{"id":79086,"date":"2025-07-10T15:17:00","date_gmt":"2025-07-10T19:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/psi\/?p=79086"},"modified":"2026-04-27T11:40:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-27T15:40:09","slug":"preparing-next-gen-ag-formulations-innovators","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/psi\/news\/preparing-next-gen-ag-formulations-innovators\/","title":{"rendered":"Preparing Next-Gen Ag Formulations Innovators"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n

A not-so-secret sauce of university and industry collaboration that has helped make North Carolina one of the world\u2019s leading agricultural technology hubs is seasoning a new NC State University<\/a> Agricultural Formulations<\/a> course to strengthen agriculture\u2019s talent pipeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Launching this fall, the course represents a first step toward a proposed multicourse certificate program to provide undergraduate, graduate and nondegree students with the knowledge they need to help develop the next generation of pesticides, fertilizers, growth regulators and biological products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We want to provide the cross-training that the industry needs and yet doesn\u2019t exist in the United States and possibly not in the world.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Ideas for an interdisciplinary agricultural formulations curriculum have grown out of ongoing discussions among representatives of the ag tech industry, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences<\/a> and the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Deborah Thompson<\/a>, CALS\u2019 director of research partnerships, explains, \u201cThe topic of ag formulations came up over and over again in countless conversations with our industry partners. Formulations \u2014 for seed coatings, soil and over-the top applications, delivery of biological treatments and more \u2014 is a siloed industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe want to provide the cross-training that the industry needs and yet doesn\u2019t exist in the United States and possibly not in the world,\u201d she adds.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking a Team Approach to Fill the Gap<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To begin laying the groundwork for an ag formulations course and certificate, CALS and the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative hosted a workshop last September with industry partners and university faculty members and administrators with relevant expertise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Terri Long<\/a>, a professor in the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology and the initiative\u2019s platform director for education and workforce development, used feedback from the workshop to flesh out plans and secure university support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Terri Billeisen<\/a>, an assistant professor in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, and Jim Martin<\/a>, a professor in the Department of Chemistry, agreed to teach the course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their goal, Billeisen says, is to provide students in chemistry, agricultural sciences, engineering and other disciplines with an edge when it comes to entering careers in a complex industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA lot of people in industry have said, \u2018We’ve got excellent, well-trained students, but they are in these kind of knowledge-and-experience silos: Our formulation chemists know so much about basic science and chemistry and how these compounds work together, but they have very little knowledge or perspective when it comes to how these products perform in the field,\u2019\u201d Billeisen says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt the same time, graduates who\u2019ve been trained in crop and soil science, entomology, plant pathology and other applied disciplines have that good grasp of what goes on in farmers\u2019 fields, but they don\u2019t typically have a good understanding of how agricultural products are developed, tested and marketed,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The course, Billeisen says, is designed to bridge those gaps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Tap: Lectures, Case Studies and Industry Visits <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Billeisen, Martin and guest lecturers from industry leaders who\u2019ve made the Research Triangle Park a hotbed for ag tech innovation will teach students about formulation chemistry, product stability, application methods and regulatory considerations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019ll also discuss drawbacks of current formulations and brainstorm potential chemical and biological solutions for making farming safer and more productive, profitable and environmentally sustainable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We want to attract students in different disciplines who can work together, learn from each other and understand the complete product development process.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Case studies will be key to the course. Working in teams, students will draw on their scientific knowledge, stakeholder input and industry standards to develop formulation prototypes addressing real-world agricultural challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe want to attract students in different disciplines who can work together, learn from each other and understand the complete product development process, from identifying needs to developing solutions and applying them in the field,\u201d Billeisen says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Area ag tech industry partners have also offered to open their doors to allow students a firsthand look at how they approach ag formulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next Steps<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If plans toward the certificate continue to progress, Billeisen and Martin\u2019s course will account for three of the required 12 hours, with others being drawn from existing courses in pest management, toxicology, chemistry, bioprocessing and related topics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, Long says, the plans have been well received by the NC State\u2019s provost\u2019s office and CALS\u2019 dean and associate deans. Faculty members in the departments of Chemistry, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Molecular and Structural Biochemistry, Entomology and Plant Pathology, and Crop and Soil Sciences have expressed their support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u201cOur vision is ultimately to be able to offer certification courses so that people from all over the country and all over the world can engage.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith the initial course ready to launch, our next steps are to develop a second course to complete the core curriculum for the certificate and collaborate with the Office of Instructional Programs and CALS Academic Programs Office to formalize the certificate program,\u201d Long says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cOur vision is ultimately to be able to offer certification courses so that people from all over the country and all over the world can engage,\u201d Long says. \u201cAnd given our areas of expertise at NC State and our access to some of the world\u2019s leading ag tech companies right here in the Research Triangle, I think we are well positioned to be a hub for research and training in ag formulations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Visit the Course Website <\/span>\n<\/svg>\n<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":"\n\n\n\n\n

