Annual Retreat
GGA 2nd Annual Retreat
The Genetics and Genomics Academy 2nd Annual Retreat will be held on Friday, August 25, 2023, at Hunt Library on NC State’s Centennial Campus. The Annual Retreat welcomes new graduate students and new faculty, highlights the research of GGA laboratories and Research Interest Groups, and features discussions about GGS graduate student recruitment and admission strategies.
Date: August 25, 2023
Location Address: Duke Energy Hall, Hunt Library: 1070 Partners Way, Raleigh, NC 27606-7132
Access the GGA 2022-2023 Annual Report here
Questions? Please contact Dr. Jeff Yoder and Rebecca Stojancic with any questions: jayoder@ncsu.edu, rsstojan@ncsu.edu
Tentative Schedule of Events
08:30AM | Coffee and light breakfast. Poster and vendor set-up |
09:00AM | Opening Remarks, Welcome, and Updates |
09:30AM | Science Talks: Session 1 09:30 – Christa Baker, Department of Biological Sciences 09:40 – Kerim Eroglu, Department of Molecular & Structural Biochemistry 09:50 – Ryan Sartor, Departments of Biochemistry and Biological & Agricultural Engineering 10:00 – Sharonda LeBlanc, Department of Physics 10:10 – GGA Paper of the Year Winner (1 of 2): Echo Pan, Functional Genomics PhD Candidate in Dr. Rodolphe Barrangou’s Lab, Department of Food Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences |
10:30AM | Coffee Break, Posters, & Vendors |
11:00AM | Science Talks: Session 2 & GGA Paper of the Year 11:00 – Carter Clinton, Department of Biological Sciences 11:10 – Santosh Mishra, Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences 11:20 – Terri Long, Department of Plant & Microbial Biology 11:30 – Qingshan Wei, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering 11:40 – GGA Paper of the Year Winner (2 of 2): Amarish K. Yadav, Postdoctoral Research Scholar in Dr. Max Scott’s Lab, Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology |
12:00PM | Lunch |
12:45PM | Posters & Vendors |
01:45PM | GGA Contest Winners Announced |
02:00PM | Shift to Group Brainstorming and Retreat Activities GGA Brainstorming Session: Moderated by Leigh Shamblin, Director of Leadership and Professor of Practice, Department of Management, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Breakout sessions formed around the following topics: ● Undergraduate G&G education for all ● Outreach and engagement ● Enhancing GGS and other graduate education opportunities ● Genetics and genomics interdisciplinary research opportunities/collaborations Goals: Identify strategic and operational activities for the coming year, identify people and resources needed to support identified activities, and discuss community building. |
05:00PM | Closing Remarks and Happy Hour |
Current Sponsors for the 2nd Annual Retreat:

Past Retreats
2022 Retreat
Date: August 26, 2022
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Rob Dunn, Senior Vice Provost for University Interdisciplinary Programs and William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professor in the Department of Applied Ecology, North Carolina State University
Location Address: James B. Hunt Library, Duke Energy Hall (and streamed via Zoom)
Registration: CLOSED. Registration is FREE.
Schedule and Full Retreat Program can be viewed below.
Full retreat program: View program
Schedule of Events
09:00 AM Opening Remarks, Welcome, and Updates from the GGA Executive Committee
Opening remarks by Dr. Fred Gould
Welcome – Provost Arden, Dean McGahan, Dean Dole, Dean Meurs
Updates from the GGA Executive Committee
– Introduce New Faculty
– The four major objectives of the GGA
– GG Scholars Program—overview and new student introductions
– Reformulation of Research Interest Groups (RIGs) through interactive activities
– Interface with the PDU
– Seminar Series
– Genetics & Functional Genomics Merger
– Discussion Seminar Series
10:30 AM Coffee Break: Posters & Vendors
11:00 AM Keynote Speaker: Dr. Rob Dunn
“The Future of Interdisciplinarity at NC State, from Sourdough Bread to Earth’s Wicked Problems”
12:00 PM Lunch Break: Posters & Vendors
01:30 PM Science Talks: Session 1
03:00 PM Break: Posters & Vendors
03:30 PM Science Talks: Session 2
04:45 PM GGA Contest Winners Announced & GGA Paper of the Year Presentation
05:05 PM Poster awards announced and Closing remarks
2022 Retreat Sponsors:
2021 Retreat
Date: August 20, 2021
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Gene Robinson, Professor of Entomology and Director of the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Location Address: James B. Hunt Library, Duke Energy Hall CD (and streamed via Zoom)
Registration: CLOSED. Registration is FREE.
