Press Release

Stony Brook Council Recommends Dr. Samuel Stanley Jr., Vice Chancellor for Research, Washington University, St. Louis, as Next President of Stony Brook University, State University of New York.

After a national search for a new president of Stony Brook University, and the recruitment of a pool of very strong candidates from the nation's most highly ranked research universities, the Presidential Search Committee and the Stony Brook Council have recommended to State University of New York (SUNY) Chancellor-Elect Dr. Nancy Zimpher, that Dr. Samuel L. Stanley, Jr., M.D. , Vice Chancellor for Research at Washington University, St. Louis be named as the next president of Stony Brook University.

After interviewing Dr. Stanley, Chancellor-Elect Zimpher has enthusiastically endorsed this recommendation, and indicated that she is asking the SUNY Board of trustees to convene in the very near future to formally appoint Dr. Stanley.

Dr. Stanley received his B.A. in 1976 from the University of Chicago, and his M.D. in 1980 from Harvard Medical School. After his internship at Massachusetts General Hospital, Dr. Stanley became a Fellow in Infectious Diseases at Washington University School of Medicine, one of our most prestigious and research intensive schools of medicine. Indeed, in 2008, Washington University's School of Medicine was ranked third best in the nation. Dr. Stanley currently serves as a professor in medicine and molecular microbiology at the medical school, and as Vice Chancellor for Research for the entire university. In further recognition of his national reputation in medical research, and of his outstanding leadership abilities, in 2003, Dr. Stanley was appointed as the Director of the Midwest Regional Center for Excellence for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases Research, an NIH funded, multidisciplinary research center.

As Vice Chancellor for Research, Dr. Stanley is credited with substantially advancing the research enterprise at Washington University. In this role, he oversees a research portfolio of $548 million, including $391 million in NIH funding. His responsibilities encompass a broad array of activities associated with the management of these extramural research funds, including, but not limited to the full range of matters related to undergraduate, graduate, and faculty research, and technology transfer.

"We are extremely pleased and excited that Dr. Stanley will serve as Stony Brook's next president. He is a dynamic leader with a proven track record of success at one of the nation's premier academic institutions," stated Richard Nasti, Chair of the Stony Brook Council and Chair of the Search Committee. "His depth of experience in attracting research funding will benefit Stony Brook tremendously as we climb in the ranks of major research AAU universities."

Search Committee Member and Chairman Emeritus of the Stony Brook Foundation, James Simons, stated, "We are extremely fortunate to have recruited a person with Dr. Stanley's impressive academic credentials, leadership skills, and creative energy. In our numerous interactions during the recruitment process, I found him to be a highly personable individual and an enthusiastic communicator. I am certain he will be a favorite among both students and faculty as he leads the university in the years to come."

Rich Gelfond, Vice Chair of the Search Committee and Chair of the Stony Brook Foundation, stated, "We are excited that Dr. Stanley has agreed to accept this challenge. Dr. Stanley is an outstanding academic and leader in higher education who I am confident will swiftly and effectively propel Stony Brook in its climb to greatness. We welcome Dr. Stanley and his wife, Dr. Ellen Li to the Stony Brook family."

Commenting on the Council's decision, Dr. Stanley responded, "I am honored to have been selected as Stony Brook's next president. In its short life, Stony Brook has accomplished some remarkable things. I look forward to working with my new colleagues on the faculty, staff, and students in a collective and strategic way to continue Stony Brook's remarkable trajectory of increased excellence, and to position the university to take its place among the truly great research universities of the nation."

SUNY Chancellor-Elect Zimpher said, "I am delighted that Dr. Stanley will be the first presidential appointment of my SUNY tenure. Sam Stanley is an accomplished leader, administrator, educator, medical researcher, and physician. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated a commitment to excellence that will greatly enhance Stony Brook, SUNY, Long Island and all of New York. I am immensely grateful to Rick Nasti, the Stony Brook Council and the search committee for their hard work and dedication to finding the best person to lead Stony Brook. They've succeeded masterfully. I particularly want to thank Jim Simons for helping us recruit Dr. Stanley. I look forward to advancing Dr. Stanley's appointment as president of Stony Brook to the SUNY Board of Trustees. I am sure the Board will be as impressed with Dr. Stanley as I am, and I look forward to working with Dr. Stanley for many years to come."

Sam Aronson, Search Committee member and director of Brookhaven National Laboratory, commented, "Dr. Stanley has the scientific expertise, experience and vision to promote and strengthen the partnership between Stony Brook University and Brookhaven National Lab, as well as the alliance with Cold Spring Harbor Lab, along with other research initiatives that will benefit the region, state, and nation. Dr. Stanley has the ability to enable Stony Brook to be one of the nation's preeminent centers of cutting edge research in the physical and biological sciences."

Professor Gary Marker, Search Committee member and Professor of History at Stony Brook University, stated, "While Dr. Stanley clearly has outstanding medical and science credentials, it is important to underscore that the Committee was equally impressed with his understanding and vision for all of the disciplines represented, the combination of which is what makes a major research university great. I was thrilled to learn of his minor in Russian literature from Chicago. Dr. Stanley is the son of a professor of anthropology. As such, he grew up in an academic family, which likely explains how easy it was for him to articulate a keen understanding of, and a passionate appreciation for the humanities, social sciences, and arts, as well as our other professional schools. Dr. Stanley's unique interdisciplinary vision will be most welcome on the Stony Brook campuses."

Washington University Chancellor Mark Wrighton said, "Dr. Stanley has been a terrific leader for many years at Washington University. He is a distinguished member of the faculty of the School of Medicine with an excellent track record of academic contributions, including very significant research accomplishments. As Vice Chancellor for Research, he has been an impressive and talented leader for our entire university. Highly intelligent, he learns new things quickly and well. He is a person of dedication and integrity, and willing to shoulder important responsibilities. Comfortable working in a complex environment, Dr. Stanley works effectively with the full spectrum of people who make up a university community. We at Washington University in St. Louis will miss Dr. Stanley, yet we are confident that he and his new university home will thrive in response to the exciting opportunity for him at Stony Brook."

Dr. Stanley is married to Dr. Ellen Li, a world renowned Gastroenterologist who is also a Professor on the faculty of Washington University in St. Louis' School of Medicine. Drs. Stanley and Li are the proud parents of four children.

A date for a special meeting of the SUNY Board of Trustees is expected to be announced shortly. At the meeting the Board will review and act upon the recommendation of Dr. Stanley from Chancellor-Elect Zimpher, which she received from the Stony Brook Council. Dr. Stanley is expected to commence his term on July 1st, pending approval by the SUNY Board.

Stony Brook University was founded in 1957 and is one of the State University of New York's four university centers. It is a member of the prestigious 62- member Association of American Universities, an association of the top research universities in the nation.