From the Climate and Sustainability Academy:
- Join us in congratulating Jared Bowden on his appointment as the new director of the North Carolina State Climate Office. As director, he will lead one of the largest and most highly regarded state climate offices in the nation. As a CaSA Cabinet member, we are looking forward to continuing our partnership with the State Climate Office through Jared’s service.
- We are also celebrating team member Rebecca Ward in her new position with CaSA as our Science Engagement Senior Research Scholar. This position will strengthen her emphasis on research and science engagement with external partners and communities. She leads CaSA’s Coastal Communities Resilience Immersive Training program, which is currently working with the city of Rocky Mount to strengthen climate resilience through asset mapping and vulnerability assessments.
- Chris Osburn, director of coastal research and innovation, is a collaborator on the UNC System Research Opportunities Initiative award (PI Natalie Nelson, associate professor, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering). A portion of the three-year funding will be used to integrate “See Salt,” a real-time coastal monitoring network, into CaSA’s annual Creating Solutions for the Global Blue Economy workshop that brings together students, entrepreneurs and industry experts for hands-on innovation experiences.
Osburn has also been named the Goodnight Distinguished Chair in Sustainability. He also serves as director of the Blue Economy Innovation Program, which coordinates an annual student workshop on creating solutions for the global blue economy. This prestigious honor recognizes Osburn’s continued dedication to excellence in teaching, research and leadership in sustainability.
From University Data and Analytics:
- The Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes webinar is now available for on-demand viewing in Reporter. If you were unable to attend this informative session regarding data on graduate earnings and other workforce outcomes, the recording is accessible at your convenience. Please register for the course in Reporter to view the presentation.
- Spring 2026 end-of-term (EOT) student credit hours (SCHs) and Summer I 2026 census headcounts; as well as Spring 2026 EOT SCHs and Summer I 2026 census headcounts, are now available in the UDA Factbook. The interactive Factbook dashboards provide multiple views for exploring SCH and headcount trends over time.
From DELTA:
- NC State has been recognized by Forbes as one of the best online master’s programs for military service members, earning the distinction of “Best Deal for North Carolina Residents.
From the Office of Equal Opportunity:
- During the 2025-26 academic year, 39 people completed OEO’s Equal Opportunity Essentials certificate, and 67 people completed the Positive Work Culture certificate. Congratulations, finishers! Over the summer, OEO is offering numerous homegrown and LinkedIn Learning asynchronous workshops that can be completed at your convenience and pace. Continue your summer learning and get a jump start on next year!
- Mark Newmiller, director of the Disability Resource Office, was awarded the 2026 Pat Bailey Award by the North Carolina Association on Higher Education and Disability (NC AHEAD). This award was established in 2007 by the NC Executive Board in honor of Pat Bailey, who was the director of Disability Services at UNC Greensboro for many years and the founding president of NC AHEAD.
This award recognizes an individual in the field with an outstanding history of contributions to NC AHEAD. This nominee has worked to further the rights, dignity and access for students with disabilities, and has provided students, faculty and staff with a higher education experience rich in perspectives and opportunities. They must have demonstrated outstanding commitment to the value of diversity and have worked to promote an environment free from bias and discrimination. The nominee will be someone who shares their vision and leadership with others in the field.
- Congratulations to Taylor Ofori, coordinator of Deaf/Hard of Hearing/DeafBlind services in the Office of Equal Opportunity, for winning one of the 2026 University Awards for Excellence! This award is the most prestigious honor that can be bestowed upon non-faculty employees at NC State. Taylor was nominated under the category of Human Relations. Taylor has transformed not only systems and processes, but also the lived experiences of students, staff, faculty and partners. Her work has fundamentally improved access at NC State by streamlining service requests and increasing institutional awareness of Deaf services. Taylor is one of 12 winners who will now advance to the state level, where they will be eligible to win a Governor’s Award for Excellence.
From the Office for Faculty Excellence:
- The Office for Faculty Excellence is thrilled to announce this year’s theme for NC State SPARK: Igniting Outstanding Teaching! Whether you are a veteran faculty member, an instructional staff member or a graduate student preparing for your future classroom, SPARK is designed to seamlessly fit into your summer. As always, our asynchronous program allows you to engage with professional development at your own pace, on your own time, and using your favorite device.
