Testimonials from across North Carolina
Read letters we've received about how OVCRED's centers and institutes have helped the state and the people of North Carolina.
From North Carolina leaders:
- Joe Parker: "The Highway Safety Research Center was a key component of the team that introduced the "Click It or Ticket" seat belt program to North Carolina. Our model developed into a national program that has saved thousands of lives..." (+) More
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Joe Parker writes:
"During my years as Governor's Representative for Highway Safety and Director of Governor's Highway Safety Program, the UNC Highway Safety Research Center was an indispensable partner in improving North Carolina's approach to highway safety on a number of fronts.
"HSRC provided research, documents to back up its research and expert testimony that were key to bringing about almost every new initiative with which I was involved.
"HSRC was a key component of the team that introduced the "Click It or Ticket" seat belt program to North Carolina. Our model developed into a national program that has saved thousands of lives and reduced the severity of innumerable disabling injuries.
"This same teamwork with HSRC was crucial to success of our "Booze It and Lose It" program, instituting Graduated Licensing; strengthening DWI, child safety and occupant restraint statutes and defending the motorcycle helmet law."
—Joe Parker, Former Director of the NC Governor's Highway Safety Program, 2009
- Mack B. Pearsall: "Since RENCI's arrival I have marveled at its great contributions to growth of the applied visualization industry in Asheville. RENCI at UNC Asheville is THE magnet drawing visualization talent to Asheville and birthing an industry..." (+) More
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Mack B. Pearsall writes:
"I have been involved in economic development initiatives in western N.C. for the last ten years. A part of that effort has been associated with seeking to obtain assistance from the UNC System in the utilization of UNC System intellectual talent to further that cause.
"An area of particular focus in recent years has been a vision for cluster development in the areas of climate change and applied visualization, capitalizing on NOAA's National Climatic Data Center based in Asheville. In support of that vision, our community has crafted an organization known as CECI, the Centers for Environmental and Climatic Interaction, to coordinate the collective strategy in support of this cluster. The responsiveness of UNC General Administration and the University's component entities, both locally and statewide, has been essential to these efforts which are now gaining substantial momentum. In particular, we are appreciative and proud of the leadership and collaboration exhibited among the key UNC partners at this point — UNC Asheville, the N.C. Arboretum, N.C. State University, and RENCI. Based on recent events, I would like to focus here on the contributions of RENCI.
"It has been through my economic development efforts that I became acquainted with UNC Asheville's NEMAC through which interaction I was introduced to RENCI. As a member of Asheville Hub Alliance effort I was excitedly pleased that Asheville was chosen as the first non-RTP RENCI engagement site. Since RENCI's arrival I have marveled at its great contributions to growth of the applied visualization industry in Asheville. RENCI at UNC Asheville is THE magnet drawing visualization talent to Asheville and birthing an industry.
"RENCI is currently taking a lead role in working between the community and National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) and the U.S. Forest Service as a key player in fostering the growth of the climate services industry in WNC. As a critical part of growth of that industry, I eagerly await the relocation of the RENCI engagement site to downtown Asheville in the Grove Arcade, virtually adjacent to NCDC. At last we will have a convenient place to showcase the wonders of the decision theatre and VisWall to community decision makers and the general public. RENCI has helped put Asheville on the national climate services industry map. RENCI presence is seminal to keeping and attracting federal investments in climate services in NC.
"This is one N.C. citizen who clearly recognizes the value of RENCI's outreach into WNC and appreciates the long-term impact that outreach will have on the welfare of Western North Carolinians. As to staff, I cannot over-sing the praises of David Knowles and his staff in terms of professionalism, effectiveness and an earnest display of abiding interest in the welfare of our community. Thanks to the UNC System and RENCI for making a lasting difference in our community."
—Mack B. Pearsall, 4/17/2009
- Kelly Ramsdell: "The Injury Prevention Research Center provides a service to Safe Kids North Carolina that we have been unable to find anywhere else..." (+) More
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Kelly Ramsdell writes:
"On behalf of the Safe Kids North Carolina state office, I would like to take this opportunity to extend our utmost appreciation and continued support for the efforts of the Injury Prevention Research Center. The information collected by the Center regarding risks of injury and death to children has proven invaluable. The Center provides a service to Safe Kids North Carolina that we have been unable to find anywhere else. We have used the data reports generated by the Center continuously and look forward to the next evaluation which we hope to being in 2009. The two reports that IPRC has developed for the state office have allowed coalitions across our state to tailor their programs based on the community needs assessment that you developed."