A not-so-secret sauce of university and industry collaboration that has helped make North Carolina one of the world\u2019s leading agricultural technology hubs is seasoning a new NC State University<\/a> Agricultural Formulations<\/a> course to strengthen agriculture\u2019s talent pipeline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Launching this fall, the course represents a first step toward a proposed multicourse certificate program to provide undergraduate, graduate and nondegree students with the knowledge they need to help develop the next generation of pesticides, fertilizers, growth regulators and biological products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We want to provide the cross-training that the industry needs and yet doesn\u2019t exist in the United States and possibly not in the world.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Ideas for an interdisciplinary agricultural formulations curriculum have grown out of ongoing discussions among representatives of the ag tech industry, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences<\/a> and the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Deborah Thompson<\/a>, CALS\u2019 director of research partnerships, explains, \u201cThe topic of ag formulations came up over and over again in countless conversations with our industry partners. Formulations \u2014 for seed coatings, soil and over-the top applications, delivery of biological treatments and more \u2014 is a siloed industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe want to provide the cross-training that the industry needs and yet doesn\u2019t exist in the United States and possibly not in the world,\u201d she adds.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking a Team Approach to Fill the Gap<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To begin laying the groundwork for an ag formulations course and certificate, CALS and the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative hosted a workshop last September with industry partners and university faculty members and administrators with relevant expertise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Terri Long<\/a>, a professor in the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology and the initiative\u2019s platform director for education and workforce development, used feedback from the workshop to flesh out plans and secure university support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Terri Billeisen<\/a>, an assistant professor in the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, and Jim Martin<\/a>, a professor in the Department of Chemistry, agreed to teach the course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their goal, Billeisen says, is to provide students in chemistry, agricultural sciences, engineering and other disciplines with an edge when it comes to entering careers in a complex industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA lot of people in industry have said, \u2018We've got excellent, well-trained students, but they are in these kind of knowledge-and-experience silos: Our formulation chemists know so much about basic science and chemistry and how these compounds work together, but they have very little knowledge or perspective when it comes to how these products perform in the field,\u2019\u201d Billeisen says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt the same time, graduates who\u2019ve been trained in crop and soil science, entomology, plant pathology and other applied disciplines have that good grasp of what goes on in farmers\u2019 fields, but they don\u2019t typically have a good understanding of how agricultural products are developed, tested and marketed,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The course, Billeisen says, is designed to bridge those gaps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Tap: Lectures, Case Studies and Industry Visits <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Billeisen, Martin and guest lecturers from industry leaders who\u2019ve made the Research Triangle Park a hotbed for ag tech innovation will teach students about formulation chemistry, product stability, application methods and regulatory considerations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019ll also discuss drawbacks of current formulations and brainstorm potential chemical and biological solutions for making farming safer and more productive, profitable and environmentally sustainable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We want to attract students in different disciplines who can work together, learn from each other and understand the complete product development process.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Case studies will be key to the course. Working in teams, students will draw on their scientific knowledge, stakeholder input and industry standards to develop formulation prototypes addressing real-world agricultural challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe want to attract students in different disciplines who can work together, learn from each other and understand the complete product development process, from identifying needs to developing solutions and applying them in the field,\u201d Billeisen says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Area ag tech industry partners have also offered to open their doors to allow students a firsthand look at how they approach ag formulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next Steps<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If plans toward the certificate continue to progress, Billeisen and Martin\u2019s course will account for three of the required 12 hours, with others being drawn from existing courses in pest management, toxicology, chemistry, bioprocessing and related topics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, Long says, the plans have been well received by the NC State\u2019s provost\u2019s office and CALS\u2019 dean and associate deans. Faculty members in the departments of Chemistry, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Molecular and Structural Biochemistry, Entomology and Plant Pathology, and Crop and Soil Sciences have expressed their support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u201cOur vision is ultimately to be able to offer certification courses so that people from all over the country and all over the world can engage.<\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith the initial course ready to launch, our next steps are to develop a second course to complete the core curriculum for the certificate and collaborate with the Office of Instructional Programs and CALS Academic Programs Office to formalize the certificate program,\u201d Long says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cOur vision is ultimately to be able to offer certification courses so that people from all over the country and all over the world can engage,\u201d Long says. \u201cAnd given our areas of expertise at NC State and our access to some of the world\u2019s leading ag tech companies right here in the Research Triangle, I think we are well positioned to be a hub for research and training in ag formulations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Visit the Course Website <\/span>\n<\/svg>\n<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A new NC State University course helps fill a need for scientists with the interdisciplinary knowledge essential for creating next-generation chemical and biological solutions for agriculture.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":79090,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"source":"","ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"ncst\/default-post-header","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"{\"displayCategoryID\":118,\"showAuthor\":true,\"showDate\":true,\"showFeaturedVideo\":false,\"subtitle\":\"A new NC State University course helps fill a need for scientists with the interdisciplinary knowledge essential for creating next-generation chemical and biological solutions for agriculture.<\/em>\"}","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[118,108,110,177,106,109],"tags":[],"_ncst_magazine_issue":[],"class_list":["post-79086","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","category-faculty","category-nc-psi","category-newswire","category-partnerships","category-plant-sciences-building"],"displayCategory":{"term_id":118,"name":"Education","slug":"education","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":118,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":80,"filter":"raw"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/psi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79086","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/psi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/psi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/psi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/psi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=79086"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/psi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79086\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":81983,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/psi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79086\/revisions\/81983"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/psi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/79090"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/psi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=79086"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/psi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=79086"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/psi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=79086"},{"taxonomy":"_ncst_magazine_issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cals.ncsu.edu\/psi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/_ncst_magazine_issue?post=79086"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}