Futures Hubs
With NC State presence across urban, rural and coastal landscapes, we're shaping transformative futures to meet today's most urgent challenges.
Envisioning Transformative Futures
The Climate and Sustainability Academy focuses its work across three “Futures Hubs”: Campus & Urban, Working Lands and Coastal. These hubs represent the landscapes of North Carolina where climate and sustainability challenges are most pressing and where NC State can test and demonstrate resilient, transformative solutions. We work to engage communities, interest holders, companies, non-governmental organizations, government agencies and policy makers in our futuring efforts and the development of solutions to climate and sustainability challenges in these places.
In addition to hub-based efforts, we drive cross-cutting initiatives that test solutions and spark new ways of thinking. The NC State PACKLab program applies research and tests cutting-edge ideas, piloting scalable approaches that positively impact campus and beyond. The Long View Project complements this work by envisioning possible futures, sparking dialogue and creating content that inspires communities to shape the futures they want.
Campus & Urban Futures
By population, our Raleigh campuses are equivalent to the 22nd largest city in the state of North Carolina. As its own model city, the campus provides countless opportunities to test, teach and learn from new technologies to novel practices.
The Director of Campus Research and Innovation at CaSA contributes to efforts within the Campus & Urban Futures Hub.
Meet Carla Davis, Director of Campus Research and Innovation
This role creates a formal partnership between the CaSA and the University Sustainability Office, creating structured pathways for the CaSA network to use campus as a living lab (teaching and research) for envisioning new “Urban Futures” and for the University Sustainability Office to collaborate with the CaSA network on science and innovation opportunities that advance sustainability on campus. Davis joined NC State in 2012 and currently serves as the Director of the University Sustainability Office. “Partnering with the Climate and Sustainability Academy unlocks exciting possibilities for more sustainability innovation right here on campus,” says Davis. She explains that the physical campus is full of opportunities for hands-on learning, research and interdisciplinary collaboration. Davis explains, “Working together transforms NC State into a living lab for solutions that boost efficiency, stewardship and environmentally responsible operations.”
Working Lands Futures
Our agricultural and forestry research stations are embedded in rural landscapes, offering real-world environments to advance sustainable agriculture, forestry and land management.
The director position for this Hub at CaSA is currently vacant. Stay tuned for updates!
Coastal Futures
Our Morehead City campus and partnership with the Coastal Studies Institute in Wanchese place us alongside communities on the front lines of climate change, where solutions for coastal resilience can be researched and applied.
The Director of Coastal Research and Innovation at CaSA contributes to efforts within the Coastal Futures Hub.
Meet Chris Osburn, Director of Coastal Research and Innovation
This role expands the Blue Economy Innovation Program (under the Coastal Resilience and Sustainability Initiative) to continue partnerships with Innovation & Entrepreneurship and seek new “Coastal Futures” opportunities in teaching, research, engagement and facilities across the CaSA network. Osburn joined NC State in 2008 and currently serves as Professor of Marine Biogeochemistry in the Department of Marine, Earth, and Atmospheric Sciences and Director of the Blue Economy Innovation Program. “I am most excited to work with students, faculty, staff, experts and entrepreneurs to promote innovative research and technologies that address the challenges facing coastal communities, turning those ideas into solutions,” says Osburn.