From the Faculty and Staff Ombuds Office:
- Bradley Davis, NC State Faculty and Staff Ombuds, has earned the Certified Organizational Ombuds designation from the International Ombuds Association (IOA). This designation is a distinction that recognizes advanced professional competence, experience and commitment to the highest standards of organizational ombuds practice. The certification process was rigorous and multifaceted, requiring candidates to demonstrate at least 2,000 hours of organizational ombuds experience, pass a comprehensive certification examination, complete extensive professional education and training requirements, submit case-based assessments and references, and undergo review by the IOA Board of Certification. The credential is awarded only to practitioners who can demonstrate the knowledge, judgment, ethical grounding and practical skills necessary to serve as an effective organizational ombuds.
According to the International Ombuds Association, the Certified Organizational Ombuds designation affirms a practitioner’s deep understanding of the organizational ombuds model and the ability to apply IOA’s Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics effectively, ethically, and consistently. In his role, Davis serves as a confidential, independent, impartial, and informal resource who assists faculty, staff and students navigate concerns, conflicts and workplace challenges. By earning this certification, he joins a select group of professionals recognized for advancing excellence in the ombuds field and strengthening public trust in the ombuds profession. The designation enhances the credibility of the NC State Faculty and Staff Ombuds Office and emphasizes a commitment to providing faculty, staff and students with access to highly qualified conflict resolution and problem-solving resources.
From the Office of Global Engagement:
- The Office of Global Engagement invites faculty and staff to apply for up to $5,000 through its Advancing Global Learning at Home grant program. Funding supports innovative projects that bring international perspectives, intercultural learning and global skill development directly to NC State students. Applications for 2026–27 projects are due July 31.
From the Global One Health Academy:
- In early May, the Global One Health Academy collaborated with the Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST) to host a three-day Think and Do Tank Working Group meeting focused on establishing reference points for cyanotoxin contamination in seafood.
- The Global One Health Academy’s Local Engagement Seed Grants have supported NC State students, postdocs, faculty, and staff in multiple One Health-relevant local engagement projects. One supported project, led by Mallory Choudoir, Ph.D., (CALS), explores the ecological relationships between soil microbes and heirloom collard cultivation.
From the Office of Information Technology:
- OIT will perform extended IT quarterly maintenance July 11-12. Many major IT and network services will be degraded or unavailable.
- Attend the OIT Summer Showcase: Gemini and NotebookLM in Action. This three-session training will include fast-paced, 10-minute demonstrations that highlight real-world AI use cases. It’s a great opportunity to gather practical tips, ask questions and discover how AI tools can help you work smarter.
From Innovation and Entrepreneurship:
- Five recent NC State graduates have been named Miller Fellows. These alumni represent a variety of industries, from consumer goods to game design. Over the next six months, these fellows will work on developing their businesses alongside one another. Established in 2014, the Miller Fellowship was designed by Tom Miller to bridge the gap between graduation and full-time entrepreneurship. Students often face a tough choice as graduation approaches: take a traditional job or commit to their startup. The fellowship was designed to provide these recent graduates with financial stability as they work on their businesses.
From the Institute for Emerging Issues:
- In the second episode of the Water Wednesdays podcast series, IEI Policy and Program Manager Jessica Solis Aguilar welcomes City of High Point Laboratory Services Manager Bill Frazier, Carteret Community College Vice President of Workforce Continuing Education Perry Harker and Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority Executive Director Daniel Manring to discuss the challenge of rebuilding the talent pipeline in the water industry. They explore solutions such as community college training, apprenticeships, certification reforms and industry partnerships.
From Institutional Effectiveness:
- New tools offer initiative leaders a “productive pause” to reflect on critical success factors. In this month’s Implementation Insights, discover Initiative Success Consoles – a practical new resource available to any project leader on campus. The three consoles, one each for plan, progress and performance stages, offer quick and simple guided prompts to reflect on factors that drive initiative success and address the people side of change. Implementation Insights is a regular article series with initiative updates and cross-cutting observations from NC State’s implementation plan.
- Congratulations to the latest Packways Recognized High Impact Experiences! Interested in joining Packways? Information on incentives, process and registration can be found here.
