News
February 1, 2016SUNY Poly’s Children’s Museum of Science and Technology (CMOST) Announces Merger with Scotia Glenville Children’s Museum
In support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s commitment to providing New York students with world class educational opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), SUNY Polytechnic Institute today announced the merger of its Children’s Museum of Science and Technology (CMOST) with the Scotia-Glenville Children’s Museum (SGCM). The merger will leverage the combined resources and expertise of both entities to maintain and expand current programming and further inspire today’s youth to pursue the high tech careers of New York’s 21st century economy.
“This merger presents an opportunity to bolster Governor Cuomo’s education pipeline supporting New York State’s flourishing technology corridor, which today stretches from Albany to Buffalo. Together, CMOST and SGCM can engage an even greater number of young innovators and start them on a lifelong path of scientific learning and discovery,” said Pradeep Haldar, SUNY Poly Dean of Nanoscale Engineering and Technology Innovation and CMOST Board Chair. “The true beneficiaries of this merger will be the children and families we serve. My congratulations and thanks to the board members of both museums who realized the value of coming together.”
“Merging CMOST and the Scotia-Glenville Children’s Museum makes so much sense. Both organizations have a long history of instilling a sense of wonder and discovery in young minds while encouraging the exploration of science and technology. By joining forces we can improve our current offerings, create new programming and make it available to more children than ever before,” said Catherine Gilbert, Vice President of CMOST. “The merger received unanimous support from both boards and there is tremendous excitement about the potential this holds for the museum and its young friends.”
“We are incredibly excited about combining SGCM’s unique educational and cultural opportunities with the innovation and optimism that are such strong elements of the SUNY Poly and CMOST culture,” said Annette Trapini, SGCM Board President. “Through our collaborative efforts, we can extend the breadth and reach of the traveling ‘museum without walls’ to inspire more of our youngest citizens.”
With a combined 98 years experience providing educational opportunities throughout the Capital Region, the name of the newly merged entity will be the SUNY Poly Children’s Museum of Science and Technology. Administrative offices will be located at the existing CMOST location at 250 Jordan Road, Troy, NY. All current CMOST and SGCM programs and activities will be maintained with existing staff and personnel.
Founded in 1978 to offer unique educational and cultural opportunities, SGCM served as an all-traveling museum bringing exhibits to upstate New York communities. A non-profit organization, the SGCM met the rigorous guidelines necessary to hold a permanent charter from the NYS Regents and offered a wide range of programs developed to enhance NYS Learning Standards and the Common Core Curriculum, with a recent focus placed on STEM studies.
First founded as the Junior Museum in 1954, SUNY Poly CMOST was named one of the Top 20 science centers in the nation by Parents Magazine, and is the only place in New York’s Tech Valley region specifically designed for children and their families to explore, discover, and imagine the worlds of science and technology together in an exciting hands on environment. CMOST is currently located in Troy but will soon be moving to a completely redesigned state of the art facility at SUNY Poly’s Albany NanoTech complex. Members of the SGCM Board of Trustees will continue to serve as an advisory board to the existing CMOST board to enable a seamless transition of services.
The respective Boards of CMOST and SGCM have approved the merger, and the merger is expected to close immediately after obtaining approval from the New York State Education Department.
