Curriculum. NC State is one of the few universities in the nation to maintain academic programs across all environmental disciplines, making sustainability inherently part of our curriculum. Across all 10 academic colleges, programs are devoted to studying the environmental aspects of agriculture, forestry, marine, earth and atmospheric sciences, engineering, landscaping and architectural design, business management, education and social sciences. Through open, “town hall,” meetings the campus community is able to comment on the proposed interdisciplinary Environmental Science and Natural Resource Program. Courses such as Environmental Sustainability are being added each year. Classroom education is being strengthened by using campus’ Lake Raleigh Woods and Rocky Branch Creek as outdoor classrooms.

Co-Curricular Engagement. Our Center for Excellence in Curricular Engagement expands and deepens community-engaged teaching, learning and scholarship by linking traditional curriculum with real-world community projects. Projects such as the Wake Native Preserves Partnership build long-term stewardship by bringing together diverse stakeholders to identify and protect ecologically valuable open spaces. Classes have helped design buildings, inventory Raleigh’s forests and prioritize stream restoration projects. Our premier scholarship programs including Park Scholarships and Caldwell Fellowships intertwine leadership, service and civic awareness into the learning experience.

Going beyond curricula, we understand the answers to our world’s most challenging issues will not come from a business-as-usual approach but from technology, innovation and partnerships. Our Centennial Campus, designated as the 2007 Science Park of the Year, brings together over 130 companies, government agencies and research and academic units for, real-world, hands-on research to solve global problems.

Research. Researchers are looking for traditional and non-traditional answers to virtually every aspect of energy. The Future Renewable Electric Energy Delivery and Management Center is working to revolutionize the nation’s power grid. The Institute of Textile Technology specializes in providing environmental research, services and information for the textile industry. The Center for Environmental Farming Systems develops and promotes environmentally-friendly food and farming systems, strengthens local communities and provides economic opportunities.

We are on the leading-edge of research – whether it is developing a more efficient way to recycle soda bottles, creating capacitors that store up to seven times more energy or producing new methods of creating ethanol. Research such as this has resulted in over 550 patents and dozens of companies that employ more than 13,000 people. Getting this research to market, our Technology Transfer Center consistently ranks among the top 20 technology transfer programs nationally.

Faculty, Staff & Student Development. From the moment students and staff step on campus, sustainability is a part of their orientation. Students can get involved in the several hundred strong, Wolfpack Environmental Student Association, Student Government Sustainability Commission, residence hall competitions, sustainability internships, event planning and more. To promote ongoing involvement, we host a variety of outreach events to engage campus in sustainability efforts. This past spring, nearly 30 campus events were promoted under the “S.E.E. (Society, Environment, Economy) NC State” theme, helping campus understand the many components of sustainability. Events included anything from eco-fashion to Earth Day celebrations and concert to nanotechnology demonstrations.