—Kelly Ramsdell, Director, Safe Kids North Carolina, 2009
- Thomas J. Plewes: "North Carolina is leading the way in seeking to improve delivery of community-based services to our wounded warriors, and the Odum Institute's Citizen Soldier Support Program is an essential part of that effort..." (+) More
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Thomas J. Plewes writes:
"The problems of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury among our returning service personnel are major concerns for our society. Although the military services are paying increased attention to screening for and treating those who have these wounds, the reactions of many—particularly those in the National Guard and Reserve forces—are delayed until after they have reentered their communities. This timely and comprehensive course brings the best of practice to the local community health care professionals who now are on the front lines in the effort to identify and treat the symptoms. North Carolina is leading the way in seeking to improve delivery of community-based services to our wounded warriors, and the Odum Institute's Citizen Soldier Support Program is an essential part of that effort. I highly recommend it and express my appreciation to those who have developed it and those who will use it."
—Lieutenant General (Retired) Thomas J. Plewes, Former Chief of the U.S. Army Reserve and Commander of the U.S. Army Reserve Command, 2009
- Dave Inscoe: "The quality of jobs and employees at the Institute of Marine Sciences offers an important boost in our mostly rural area..." (+) More
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Dave Inscoe writes:
"The laboratories and offices of UNC's Institute of Marine Sciences are vibrant places where the lights are on 24 hours a day. With commitment and conviction, they make a difference with high-energy people going about their business with a sense of urgency. They know their work can save and restore natural resources. It can save livelihoods. And, in the hunt for breakthroughs as new medicines from organisms are developed or precise prediction of storm surges are made in their laboratories, it can save lives.
"The Center for Competitive Economics–Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise completed a study in 2004 for the EDC which highlighted that the combined impact of the marine resources in Carteret County "rank among the most diverse, and most comprehensive of marine research complexes in the US."
"In our quest for clean growth industries, the Carteret County Economic Development Council works collaboratively with our marine science and education resources to exploit the economic opportunities they represent. The EDC led the formation of the NC Marine Science and Education Partnership (MSEP) which has been created to advance economic development from the marine sciences enterprise within the region.
"The UNC IMS is a flagship partner in our NC Marine Science and Education Partnership.
"Additionally, they are a valuable contributor to Carteret County's social and economic fabric. Its roughly $5 million in annual expenditures are primarily located within the county and are multiplied several times in overall economic impact.
"Recently, the EDC has expressed its confidence in the future of the marine sciences and education potential represented by UNC IMS and our MSEP members by hiring a Marine Science Coordinator to assist in its development.
"The quality of jobs and employees at the Institute offer an important boost in our mostly rural area.
"UNC IMS is key part of an industrial cluster that is important to the future of Carteret County’s and Eastern North Carolina's economy."
—Dave Inscoe, Executive Director, Carteret County Economic Development Council, 4/17/2009
- Robert Jackson: "The Institute on Aging is a successful research, teaching, and community-service entity that provides great leadership across the state..." (+) More
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Robert Jackson writes:
"I am writing to express strong support for what you and your colleagues are doing at the UNC Institute on Aging. The institute is a successful research, teaching, and community-service entity that provides great leadership across the state and is a vital link helping opinion-leaders, academics, students, and advocates understand fully the huge, imminent demographic shifts and the impact our aging society will have on systems and institutions everywhere.
"I appreciate your ability to bring together diverse audiences to discuss critical issues, review important pieces of research and legislation, prepare future academicians, and be a knowledgeable resource to the state on age-related items. Your staff is a wonderful cadre of skilled and experienced researchers, program specialists, and librarians, and they represent the university and the institute with the highest levels of professionalism.
"The state of North Carolina needs the UNC Institute on Aging to assure broad and effective examination of aging issues in our world, and I offer my help in any way I can."
—Robert Jackson, State Director, AARP North Carolina, 4/15/2009
- Stan Polanis: "While the research conducted and published by the Highway Safety Research Center has been helpful to transportation professional across the nation, the HSRC staff has been helpful to local and state efforts too..." (+) More
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Stan Polanis writes:
"I am writing this letter to voice my support for the work done at the Highway Safety Research Center. Even though traffic fatalities and the fatality rate per hundred million vehicle miles has declined over the last year, 1,406 citizens lost their lives in North Carolina traffic crashes. This means about 4 North Carolinians per day died simply trying to get to or from work or school, running errands, or trying to go somewhere for leisure activities. On the national level, traffic crashes killed 102 people each day.
"It is important that local state and national efforts to reduce traffic deaths be grounded in science. Since its inception HSRC has brought a rigorous, multi-disciplinary approach to studying traffic crashes. Information of this nature is invaluable in formulating effective public policy.
"While the research conducted and published by HSRC has been helpful to transportation professional across the nation, the HSRC staff has been helpful to local and state efforts too. It was the HSRC that helped Winston-Salem and other cities gain access the computerized crash records they needed to implement local safety efforts. Their staff has worked with law-enforcement agencies on crash investigation and the importance of accurately completing crash reports. They have served as instructors at workshops for local and state engineers and planners and been involved in a number of other efforts that have benefited North Carolina and its municipalities.
