Last year, in a culmination of ten years of consecutive growth, UNCG external funding climbed to the highest level in the University’s history. These dollars represent impact and expertise flowing out in the form of research and engagement initiatives to all 100 counties in North Carolina, as well as close to 40 countries.
From groundbreaking patents to community-engaged research and service-learning, from Grammy-nominated faculty and alums to Fulbright and AAAS Scholars, and with creative and scholarly products netting prestigious and international acclaim, UNCG has amassed a distinguished record. What’s the winning combination? At the core are exceptional faculty and students. But as you will see within the stories of this magazine, innovation requires a fertile environment to thrive. Impact requires investment.
In this issue, we highlight the comprehensive array of state-of-the-art research instrumentation now available at UNCG, including a 3T MRI, field emission scanning and transmission electron microscopes, a micro-CT scanner, mass spectrometers, an x-ray diffractometer, and more. Such equipment serves as scaffolding for the ingenuity of our researchers, as well as a significant draw for future faculty members and students.
Similarly, facilities like the UNCG Plant and Pollinator Center serve as hubs for integrated research, student training, and public education and community engagement. Read our Part of the Hive feature to trace connected discoveries, grants, patents, and spin-off companies that support our understanding of the connections in nature that underpin human health and wellness, the foods that we eat, and the environments in which we live.
The work featured in several of these stories sparked thanks to UNCG internal seed grant mechanisms or matching funds. Other grants created unique educational opportunities for students, who are mentored by exceptional faculty to start their own journey of excellence. A wide portfolio of competitive federal funding for student training from the Health Resources and Services Administration, the Department of Education, NSF, and NIH also helps us fulfill UNCG’s commitment to accessible excellence and contribute to the diversification of the scientific workforce.
Dedication to inclusive academic excellence, a deep infrastructure for community engagement, cutting-edge instrumentation, strategic centers focused on the critical issues of our lives, mentoring mechanisms for both faculty and students – these tools of the trade have brought UNCG outstanding returns on investment. Read on to see those returns illustrated in our ongoing research, scholarly, and creative excellence.
