August 2025 Announcements

Administrative Updates

• Two colleges have recently made changes to academic departments:
  • The new Department of Integrative Humanities and Social Sciences was created in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, with Denis Provencher named interim head.
  • The Department of Business Management in the Poole College of Management was reorganized into three departments:
    • Finance, with Mark Walker named head;
    • Marketing, with Jon Bohlmann named head; and
    • Information Technology, Analytics and Operations, with Sebastian Heese named interim head.
• Several new department head appointments became effective since May 2025:
  • Alan Ellis (Interim), School of Social Work, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Reza Ghiladi (Interim), Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences
  • Michael Kanters (Interim), Department of Performing Arts and Technology, University College
  • Amy Knab, Department of Health and Exercise Studies, University College
  • Georgios Rouskas (Interim), Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering
  • Durelle Scott, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

From the Climate and Sustainability Academy:

• The Climate and Sustainability Academy welcomed our inaugural Practitioner-in-Residence (PIR, or “peer”) on July 1. Charles “Andy” Miller retired from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Research and Development in Dec. 2024 after more than three decades of service as a senior science advisor, principal EPA representative to the U.S. Global Change Research Program, branch chief and project engineer. Miller is also an alum of NC State, having received his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering in 1991. Over the course of his year-long PIR appointment, he will be available to provide guest lectures on science policy, policy history, and science information quality, generally, while also pursuing his own research on the practical management of geoengineering. The Climate and Sustainability Academy’s PIR program seeks to draw on the expertise and experience of external professionals to enrich our on-campus work and build stronger connections with our off-campus communities. Connect directly with Miller via email at camill29@ncsu.edu.
• The Blue Economy Innovation Program’s 5th annual “Creating Solutions for the Global Blue Economy” workshop (BEW25) will be held Oct. 24-25, 2025 at NC State’s coastal campus in Morehead City, N.C. This workshop is free for NC State undergraduate and graduate students. The workshop offers a rare chance for students to develop real solutions for the coast—solutions that blend science, creativity and innovation. Networking opportunities with innovators, subject matter experts, and other stakeholders are a key feature of the workshop. This year, with generous support from the German Consulate’s Clean Economy Bridge Program, a delegation from University of Rostock and the Ocean Technology Campus in Rostock Germany will participate. Topics to be discussed include: aqua-/mariculture; coastal erosion and water quality; marine renewable energy; coastal flooding and saltwater intrusion; sensor development and AI. Register here before 5 p.m. EST on Sept. 25!  
• The Coastal Community Resilience Immersive Training (C-CRIT) program recently completed its second year in partnership with Gates County, North Carolina. This intensive 10-week AmeriCorps program engaged six Assessment Coordinators who collaborated closely with local leaders to develop a comprehensive risk and vulnerability assessment focused on community resilience. The program concluded with a symposium and celebration on July 18, attended by NC State, state agency and nonprofit partners. During the event, the six assessment coordinators presented findings from individualized projects covering critical topics such as public water supply system infrastructure, septic system vulnerability to rising groundwater, healthcare access, flood risks to agriculture and roads, and social vulnerability in resilience planning. This year’s cohort included:
  • Charm Wheaton (environmental assessment masters)
  • Grace Upton (NC State GIS certificate program; B.S. in biology and B.A. in environmental sustainability, 2025, Meredith College)
  • Ashelynn Jacobson (industrial and systems engineering major)
  • Akshita Govindaraj (environmental sciences major)
  • Benton Blair (environmental technology and management major, renewable energy assessment minor)
  • Colin Bahr (environmental engineering major, environmental sciences minor)

From University Data and Analytics:

• The 2025 Incoming First-Year and Transfer Student Surveys are now live and will be collecting responses until early September. These annual surveys capture valuable insights about the experiences of incoming students, including: the journey through the application and admission process, reasons for attending NC State, and interests and expectations regarding their undergraduate education.

