Climate and Sustainability Academy

January 2026 Newsletter

A bee hotel located outside NC State Plant Sciences Building provides habitat for pollinators among the flowers.

Green Unseen: Finding Magic in Our Own Backyard

We invite you to join us in the spirit of discovery as we launch the Green Unseen. This is our way to call to light NC State’s “undiscovered gems”—sustainable features and secret spots that are quietly making our campus greener every day.

Get involved! Explore campus and send us your favorite hidden gems to share with the community, or snap a photo of a sustainability feature you’ve never noticed before. We will highlight these features each month in our newsletter.

Learn about the Green Unseen

Announcements

Congratulations Dawn Rodriguez-Ward!

Dawn is CaSA’s new Academic Program Manager, leading high-impact applied learning experiences that integrate sustainability and environmental science across campus and beyond. Dawn will coordinate curricular and co-curricular activities, leadership development, internship opportunities and more.

Meet Dawn

New Publication: “Compounded Resilience”

Christopher Galik, Deputy Executive Director, CaSA, and Georgina Sanchez, Director of Research Engagement, Center for Geospatial Analytics, are proposing a new strategy for local governments to make municipalities more resilient against climate change.

2026 KIETS Climate Leaders Cohort

We are excited to introduce the 2026 interdisciplinary cohort of students and mentors representing seven of NC State’s Colleges. The students will complete an internship and pursue innovative climate mitigation and adaptation solutions.

Meet the 2026 Teams

Get Involved!

Join NC State’s 2026 Make-A-Thon!

Compete, mentor, or judge—students can register to win cash prizes, and faculty and staff can support sustainability innovation.

Professional Opportunity

The Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center (SE CASC) is seeking their next Communications & Engagement Manager. This is a full-time position based at NC State University in Raleigh, NC. This role manages the center’s outreach, engagement, and communication efforts. To learn more and apply, visit https://jobs.ncsu.edu/postings/226246

Student Opportunities

C-CRIT Applications Open!

Join the Coastal Community Resilience Immersive Training (C-CRIT) Program to make an impact in a local community. Interns complete a 300-hour AmeriCorps term with a $8,000 service contract to conduct a vulnerability assessment in a coastal community.

Learn more and apply

Paid Summer Internship with Sound Rivers

Join this summer internship program to support water quality efforts in North Carolina’s waterways. Open to undergraduate students.

Learn more and apply by Jan 30

citizen science at NC State

Do you have a research question that can only be answered through the engagement of a community interested in helping? The Citizen Science Incubator provides training, consultative support, and the opportunity to apply to be featured in one of the programs of Citizen Science Campus in order to get your project off the ground. This opportunity is open to all faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students at NC State. To learn more and apply by Jan 30, 2026, visit https://www.lib.ncsu.edu/citizen-science/citizen-science-incubator.

College Corner

CaSA is committed to amplifying the climate and sustainability efforts happening across campus. In our College Corner, we share stories from NC State colleges that showcase their contributions to building resilient, transformative futures. To share a story directly with CaSA, complete this form.