North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics

Take a closer look at the impressive research our students are doing this summer! Today we held the Mentorship Celebration Symposium at NCSSM-Durham, where students from Durham, Morganton, and Online presented the work that they, and their mentors from our partner universities, have conducted over the past several weeks.

The Mentorship Program at NCSSM would not be possible without support from the NCSSM Foundation, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, NCSSM state funds, and the dedication of all departments at NCSSM!

This year marks several decade milestones within NCSSM Extended Learning: 10 years of Summer Accelerator, 30 years of NCSSM Connect, and 40 years of Summer Ventures in Science and Mathematics! 🎉

NCSSM offers students many convenient ways to have an NCSSM experience—our outreach offerings serve two and a half times as many students as our Residential program, truly making NCSSM “North Carolina’s high school.” Comment if you've experienced one!

Read more on our website about these programs and how they have shaped generations of students: https://www.ncssm.edu/news/ncssm-celebrating-a-trio-of-extended-learning-milestones

Are you an NCSSM alumni who is running for public office this year? Know of one who is? We want to hear from YOU! 🫵 We're interested in publishing a roundup of all NCSSM alums who are running for public office this year — whether in North Carolina, elsewhere in the United States, or anywhere in the world. Please send candidate names and information to the NCSSM Communications team at [email protected]. Thanks in advance!

Alumni spotlight: Amy Xie ‘12! ✨ Amy works with the Centers for Disease Control as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer. When disease outbreaks or other public health threats emerge, EIS Officers investigate, identify the cause, rapidly implement control measures, and collect evidence to recommend preventive actions.

Amy is nearing the end of her first year of a two-year fellowship with the CDC, and recently was a speaker at the CDC’s annual EIS Conference! Read the full story about her journey from NCSSM-Durham student to public health professional here: https://www.ncssm.edu/news/public-health-career-reflects-12-alums-sense-of-self

Fun fact: While at NCSSM, Amy participated in the Research in Chemistry program, and, as a Conrad Scholar, flew with her research project aboard NASA’s famous “Vomit Comet,” an aircraft which simulates microgravity through parabolic flights!

Photos of cow feet could soon be coming to smartphones on farms all around the country thanks to NCSSM alum Catie McVey! The Class of 2011 graduate has won a $50K SEED grant from NC IDEA to improve an app she created called OsRostrum that uses 3D scanning and AI to help farmers assess the overall health of their cows using hoof photos.

Just like with people, bad feet can significantly hamper an animal’s ability to move about freely and comfortably, which, in turn, can lead to a host of other issues that could affect cattle health and a farm’s bottom line. With an app-generated report on each cow, farmers will have more info to make decisions about herd management.

As McVey says in this story from GrepBeat, “It turns out it’s actually really frustrating when [your cows] have Ferrari genetics and flat tires." https://grepbeat.com/2024/06/06/osrostrum-gives-dairy-farmers-a-hand-with-their-cows-hooves/

OsRostrum Gives Dairy Farmers A Hand With Their Cows’ Hooves An alum of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics and NC State is developing an iPhone-based app that uses 3D scanning, computer vision, and machine learning to help increase cows& #82…

Happy first day of summer! ☀️ School may be out, but NCSSM summer programs are in full swing and engage hundreds of additional students in an NCSSM experience! From fun and engaging STEM courses to real-world research opportunities, head to our website to learn more about what summertime at NCSSM looks like: https://www.ncssm.edu/summer

One of our alumni is a Tony Award WINNER! 🏆 A huge congrats to producer Lamar Richardson '11 on his TWO wins last night: Best Revival of a Play for ‘Appropriate’ and Best Revival of a Musical for ‘Merrily We Roll Along’. We sat down with Lamar last year to discuss his outstanding journey from dramatically reading scripts in an NCSSM classroom to the big stage. Read the full story here: https://www.ncssm.edu/news/alumnus-follows-heart-from-ground-floor-classroom-to-broadway

The legendary Elizabeth Moose, NCSSM's Dean of Humanities, is retiring at the end of June after 31 years of service to the school! In addition to her impact on the lives of so many students and colleagues, Moose is known for her passions in literature, teaching, and Greek culture. She led 10 years of student trips to Greece and will be heading back to the region very soon to swim and bike during her retirement.

Read her reflections on her career and her legacy at NCSSM on our website: https://www.ncssm.edu/news/longtime-humanities-dean-retiring-after-more-than-three-decades-of-service

Listen to five NCSSM-Morganton Class of 2024 graduates describe what it was like to accept the greater challenge.