Eligible students receive email invitations to participate shortly after attending their New Student Orientation session over the summer. Incoming first-year students can access their survey at go.ncsu.edu/incoming.firstyear.survey and transfer students at go.ncsu.edu/incoming.transfer.survey. Results for past first-year and transfer cohorts are available on the UDA survey website. 

• Spring 2025 Sophomore Survey results are now available. The Sophomore Survey, conducted every three years with second-semester sophomores, gathers valuable feedback on students’ perceptions of their educational experience. Topics include faculty contributions to learning, academic and non-academic support services, self-assessed skill development, participation in high-impact experiences, and more. Results now available on the UDA website include:
  • An infographic highlighting key findings;
  • Narrative report summarizing overall results;
  • Verbatim student comments – organized by topic – detailing what NC State is doing well and what can be improved about the undergraduate experience; and
  • Interactive dashboards, including trends, charts, and tables filterable by college.

From the Data Science and AI Academy:

• The Data Science and AI Academy invites you to its AI Hot Topics @ NC State Series, a monthly forum for dialogue and collaboration on the evolving field of AI. This series is for everyone, from seasoned professionals to curious scholars and those just starting out. Connect with leading experts, explore the transformative potential of AI and contribute to meaningful discussions. The first session, Ethical and Responsible AI in the Wild will be held Sept. 22 from 8:45-9:45 a.m. This session will explore how to ensure it operates transparently, ethically, and responsibly, and will unpack how AI is challenging ethical norms and reshaping social expectations, from algorithms to accountability. To learn more and register, visit go.ncsu.edu/ai.hot.topics.
• With help from the Wolfpack, DSA developed the AI at NC State website , a central hub for AI resources and guidance on campus. Explore a range of AI tools, resources and guidance designed to support and enhance your teaching, learning, research and work. Have questions or comments about the site? Contact Sarah Whichello (Lead Content Manager) at sewhiche@ncsu.edu.  
• Join us for Data Science and AI Week at NC State Oct. 6-10! This is your chance to dive into the exciting world of data science and AI and engage in NC State’s leadership and innovation in these fields.
  • Share Your Events!We would like to feature your events as part of our initiative to highlight the exciting data science and AI activities across campus on and around October 6-10. The easiest way to get your event included and gain wider visibility is to tag it in the University Events Calendar. This simple step helps us automatically boost your event’s exposure and showcase events happening on campus.
  • How To Tag Your Event: It’s quick and easy to make sure your event is part of the week:
    • Go to the University Calendar: https://calendar.ncsu.edu
    • When submitting or editing your event, scroll down to “Topic.”
    • Select “Data Science” and/or “Artificial Intelligence.”
    • You can also add relevant keywords like “data science” and “AI” to the event description for even greater reach.

We’re looking forward to seeing your events on the calendar!

From DELTA:

• DELTA Express Grant applications are open now through Sept. 5. Do you need help enhancing your course with instructional technology or digital media? DELTA Express Grants are designed to help you make high-impact changes on a short, semester-long timeline — with full support (and funding) from DELTA’s expert team. Learn more and apply today.

From the Office for Faculty Excellence:

• The 2025-26 Reflective Educational Design Certificate applications are now open. OFE offers three different certificates based in Reflective Educational Design |RED|. |RED| is designed to provide support and recognition for faculty members at NC State who are dedicated to reflective teaching and learning. The certifications help faculty members advance toward becoming scholarly teachers. The three certificate offerings are Core Teaching Certification, Universal Course Design Certification and TH!NK: Cultivating Critical and Creative Thinking Certification.
• OFE will host a panel discussion on Applying for a National Humanities Center (NHC) Fellowship. On Monday, Aug. 25 from noon – 1:15 p.m. in room 129 of the 1911 Building, Martha Kelly, the NHC’s vice president for scholarly programs, will lead an informational session along with NC State professors Matthew Booker (Department of History) and Belle Boggs (Department of English), who are both former NHC fellows. They will share information and insights on the program and application process. The NHC is currently accepting applications for its fellowship program. The application deadline is Oct. 2.
• OFE will host Faculty Conversation: Using AI to Generate Teaching and Learning Materials on Thursday, Sept. 4 from 1-2 p.m. via Zoom. Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the educational landscape, offering unprecedented opportunities to personalize learning, streamline tasks, and enhance research capabilities. AI can be integrated into various aspects of teaching and learning, from content creation to search assistance and process automation. AI-based tools can help generate concise summaries, extract key information from voluminous texts, and create visually appealing learning materials, which is crucial for the generation of updated materials for students.
• Did you know that Lakeside Kitchen, located in the Dorothy and Roy Park Alumni Center on Centennial Campus, is now offering a special discount for NC State faculty? During the first full week of each month, faculty members receive a 10% discount on lunch or first Sunday brunch when they show their NC State faculty ID.

