The Office of Academic Strategy, Innovation and Solutions (OASIS) recently launched its Academic Innovation Accelerator to support innovative, one-year pilot projects that drive progress toward NC State’s academic goals. The Accelerator is a platform for innovation that is both locally grounded and institutionally aligned. Projects contribute directly to the university’s Wolfpack 2030 strategic plan and support division-specific academic strategies.
NC State faculty and staff members submitted proposals earlier this fall for pilot projects that addressed one or more of the following focus areas:
- Academic Portfolio and Departmental Strategy
- Curriculum Redesign Based on Labor Market and Skills Analytics
- Innovative Learning Pathways, Research and Partnerships
- Events, Storytelling and Outreach
The OASIS Accelerator team received and reviewed almost 20 proposals, worked directly with academic units to scope pilot projects, and selected seven projects to represent the first year of the Accelerator.
Throughout the year, selected projects will participate in a cohort that prototypes bold ideas, integrates research and practice, and engages students as active partners in the design process.
“The Academic Innovation Accelerator is an outstanding addition to OASIS’ efforts to advance academic excellence and innovation at NC State,” said Senior Vice Provost for Academic Strategy and Innovation Helen Chen. “The projects that are part of the inaugural cohort all promise to have a sustained institutional impact and enrich the educational opportunities our faculty provide.”
The first Accelerator cohort includes the following projects:
Textiles2Go: AI-Enabled Course Design to Create Affordable and Accessible Pathways from Non-Credit Micro-Credentials to Graduate Study
- Lead: Andre West, professor and director, Zeis Textile Extension
- Zeis Textile Extension, Wilson College of Textiles
FER Future Force: A Framework for Industry-Driven Curriculum Development
- Leads: Tiana Elame, lecturer, and Tamara Pandolfo, associate teaching professor
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, College of Natural Resources
Non-Credit Program Census
- Lead: Mark Bernhard, vice provost for Continuing and Lifelong Education
- NC State Continuing and Lifelong Education
Co-Designing the Next-Generation Analytics Curriculum
- Lead: Bill Rand, Goodnight Executive Director
- Institute for Advanced Analytics
Designing Esports Workforce Development and Curriculum
- Lead: Kyle Bunds, associate professor and director of undergraduate programs
- Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, College of Natural Resources
Future Proof the English Degree: Developing an AI-Infused Curriculum with Human and Labor Market Insights
- Lead: Huiling Ding, professor
- Department of English, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Using Action Research to Guide NC State’s Institutional Readiness for the AI Workforce
- Lead: Meghan Manfra, professor and director of graduate programs
- Department of Teacher Education and Learning Sciences, College of Education
Wednesday, Nov. 12, was the kickoff working meeting, held at D.H. Hill Library, with each project team clarifying its vision, defining its actionable steps and identifying collaboration opportunities. Each team worked collaboratively to chart a path forward and connect each project to NC State’s academic strategy.
“The kickoff event inspired quite a bit of enthusiasm across each pilot project, as well as with our OASIS team,” said Chen. “We will provide this cohort with the tools and support to turn project visions into reality, and I am excited about the bold academic strategies and future opportunities that will come out of the Accelerator.”
The project teams will work throughout the year to create a set of deliverables to complete their pilot project. Each project receives grant funding and operational support tailored to its unique needs, including program design, curriculum innovation, project management, market research, labor market analytics, marketing/communication and data analysis, from OASIS and key academic partners across campus.
The cohort will conclude with an Accelerator Showcase on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, at the Plant Science Initiatives Seminar Room on Centennial Campus, where each project will connect its pilot deliverables to long-term academic goals and initiatives.
