What’s Next?

Gene editing. High-tech ag. What's ahead for CALS, our state and our world? Keep reading.

CALS Magazine, Winter 2017

CALS Magazine, Winter 2017

At CALS, the unknown is an opportunity.

We see global challenges as solvable — and we seek the opportunities hidden inside those challenges.

Whether you’re a grower or a scientist, an academic or an entrepreneur, the most important question you can ask yourself is what’s ahead. The future is, by definition, uncertain. Here at CALS, we work every day to help define that future and grow prosperity in our state, nation and world.

Keep reading here or in our print version to hear from some of the smartest people on campus and across North Carolina with their take on what’s next for everything from gene editing to youth development to the latest CALS initiatives.

Because the most important thing to us is to grow North Carolina for its best possible future.

CALS Magazine Christian Gray AgPackStrong

#AgPackStrong: Basketball Trainer and Youth Mentor Christian Gray

He’s trained first-round NBA picks u2014 but when CALS alum Christian Gray has to choose between a business trip and a middle school graduation, he’ll postpone the business trip every time. Gray transforms lessons from a challenging childhood into youth mentorship, both on and off the court.

CALS Magazine Drone Photo Brandon Batten

Engineering Plant Sensors To Fight Disease u2014 With Data

One day soon, tiny electronic sensors will translate the language of plants and send waves of data to growers, giving a heads-up at their cropsu2019 first talk of trouble. Thanks to the North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative, our cross-college partnership is leading the way.

Robots and AI and Drones, Oh My! Life On The High-Tech Farm

Many growers are incorporating tech-powered precision agriculture as their strategy to survive in an increasingly competitive global market. CALS alumni and partners are leading the way u2014 and looking ahead.

Our (Possible) Genetic Future: What’s Next For Gene Editing?

The sciences of gene editing are full of both possibility and controversy. At CALS, ethics, engagement and public policy have become as much part of the gene editing conversation as Cas9 proteins and gene drives.

CALS Magazine Marisol Mata Student Research

Nourishing Bees: Marisol Mata

After growing up on a honey farm in Argentina, Marisol Mata now studies the nutrition content of popular plants for pollinator gardens to make sure native bees eat well. She also checks how climate change could affect nutrition in the future.

Helping Health: Feifei Liang

Feifei Liang has her eye on your grocery cart. She looks at consumer health data to measure the impact of varying nutrition labels on consumer health and financial decisions. And yes, her own grocery shopping habits have changed as a result.

CALS Magazine Student Research Simon Gregg

Water Warrior: Simon Gregg

Simon Gregg believes so deeply in the importance and possibilities of good stormwater and wastewater management, he studies it both at CALS and in his personal time.

Facing Our Future

CALS Dean Richard Linton gathers a panel of experts on industry, public policy, food processing, farming and more to discuss and debate what may lie ahead for North Carolina and for CALS itself.

CALS Behind-The-Scenes

We write a lot about our great faculty and students here at CALS u2014 but out of the public eye, our staff and administration grow talent and opportunities on campus and across the state. Hereu2019s a glimpse into the strategic thinking of our four new department heads. Their academic focus varies widely, but they share two things: A deep love of CALS … and a grand vision for whatu2019s next.