Incoming UB Researchers Selected as Simons Empire Faculty Fellows

By UBNow Staff

Published August 19, 2026

“The inaugural fellows will continue to drive cutting-edge research for the public good, while reinforcing SUNY’s commitment to doubling research throughout the SUNY System.”

SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr., JD

Four incoming tenure-track faculty researchers at UB, including two at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, have been selected to join the inaugural class of Simons Empire Faculty Fellows.

The announcement was made Aug. 18 by SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr., JD.

The Simons Foundation and Simons Foundation International established the program to stimulate faculty hiring in mathematics and the basic sciences across New York State. Simons Foundation International provides funding to participating institutions, with the program administered by the Simons Foundation.

“Through the work of our world-class faculty, SUNY is at the forefront of research and innovation that is improving lives, investing in our state’s economic growth, and deepening our understanding of the universe,” King said.

“The inaugural fellows will continue to drive cutting-edge research for the public good, while reinforcing SUNY’s commitment to doubling research throughout the SUNY System,” King adds. “I thank the Simons Foundation and Simons Foundation International for their recognition of outstanding SUNY professors, and I offer my congratulations to the inaugural fellows on their well-earned selection.”

The program is part of a SUNY-wide strategy to recruit, support and retain exceptional faculty while strengthening the research environments on campus.

“The Simons Empire Faculty Fellows program represents a significant investment in the future of science, mathematics, and translational research,” says UB President Caroline Attardo Genco, PhD. “By supporting outstanding early-career researchers, the Simons Foundation and Simons Foundation International is further strengthening the University at Buffalo’s research enterprise by cultivating the next generation of scientific leaders.

“We thank the Simons Foundation and Simons Foundation International for their commitment to advancing discovery, innovation, and research excellence through this prestigious fellowship program.”

The UB fellows, part of 12 additional fellows fellow SUNY universities in Albany, Binghamton and Stony Brook, are:

Sang Soo Lee, assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Science, researching how the brain regulates sleep and influences human behavior.
Qing Cao, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, Jacobs School, studying how diseases such as Alzheimer’s and ALS damage brain cells.
Sean J. Miller, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Jacobs School, researching models of the human brain and eye to help discover new treatments for neurological and vision disorders.
Saroj Chand, assistant professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, building scalable quantum sensors to improve the performance of quantum devices and discover new materials for advanced technologies.

Chairman Merryl H. Tisch, on behalf of the SUNY Board of Trustees, said, “I want to thank the Simons Foundation and Simons Foundation International for making this Empire Faculty Fellowship possible. The Simons Foundation and Simons Foundation International’s steadfast support of SUNY and our outstanding researchers reinforces the incredible work that is done on campuses throughout New York State. These inaugural Simons Empire Faculty Fellows will help move our System, and all of New York State, forward, and are helping to achieve Governor Kathy Hochul’s goal of doubling research at SUNY. I congratulate our fellows and appreciate the strong partnership we have with the Simons Foundation and Simons Foundation International.”

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