North Carolina Collaboratory

**About** A collaboratory is a center without walls in which researchers can perform their research without regard to a physical location — interacting with colleagues, employing instrumentation, sharing data and computational resources, and accessing information in digital libraries in a collaborative manner. The North Carolina Collaboratory was established in the summer of 2016 by the North Carolina General Assembly for the purposes of facilitating the dissemination of the policy and research expertise of the University of North Carolina System and other institutions of higher learning across the State for practical use by state and local government. This authorization allows for the Collaboratory’s portfolio to have a broad scope in areas that may utilize academic policy support, including investigations based on science, law, economics, and public health. As part of its mandate, the Collaboratory has been directed to facilitate and fund research related to the environmental and economic components of the management of the natural resources within the State of North Carolina and of new technologies for habitat, environmental, and water quality improvement. In addition, the Collaboratory has a significant COVID-19 research portfolio with more than 90 projects supported by $74 million in funding from the North Carolina General Assembly. **Mission** The Collaboratory facilitates and funds research related to the environmental and economic components of the management of natural resources and public health concerns. The Collaboratory’s work is focused within the State of North Carolina and is designed to inform the policymaking process with the latest research findings and relevant data. The Collaboratory develops and disseminates relevant best practices to interested parties, leads and participates in projects across the State related to environmental quality, natural resource management, and public health, and makes recommendations to the North Carolina General Assembly.