"North Carolina is fortunate to have a world class research program to help formulate ways to reduce the human and economic costs imposed by traffic crashes. However, they are more fortunate that it is staffed by people who will also lend a hand to help solve and local safety problems."
—Stan Polanis, Director of Transportation, City of Winston-Salem, 2009
- Tim Bradley: "The Fire and Rescue Commission would like to thank the Injury Prevention Research Center for its role in providing data as well as technical expertise while the state pursued fire-safe cigarette legislation..." (+) More
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Tim Bradley writes:
"The work of the UNC Injury Prevention Research Center is important to the citizens of North Carolina and to the southern region. The information collected and analyzed by the center regarding risks of death and injury from residential fires has proven valuable on numerous occasions to support fire and life safety educational and preventive efforts. The Fire and Rescue Commission would like to thank IPRC for its role in providing data as well as technical expertise while the state pursued fire-safe cigarette legislation. As a direct result of your ability to provide data on deaths and injuries attributed to cigarettes, we were able to convince legislators of the financial impact of cigarette-related fires and the subsequent losses of life that cannot have a dollar figure attached. Having a multidisciplinary research center in our state that focuses on pressing issues in our state and region is a tremendous asset to our own efforts to address fire and life safety."
—Tim Bradley, Senior Deputy Commissioner, NC State Fire and Rescue Commission, Department of Insurance, 2009
From students:
- Charles Waters: "I gained tremendous practical knowledge working in the Institute of Marine Sciences shop constructing equipment for underwater experiments and learning to operate small boats. Those summers forever changed my life, and I will always cherish them..." (+) More
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Charles Waters writes:
"UNC's Institute of Marine Sciences was the source for much of my interest in the marine environment. I grew up in the coastal North Carolina community of Morehead City and have always been interested in the oceans and marine biology. IMS provided my first marine-related work experiences during the summer of 2004. During that summer, I worked with Prof. Peterson's group and was exposed to a wide variety of projects, including oyster, shark, and beach renourishment research. At the end of that summer, I started as a freshman at UNC, choosing to major in biology with a focus in marine science.
"The two following summers, and throughout my sophomore year at UNC, I worked with Professors Lindquist and Martens on sponge research in North Carolina, with complimentary studies in Florida at the worlds only undersea research laboratory, Aquarius. Working with these two professors enabled me to earn my scientific SCUBA diving certification from the American Academy of Underwater Science, which is a strict requirement for conducting undersea research. I made well over 100 dives during those two summers, which I loved more than any other activity in the world. Those experiences solidified my interest in a marine science career. I also gained tremendous practical knowledge working in the IMS shop constructing equipment for underwater experiments and learning to operate small boats. Those summers forever changed my life, and I will always cherish them.
"Working side-by-side with the institute's fabulous staff and students was one of the best experiences of my life, if not the best. In 2006, I received a prestigious NOAA Hollings Scholarship to conduct research on salmon populations and migrations in Alaska. I have continued this line of research for post-graduate work, and am very grateful to the IMS professors who wrote letters supporting my application for the scholarship. Additionally, I can 100% guarantee you that IMS has had similar life-changing effects on many of my fellow UNC students, including Dan Hoer, Ivana Vu, Gillian Smelick, Sam Perkins, Katie Baer, and Sam Harris."
—Charles Waters, UNC Chapel Hill Class of 2008, 2009
From educators:
- Jeanne Huntley: "As a school system, we have reaped many rich rewards from having the Institute of Marine Sciences here. Many professionals have been willing to mentor students and encourage them to pursue similar professions after graduation..." (+) More
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Jeanne Huntley writes:
"I would like to note the importance of the UNC Institute of Marine Sciences to the economy of this nation, state, and county. The research centers that have been built on the coast where environmental issues facing us now and in the future can be strategically studied are absolutely essential. Ongoing research is our life blood to ensure that the environment we pass on to our children will be a safe and clean one. The presence of these facilities in our county have a huge impact on our economic development bringing high profile professionals and other business entities that profit from the research. As a school system, we have reaped many rich rewards from having this facility here. Many professionals have been willing to mentor students and encourage them to pursue similar professions after graduation. We understand the importance of moving our students into the science and technology fields. Having this institute in our county has enhanced the science experiences our students have been able to have in their courses of studies.
"Losing IMS or seeing its operation drastically cut back would be devastating to our economy and the enriched educational opportunities for our students. A research facility such as this is critical to our future and the issues that face us with our environment.
"I appreciate the fine work coming from your institute and look forward to the partnerships we will have in the future."
—Jeanne Huntley, Interim Superintendent, Carteret County Schools, 4/13/2009
