Universal model provides design standards for efficient and durable perovskite solar cells

Researchers establish a reliable framework for understanding energy level alignment in perovskite solar cell interfaces using hole-collecting monolayers

Chiba University

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The newly developed model revealed that both the band bending phenomenon and the energy barrier height at the interface between the perovskite and the hole-collecting monolayer are critical factors in hole collection efficiency, which in turn determines the efficiency of the solar cell.

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Credit: Professor Hiroyuki Yoshida from Chiba University, Japan

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have emerged as one of the most promising renewable energy technologies of the past decade. Besides their remarkable power conversion rates, perovskites are lightweight in nature and can be manufactured through low-cost solution processing methods. Thus, they offer greater versatility for applications that go beyond rooftop solar cell installations, such as integration into building windows, vehicle surfaces, and portable electronics. A recent key breakthrough in PSCs has been the development of hole-collecting monolayers (HCMs)—ultra-thin layers that collect positive electrical charges (‘holes’) from the perovskite material. HCMs have pushed single-junction PSCs to 26.9% power conversion efficiency while improving device stability.

Despite these advances, scientists do not fully understand the fundamental mechanisms governing their molecular and electronic behavior. The way energy levels align at the interface between the electrode, the HCM, and the perovskite layer plays a central role in determining how efficiently charges move through the device. However, several competing theories, such as vacuum level alignment, Fermi level alignment, and the electrode-modified Schottky model, have been used interchangeably to model energy levels at the interface, often without clear justification. As a result, scientists today struggle to predict which HCM materials would perform well or design new ones without relying heavily on trial and error.

Fortunately, a research team led by Professor Hiroyuki Yoshida from the Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University, Japan, has addressed this knowledge gap by developing the first universal model for energy level alignment at electrode/HCM/perovskite interfaces. Their findings, published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry A on March 14, 2026, establish a physically consistent framework that explains and provides guidelines for HCM performance across diverse material combinations. The study was co-authored by Mr. Aruto Akatsuka from Chiba University, Dr. Minh Anh Truong and Professor Atsushi Wakamiya from Kyoto University, Dr. Gaurav Kapil and Professor Shuzi Hayase from The University of Electro-Communications, Japan.

To build this model, the researchers used advanced techniques, including ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and low-energy inverse photoelectron spectroscopy, to precisely measure key energy properties of representative HCM materials and perovskites. These measurements allowed them to determine important quantities in the materials, such as the work function (energy difference between the Fermi level and the vacuum level of a solid material) and the ionization energy (the energy needed to remove an electron from the surface of a material to the vacuum).

The proposed model treats the electrode/HCM/perovskite interface as two distinct regions. The boundary between the electrode and the HCM is governed by the formation of an interface dipole, which is an electric field created mainly by the dipole moment of the orientationally aligned HCM molecules. Meanwhile, the boundary between the HCM and the perovskite is analyzed through the lens of semiconductor heterojunction theory, a well-known concept in conventional semiconductor-based electronics where two materials with different energy properties meet.

The model identified two critical factors that determine hole collection efficiency. The first is a phenomenon known as ‘band bending,’ which refers to a gradual shift in the energy landscape caused by built-in electric fields at the junction. The second factor is the interfacial energy barrier height, which is the energetic mismatch between materials that can either facilitate or hinder charge transfer. “These quantities are determined solely by a limited set of fundamental parameters, namely the work function of the electrode and the work functions and ionization energies of the HCM and perovskite,” explains Prof. Yoshida. “Using only these parameters, our model successfully and self-consistently explains why certain HCMs lead to superior solar cell performance whereas others do not,” says Prof. Yoshida. Notably, the team validated the model by testing it against experimental data from a diverse range of materials and perovskite combinations.

Overall, this study provides practical guidance for designing materials with improved performance for emerging solar technologies. “The proposed model offers clear selection criteria and molecular design guidelines for HCMs, enabling optimized interfacial energy levels and reducing development time and cost. This will ultimately lead to higher power conversion efficiency and improved reproducibility,” remarks Prof. Yoshida.

