The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) announces a new learning opportunity for faculty interested in improving their pitch presentation skills when interacting with industry partners. This opportunity is focused on the design and development of industry-ready pitch presentations (not scientific presentations) related to a faculty member’s specific research program. This opportunity will be available twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall.

To kick off this new initiative, five faculty members have been selected to participate in the inaugural Open Faculty Pitch Session on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, from 2 to 4 p.m. in Scott Hall, Room 106. These faculty members have attended a closed session where they presented their industry pitches for critique by Jeffrey Pollack, Lynn T. Clark II Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship in the Poole College of Management.

Selected Faculty Members:
Michael Joseph, Prestage Department of Poultry Science
Wusheng Liu, Horticultural Science
Katherine McKee, Agricultural and Human Sciences
Marcela Rojas Pierce, Plant and Microbial Biology
Minliang Yang, Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences

During the Open Faculty Pitch Session, each selected faculty member will present their final pitch presentation to a panel of former industry experts. The panelists will provide a critique for each faculty presenter that should help improve their success rate for receiving funding from industry partners. CALS Dean Garey Fox will award $500 to each of the selected presenter’s programs. They will also be included on a list for future Emerging Research Showcases and industry site visits, where CALS identifies and brings to campus potential industry partners who are looking to invest in CALS faculty research projects.

All interested faculty, students, and staff are invited to attend the Open Faculty Pitch Session and cheer on the five presenters! Please register here if you plan to attend, or email ncstate-ncars@ncsu.edu if you have any questions.