Research

The College of Natural Resources is the go-to place for solutions to natural resources challenges. Our research seeks to meet people’s economic and social needs while protecting the planet for future generations.

Frontline Science

Scientists at the College of Natural Resources are in demand wherever human activity intersects with the natural world. Across the state, region and nation, we empower industries, government agencies and communities to overcome natural resources challenges and make smarter and more sustainable decisions that benefit everyone. In this 21st century, our work has never been more relevant—or more vital—as our planet is being rapidly transformed by climate change, land use change, and competition for scarce resources.

Our traditional areas of research strength—such as paper science and engineering, forest management and conservation, and parks, recreation and tourism management—are complemented by multidisciplinary approaches to solving modern global challenges. No single discipline can surmount all challenges. The world is increasingly interdependent and requires creative, cross-disciplinary solutions that confront the complexity of the problems while respecting the communities at the frontline of change. As a nexus for widely varied fields and research applications, the College of Natural Resources is adept at collaborative, combinative research.

Interdisciplinary Innovation

NC State, too, is nationally recognized as a leader in interdisciplinary innovation. The Chancellor’s Faculty Excellence Program brings together the brightest minds from myriad disciplines, forming clusters of faculty to tackle problems of global significance. Scientists from the College of Natural Resources are key figures in many such clusters including Emerging Plant Diseases, Genetic Engineering and Society, Geospatial Analytics, Global Environmental Change, Global Water and Sanitation, and Leadership in Public Science. We are also key contributors to the new Data Science Academy and Genetics and Genomics Academy.

Centers and Cooperatives

Through cooperatives, consortia, centers and institutions, we collaborate to create solutions to real-world issues.

Students in Hoffman forest - Research - College of Natural Resources at NC State University

Our Forests and Facilities

Find out about the world-class facilities — both built and natural — available to our college.

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Our Services

Lean how we extend our research capabilities to individuals, businesses and communities.

Fraser firs at Panoramic View Christmas Tree Farm in Watauga County, outside Boone.

What Can You Expect at a North Carolina Christmas Tree Lot This Year?

What Can You Expect at a Christmas Tree Lot This Year? The holidays are approaching fast. What can Christmas tree shoppers expect as they go out in the coming weeks to find the perfect tree? To find out, we spoke with Jamie Bookwalter, a mountain conifer extension specialist at NC State, to get the inside scoop…

What Is Open Science? An Intro, Common Misconceptions and Advice

Learn from one of the Center for Geospatial Analytics’ experts about the six components of open science, the importance of open licenses, how a scientist might think a research product is open when it’s not, and the need to budget for open science.

NC State researchers place waste items on a conveyor belt.

AI-Powered Waste Management System to Revolutionize Recycling

The system is expected to streamline the collection of non-recyclable waste for conversion into renewable products, energy and fuel.

Dr. Kelly Meiklejohn, a female scientist with curly hair pulled back in a ponytail, examines a vial in a lab.

NC State Researchers Create First Genetic Database of North Carolina Black Bears

Through genotyping, the interdisciplinary team provides the ‘bear’ necessities for officials to identify animals involved in law enforcement investigations and help manage wild black bear populations.

New Model Adds Human Reactions to Flood Risk Assessment

By taking human adaptation into account, a new land change model offers a more realistic assessment of flood risk.

photograph is an aerial view of a city neighborhood, with busy streets running on either side of a park. The park has many trees, and there are large apartment and office buildings in the background.

Greener Neighborhoods Can Protect Us – at the Cellular Level

A new study finds that greenspace in urban environments has a positive impact on a key genetic marker associated with exposure to stress.

$55 million

in active sponsored research

90+ years

of experience working with industry partners

7 consortia and institutes

bring together industry partners

70% of grants

come from federal agencies

McIntire-Stennis Program

The McIntire-Stennis program, a unique federal-state partnership, cultivates and delivers forestry and natural resource innovations for a better future. By advancing research and education that increases the understanding of emerging challenges and fosters the development of relevant solutions, the McIntire-Stennis program has ensured healthy resilient forests and communities and an exceptional natural resources workforce since 1962.

Learn More

McIntire Stennis - - College of Natural Resources at NC State