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Research at Appalachian

Research at Appalachian

Appalachian’s location in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina provides unique opportunities for research and scholarship. Passionate and creative faculty come here to stay, and students learn in academically challenging settings under their close mentorship. Small communities, access to diverse natural resources and significant weather patterns combine with a university culture that supports innovative, interdisciplinary pedagogy, making our location one that is not only stunningly beautiful, but also intellectually stimulating.

Student and faculty research stories

What kind of research could you undertake as an Appalachian student? Read about what our students and faculty are doing in their fields, where and how they learn, and share their work.

stduent with professor handling chemicals

>> Featured research stories

Office of Research and Innovation

The Office of Research and Innovation provides support for the research, creative and scholarly endeavors of Appalachian faculty, staff and students. The office offers assistance with finding funding, writing and submitting proposals, preparing budgets, beginning and managing projects and continued fiscal management of awarded projects.

chemistry student working with professor

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Research News

App State’s rare corpse flower, Mongo, blooms in Biology Greenhouse
November 30, 2023
Glacial lake outburst floods in Alaska and the Himalayas show evolving hazards in a warming world [faculty featured]
October 9, 2023
Ancient Footprints Affirm People Lived in the Americas More Than 20,000 Years Ago [faculty featured]
October 5, 2023
Recover Smarter. Run Stronger [faculty featured]
September 6, 2023
Tiny brains, big data: App State-led project aims to prepare the neuroscientists of tomorrow
August 14, 2023
What a decline in rural colleges means for rural communities [faculty featured]
August 10, 2023
On Everest, App State faculty fine-tune tools for sky-high scholarship
July 27, 2023
How climate change could cause a home insurance meltdown [faculty featured]
July 22, 2023
Spectrograph installed at South Africa’s Boyden Observatory to aid App State, UFS astrophysicists
June 30, 2023
Appalachian Energy Summit announces $1.75 billion in statewide avoided energy costs
June 29, 2023

More research news: Appalachian Today

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Degrees

Professional Development Opportunities from the Office of Research and Innovation

View the Office of Research and Innovation calendar of events

Appalachian faculty actively engage in research

Find out more about our Research Centers and Institutes here:

The value of undergraduate research

Working with professors on meaningful research or creative endeavors gives Appalachian students the skills they need for career or graduate school success.

Graduate Research Associate Mentoring Program

The Cratis D. Williams School of Graduate Studies has a competitive assistantship program, which pays a stipend to graduate students who collaborate with faculty members on their research projects.

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The North Carolina Research Campus - a public-private research center

Appalachian partners with the North Carolina Research Campus, providing our students with extraordinary opportunities to engage in collaborative and multidisciplinary research in human health, nutrition and agriculture.

North Carolina Research Campus

Energy research

International research & development

When individuals from countries and cultures across the globe can share knowledge and experience with one another, all nations benefit. Find out more about the research in which our faculty, staff and students are engaging in crosses boundaries and borders for the betterment of all.

Resources and support

Are you a faculty member, staff member or student looking for resources for your research endeavors? Start here to find some terrific resources available to help.

News

App State research team examines ancient evidence in mass extinctions
January 7, 2022
Dr. Sarah Carmichael describes her job as similar to that of a crime scene investigator — and the evidence she examines is more than 350 million years old. Through her research, Carmichael and her team seek insight on the causes and outcomes of mass extinctions during the Devonian period.
App State leads climate research at the top of the world
December 15, 2021
App State has stepped onto the world stage as the lead institution to operate and maintain weather stations at the highest elevation on the planet — Mount Everest. Funded by the National Geographic Society, the project is creating new opportunities on campus and impacting climate research worldwide.
Fossils offer App State Fulbright Scholar clues on ancient animal evolution
December 10, 2021
App State paleontologist Dr. Andy Heckert has embarked on a Fulbright journey that will take him to Earth’s Northern and Southern hemispheres, where he will study and compare two fossil collections from the Triassic period. His research may yield new insights into how the evolution of ancient vertebrates set the stage for today’s ecosystems.
App State team researches treatments for aggressive breast cancer
December 7, 2021
A research team at App State is investigating effective treatments for triple-negative breast cancer — the type of breast cancer with the least number of and least effective treatment options available.
App State researchers working to save honeybees with informatics
November 23, 2021

A team of faculty researchers at App State and UNC Charlotte are developing a new beekeeping information system to investigate the health, development and genomic diversity of honeybee hives. Their research, awarded a UNC System grant, could help boost declining honeybee populations across the U.S.
Dr. Sarah Evans, App State students to explore how water patterns in melting permafrost affect climate change
November 3, 2021
App State assistant professor Dr. Sarah Evans and App State undergraduate students will spend the next three summers studying water saturation patterns in Alaska’s thawing permafrost — research aimed at providing new insights on the advancement of climate change. Their research is supported by a nearly $690,000 National Science Foundation grant.
App State team studies brain stimulation for ankle sprain rehab
October 19, 2021
Help is on the way for the 50%–70% of people who suffer from recurrent ankle injuries. App State’s Dr. Alan Needle has received $57,349 in grant funding from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Research and Education Foundation for research that might prevent recurrent ankle sprains.
App State's Team Sunergy wins big in US solar racing challenge — No. 1 in Cruiser Class
August 12, 2021
App State’s solar vehicle team, Team Sunergy, swept the 2021 American Solar Challenge — finishing in first place for multiple-occupant vehicles (MOV), winning all three stages of the race from Missouri to New Mexico and clocking a total of 964.8 miles.