Douzinas: Miles to go
The formation of “Accelerate Long Island” is cause for celebration. All Long Islanders should join in savoring this achievement and the exceptional vision and cooperative spirit that made it possible. These qualities especially should we pause to recognize and applaud, for they will be greatly needed on the difficult journey ahead.
The coalition, spearheaded by Brookhaven Supervisor Mark Lesko with research funded by the Brookhaven IDA, brings together Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Brookhaven National Laboratory, North Shore-LIJ Health System, Stony Brook University, Hofstra University and the Long Island Association in a collective endeavor to turn cutting-edge science into successful commercial ventures. The entity has the potential to transform Long Island‘s economy.
This needed to happen, but it didn’t have to happen. The odds are steep against large, independently successful institutions coming together. Think about where you work, what it takes to get something done when multiple departments and people are involved. Now increase that exponentially.
Hard economic times may have helped nudge the process, along with the recognition that regional growth promises benefits to all. But at the end of the day, people made this happen, individuals who set the greater good above parochial concerns, and common goals above personal agendas.