From the Genetics and Genomics Academy:

• The fourth annual GGA retreat will be held on Friday Sept. 26 at the Talley Student Union Ballroom. The annual retreat welcomes new graduate students and new faculty, highlights the research of GGA laboratories, Research Interest Groups and upcoming activities. Register today!

From the Office of Global Engagement:

• The Office of Global Engagement is seeking applications for a Global Communications Intern position. This on-campus paid internship advances the marketing and promotion of on-campus events, global partnerships and programs. This position is offered through the Pack Empowerment Program (PEP), which limits earnings to $1,000 per semester. For details about PEP eligibility and requirements, please visit: https://go.ncsu.edu/pep-program. 
• From May 11 to June 20, 2025, Nagoya University hosted 23 students from NC State’s Poole College of Management. This exchange marked the first implementation of a short-term faculty-led program developed in collaboration with NC State.
• A delegation of Japanese business leaders visited North Carolina recently as part of a trade mission organized by the Japan External Trade Relations Organization, highlighting the state’s growing life sciences sector and longstanding ties to Japan. The NC Japan Center (NCJC) played a key role in the mission by welcoming participants, sharing resources to help Japanese businesses connect with partners across the state, and reinforcing North Carolina’s reputation as a Japan-friendly place to invest and collaborate. As the only state-affiliated Japan Center in the United States, the NCJC serves as a hub for building economic and cultural ties between North Carolina and Japan.
• The Global Training Initiative’s 2024-25 annual report is out. Learn about our programs that engaged over 3,100 participants, our growing collaborations with global institutions, and how we’re building a more culturally competent workforce.

From the Global One Health Academy:

• The Global One Health Academy is excited to announce its second Grand Challenges Addressing Program (GCAP) focus area: the food-water interface. Proposals are now being accepted for GCAP Food-Water Interface Seed Grants, which will support interdisciplinary, One Health projects that integrate across food and water. Deadline: Monday, Sept. 15, 11:59 p.m.
• Proposals are now being accepted for the 2025-26 Local Engagement Seed Grants. These seed grants will support NC State students, postdocs, faculty, and staff in their One Health-relevant projects that engage and benefit North Carolina communities. Award amounts are available between $2,500 and $10,000, with three funding types/levels depending on the scope and goals of the project. Deadline: Monday, Sept. 15, 11:59 p.m.
• The Global One Health Academy is proud to partner with Citizen Science Campus to offer Participatory Sciences Microgrants. These microgrants advance graduate research that utilizes participatory science approaches and/or advances the field of participatory sciences. Graduate or professional students at NC State enrolled in the Participatory Sciences Graduate Certificate are eligible to apply. Interested students may enroll in the certificate at any point up through the application deadline. Deadline: Monday, Sept. 15, 11:59 p.m.
• Offered twice a year, the Global One Health Academy Graduate Travel Awards support graduate students for international or domestic travel that advances their global One Health-related research. Cole Butler was a recipient of the Spring 2024 Graduate Travel Awards, where he traveled to Barcelona, Spain to attend the bi-annual Gordon Research Conference on Genetic Biocontrol. Learn more about Butler and how the Global One Health Academy helped support his research on theoretical biology to better understand insect pests and their effects on agriculture and public health through his spotlight here.

