Centers and Institutes

University Office of Research, Innovation and Economic Development

Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites

The Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites (CICS) is a consortium of academic, non-profit and community organizations with leadership from NC State and the University of Maryland-College Park. CICS provides focuses for collaborative research and associated activities in support of NOAA mission goals related to meteorological satellite and climate data and information research and development. The broad CICS consortium constitutes a first step toward the implementation of an academic infrastructure needed to support a national climate service.

Center for Marine Sciences and Technology

The Center for Marine Sciences and Technology (CMAST) is located on the campus of the Carteret Community College in Morehead City, NC. It provides a unique partnership between the university and community college, as well as greater opportunities for cooperative ventures between the universities and other agencies who share marine and fishery interests.

College of Sciences

Bioinformatics Research Center

The Bioinformatics Research Center (BRC) at NC State is one of the world’s premier centers for education and research in bioinformatics, the field that integrates information science and statistics with the study of genomics. Established in 2000, the BRC is located on NC State’s Centennial Campus.

The BRC has two important missions — research and education. Its research focuses on the development of new computational and statistical tools for the analysis and interpretation of genomic data, addressing both theoretical and practical issues in human, plant, and animal genetics. The BRC is also dedicated to providing outstanding educational and training opportunities for graduate students and genomic scientists. The center offer graduate programs in bioinformatics and statistical genetics.

Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS

In 2016, NC State and EPA scientists reported the presence of high concentrations of perfluorinated compounds in North Carolina’s Cape Fear River and its watershed, and in the drinking water supply of more than 200,000 North Carolinians living downstream of the Chemours chemical manufacturing plant. The Center for Environmental and Health Effects of PFAS aims to determine the toxicity and bioaccumulation potential of these chemicals and to devise methods of prevention and remediation that will restore the quality of North Carolina’s water. 

The mission of this cross-disciplinary center is to advance research, technology development, training and community engagement about exposure to a class of ubiquitous environmental compounds known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The long-term objectives are to assess PFAS 1) exposure in impacted areas, 2) toxicity and underlying mechanisms of thyroid and immune function, 3) bioaccumulation potential and 4) remediation.

Center for Research in Scientific Computation

The Center for Research in Scientific Computation (CRSC) is a formally recognized, multidisciplinary center administered by NC State. Its purpose is to foster research in scientific computing and provide a focal point for research in computational science, engineering and applied mathematics. Graduate education and postdoctoral research opportunities are also a major focuses of CRSC faculty and staff.

The State Climate Office

The State Climate Office of North Carolina (SCONC) is a public service center in the College of Sciences. The SCONC maintains and operates the N.C. Environment and Climate Observing Network (ECONet), a network of weather towers across the state. ECONet data enhances the SCONC’s public service mission and supports agricultural research and operations, Cooperative Extension and educational outreach. Over half a billion observations were recorded at N.C. ECONet stations in 2018. SCONC scientists conduct applied research on North Carolina’s climate and its interaction with the environment, and have expertise in decision-support tool development and stakeholder engagement.

SCONC is involved with multiple interdisciplinary projects supporting various state and federal agencies and groups, such as N.C. Department of Transportation, N.C. Department of Environmental Quality, Cooperative Extension, NOAA Southeast Regional Climate Center, USDA Southeast Regional Climate Hub, and NOAA Carolinas Integrated Sciences and Assessments. The SCONC is committed to training the next generation, and employs undergraduate and graduate research assistants from a variety of disciplines, including atmospheric sciences, mathematics, statistics and education, to work on applied climate research projects. Active areas of research include extreme precipitation, drought, heat-related health impacts, prescribed and wildland fire, integrated pest management, and instrumentation, quality control, and data management.

NC State-Affiliated Centers and Institutes

Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center

The Department of the Interior Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center (SE CSC) is one of eight regional Climate Science Centers. These CSCs provide scientific information, tools and techniques that land, water, wildlife and cultural resource managers and other interested parties can apply to anticipate, monitor and adapt to climate and ecologically-driven responses at regional-to-local scales. In particular, the SE CSC works with the six Landscape Conservation Cooperatives in the Southeast (Appalachian, Caribbean, Gulf Coast Prairie, Gulf Coastal Plains and Ozarks, Peninsular Florida, and South Atlantic LCCs) to identify global change-related information needed by resource managers and others, including physical and biological research, ecological forecasting, and multi-scale modeling.