- Shweta Trivedi and Casey Parson (College of Agriculture and Life Sciences) – ANS 395: Introduction to Animal Behavior and Veterinary Physiotherapy – UK Study Abroad at Harper Adams University
- Joseph Donaldson (College of Agriculture and Life Sciences) – NC State Extension Summer Internship Program
- Sarah Khan (Poole College of Management) – Poole Global Study Abroad – Nagoya Japan
- Nicholas Robins (College of Humanities and Social Sciences/Study Abroad Office) – Cuba: History, Environment and Culture in Havana
- Margaret Simon and Jeffrey Reaser (College of Humanities and Social Sciences) – Preparing Future Teachers to be Leaders in Teaching Shakespeare
- Tiana Elame (College of Natural Resources) – Philippines: Climate Change, Energy and the Environment
- Malaka Friedman (the Graduate School) – Communication Skills Certificate
- Amanda Mueller (Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology and Science)- KIETS Climate Leaders Program
- Katherine McKee (College of Agriculture and Life Sciences) – International Student Case Competition in Leadership
- Wynter Douglas (African American Cultural Center Library) – African American Cultural Center Library Assistants
- Trino Ascencio-Ibanez (College of Agriculture and Life Sciences) – Biochemistry Undergraduate Research and Training Program (BURT-P)
- Packways is thrilled to announce the 2026–27 Packways student enrichment funding winners! These sixteen projects, spanning colleges and units across NC State, have received funds of up to $10,000 to advance high-impact, hands-on learning experiences for our students. Congratulations to this year’s awardees:
- Jennifer A. Despain – College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of World Languages and Cultures
- Maru Gonzalez – College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences
- Emily Grace – Division of Academic and Student Affairs, University Housing
- Corey Kiassat – College of Engineering, Edward P. Fitts Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering
- Stephanie Mathews – College of Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences
- Robin McWilliams – College of Education
- Amanda Mueller – Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology and Science, Climate Leaders Program
- Tara Z. Mullins – Division of Academic and Student Affairs, Department of Performing Arts and Technology
- Mary Newman – Poole College of Management
- Darby Orcutt – NC State University Libraries/University College
- Margaret Simon – College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of English
- Phil Tietjen – the Graduate School
- Davina Thrash – Institute for Emerging Issues
- Shweta Trivedi – College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine
- Nathan Williams – College of Natural Resources, Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management
- Sarah Gould Wright – Division of Academic and Student Affairs, TRIO Programs
From the NC State University Libraries:
- Come to the Hill Library to be surrounded by birds, flowers, butterflies and bees—you might even discover a lynx and a rock hyrax here. No, we have not installed a garden or a zoo. The Hill Library’s Exhibit Gallery now features the new exhibit “Reading the Natural World: Histories of Science on the Page,” which draws upon the wealth of natural history materials in the Special Collections Research Center.
- Ebook readers, celebrate! The Libraries is switching to a pair of new ebook reader apps that offer users a lot more. EBSCO’s Thorium and ProQuest’s Ebook Central Reader App are available alongside the existing Adobe Digital Editions app. These allow you to download DRM-protected (Digital Rights Management) ebooks for offline reading, improve accessibility and eliminate the glitches users have experienced on the Adobe ebook reader app. DRM-protection means that the publisher/provider limits downloads on their ebooks so that the entire ebook can’t be downloaded (usually you may download a chapter or two).
Both of the new apps offer flexible viewing options, screen reading options and better usability on mobile devices. Read more about the EBSCO’s Thorium Reader and ProQuest’s Ebook Central Reader App from their providers.
- Libraries search becomes Discover on Wednesday, June 24. The new and improved search brings together the Libraries Catalog, Summon and Journals into a single tool that offers new capabilities for users as well as integration possibilities for the Libraries moving forward.
- Library Journal has named the NC State University Libraries’ Colin Nickels, lead librarian for Experiential Learning Services, a 2026 “Mover & Shaker.” Nickels is recognized in the award’s “Innovators” category for a body of work that includes overseeing The Studios—a network of learning spaces at the Libraries that gathers together the Makerspace, Virtual Reality Studio, iPearl Innovation Studio, Digital Media Studios and the Lenovo Esports and Gaming Lab.
From the Office of Research and Innovation:
- Four faculty members were awarded the university’s top honor for research and mentorship this year — recognition for the significant and consequential contributions they have made to their respective fields. Awardees Caren Cooper, Carla Johnson, Cristina Lanzas and Carolyn Mattingly will be automatically inducted into the Research Leadership Academy. The Outstanding Research Award honors faculty who lead in their areas of expertise, commit to mentoring their fellow NC State faculty and advance an intellectual, multidisciplinary research community.