The researchers also note that the impact of their work may extend beyond solar cells. The same principles could be applied to light-emitting devices and transistors. “Beyond photovoltaics, this framework can be extended to other semiconductor electronic devices, establishing a new foundation in materials science that contributes to sustainable energy technologies,” concludes Prof. Yoshida.

To see more news from Chiba University, click here.

 

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Reference:

DOI: 10.1039/D5TA04749H

Authors: Aruto Akatsuka1, Minh Anh Truong2, Atsushi Wakamiya2, Gaurav Kapil3, Shuzi Hayase3, and Hiroyuki Yoshida1,4 

Affiliations: 1Graduate School of Engineering, Chiba University

2Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University

3i-Powered Energy System Research Center (i-PERC), The University of Electro-Communications

4Molecular Chirality Research Center, Chiba University

 

About Professor Hiroyuki Yoshida from Chiba University
Dr. Hiroyuki Yoshida is a Professor at the Graduate School of Engineering at Chiba University, Japan. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo in 1995. His research focuses on solid-state physics, organic electronics, and advanced photoelectron spectroscopy techniques. He is particularly well known as the inventor of low-energy inverse photoelectron spectroscopy (LEIPS), which is now widely recognized as a standard technique for determining the electron affinity of solid materials. He has over 100 publications on these topics to his credit. He is also the recipient of several distinguished awards, including the 8th Outstanding Achievement Award at the Japan OLED Forum in 2015 and the 12th Best Paper Award from the Japan Society of Applied Physics, Molecular Electronics and Bioelectronics in 2014.

 

Funding:
This work was supported by JST–MIRAI (JPMJMI22E2) and multiple JSPS-KAKENHI grants, including Scientific Research (A) (JP24H00446 and JP24H00481), Scientific Research (B) (JP24K01571), Transformative Research Areas (A) (JP23H03939), and a JSPS Fellowship (JP25KJ0718).

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Journal

Journal of Materials Chemistry A

DOI

10.1039/D5TA04749H 

Method of Research

Computational simulation/modeling

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

A universal model for energy level alignment at interfaces of hole-collecting monolayers in p-i-n perovskite solar cells

New building for animal navigation research at the University of Oldenburg

NaviGate: A globally unique research building

Grant and Award Announcement

University of Oldenburg

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A view of the planned NaviGate research building.

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Credit: HTP Hidde Architekten

In its latest recommendation on funding for research facilities at universities, the German Council of Science and Humanities (WR) has endorsed the construction of the new “NaviGate” research facility at the University of Oldenburg located in north-west Germany. The proposal was spearheaded by Oldenburg-based biologist and animal navigation expert Prof. Dr Henrik Mouritsen, spokesperson for the “NaviSense” cluster of excellence and the Collaborative Research Centre (SFB) “Magnetoreception and Navigation in Vertebrates”. The German Council of Science and Humanities rated the proposal as “outstanding”. 

“With the NaviGate research building, we are taking the University of Oldenburg’s excellent research in the field of animal navigation to a new level. The planned building offers conditions unique worldwide for addressing current and future questions in animal navigation research, sensory biology and neurosensorics,” explained University President Prof. Dr Ralph Bruder. The work in the research building will also yield important insights for nature conservation. This includes, for example, anthropogenic and environmental stress factors that influence the navigation and ecology of migratory animals.

One of the most impressive behavioural feats of animals such as migratory birds and insects is their ability to navigate to their destination with the utmost precision over enormous distances. Many aspects of these astonishing migrations are still poorly understood. “In recent years, we have been able to show that animals use different sensory cues simultaneously to navigate precisely. How these cues are combined has remained unclear to date due to a lack of suitable research infrastructure. ‘NaviGate’ will, for the first time, offer researchers worldwide the opportunity to present navigating animals with a precisely controllable virtual reality across all six sensory dimensions,” emphasises Mouritsen.

 Navigation studied under conditions that closely resemble the natural environment

The maximum funding amount recognised by the German Council of Science and Humanities for research buildings and large-scale equipment is around 99 million euros. The centrepiece of the new building, with around 2,800 square metres of usable floor space, is a dome with a diameter of 18 metres, in which the navigational behaviour of, for example, insects, birds, fish and microorganisms can be studied under conditions that closely resemble the natural environment. Inside this “Non-Magnetic Multisensory Virtual Reality Dome” (NMVR Dome), it will be possible to generate various magnetic fields or simulate disturbances such as electromagnetic pollution and light pollution.

The room will be equipped with laser-based projectors, such as those used in planetariums. These devices can project not only the starry sky but also specific visual stimuli or realistic scenes onto the dome. The entire dome and other parts of the building are made of non-magnetic materials and are shielded from electromagnetic pollution. “This allows researchers to precisely control the magnetic stimuli. Using additional equipment, it is also possible to investigate how sounds or smells affect navigational behaviour,” explained Dr Vivian Meyer, scientific project coordinator for NaviGate. 

The modern building concept allows different research groups to share the laboratories. NaviGate aims to bring together leading international experts from the disciplines of biology, physics, chemistry, Computing Science and the social sciences – some of whom are already collaborating within the “NaviSense” cluster of excellence, the Oldenburg Collaborative Research Centre “Magnetic Reception and Navigation in Vertebrates” and the Research Centre Neurosensory Science – to work even more closely as a team.

The building will secure a globally leading role for the University of Oldenburg in animal navigation research for decades to come.

Henrik Mouritsen, Professor of Neurosensory Sciences

Furthermore, NaviGate is intended to serve as a talent hub. The research building offers space for up to four early-career research groups. “Our shared goal will be to gain a profound, interdisciplinary understanding of the senses and mechanisms of animal navigation,” emphasised Mouritsen. This new knowledge could help to improve nature conservation and inspire new technologies. It should also benefit society, ecology and biodiversity as much as possible. “The building will secure a globally leading role for the University of Oldenburg in animal navigation research for decades to come,” the researcher is certain.

As part of the funding scheme for research buildings at universities, the German Council of Science and Humanities (WR) assesses proposals from the federal states for funding of research buildings on behalf of the federal and state governments. Each year, the WR recommends to the Joint Science Conference (GWK) the projects that are to be implemented and co-funded by the federal government up to 50 per cent. The decision on inclusion in the funding scheme lies with the GWK.

ORGIA

How yeast find the perfect match

A mass mating event in the lab reveals how yeast cells choose partners – and what predicts the success of their offspring

Weizmann Institute of Science

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While humans often struggle to find a partner who is both physically attractive and a reliable co-parent, yeast may already have cracked the formula for the perfect match. When choosing mates, these single-celled organisms tend to pick partners that may increase the chances of their offspring’s success, according to a new study by scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science, published in Cell Reports. The study also revealed a link between the success of the parents and the genetic distance between them, and the success of their offspring, shedding new light on the evolution of sexual reproduction.

The findings emerged from an experiment of unprecedented scale conducted in the lab of Prof. Yitzhak Pilpel. The researchers placed together about 10 million yeast cells from roughly 100 different strains, allowing them to mingle freely while the team tracked their mating choices.

Baker’s yeast, familiar from bread-making and alcohol production, can reproduce in different ways. When environmental conditions are favorable, it multiplies through self-replication. During periods of starvation, however, it forms spores that wait for better times. These spores, each of which carries half of the parent cell’s genetic material, come in two mating types, a and α, roughly analogous to male and female sexes. When conditions improve, both the a and α spores secrete chemical scent signals called pheromones, to court one another; two cells of opposite sexes then fuse to form a single, complete offspring.

Just as humanity is comprised of different populations, baker’s yeast has thousands of strains. In nature, the spores produced by each yeast cell form within a separate sac, and sexual reproduction almost always occurs between siblings within that sac. As a result, mating between different strains is relatively rare. However, such pairings do occasionally occur and are particularly interesting because they can reveal how traits are inherited – and whether these ancient organisms show preferences when choosing a partner.

In the study, led by Dr. Sivan Kaminski Strauss under the supervision of Pilpel and Dr. Orna Dahan, the researchers staged the mass mating event among spores from about 100 yeast strains by placing them together in a single test tube for 20 hours. Thousands of copies of each strain were introduced, so that every strain would have ample opportunities to mate with others, allowing the scientists to count exactly how many times each strain chose another particular strain as a partner.

“We inserted an identifying barcode into the genetic code of each parental strain,” explains Dahan. “We also introduced a mechanism that is activated only in the offspring, ensuring that the barcodes from both parents link together into a single sequence. This allowed us to determine, at the end of the experiment, who the parents of each offspring were, and how often each parent mated with each potential partner.”

 

The researchers were surprised to discover that some yeast strains systematically avoided mating with one another. By comparing pairs of strains that produced many offspring with those that produced fewer, the team identified differences that could not be explained simply by how sexually active each strain was. The results therefore suggest that yeast exhibit specific mating preferences.

The experiment was conducted under two main environmental conditions: one with a food source preferred by most yeast strains, and another with a food source that most strains find much harder to digest. When the high-quality food was available, the yeast tended to choose partners that produced fitter offspring.

“This discovery brings us closer to answering a fundamental question in evolution: Is the ability to choose a mate an integral part of sexual reproduction, or is it a refinement that evolved later?” says Pilpel. “On the one hand, sexual reproduction, as opposed to self-replication, may have been preserved simply because it creates genetic diversity. On the other hand, the ability to select a partner that improves the offspring might be the real point. The fact that such preferences exist in yeast suggests that this is an ancient and fundamental mechanism.

“To resolve this question, we are now testing whether it is possible to silence the genes responsible for mating preferences in yeast without eliminating sexual reproduction altogether – or whether the two are inseparable. Another open question is how a yeast strain identifies the right partner. One possibility is that each strain’s pheromones contain unique chemical features that reveal information about important traits.”

A yeast cell that senses pheromones from the opposite mating type grows a protrusion toward the signal, a process known as “shmooing.” When the protrusions of two cells touch, they fuse into a single cell containing the genetic material of both / Image credit: Pilarbini

The recipe for successful offspring

The yeast reproduction experiment also provided a rare opportunity to examine how “success in life” is passed from parents to offspring. For evolutionary biologists, success primarily means fitness, a term describing an organism’s ability to grow and reproduce.

Fitness is a complex, quantitative trait: It varies along a range of levels and is influenced by many genes as well as by environmental conditions. Because the generation time of yeast is less than two hours, fitness can be measured quickly and easily through growth competitions in the lab. To trace the inheritance of fitness, the researchers conducted growth competitions both among the parent strains and among their offspring.

“When the preferred food was available, the fitter each parent was, the fitter the offspring tended to be,” says Kaminski Strauss. “In the absence of preferred food, what mattered was the genetic difference between the parents. The offspring’s fitness increased as the genetic distance between the parents grew – up to an optimal point, beyond which it declined.” The researchers then developed a statistical model that predicts, based on parental traits such as fitness and genetic distance, the fitness of future offspring under different environmental conditions.

The study marks an important milestone in the development of quantitative genetics, a field that combines genetic and statistical methods to investigate complex traits and how they are inherited. It may also lay the groundwork for studying mate preferences in humans.

“While it’s impossible to conduct a mass mating experiment with people, we can simulate one using quantitative genetic methods and databases containing genetic information on thousands of individuals,” says Pilpel. “In a follow-up study led by research student Bar Cohen, we are calculating what the human genome would look like if people chose partners completely at random. We then try to identify regions of the genome that deviate strongly from that random model. These regions may contain genes that influence mate choice.”

Also participating in the study were: Ruthie Golomb, Donya Khoury, Dr. Noa Aharon-Hefetz and Hadar Meyer from Weizmann’s Molecular Genetics Department; Dr. Dayag Sheykhkarimli from Toronto University; and Prof. Gianni Liti from Côte d’Azur University, Nice, France.

Prof. Yitzhak Pilpel is head of the Braginsky Center for the Interface between Science and Humanities and of the Kahn Family Research Center for Systems Biology of the Human Cell. His research is supported by the Sharon Zuckerman Laboratory for Research in Systems Biology.
 

