North Carolina Plant Sciences Initiative

a woman and a man stand in a field of green crops

Mar 18, 2024

NC State partners on NSF-funded “Ag Tech Corridor” project

A $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation is kickstarting an effort to create an agricultural technology corridor from central to eastern North Carolina, and NC State University plays a key role.

Eli Hornstein in science lab in front of a computer.

Feb 7, 2024

Starting strong

The N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative’s Startup Program provides expertise and resources to help emerging companies bring problem-solving agricultural technologies and services to the marketplace.

Fireworks explode over the NC State belltower to close down Packapalooza 2022.

Aug 30, 2023

From ideas to solutions

Six projects secured support from the Chancellor’s Innovation Fund this year, and for the first time in the fund’s history, awardees will receive supplemental resources through local entrepreneur and investor Bill Spruill’s 2ndF Research Commercialization Fund.

Left to right, back row: Mike Boyette, Khara Grieger, Mike Kudenov, Craig Yencho. Seated: Daniela Jones, Cranos Williams. Photo by Marc Hall.

Nov 18, 2022

Sweet-APPS yielding sweet success

The Sweet-APPS team leverages high-throughput imaging, optical sensing, diagnostics and integrated data analytics to minimize waste and maximize value for the sweetpotato industry.

Students sit around a study table at Hunt Library.

Oct 12, 2022

Integrative Sciences Initiative: fostering cross-discipline collaboration at NC State

The Integrative Sciences Initiative and Integrative Sciences Building will bring together students and scholars across various disciplines to transform STEM research and education.

Oct 6, 2022

Nuclear engineer brings the fourth state of matter to farmers

Plasma research for life science applications is a relatively nascent field, with its primary applications concentrated in the medical industry. Stapelmann herself focuses on plasma-assisted wound healing and plasma oncology.

May 28, 2020

Big data for better sweet potatoes

An interdisciplinary team led by Cranos Williams is setting out on a three-year project to use artificial intelligence to make sweet potatoes even more profitable. The team will image hundreds of thousands of sweet potatoes to increase the percentage of sweet potatoes grown that are USDA grade 1.