K-12 Engagement

N.C. PSI provides a unique training ground for a new breed of problem solvers. Our focus is on training and deploying the next-generation workforce that will not only solve the challenges of the future but serve communities and economies that look vastly different from those of today. For K-12 students, this means building awareness of future workforce opportunities and generating excitement for the plant sciences.

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

Goals

• Collaborate with high school educators to provide messaging and experiences to students, particularly in lower-income areas, that promote agricultural career opportunities
• Work with K-12 administrators and teachers to develop and foster robust teacher training programs focused on longer-term research and learning activities
• Develop program and best practices for N.C. PSI projects to integrate community and K-12 outreach into their research projects and grants
• Collaborate with industry partners and existing university programs to facilitate K-12 engagement with N.C. PSI through the development of curriculum, educational programs and camps

N.C. PSI 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.

Explore

K-12 Partnerships

K-12 Events

Our annual Plant Science Outreach Day provides high school students from across North Carolina with the opportunity to explore the interdisciplinary field of plant science through hands-on activities and discussions with leaders in the field. This event is hosted in partnership with the NC State College Advising Corps, TRIO and Juntos. 

K-12 Field Trips

The N.C. PSI is always excited to engage with middle and high school students, both in our Demo Lab and on tours of the Plant Sciences Building. We host school field trips year round for organizations such as 4-H, Future Farmers of America (FFA), schools and more! We are also partnering with existing NC State camps to provide hands-on experiences in our demo lab and Makerspace that enhance existing camp curricula. 

High School Internships

The N.C. PSI has a pilot internship program to offer select high school students the opportunity to explore plant sciences during their junior and senior year of high school. 

Teacher Workshops

The N.C. PSI is currently hosting several workshops for NC K-12 educators. To learn more about these opportunities, please use our Education and Workforce Development Platform Contact Form. 

N.C. PSI at BugFest 2023

On September 16, 2023, the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences hosted it’s annual BugFest. During this event the N.C. PSI engaged hundreds of students with “Bug Spray – The Plant Way!”, an activity about secondary metabolites.

K-12 Teacher Opportunities

Schedule a Class Visit

We are always excited to engage with K-12 students, both in our Demo Lab and for tours of the Plant Sciences Building. To schedule a class or group visit for your students, please complete this form, and our Program Manager will follow up with you directly. Typically student visits geared toward high school level students.

K-12 Activity Resources

Explore our K-12 lab protocols and learning materials to provide instruction for a variety of fun and educational activities for educators. Additionally, Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center within the N.C. PSI has activities and teacher resources as well.

Contact our Education Program Manager to learn more about our K-12 teacher opportunities.

News from N.C. PSI’s Education Platform

NC State students pair machine learning, robotics to improve ag research

Thanks in large part to a student-developed machine that can “see” and sort seeds by size, a new NC State University project could shed more light on how seed sizes influence… 

Planting the Future

With support from the Trolinder graduate student endowment, Weilong He hopes to use machine learning to help breeders more efficiently assess the health of plants and troubleshoot problems for farmers. 

Award-Winning Plant Science Grad Student Hopes To Share Research Internationally

With research aimed at helping scientists develop a more targeted approach to the design and development of microbial products for sustainable agriculture, North Carolina State University Ph.D. student Anna Garrell…