Prof. Pilpel is the incumbent of the Ben May Professorial Chair.

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Journal

Cell Reports

DOI

10.1016/j.celrep.2026.116972 

Article Title

Quantitative genetics of natural S. cerevisiae strains upon mating reveal heritable determinants of fitness and differential mating affinities

 

A physics explanation of why US elections keep ending 50:50 – and why more spending won't change that

Complexity Science Hub

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Every individual has a binary opinion, expressing their voting preference. Everyone is following one of the political campaigns, while also being influenced by their local social environment (friends) in homophilic interactions with the neighbors in the social network.

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Credit: © Complexity Science Hub (CSH)

A physics-inspired model calibrated on 40 years of US congressional data pinpoints a spending threshold of roughly 1.8 million USD at which campaigns stop influencing who wins and start fueling polarization instead.

American presidential elections have landed near 50-50 with regularity. In 2000, the margin in the popular vote was 0.5 percentage points; in 2016, it was 2.1; in 2024, just 1.5. Conventional wisdom points to candidate quality, media dynamics, or a polarized electorate. But a new study from the Complexity Science Hub (CSH) suggests a more structural explanation for these near-dead-heat outcomes – one rooted in the physics of phase transitions.

The research, published in Physical Review Letters by CSH researchers Jan Korbel, Remah Dahdoul, and Stefan Thurner, identifies a spending threshold in US House races: roughly 1.8 million USD per campaign (in 2020 dollars). Below it, social dynamics shape outcomes. Above it – on both sides – elections systematically trend toward a draw, no matter how much either party ultimately spends, while driving polarization higher.

“When both parties spend below the critical threshold of around 1.8 million USD, social networks dominate: how voters interact with neighbors, friends and family, who they talk to at work – all this shapes the outcome. The bigger spender has an advantage, but community dynamics still matter," explains Korbel.

When one party crosses the threshold and the other doesn't, the better-funded campaign gains a large, systematic edge. Its messaging drowns out the social fabric. "But when both parties spend over 1.8 million USD, social influence becomes negligible and the election very often ends in a close race. Even if one party in a swing district spends 10 million USD and the other ten times that amount, the outcome barely changes but people's opinions drift further and further apart. What you get is polarization but – completely unexpected – not a decisive win," says Thurner.

OVER 6,000 ELECTIONS

For the study, the researchers applied a model from statistical physics to bipartisan elections. They tested it against 6,357 US House races with only two relevant candidates spanning 435 congressional districts and 21 election cycles from 1980 to 2020.

What they found is that political polarization behaves like a phase transition – the same kind of relatively sudden, system-wide shift that turns water into steam. There is a critical spending threshold at which more campaign money only deepens polarization without moving the needle on who wins.

THE INCUMBENCY ADVANTAGE, QUANTIFIED

The model also provides a fresh perspective on a well-documented phenomenon: the incumbency advantage. In the intermediate spending range, the model predicts a hysteresis zone – a region where the outcome depends not on who spends more today, but on who held the seat before. Officeholders carry the "memory" of the system into the next cycle.

The researchers put a number on this structural advantage. Even if the incumbent spends nothing, a challenger must invest roughly 140,000 USD just to neutralize the baseline incumbency effect. When the incumbent spends around 900,000 USD, the challenger still faces a disadvantage equivalent to about 20% of total campaign cost, purely as a consequence of the system's phase structure, not the incumbent's individual qualities.

EUROPE NEXT? WHAT THE MODEL DOESN'T YET CAPTURE

The current study is calibrated on bipartisan US House races, given the relatively high data quality and straightforward comparability in this context. Extending the framework to multi-party systems is a natural next step, though most European democracies lack the per-candidate transparency available in the US – aggregate data and differing electoral structures make direct comparisons difficult.

The critical thresholds estimated here – around 1.8 million USD for House races – are also district-level figures. Senate campaigns and presidential races operate at much higher absolute spending, though the comparatively small number of those elections makes precise calibration harder. What the model does establish, robustly, is the existence and shape of the transition itself.

POLICY IMPLICATIONS

"Rising campaign spending may be one of the mechanisms driving the global increase in polarization. Small increases in spending can have large systemic effects – and these findings could be directly relevant to campaign finance regulation," the authors say. From a rational-actor standpoint, there is an incentive to spend more (you don't want to be the only one below the line of 1.8 million USD), but the collective result is a kind of arms-race equilibrium that leaves everyone worse off socially because the society ends up more polarized.

The same model, the authors note, extends well beyond US politics: These phase-transition dynamics appear wherever two campaigns compete for allegiance.

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The study “Empirical Validation of the Polarization Transition in a Double-Random Field Model of Elections” by Jan Korbel, Remah Dahdoul, and Stefan Thurner was published in the journal Physical Review Letters (doi: 10.1103/9gjj-1df6).

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ABOUT THE COMPLEXITY SCIENCE HUB (CSH)

The Complexity Science Hub (CSH) is Europe's research center for the study of complex systems. Drawing on large-scale data across economics, medicine, ecology, and the social sciences, CSH develops quantitative methods to understand the interconnected networks that underlie society – from financial markets and supply chains to public health and urban development. The goal is to provide a rigorous basis for navigating the challenges of an increasingly complex world.

csh.ac.at

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Journal

Physical Review Letters

DOI

10.1103/9gjj-1df6 

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Empirical Validation of the Polarization Transition in a Double-Random Field Model of Elections

 

Growing impact: Binghamton University generates $1.79 billion for New York state

Rises in employment, construction, and student spending fuel 8% annual growth

Binghamton University

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The University also contributed $1.69 billion to the Binghamton regional economy in 2025, up $200 million – a 13% increase over the previous year. Image Credit: Binghamton University.

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Credit: Binghamton University

Binghamton University generated $1.79 billion for the New York state economy in the 2024-2025 fiscal year, according to a new report from the Binghamton University Office of Institutional Research.

The total includes an increase of $140 million, or an 8% increase over the 2023-2024 fiscal year. For every dollar of state funding, the report states, Binghamton University generates $6.09 in economic activity. Additionally, the University supports 12,603 jobs statewide through employment, capital projects, and student/visitor spending.

Additionally, the report notes that the University contributed $1.69 billion to the Binghamton regional economy in 2025, up $200 million – a 13% increase over the previous year.

“As a leading public research institution, Binghamton University has a responsibility to contribute to the economic vitality of our region, state, and nation,” said President Anne D’Alleva. “Beyond our role as a major employer, we prepare exceptionally talented graduates to become leaders across a wide range of fields, and we partner with industry to advance research and translate innovation into real-world applications. This work is central to Binghamton’s mission, and I’m pleased to see our economic impact continuing to grow across multiple dimensions.”

Released annually, the Office of Institutional Research’s report examines the University’s economic footprint in three areas: direct economic effects, indirect economic effects, and induced effects (visitor expenditures, effects on property values, establishment of new companies in the region, etc.)

“Binghamton University plays a pivotal role in our region and state, contributing directly to the workforce and industries of all types,” said Donald E. Hall, provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “Seeing the effects the University, students, faculty, staff, and visitors have on our area is an encouraging sign and underlines the importance of our work.”

Powering the regional economy

The report notes that the University increased its expenditures to $1.15 billion in 2024-2025 (a 9.5% increase), generating $1.3 billion for the New York state economy. The largest portion of this total is employee wages, salaries, and benefits at $519 million. This total is up $44 million (9.2%) from the 2023-2024 fiscal year, which aligns with hiring trends at the University.

Binghamton University is in the midst of a major expansion of the local workforce. The University increased its employee count by 6% in 2024-2025, to 5,930. When factoring in that total with the ripple effect of jobs at businesses the University works with, and where University employees spend their income, Binghamton helped support 8,530 jobs (up 17.3%) in the region and 8,823 jobs across the state (up 14.4%). Employment generated by the University’s operational spending has added more than $687 million to New York state’s economy.

Likewise, Binghamton’s $58 million (16% increase) capital investment into bolstering facilities and infrastructure during the 2024-2025 fiscal year supported 388 jobs statewide and added nearly $91 million to the state economy.

Among employees directly working with and teaching students, 1,235 faculty members were employed at the University during the Fall 2025 semester, of whom 80% hold the highest degree available in their field. The report notes that the University has increased its faculty roster by 14% over the past five years.

“The University is one of the primary employers in the area, significantly contributing to the local economy through annual expenditures on operations, employee compensation, procurement of goods and services, capital investments, and auxiliary spending generated by students and visitors,” the report states.

As much as the University directly contributes to the region’s financial well-being, so do the people currently attending Binghamton.

Investing in people

Steady growth has occurred over the last five years in the number of students learning at Binghamton University and benefiting the local economy, rising from 18,055 in Fall 2021 to 18,652 in Fall 2025.

“Overall growth in student population suggests effective recruitment and retention strategies,” the report states. “The increasing percentage of students from outside local communities shows expanded geographic reach, possibly due to marketing, online programs, or reputation growth.”

The report indicates Binghamton University students spent $309 million in the regional economy in 2024-2025, an $11 million increase over 2023-2024. Of that total, student spending created 3,253 jobs and contributed $338 million to the state. The Office of Institutional Research noted that only personal spending was considered for on-campus undergraduates, because food and housing are included in their fees, whereas spending on housing, food, transportation, and personal items was evaluated for off-campus students.

In addition to students who spend most of the year living on campus and in the area, visitors to campus – including family members, acquaintances of current students, prospective students, campus event attendees, and sports fans – are all contributing to the economy. University data shows that around 220,000 visitor instances (new and returning visitors) took place in the 2024-2025 fiscal year. This influx of people results in spending at local restaurants, hotels, entertainment experiences, and more.

Spending from those visits jumped 33% from the previous year to $12 million. This spending, the report says, generated $18.4 million (up nearly 44%) for the regional economy.

This year, nearly 4,600 Binghamton University students will walk across the stage at Commencement ceremonies and officially become Binghamton University graduates, and the vast majority of them will enter the workforce. These ceremonies alone draw over 25,000 guests to the region.

Beyond the classroom

Those graduates will join the network of 162,814 Binghamton University alumni throughout the United States. Of that total, the report notes that 102,985 live in New York state. Over the last decade, about 13% of out-of-state students stayed in New York state after graduation, showing that many people who come to New York end up continuing to contribute to the NYS economy after their time at Binghamton University is complete.

Most students who graduate use the skills and tools they picked up at Binghamton to become gainfully employed, pay taxes, and aid the success of the state economy. Of the 102,985 alumni still in New York state, the report estimates that 85% are working and earning, totaling almost $6.1 billion in annual income.

The impact of the University and its students extends far beyond the dollar total they help generate. The connections built among students, faculty, staff, and the wider community pay large dividends for all involved through service-learning experiences and volunteer programs, showcasing dedication to active civic participation. University data reveal 9,186 students participated in community service activities in 2024-2025, and 6,628 were involved in community service, clinical placements, and field experiences during that same span. The total estimated value of these activities amounted to $33.8 million.

“Binghamton University provides long-term economic value by enhancing the University’s economic, societal, and cultural impact through engagement from the local to the global level,” the report states. “We see the evidence of these impacts through Binghamton students’ community service and service-learning activities, through its entrepreneurship and innovation activities, and the increased earning capacity of Binghamton alumni through the premier education that Binghamton University offers.”

Koffman Incubator jumpstarts business success

The Binghamton University Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Partnerships oversees the operations of the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator, established in 2017. The incubator is a Binghamton University-powered startup hub that provides workspace, mentorship, and resources to help early-stage companies grow their business and accelerate innovation. Students are also offered firsthand entrepreneurial experience through this venture.

The Incubator has generated $817 million of economic impact for the region since its founding. The 65 member companies of the Incubator employ 805 full-time employees, and are credited with creating 199 new jobs in 2025. These member companies cover a wide array of sectors, including clean energy, healthcare, biotechnology, software development, and advanced materials.

