Source:  NCSU COLLEGE OF AG & LIFE SCIENCES, 3/5/19

Spring is nearly here! I hope your year is off to a great start. Thanks for spending a few moments with us here.
For the NC Plant Sciences Initiative (PSI), this will be a historic and monumental year.

First, we will be physically breaking ground for the plant sciences building late this spring and beginning our journey of constructing this fantastic, world-class plant sciences research facility that will be open and occupied late in 2021. This building will be on NC State’s Centennial Campus adjacent to the Golden LEAF Biomanufacturing Technology and Education Center on Oval Drive.

Needless to say, we are all very excited to begin construction. While we will begin groundwork in late spring, the formal groundbreaking ceremony will be held on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019. Stay tuned for more information on that event. The planning for that day has begun, and we will be communicating the details soon.

I am excited to mention another significant PSI thing that is happening right now here at NC State. Six different NC State colleges, along with the Provost’s office and the Office of Research and Innovation, have come together to establish a fund of over $2.3 million to kick-start interdisciplinary PSI research projects! This significant funding opportunity for our faculty members has generated new collaborations and brainstorming sessions as they prepare to submit their funding proposals. Our plan is to fund up to three projects that will be conducted over a 3.5 year period beginning in January 2020. We anticipate that the teams with winning proposals will be some of the building’s first occupants. This idea of working interdisciplinarily with faculty from around this university is catching fire in a way that’s exciting to witness. Great things for agriculture and society will come from these and other projects that are in the works.

Last but not least is an update on the funding for the building. We are not at 100 percent yet. We are talking to several potential donors and hope to announce some significant gifts soon. Nevertheless, we have all the naming building opportunities approved and can certainly put your family or company name on a space in the building! What a way to leave a legacy on a building that will be recognized for doing great things for our world.

Call me if you want to talk more on this or need anything.

Stephen P. Briggs
Launch Director, NC Plant Sciences Initiative
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
NC State University
spbriggs@ncsu.edu
919.513.3874