NCSSM Morganton Inaugural Class of 2024 Celebrate the inaugural graduation of NCSSM-Morganton's Class of 2024! Watch as our students share their stories of personal growth, overcoming challenges, a...

Students accepted to NCSSM-Durham, NCSSM-Morganton, and NCSSM-Online can complete an application to receive financial assistance. This assistance can help with testing waivers, college application fees, stipends and more.

To apply, parents should log into their Blackbaud accounts and complete the required form.

https://www.ncssm.edu/admissions/financial-assistance

CONGRATS to the NCSSM Online Class of 2024! 🎓 Representing nearly 60 counties across North Carolina, about 230 seniors dressed in a rainbow of robes (representing their home high school) were honored for completing the Online program today. We heard speeches from Chancellor Roberts and student remarks speaker Keya Mahajan, then watched proudly as our seniors walked the stage to accept their certificates.

Read more about the Online Recognition Ceremony and see the full photo gallery here: https://www.ncssm.edu/news/ncssm-concludes-busy-ceremonial-weekend-with-ncssm-online-recognition

CONGRATS Unicorns! 🎓 Today we celebrate the 43rd graduating class of NCSSM-Durham! Nearly 320 seniors with dark blue robes walked across the stage with triumph this morning, making their mark as official NCSSM-Durham alumni. We heard wonderful speeches from Keynote speaker Adam Falk ’83, Chancellor Roberts, and student address speaker Lucia Paulsen. Join us in the comments to congratulate our hardworking students on all they have achieved!

Read more about NCSSM-Durham’s Commencement ceremony and see the full photo gallery here: https://www.ncssm.edu/news/ncssm-durham-honors-43rd-graduating-class

CONGRATS Dragons! 🎓 Today, nearly 150 seniors graduated from the NCSSM-Morganton Residential program and are now the very FIRST class of NCSSM-Morganton alumni! While basking in the mid-morning sunshine, we heard wonderful speeches from Keynote speaker Peter Hans, Chancellor Roberts, and student address speaker Rachel Joel, then watched our seniors walk across the stage with victory. We’re so proud of everything they have accomplished during the last two years and we can’t wait to see them thrive in their next chapter!

Read more about NCSSM-Morganton’s Commencement ceremony and see the full photo gallery here: https://www.ncssm.edu/news/ncssm-morganton-graduates-historic-first-class

This weekend will be a historic one for NCSSM — we're holding not one, not two, but THREE ceremonies for graduating seniors! 🎓

Friday: NCSSM-Morganton graduates its very FIRST class of Residential students
Saturday: NCSSM-Durham 43rd Commencement ceremony
Sunday: NCSSM Online Recognition Ceremony

Read more about all three ceremonies on our website: https://www.ncssm.edu/news/ncssm-prepares-for-historic-end-to-academic-year

Let's honor Dan Teague by creating an NCSSM endowed faculty position in his honor! If we raise $1.1 million, NCSSM becomes eligible for a $1 million match from the state, which would permanently fund an additional teaching position in math.

Dr. Teague began his journey at NCSSM in 1982, igniting a passion for learning that has transcended generations. He isn't just a teacher; he is a beacon of inspiration, transforming lives through the captivating world of math. As Dr. Teague retires in June, join us in honoring his 40+ years of service to NCSSM by contributing to the Dan Teague Endowed Faculty Chair, ensuring that his spirit continues to inspire minds for years to come.

Head here to learn more and make your gift today: https://www.givecampus.com/bapgrn

Dan Teague Distinguished Professorship Endowment Join me and make a gift to the Dan Teague Endowed Chair in Mathematics

Our very own Dr. Tamar Avineri, a two-decade veteran of NCSSM’s mathematics department, has been honored with the 2024 University of North Carolina Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching! 👏👏👏

For Tamar, what resonates deeply is that she was lifted up for the award by family — which is how she thinks of her colleagues at NCSSM. “A few years ago, a colleague said working here is not a job, it’s a lifestyle,” she says. “I have adopted that because it is so true. It’s part of me and I feel I am part of this community.” It's also the students who bring her the most joy. From the school’s Residential program to its Online program and its synchronous videoconferencing studios, she has touched the lives of thousands of students throughout North Carolina.

Join us in congratulating Tamar on winning this outstanding award! Do you have any special memories or stories of her? Feel free to share in the comments below! In the meantime, read our profile about her here: https://www.ncssm.edu/news/veteran-math-teacher-recognized-with-prestigious-award-from-unc-system

Join us in welcoming the NCSSM Residential Class of 2026! 🎉 This year we witnessed a record-breaking number of applications, nearly 2,000, with 476 selected for admission school-wide. These new students come from every corner of North Carolina, representing all 14 congressional districts.