Schedule and Full Retreat Program can be viewed below.
Full retreat program: View program
Schedule of Events
09:00 AM Opening Remarks, Welcome, and Updates from the GGI Executive Committee
Opening remarks by Dr. Fred Gould
Welcome – Vice Provost Larick, Dean McGahan, ADR Lommel, & ADR Meurs
Updates from the GGI Executive Committee
– Seminar Series
– RIGs
– New Faculty
– GG Scholars Program (Cohort, Curriculum, & Recruiting)
– Genetics & Functional Genomics Merger
– Initiative vs. Academy
– Discussion
10:30 AM Coffee Break: Posters & Vendors
11:00 AM Keynote Speaker: Dr. Gene Robinson
“Sociogenomics: The Molecular Biology that Links Nature and Nurture”
12:00 PM Lunch Break: Posters & Vendors
01:30 PM Science Talks: Session 1
03:00 PM Break: Posters & Vendors
03:30 PM Science Talks: Session 2
04:45 PM GGI paper of the Year Presentation
05:05 PM Poster awards announced and Closing remarks
2021 Retreat Sponsors:
2020 Retreat
Date: August 29, 2020
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Gregory Wray, Professor of Biology and Director of the Duke Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University
Location Address: Zoom
Registration: CLOSED. Registration is FREE.
Schedule and Full Retreat Program can be viewed below.
Full retreat program: View program
Schedule of Events
09:00 AM Opening Remarks, Welcome, and Updates from the GGI Executive Committee
– Seminar Series
– GGI Contest Winners
– Research Interest Groups (RIGs)
– New Faculty
– GG Scholars Program (Cohort, Curriculum, & Recruiting)
– Director Search
– Discussion
10:30 AM Break & Sponsor Meetings
11:00 AM Keynote Speaker: Dr. Gregory Wray
“No Gene Is An Island: The Evolutionary Causes and Consequences of Gene Interactions”
12:00 PM Lunch Break & Sponsor Meetings
01:00 PM External Sponsor Presentations
01:15 PM Science Talks: Session 1
02:30 PM Break & Sponsor Meetings
03:00 PM Internal Sponsor Presentations
03:15 PM Science Talks: Session 2
04:15 PM GGI paper of the Year Presentation
05:00 PM Adjourn
2020 Retreat Sponsors:
2019 Retreat
Date: August 19, 2019
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Frances Ligler, Lampe Distinguished professor of Biomedical Engineering, NCSU
Location Address: 2450 Alumni Drive, Raleigh, NC 27606. Parking is FREE.
Registration Deadline: Friday August 9, 2019 (CLOSED).
Registration: Registration includes breakfast, buffet lunch, refreshments, and coffee breaks. Registration is FREE.
Schedule and Full Retreat Program can be viewed below.
Full retreat program: View program
Schedule of Events
08:30 AM Registration and Breakfast
09:00 AM Welcome and Updates: The Future of GGI
– Seminar Series
– Research Interest Groups (RIGs)
– GGI Graduate Training Program and Curriculum
– And more!
10:30 AM Coffee Break
11:00 AM Keynote Speaker: Dr. Frances Ligler
“On being a Gemini: Combining science and engineering to help people”
12:00 PM Lunch Buffet and Poster Presentations
01:30 PM Science Talks: Session 1
03:00 PM Coffee Break and Poster Presentations
03:30 PM Science Talks: Session 2
05:00 PM Adjourn