Preparing the problem-solvers of tomorrow: Appalachian State University serves NC by advancing research, knowledge and innovation.

• Position: RESEARCH: NORTH CAROLINA: APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Under the leadership of Chancellor Sheri Everts, Appalachian State University's research enterprise has grown substantially since 2014. Last year, the university set a record for external funding from grants and contracts, and plans for future growth in research and creative activities continue.

One of the hallmarks of App State is its emphasis on undergraduate research, which gives students the opportunity to work side by side with faculty and present their findings at regional, national and international conferences.

"The advancement of knowledge through scholarly and creative activities is fundamental to our teaching mission," said Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Heather Hulburt Norris, who added that such pursuits keep faculty current in their fields, leading to valuable classroom experiences for students, and also provide significant benefits to society through the generation of new knowledge, innovations, discoveries and processes.

App State is home to multiple research institutes and centers, including the Appalachian Energy Center, Center for Appalachian Studies, Center for Economic Research and Policy Analysis, Transportation Insight Center for Entrepreneurship, Research Institute for Environment, Energy and Economics, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Institute for Health and Human Services and Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Peace Studies.

With funding from the North Carolina General Assembly and Governor Roy Cooper, App State broke ground on the first phase of its future Innovation District in March 2022. The first academic building in the Innovation District will be the Conservatory for Biodiversity Education and Research. Proposed additional facilities include renewable energy labs and spaces for research, multidisciplinary projects, teaching and demonstration.

Read more about recent research endeavors at App State:

Dr. Baker Perry leads climate science expedition to the world's highest mountain

Dr. Baker Perry, National Geographic Explorer and professor in App State's Department of Geography and Planning, led a successful return expedition to Mount Everest this spring, coordinating the maintenance of weather stations on the world's highest mountain.

On May 9, the National Geographic Society expedition team, in collaboration with a group of elite climbing Sherpas, installed a new weather station at Bishop Rock, located just below the summit of Mount Everest, at an elevation of 8,810 meters (28,904 feet).

The...