Though junior move-in is still months away, incoming students to both campuses recently got a head start on forming a sense of community thanks to Welcome Days hosted by NCSSM Admissions. Read more about the Class of 2026 here: https://www.ncssm.edu/news/21537

What’s one piece of advice you would give to an incoming NCSSM student? Let us know in the comments!

Have you ever heard of a MOON TREE? 🌙🌳 Thanks to NASA and Christina Koch '97, both our Durham and Morganton campuses have been gifted special tree saplings that began as seeds flown around the moon on NASA's uncrewed Artemis 1 mission in 2022. While these little saplings may look like twigs for now, they'll soon grow into impressive trees that future generations of NCSSM students will be able to look up to. The very first moon tree seeds were flown on Apollo 14 in 1971, with many now standing as mature trees all around the U.S. and the world.

Welcome to the NCSSM Student Research Symposium! With the help of mentors and faculty sponsors, Durham and Morganton students have been working hard this academic year on their original research projects. Yesterday was the big day to share their findings! Posters and displays were set up on both campuses with impressive research for instructors, mentors, families, and peers to learn from.

If you had the chance to ask an astronaut a question... what would it be? 🚀🌙 Today, we had the honor of speaking with NASA astronaut and NCSSM alumna Christina Koch ’97 live on Zoom! Durham, Morganton, and Online students asked questions about her experience in space and what steps were taken to land her dream career.

Christina has been assigned as Mission Specialist I of NASA’s Artemis II mission — a journey around the moon, launching in September of 2025, that will pave the way for future lunar surface missions. She also holds a record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman, a total of 328 days in space, and participated in the first all-female spacewalk.

Happy solar eclipse day! What percent totality were you able to see? Those on our Durham campus experienced 80%, while Morganton saw just a bit more at 83%. Students and staff kept their retinas safe with special eclipse-viewing glasses provided by the NCSSM Foundation.

Lean In, Women in Science is an annual event that features accomplished women in STEM talking about their careers, challenges, and successes. The event, taking place on our Durham campus, will start as a panel discussion with these women scientists, followed by smaller breakout groups for dinner where attendees can chat casually with a panel member. This is designed especially for high school students interested in STEM, but all are welcome. We hope to see you there!

When: Thursday, April 18, 4:00 - 6:15 p.m.
Where: NCSSM-Durham

This event is FREE and open to the public. Pre-registration is required to participate, but seats are filling up fast! Head to our website to learn more and register: https://www.ncssm.edu/events/lean-in-women-in-science-2024

Lean In, Women in Science is an official event of the North Carolina Science Festival.

There’s still time left to be part of the NCSSM March Challenge! The Class of 1986 is currently in the lead, but that can change at any time — it’s up to you! Do you think your class has what it takes to win? Head here to make your gift by April 9: https://www.givecampus.com/bgejr7

Shoutout to number 22: Rob Landry, NCSSM Class of 2019! As the UNC-Chapel Hill men's basketball team heads into the NCAA tournament today as a No. 1 seed, there's a Unicorn among them — and it's not his first time at the big dance.

Read our profile on Rob Landry '19 to learn more about his journey from NCSSM to UNC-CH walk-on to the 2022 Final Four — with a double-major in biochemistry and business along the way. Landry was recently honored on Senior Night at UNC, when he got the opportunity to be a starter. https://www.ncssm.edu/news/a-unicorn-goes-to-the-ncaa-final-four

Spring has sprung at NCSSM! 🌷 Warmer weather calls for picnics, slacklining, and sharing good vibes with friends.

Join friends of NCSSM everywhere in saying thank you to Dr. Virginia "Ginger" Wilson! She spent the majority of her teaching career fostering the intellectual development of NCSSM-Durham students, and now in her retirement, she continues to give to the school as one of NCSSM’s most generous donors. Yesterday, Chancellor Roberts publicly presented a plaque with Dr. Wilson’s name that will greet visitors to the chancellor’s suite on NCSSM-Durham's campus, which is being named in her honor.

“I put forth my best effort because I love the school and I love the students. And I don’t feel like I gave 30 years of myself to the school. I look at it as the school gave me 30 years to be here. I could not have asked for a better teaching situation.” —Ginger Wilson

Read more about her on our website: https://www.ncssm.edu/news/ncssm-honors-dr-virginia-ginger-wilson-faculty-emerita-for-service-and-philanthropic-support