Dynamic partnership
One of our College goals for 2010 is to foster economic vitality by generating and applying science and technology that support robust agricultural and life sciences industries. It is part of our land-grant mandate to conduct programs that undergird the agricultural industry in North Carolina. The pursuit of those efforts is also the College’s role in its ongoing partnership with the producers, leadership and organizations representing the state’s diverse agricultural commodities. In turn, the commodities have done much to support the College and N.C. State University. Commodity and agriculture-related organizations have provided millions of dollars in annual support of research, teaching and extension activities, funding faculty members’ programs, facility improvements and endowments in the College.
As N.C. State Chancellor Randy Woodson told more than 250 state commodity leaders at their annual meeting May 7, “That’s a tremendous contribution.”
In this issue of Perspectives we bring you a feature overview and news updates about this dynamic partnership that has enabled us to create excellent programs that have impact for the agribusiness that accounts for $70.1 billion of value-added production in the state.
We are also celebrating two important milestones in the College. The Agricultural Institute, CALS’ two-year associate of applied science degree program, is celebrating 50 years as a defining part of the university’s land-grant mission. With nine academic programs and an average enrollment of 400, the Ag Institute is now one of the nation’s largest associate’s-degree-granting programs at a four-year institution offering agricultural degrees.
And as our Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering turns 75 this year, several of its faculty members have offered insights about the department and the difference it has made in areas ranging from labor-saving and safer farming methods to bioenergy, environmental engineering and water quality.
Our College Profile features Dr. Rob Dunn, CALS assistant professor of biology, who studies the interactions among species and the diverse consequences of those interactions. In his research he seeks to find the locations of most of the Earth’s undiscovered species, the patterns that determine the kinds and prevalence of human diseases around the world and the ways global warming may affect living things. In 2009, he published the book Every Living Thing: Man’s Obsessive Quest to Catalog Life, from Nanobacteria to New Monkeys.
Don’t miss our reports on outstanding students, important faculty honors and awards, alumni achievements and advancement updates. As always, the College has a lot of fascinating news to share.
Johnny Wynne, Dean College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
