North Carolina A&T State University and Duke University have been awarded a $3 million National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Traineeship grant to develop a program for graduate students who are interested in microbiome research.

Designed to transcend communication barriers between disciplines and promote team science, the five-year grant will enable project leaders across both institutions to create an interdisciplinary educational platform for biologists, engineers, computer scientists and biostatisticians. The new training program will address current training gaps by creating an educational model where microbiologists, engineers, statisticians and other empirical scientists will be cross-trained with theorists, model builders and computational scientists. They will also learn to engage with the community through outreach activities aimed at promoting science and engineering to the general public.

The project is a collaboration between N.C. A&T (nanoengineering, natural resources and environmental design, biology and computer science) and various entities of Duke’s campus, including the Pratt School of Engineering, the Nicholas School of the Environment, Trinity College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Medicine.

The program will have an emphasis on the recruitment of minority students and women in fields in which they have been severely underrepresented. It presents an opportunity to bring students together who do not typically interact to open their eyes to other activities or careers that they might not have otherwise heard about. The desire is for the program to better prepare students to meet future research needs and accelerate research innovation.

“A unique feature of our team is the presence of women and underrepresented minority faculty in the core leadership of the project. This is usually not the case in these fields,” said Joseph L. Graves Jr., associate dean for research at the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, A&T and UNCG, who is a co-principal investigator on the grant.

In recent years, the homecoming celebration has grown in both popularity and attendance. As North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University’s alumni, students, employees and friends make preparations to celebrate “The Greatest Homecoming on Earth,” safety is the university’s top priority.

To help ensure the safety of Aggies and guests, there will be changes made to the Greek plots area during Homecoming to maintain an organized and well-managed meeting place. The following changes will be implemented this year to address the celebration’s growth:

All cooking and grilling will be moved to a designated area between Williams Dining and Murphy halls, up to Alma Morrow Circle.

Each Greek organization in good standing will be allocated a 28-square foot space in which all cooking and grilling must be contained.

Only active Greek organizations in good standing with the Office of Student Activities will be allotted a space for cooking and grilling.

No amplified sound will be permitted on or in the vicinity of individual plots.

Official DJs, hired by the university, will provide music from a soundstage located near Alma Morrow Circle.

A newly created Homecoming Inspection Team consisting of students, faculty, staff and alumni with Greek affiliations will assist with facilitation, monitoring and adherence of new guidelines.

The University Police Department and Army ROTC will be on-site to assist with traffic, crowd management and increased safety.

The goal is to have a safe, enjoyable and celebratory experience while maintaining the rich tradition of gathering at the plots. To do that, the commitment to adhere to these new guidelines is needed from all Aggies and guests.

Persons who fail to comply with these guidelines during Homecoming will be asked to cease and/or to vacate the premises. The university will not be held responsible for cooking and grilling activities, and any resultant claims or liabilities are not the responsibility of N.C. A&T. Cooking and grilling is allowed at the groups’ or individual’s own risk.

For additional information about changes to the Greek plot area, contact the Office of Student Activities at 336-285-4930.

To protect the safety, security and privacy of students, employees and campus visitors, North Carolina A&T State University has issued a moratorium on the use of drones on and above campus property, according to a memorandum from University Police Chief Charles Wilson to the university community on Oct. 1.

N.C. A&T now prohibits the use of unmanned aircraft systems—drones—or remote controlled model aircraft on university property or within the university’s air rights. This applies to privately owned craft as well as those owned by a business or non-profit organization.

The exception to the rule would be drones for research purposes as approved by the Office of University Relations. Violations of the mandate may result in a criminal trespass warning and possibly arrest.

“Public safety is the primary purpose of this measure,” said Wilson. “Drones and model aircraft can be useful, even fun, but they are also potentially dangerous—a malfunction could injure anyone on the ground. Beyond that, there’s the potential for being used as weapons and to record video or still images that violate the privacy of individuals.

“These are extreme examples, but they must be taken seriously. The only real option is for us to restrict use to protect the people on our campus.”

The moratorium is for 180 days or until the board of trustees approves a university policy, whichever occurs first.