped as CEO of NSF Engine

An engineer with decades of experience in industry and higher education will serve as the CEO of the Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine led by Binghamton University.

Meera Sampath, who holds a doctorate in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, previously was the associate dean of research in Binghamton’s Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science.

Sampath spent the first 20 years of her career with Xerox Corp., including time as the vice president for innovation and business transformation at Xerox Services and as founding director of the Xerox Research Center India. From there, she joined the State University of New York, serving as associate vice chancellor for research and as executive director of the SUNY-IBM AI Collaborative Research Alliance.

The Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine is one of 10 inaugural engines funded by the National Science Foundation and established under the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. The program is one of the largest investments in place-based innovation in U.S. history.

“I am excited and honored to lead this transformative project that brings together technology, innovation and talent development with a deep focus on the community,” said Sampath, who began serving as interim CEO of the Engine over the summer and formally stepped into the role in late September. “I look forward to working closely with our leadership team and our colleagues at the National Science Foundation to establish upstate New York as America’s battery capital.”

Sampath, who holds 15 U.S. patents, is recognized for her contributions to the field of discrete event systems and model-based failure diagnosis. Her professional interests include social implications of technology, innovation for developing countries and fostering interdisciplinary research.

“The NSF Engine is a critical initiative for the future of our region,” said Harvey Stenger, Binghamton University president. “I am excited to have Meera lead this effort as CEO. Her strong leadership skills, global perspective and deep commitment to the community are critical to advancing the Engine’s mission of technology-based inclusive economic growth.”

The Engine is a coalition of more than 40 academic, industry, nonprofit, state and community organizations. Cornell University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Syracuse University, New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology Consortium (NY-BEST) and Launch NY serve as core partners. The coalition received an initial $15 million for the first two years and may receive up to $160 million during the next decade. It will receive an additional $16 million over 10 years from Empire State Development.

“We are delighted to welcome Dr. Sampath to the Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine,” said William Acker, a member of the Engine’s governance board and executive director of the New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology Consortium (NY-BEST). “Her technical leadership and extensive experience in building successful partnerships across industry, academia and government will be instrumental in driving the growth and success of the Engine.”

The Engine will help to drive domestic self-sufficiency and achieve global competitiveness in battery technology by:

• Providing grants in use-inspired R&D to industry-academia coalitions to address critical challenges along the entire battery lifecycle with a focus on safety and sustainability.
• Supporting regional energy storage companies with training, mentoring, access to infrastructure and investments to accelerate technology and market readiness.
• Providing community organizations, businesses and educational institutions with grants to develop and scale innovative programs to build a skilled workforce for the battery industry.

Combined with complementary investments from the U.S. Economic Development Agency and the State of New York for Battery-NY, a next-gen development and prototyping facility, upstate New York will be a one-stop shop for all of the battery industry’s needs.

For further information about the Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine and its initiatives, visit upstatenyengine.org.