Binghamton cultivates world-class talent. Here’s how we store them.

Amid all the talk of a high-tech renaissance upstate, the past may be prologue here in the downstate.

Once driven by institutions like IBM and Singer Link, our region has retained its spirit of innovation even as the landscape has changed, thanks in part to the long-standing commitment of the higher education community.

The clean energy transition, for example, requires advances in battery technology, pioneered by our own Nobel laureate, Mr. Stanley Whittingham. SUNY Broome is a key partner in training the green energy workforce of the future. And Binghamton University is poised to become a player in the state’s efforts to harness artificial intelligence for the public good.

As we help New York, the nation, and the world understand the power of next-generation technology, we attract talented people to learn from and with our dedicated scholars. However, we still face a challenge when it comes to persuading these people to stay here to live, work and raise their families.

Whether you come from academia, own a business, or are simply a resident who believes in the long-term success of the region, it is up to us to seize this moment. We must defend ourselves as a region that can support high-tech industries with a strong workforce equipped with the ingenuity to make them work.

We’re on the right track, thanks in part to three federally funded initiatives that aim to transform upstate New York into the nation’s battery capital. With more than $300 million in potential funding, the influence of New Energy New York and the Upstate New York Energy Storage Engine runs deep. These programs will position our region at the forefront of a sector expected to bring economic growth and well-paying careers.

Meanwhile, our researchers are solving pressing problems using artificial intelligence. They use AI to predict health conditions, analyze massive behavioral data sets, and strengthen cybersecurity. These projects are transforming sectors such as healthcare and energy and ensuring our region will be a player in the high-tech future.

We then need to do more to help local people train for careers in these growing sectors. As the state works to locate workforce development centers in the Upstate through Gov. Kathy Hochul’s ON-RAMP program, the Southern Tier is a natural fit.

With companies such as Micron, Wolfspeed and GlobalFoundries expanding the state’s semiconductor presence, Greater Binghamton must support complementary companies such as Universal Industries and work to attract businesses to the sector. Our region has viable existing facilities and infrastructure, but discussions about developments such as the Broome Technology Park are vital. We must be strategic and bold in our efforts to attract businesses that need new facilities.

Attracting businesses to the South is critical to training and retaining the next generation, as sustainable economic growth will help drive the creation of the housing, community services and amenities our community needs.

We only need to look at the strong technology sector in our history books to see the potential that awaits us – if we work together to seize it.

Bahgat Sammakia is a distinguished professor of mechanical engineering and vice president for research at Binghamton University.

This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Opinion: Binghamton trains world-class talent in key industries