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N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative

Education and Workforce Development Platform

We develop plant science leaders.

A New Breed of Problem Solvers

The future poses challenges for food, agriculture, energy and the environment. That’s why we’re providing a unique training ground for a new breed of problem solvers.

Our scholarship programs, internships and collaborative graduate fellowships pave the way for the agile workforce of tomorrow.

We are making forward-looking investments in recruiting, training and retaining world-class plant scientists.

lifelong learning

A group of kids and mentors pose as a group on the floor of a building at the Agroecology Farm.

K-12

We collaborate to provide educational opportunities to K-12 students across North Carolina.

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A highschool student in a lab coat and safety glasses injects a substance into a plant for a laboratory demonstration.

Demo Lab

Designed to showcase ongoing N.C. PSI research projects to the public and serves as a hands-on educational area for students, teachers, extension agents, and others groups.

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Undergraduates, Graduate Students & Beyond

We are constantly providing our N.C. PSI students and postdocs with a variety of professional development opportunities.

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Internships

N.C. PSI students can receive experience from a variety of different internship opportunities.

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Fellowships and Awards

There are a variety funding opportunities for N.C. PSI students to support their education.

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Certificates

Enhance your skills and advance your education with an undergraduate or graduate certificate.

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Inspiring Students to Pursue Agricultural Careers

The North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative provides a pathway from high school through college — and across many majors — that prepares students for innovative STEM careers in North Carolina and beyond. 

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Bridging Disciplines, Generating Solutions

At the annual N.C. PSI BRIDGE Symposium, graduate students and postdocs discuss creative bridges across disciplines that could lead to improvements in the economy, environment and people’s lives.

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BRIDGE Symposium participants standing at the front of a room

GRAD-AID for Ag

GRAD-AID for Ag is a new graduate training program that will recruit and train two cohorts of highly motivated doctoral students at the intersection of basic and applied plant science. Students will be equipped with the ability to integrate lab-derived multi-omics datasets with field data, leveraging the statistical analyses, machine learning (ML), artificial neural networks, and other artificial intelligence (AI) methodologies to accelerate translation of basic plant science research to the field.

Selected students will receive a $37,000 annual stipend.

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Annual N.C. PSI Hackathon

The N.C. PSI Hackathon is an annual event that gives undergraduates, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars the chance to demonstrate their skills in a 3-day competition to solve ag tech related challenges for prizes and, of course, bragging rights.

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2025 N.C. PSI Hackathon

Researching Agricultural Challenges on the Backroads

In the second annual N.C. PSI Backroad Tour, graduate students and postdocs from several colleges visited farmers and producers across the state.

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Graduate students research and learn from farmers and Extension agents
Participants on the second annual N.C. PSI Backroads Tour at Gary Hendrix’s cotton farm in Hoke County.

Learning and Applying Agricultural Data Science

NC State’s Colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Engineering and Science introduce a Graduate Certificate in Agriculture Data Science. This program combines data management and analysis techniques with computer science and statistical training to allow students to apply the processes of data mining and artificial intelligence to critical agriculture, food, and life science issues.

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Norma L. Trolinder N.C. PSI Graduate Student Endowment 

Norma and Linda Trolinder are a mother-daughter duo of preeminent researchers and have established the N.C. PSI’s first graduate student endowment to propel the future of the field they love.

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Re-thinking How We Teach Graduate Students

To address societal challenges, scientific research must be convergent: driven by compelling problems and deeply integrating scientific disciplines. AgBioFEWS students gain this capacity by working collaboratively to research how agricultural biotechnology changes agricultural landscapes and rural communities, integrating tools and cultures from the natural and social sciences.

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Dani Jones

Education and Workforce Development Platform Director

Dani Jones joins the N.C. PSI leadership team, planning to expand on the groundbreaking efforts of former Education and Workforce Development Platform Director Terri Long.

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Dani Jones leaning against stairwell railing

NEWS FROM N.C. PSI’S EDUCATION PLATFORM

More N.C. PSI News
Students gather in a poster-filled hallway to to discuss research

Conference Explores Intersection of Biology and Engineering

With N.C. PSI faculty playing key roles, the recent Green-G Conference brought together experts in disciplines ranging from electrical engineering to ecology to explore how cutting-edge biosensing, data science, imaging, signal processing and other technology can allow us to better observe natural processes and come up with practical concepts for telecommunications and data management. 
Sarah Dinger, Jie Pacelli and Lauren Maynard

Three from N.C. PSI Honored for Excellence

N.C. PSI staff members score awards for their work on behalf of team agriculture, with Sarah Dinger and Jie Pacelli honored by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and Lauren Maynard by NC State Research and Innovation. 
Sarah Dinger and others

Dinger Creates Spirited Communities for Ag Innovation and Education

Sarah Dinger’s infectious positivity invites connections among students, Extension agents and researchers, making a difference for them and for agriculture.