Macon
UNC Research Overall Stats
- 11th in Federal Research Expenditures Nationally
- 12th in Overall Research Expenditures Nationally
- $1.21B in Total Research Awards FY24
11th
in Federal Research Expenditures Nationally
12th
in Overall Research Expenditures Nationally
$1.21B
in Total Research Awards FY24
UNC Researchʼs Impact on Macon County
- 22 Undergraduate Students Will Participate in Research Activity (FY24)
- 7 Research Projects (FY24)
- 5 Residents Employed by UNC Research (FY24)
FY24
22
Undergraduate Students Will Participate in Research Activity
FY24
7
Research Projects
FY24
5
Residents Employed by UNC Research
Projects Benefitting Macon County
- The North Carolina Men’s Health Report Card draws from numerous sources to provide a comprehensive overview of the health landscape for men across the state.
- Carolina researchers created the Rural Research Alliance of Community Pharmacies, which is the first multi-state practice-based research network exclusively for rural community pharmacies.
- With funding from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health promotes healthy and safe indoor and outdoor environments in early care and education settings through child care health consultation.
- With funding from Duke University, the UNC School of Medicine runs a free telephone consultation and education program called NC-PAL to help health care providers address the behavioral health needs of pediatric and perinatal patients.
News
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Drug-checking project cuts overdoses
Supported by the N.C. Collaboratory, epidemiologist Nabarun Dasgupta and his team analyze street drugs and alert communities about dangers
https://www.unc.edu/discover/drug-checking-project-cuts-overdoses/
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Outreach manager protects NC families
Center for Public Engagement with Science works with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Children’s Environmental Health Unit to develop trainings and educational resources. The group helps NCDHHS share these resources and also makes sure public health professionals and/or nonprofits with a health mission have access to them.
https://www.unc.edu/posts/2024/02/19/outreach-manager-protects-nc-families/
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Addressing Pandemic Problems
While COVID-19 has shaken the world, it has also pushed society to be more innovative and creative — two attributes that have been essential to the success of researchers at UNC. Carolina students, faculty, and staff are engaged in an abundance of projects, making UNC the most cited university in the nation for coronavirus research.
https://endeavors.unc.edu/addressing-pandemic-problems/
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New study by researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill finds chemical composition of U.S. air pollution changed over time
A new study published in Atmospheric Environment by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill analyzed space and time trends for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the continental United States to track the progress of regulatory actions by federal, state and local authorities aimed at curbing air pollution.
https://ie.unc.edu/news/new-study-by-researchers-at-unc-chapel-hill-finds-chemical-composition-of-u-s-air-pollution-changed-over-time/#:~:text=Although%20across%20the%20U.S.%20sulfate,carbon%20to%20total%20PM2.5.
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UNC Men’s Health Program, Carolina Demography Launch Innovative Web Tool to Combat Prostate Cancer Disparities in North Carolina
Eric Wallen, MD, professor of urology at the UNC School of Medicine and a member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, is co-leading an effort to improve diagnostic and health outcomes for all North Carolinians with prostate cancer, including Black men and Native Americans, who are disproportionately affected. A tool they developed, “Prostate Cancer Across North Carolina,” provides a detailed, county-by-county map view of prostate cancer cases and deaths, offering valuable insights for local and state organizations as well as the public.
https://news.unchealthcare.org/2023/12/unc-mens-health-program-carolina-demography-launch-innovative-web-tool-to-combat-prostate-cancer-disparities-in-north-carolina/
Centers & Institutes Located in Macon County
Institue for the Environment
The Institute for the Environment (IE) educates future environmental leaders and engages with the people of North Carolina and the nation to address and solve environmental challenges. In collaboration with the UNC Study Abroad Office and the Environment, Ecology, and Energy Program within the UNC College of Arts and Sciences, IE offers five unique field sites where undergraduates live, study, and conduct research. The Institute for the Environment (IE) educates future environmental leaders and engages with the people of North Carolina and the nation to address and solve environmental challenges. In collaboration with the UNC Study Abroad Office and the Environment, Ecology, and Energy Program within the UNC College of Arts and Sciences, IE offers five unique field sites where undergraduates live, study, and conduct research.Collaboration
- The HFS is hosted at the Highlands Biological Station (HBS), an off-campus research center that is part of Western Carolina University (WCU). Several WCU/HBS faculty and staff participate in HFS academics and field excursions, sharing their expertise and research related to the region.
- Students have research internships with local organizations and collaborate with: Highlands Biological Foundation, Mainsprings Conservation Trust, U.S. Forest Service, Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, Nantahala National Forest, Kennesaw State University, and University of Kentucky.
- Students also engage with Carteret County and municipal leaders to understand issues that affect local communities and land and seascapes.
Community Impact
- Students engage with the small Highlands community and professionals that manage the locations they visit, like the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont.
- HFS students contribute to local groups and organizations through internships and research that include: assessing the health of the southern-most stand of red spruce trees with the U.S. Forest Service, wildlife activity at degraded and restored wetlands with Mainsprings Conservation Trust, and bat occupancy in abandoned mines and caves with the Nantahala National Forest and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
Student Involvement
- Each year, 15 students participate in HFS.