From the Office of Information Technology:

• Don’t fall for phishing this semester. Phishing might look like an email requesting personal information, a text with a malicious link or a fake website. And one wrong click or share puts our entire community’s data at risk. With every email, text or other form of communication, always remember these three steps:

1. Be suspicious.
2. Take your time.
3. Ask for help.

Learn more about how to protect yourself at NC State.

• The university has launched a redesigned accessibility website. The website serves as a central location for students, faculty, staff and visitors to find accessibility resources and support across campus. As part of the redesign, accessibility.oit.ncsu.edu has been integrated into accessibility.ncsu.edu. This change supports a campuswide effort to meet the updated digital accessibility requirements set by Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act regarding access in our digital spaces by April 24, 2026.
• OIT’s 2024-2025 annual report, Harnessing Technology for a Better Future, highlights the role of transformative technology to advance the university’s mission.
• It’s time to update your Campus Directory listing. The directory is a helpful tool used to contact members of our campus community. If you or your department have a new campus phone number, office location or preferred name, you should update your Campus Directory listing now.
• Kick-start fall semester with IT training. You can find training on digital accessibility, Google tools, REPORTER and more.
• OIT now offers voicemail transcription through the Cisco SpeechView service. This feature automatically converts voice messages into text, allowing users to conveniently read their voicemails. SpeechView is available for purchase.

From Innovation and Entrepreneurship:

• Curious about entrepreneurship? Thinking about what opportunities and community await you at NC State? Want to grab some tasty snacks? Interested in checking out our prototyping lab? The Innovation and Entrepreneurship open house is for you! The event will be held Thursday, Aug. 21 at Partners I, Suite 1650 on Centennial Campus. Enjoy yourself as you:
  • Check out the Entrepreneurship Garage and our partnered co-working and prototyping space within Raleigh Founded.
  • Chat with staff and students about what entrepreneurship is all about at NC State.
  • Discover what opportunities await our students and how best to get involved.
  • Grab some swag and a sweet treat from NC State Alum-founded business The Cookie People.

This event is free and open to all!

From the Institute for Emerging Issues:

• Registration opens in August for the fall 2025 Strategic Workforce Leadership Initiative, hosted by the Institute for Emerging Issues and presented by the Workforce Leadership Institute. The initiative is a comprehensive professional development program designed to build strong, committed and capable leaders who understand the economic conditions of their community and state, and can leverage those strengths to capitalize on emerging opportunities.
• The latest episode of The Connector Podcast explores the benefits cliff in North Carolina. Imagine getting a raise, only to lose more in vital public assistance for necessities like food, housing and childcare. In this episode, Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont Stakeholder Engagement Manager Justin Taylor provides an overview of the benefits cliff, how it impacts the financial well-being of households, and strategies organizations can use to navigate the cliff and better support their communities.
• On Monday, Aug. 11, delegates from the Distinguished Humphrey Fellowship Program met with staff from IEI and the NC Department of Information Technology in the Hunt Library to learn about digital opportunity efforts and programs in North Carolina. The Distinguished Humphrey Fellowship Program is led by the U.S. Department of State and provides international leaders with insight into innovative work in tech policy and research and development in the United States. 

From Institutional Effectiveness:

• Implementation Insights is a regular article series providing initiative updates and cross-cutting observations related to NC State’s implementation plan. This month we highlight our experiences at the Network for Change and Continuous Innovation (NCCI) annual conference, hosted this year at Georgia Tech. As an institutional member of NCCI, NC State faculty and staff can join for free and access webinars, networking opportunities and exclusive content year-round. Read more here.

From the Office of University Interdisciplinary Programs:

• OUIP and the Office for Faculty Excellence partner to present “Cluster Conversations,” in which members of one of the Chancellor’s Faculty Excellence Program clusters join Senior Vice Provost for University Interdisciplinary Programs Rob Dunn for an informal conversation about exciting work being done within their cluster — currently, and with an eye to the future. These monthly events are open to all members of the NC State community, the Centennial Campus community and the general public. All Cluster Conversations are held in Raleigh Founded, Partners I Building on NC State’s Centennial Campus from 8:45-10 a.m.

