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 HallHunt 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

08:30AMCoffee and light breakfast. Poster and vendor set-up
09:00AMOpening Remarks, Welcome, and Updates
09:30AMScience 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
10:30AMCoffee Break, Posters, & Vendors
11:00AMScience 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
12:00PMLunch
12:45PMPosters & Vendors
01:45PMGGA Contest Winners Announced
02:00PMShift 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.
05:00PMClosing Remarks and Happy Hour
GGA 2nd Annual Retreat – Schedule of Events

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

2019 Retreat Sponsors: