A respected semiconductor industry analyst is questioning the future of computer chip research and development at SUNY Polytechnic Institute in the wake of the legal troubles and resignation of Alain Kaloyeros, the school's founding president.

Kaloyeros resigned in October following his arrest on state and federal bid rigging charges. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Since then, several high-profile SUNY Poly projects and partnerships worth billions of dollars and potentially employing hundreds of workers have appeared to fall apart, raising concerns about SUNY Poly's future as a major chip research center after decades of prominence among the top chip companies, including IBM, GlobalFoundries, Intel and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.

"A lot of stuff is being shut down there. Companies are trying to distance themselves from the whole thing," G. Dan Hutcheson, a well-known Silicon Valley semiconductor analyst told EETimes in an article published Thursday.

Hutcheson, who could not immediately be reached for comment by the Times Union, told EETimes that SUNY Poly and its ecosystem in Albany are "in jeopardy."

He said the best thing for the state to do would be to put in place a permanent leader at the school with an "unimpeachable" background, perhaps a retired semiconductor industry executive.

"Right now it's rudderless," Hutcheson said.

SUNY Chancellor Nancy Zimpher has hired Bahgat Sammakia, a former IBM scientist and Binghamton University's vice president for research, as SUNY Poly's interim president, although Sammakia has said he only plans to remain until a permanent leader can be chosen.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo put his economic development chief, Howard Zemsky in charge of SUNY Poly's research and development projects after the charges came down against Kaloyeros, several upstate developers and Cuomo's former aide, Joseph Percoco.

Zemsky oversees Empire State Development, the state agency that has funded most of SUNY Poly's research partnerships and construction projects over the years, and he has sought to preserve each of SUNY Poly's deals, traveling to meet with corporate executives to soothe their concerns.

ESD spokesman Jason Conwall told the Times Union on Thursday that SUNY Poly continues to forge industry partnerships.

"We are committed to supporting the semiconductor industry and continue to work closely with major partners like GlobalFoundries, IBM and others on research and development and manufacturing in New York state," Conwall said.