The CEO of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, one of Long Island's most respected scientific research organizations told a Long Island Real Estate Group (LIREG) meeting that providing "cool" and affordable places for young researchers to live is a big concern in retaining scientific talent on Long Island.
Speaking at an Oct. 7 networking breakfast attended by about 135 LIREG members, the CEO, Bruce Stillman, said, "Young people want to live in cool places." The meeting was held at the Old Westbury Golf & Country Club.
Established in 1890, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is a not-for-profit research and education institution specializing in molecular biology and genetics. The lab has 1,100 employees, 700 of them scientists working in the fields of cancer and genomic research. The lab has facilities worldwide.
Noting that many of lab's young researchers reverse commute from New York City to the lab's Long Island facilities, Stillman emphasized the need to create affordable, culture-rich locations that would appeal to the lab's younger staff scientists.
Stillman also cited the lack of convenient transportation on the Island to and from New York City and the important of adding a third-track on the Long Island Railroad to improve service for those who reverse commute.
Stillman also said many researchers at the lab are forming businesses when they tire of doing research and wish to stay on Long Island. He noted that 25 companies have been spun off from research performed at the lab, among them are OSI Pharmaceutical, Icos Corp., Certerra Inc., Genomica, Chromaton and Mirimus Inc. Long Island, he said "needs to foster economic development." Tags: