Washington, DC- US Senators Charles Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton today announced that Congress has given final approval for $1.7 million for the construction of Rochester's National Center for Excellence in Infotonics that could provide a substantial boost to efforts to bolster homeland security. The joint House-Senate conference report has been passed by Congress and now just awaits the President's signature.

The federal funding would go toward building a state-of-the-art research and development laboratory within which the photonics companies from across the state and the country will be able to work with world class industrial and university scientists in bridging the gap between basic research and product manufacturing using photonics. Such devices are expected to play a key role in chem-bio detection and health monitoring applications.

"Rochester and the Finger Lakes have already proven their dominance in photonics and optics research," Schumer said. "This funding for the construction of an Infotonics Center of Excellence will confirm the region's stature as a national leader in this emerging industry. Once it is up and running, I have no doubt that the Center will be a windfall for the local economy."

"As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, I am so pleased that we were able to secure these federal dollars to help continue the construction of a state-of-the-art photonics laboratory in Canandaigua to keep the New York, and U.S., photonics industry competitive," Senator Clinton said. "By investing in this type of world class research being done right here the greater Rochester region, we are investing not only in the local economy but in the future of the entire state. I am so proud of the work being done by the National Center for Excellence in Infotonics and will continue to work to secure the kind of meaningful federal investments it needs to thrive."

The National Center for Excellence is an industry-university-New York State Government-led, non-profit research partnership created to help utilize existing concentration of photonics industries and university research capabilities. The Center of Excellence - under the auspices of Corning, Kodak, Xerox - will work with two dozen academic institutions including the University of Rochester, the Rochester Institute of Technology, and Monroe Community College to lock in New York's top spot in photonics, optics and fiber optics.

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