Every day, the people of NC State undertake work that fuels economic growth, meets our world’s ever-changing challenges and drives collaboration for the common good.

We conduct innovative research that solves problems and we carry so much real-world knowledge out into our communities, to the people of North Carolina and beyond.

Our mission of changing lives extends far beyond Raleigh, and it would not be possible without our donors. Join us on a journey across the state, from the coastline into the Sandhills, across the Piedmont and into the mountains.

The Coast

Our impact across the coast takes many forms:

• The Coastal Community Resilience Immersive Training Program embodies NC State’s land-grant mission by training and mentoring interdisciplinary cohorts of students during a 10-week internship, during which they’re paired with a capacity-constrained community. The students have worked with Rocky Mount, Gates County and Jones County to identify their most important assets, conduct vulnerability assessments of those assets and produce a report and online storymap community leaders can then use to compete for state and federal resilience grants.
• Through the Language and Life Project — an ongoing, decadeslong study — students learn about Ocracoke Island’s unique dialect as well as how linguistic diversity across the state reflects North Carolina’s past and present.
• The Coastal Dynamics Lab pairs designers — architects, landscape architects, graphic designers and engineers — with scientists and local stakeholders to create innovative, sustainable, adaptable and resilient design solutions that address the environmental and human needs of the Coastal Plain. Operated from within the College of Design, the center has formed strategic partnerships across education, government, nonprofits and business to work with communities like Princeville and Goldsboro.

• A 32-foot-tall weather station on Bald Head Island provides real-time weather data that NC State researchers and the Bald Head Island Conservancy use to observe natural forces that shape the island’s climate and environment. Researchers also use the data to monitor native wildlife, such as sea turtles and more than 250 species of birds at the southernmost point in North Carolina.
• The Marine Aquaculture Research Center in Carteret County focuses on recirculating aquaculture research of marine species, including culture of finfish, shellfish and aquatic plans; waste treatment of aquaculture byproducts; and extension to clients and the public. Among current topics of research focus are using sturgeon aquaculture effluent with aquaponic plants and demonstrating that kale and salicornia can effectively remove nutrients from brackish water.
• A yearlong, team-based learning experience, the Social Innovation Fellows program enables NC State’s social entrepreneurs and innovators to consider more fully their impact on humanity and our planet as they explore issues of ethics and sustainability at the intersection of the social sector and responsible business practice. One current project seeks to address housing challenges along the coast, where short-term rentals have come to dominate the housing landscape, leaving thousands of residents competing with millions of tourists for housing, clean water and other essentials of life. 

The Sandhills

Throughout the Sandhills, NC State is making a difference:

• The Science House K-12 outreach unit empowers teachers and students across the state to advance STEM education. Sixteen high school biology teachers from Robeson County participated in an innovative professional development course that ultimately sparked a new partnership with the Sandhills Regional Education Consortium.
• NC State and the U.S. Army have signed a Regional Intergovernmental Support Agreement, establishing a new strategic partnership to strengthen innovation, workforce development and collaboration across a range of disciplines. The agreement builds on the university’s long history of working with the military — as one of the nation’s leading institutions for defense and national security research — and providing opportunities for veterans including many who have served at Fort Bragg, the nation’s largest military installation.  

• The Sandhills Research Station, located in Montgomery County, provides the land, labor, equipment and management necessary for conducting agricultural research developed by NC State scientists — revolutionizing a diverse array of cropping systems in horticulture, row crops, turfgrass and other specialty crops.
• The North Carolina equine industry adds $2 billion annually to the economy of the state, ranked among the top 10 nationally with over 306,000 horses (especially in areas from Moore County west through the Piedmont and foothills). With one of the strongest equine hospital practices on the East Coast, NC State is a world leader in areas including treatment of colic, orthopedic injuries and intensive care of neonatal foals.

The Piedmont

NC State’s impact resonates throughout the Raleigh community and across the Piedmont:

• The Plants for Human Health Institute’s mission is to translate plant and food innovations into solutions that prevent disease and increase health benefits. Based in Kannapolis, the institute is home to in-depth research and community outreach, and it leverages the work of world-leading experts.
• Research initiatives on NC State’s main campus are making discoveries related to improving our power grid; developing therapeutic agents for metastatic cancer; combating tickborne diseases; improving egg production; studying canine aging; supporting learners with dyslexia; harnessing the power of self-driving labs; applying AI in fashion and textile manufacturing; producing wide bandgap semiconductors; finessing the supply chain; making architectural design more inclusive; and much more.

• The growing list of varied businesses that have benefited from NC State’s extensive, interdisciplinary entrepreneurship ecosystem include Bee Downtown, 321 Coffee, Verdia Diagnostics, Deni, Ceretune and Forest Found Products.
• The Golden LEAF Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC) at NC State is a unique, cross-disciplinary instructional center that provides educational and training opportunities to develop skilled biomanufacturing professionals. Individuals in academia and industry alike come to BTEC to learn hands-on with the latest biomanufacturing technologies.
• For 35 years, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute on NC State’s campus has provided a wide range of noncredit educational opportunities for adults age 50 and up, many of them based at the McKimmon Center. These include lectures, short courses, study trips, events and more across topics throughout the liberal arts and sciences.
• Now in its second year, Elevate — NC State’s inclusive postsecondary education program —  serves 27 students. Administratively housed in the College of Education’s Department of Teacher Education and Learning Sciences, Elevate is a universitywide initiative designed for North Carolina residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It offers a four-year certificate focusing on five pillars of success: academics, employment, personal development, independent living and social engagement.

The Mountains

NC State’s work extends into the mountains and throughout the westernmost parts of our state:

• Following Hurricane Helene, College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) faculty traveled through Mitchell, Yancey and Avery counties, collaborating with Extension offices and agents to assist farmers in need, treat animals of all sizes and organize pet and livestock supplies at a distribution center. This was one example of CVM’s Mobile Hospital at work. The hospital regularly travels around the state to rural animal shelters and rescue programs providing veterinary services as well as responding to emergencies and disasters — all while training the next generation of veterinarians.
• NC State engineers continue to provide leadership in western North Carolina’s recovery from Hurricane Helene. This spring, they hosted a collaborative conference focused on rebuilding better water and sewer infrastructure following hurricanes.

• The Alternative Service Break program’s current roster of sites isn’t just global — it includes the Mountains, where students join a community-centered effort to improve housing alongside the Rutherford Housing Partnership and Women Roofers’ Initiative. As they contribute to hands-on home repair projects that address critical housing needs and immerse themselves in Appalachian culture, participants gain a deeper understanding of housing insecurity, community resilience and the power of neighbors helping neighbors.