This fall, three Cluster Conversations are scheduled:

• Wednesday, Sept. 17 – Synthetic and Systems Biology Cluster – Join us to hear members of the cluster discuss their work integrating synthetic and systems biology to solve important challenges, such as eradicating disease and addressing the globally increasing demands for food and energy in a sustainable environment.
• Thursday, Oct. 16 – Quantitative and Computational Developmental Biology Cluster – In this Cluster Conversation, members of the cluster will discuss their work applying precision measurements of molecular, cellular and tissue dynamics in living embryos, along with computer simulation and modeling, to understand the development, growth and diversification of plants and animals.
• Tuesday, Nov. 11 – Sustainable Energy Systems and Policy Cluster
• In our final event of the Fall semester, members of the cluster will discuss their work moving society toward greater energy sustainability through research that informs key energy decisions at state, federal and international levels.

From the NC State University Libraries:

• Librarians Maria Collins and Jason Ronallo have been designated as Librarians of Excellence under a new process for special designations of named librarian positions. Collins’ working title is now “Department Head, Acquisitions & Discovery, and Susan K. Nutter Librarian of Excellence,” and Ronallo’s working title is “Department Head, Digital Library Initiatives, and Donald E. Moreland Librarian of Excellence.” These new designations are made possible by private support. Collins and Ronallo will continue in their current department head roles and responsibilities, which include leadership and management of significant, strategic Libraries initiatives.
• Are you facing a challenge in your teaching that technology might help address? The Open Pedagogy PIT STOP program—co-led by the NC State University Libraries, DELTA, and the Office for Faculty Excellence—is designed to help instructors create practical, innovative solutions through the thoughtful integration of interactive technologies and open pedagogical practices. Apply online here; the application deadline is Sunday, August 24.
• New name, same great service! The Libraries’ Tripsaver—which includes interlibrary loan among other useful services—is changing its name to Interlibrary Services. The name change will take place at the start of the fall 2025 semester. Interlibrary Services allows students, faculty, and staff to access articles and books from other libraries and digital delivery vendors—for free. Yes, this means that you can check out materials from other libraries all over the world. If we don’t have what you need at a campus location, Interlibrary Services will get it for you by request, at no cost.

From the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative:

• Discover N.C. PSI: Join us at the Plant Sciences Building from 2-4 p.m. on Aug. 25 to learn more about interdisciplinary research addressing important agricultural and environmental challenges and meet the people and programs behind the work. Similar to a trade show, this event will feature tables for research groups to share information with internal and external members of our community.

From the Office of Research and Innovation:

• Jacob Jones, a Kobe Steel Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, has been appointed to serve as the interim associate vice chancellor for research initiatives, effective Aug. 15. This position will report to Vice Chancellor Krista Walton.

From the Shelton Leadership Center:

• Join our leadership community of practice today! Interested in connecting with leadership practitioners and educators across campus? We’re cultivating a vibrant, interdisciplinary and collaborative community where faculty, staff and students passionate about leadership can connect, share expertise, co-create actionable resources, and collectively advance leadership understanding and practice to drive positive impact and ensure accessible, high-quality leadership development across the university. The group meets in person every other month, and we’re looking to expand our community! 

Stay informed about Leadership Community of Practice meetings as well as get insights and resources directly to your inbox by joining our Google Group. Request to join the Google Group by visiting https://groups.google.com/all-groups and searching “leadershipcommunityofpractice”.Save the date for the 2025 Shelton Leadership Forum: Ethical Leadership in an Interconnected World. The forum will be held Thursday, Oct. 23 from 9 a.m.–12:45 p.m. EST and will be streamed live virtually for all registrants.

The forum equips attendees with practical strategies to foster effective engagement through mutual respect, analyze leadership actions that promote ethical considerations, and prioritize the shared values and perspectives of their communities both locally and globally. Expert speakers and thought leaders will engage the audience by providing resources that drive ethical decision-making and produce collaborative connections.