Read the full report by clicking here.

About Binghamton University

Binghamton University offers students a broad, interdisciplinary education with an international perspective and one of the most vibrant research programs in the nation. The campus, recognized as an R1 institution for very high research activity by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, recorded $87.3 million in research expenditures in 2024-25, its best year ever.

 

‘Floating University’ sets sail again

Master’s students from West Africa conduct research aboard the POLARSTERN

Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR)

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A pre-cruise seminar in Mindelo, Cabo Verde, prepared students for the upcoming research cruise.

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A total of 2,840 nautical miles lie ahead of the 14 Master’s students in the West African Master’s programme ‘Climate Change and Marine Sciences’. Tomorrow they will set off on expedition PS154/2 aboard the research vessel POLARSTERN, travelling from Mindelo, Cabo Verde, to Bremerhaven, Germany. This is their first voyage on a research vessel. While on board, they will conduct research in close collaboration with ten experienced scientists, learning how to operate scientific instruments such as the rosette water sampler and filtration systems. Following their arrival in Germany, many of the students will continue with a research stay at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, where they will further develop their scientific projects.

First experiences aboard a research vessel

The ‘Floating University’ forms the practical, ship-based component of the Master’s programme “Climate Change and Marine Sciences” at the Universidade Técnica do Atlântico (UTA) in Cabo Verde. For the training voyage, the transit of the research vessel POLARSTERN from the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) to Bremerhaven via Mindelo in Cabo Verde is being utilised. The research vessel is operated by the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI).

“During the Floating University, students learn how ocean research is conducted on a research vessel and how to collect high-quality data on marine ecosystems while working in an international team under challenging conditions. Many of the skills acquired will later be applied by the students in their own research projects in the region,” says Dr Björn Fiedler, a marine chemist at GEOMAR and the expedition’s chief scientist.

Measurements at depths of up to 4,900 metres

Throughout the transit, students and scientists conduct daily physical, biogeochemical and biological measurements at water depths of up to 4,900 metres. The main objectives are to document long-term changes in the ocean and to investigate marine biodiversity. The team continuously measures parameters such as temperature and CO2 at the sea surface. In order to deploy instruments and collect samples, the research vessel stops for several hours at one position each day to operate various devices within the water column.

The route also passes the two long-term monitoring stations: the Cape Verde Ocean Observatory (CVOO) and the European Station for Time-Series in the Ocean of the Canary Islands (ESTOC). Both sites allow processes in the ocean to be observed over many years. For instance, oxygen concentrations at a depth of 3,500 metres have been monitored at the CVOO mooring since 2006. As different parameters, including the presence of different zooplankton species and temperature, are measured simultaneously, it is possible to analyse the relationships between multiple parameters over time.

Learning, networking, shaping the future

In addition, the researchers will deploy three deep-sea drifters (Argo floats), which are autonomous measuring devices that provide temperature, salinity and current data from depths of up to 2,000 metres over many years. The international Argo programme is a collaboration between over 50 research organisations from more than 30 countries. Around 4,000 Argo floats are currently operating in the world’s oceans, continuously collecting data and contributing to an important global ocean observation system. In Germany, responsibility for the programme lies with the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH).

Tobias Hahn, scientific coordinator for WASCAL at GEOMAR: “People from 16 nations will come together for this year’s Floating University. During the two weeks on board, we work together, learn from one another, build networks and exchange ideas. Over the past years, this has resulted in the formation of a valuable global alumni network of students from West Africa.” Björn Fiedler adds: “We are confident that many of the alumni will play a key role in the planned FUTURO research campaign towards the end of this decade. The aim is to better understand the impacts of climate change on the marine ecosystem in West Africa and to derive the necessary actions from these findings.”

 

Expedition at a glance:

Name: PS154/2 (WASCAL IV) “Floating University”

Duration: 1 May 2026 – 15 May 2026

Chief Scientist: Dr Björn Fiedler

Departure: Mindelo (Cabo Verde)

Destination: Bremerhaven (Germany)