It’s hard to believe that summer is almost over and the academic year is already upon us. As we enter this season of change, I’ve been thinking lately about what makes the Institute for Emerging Issues unique.

It’s no secret that numerous organizations in North Carolina are doing work in the infrastructure space. So what makes our work different? It’s who we bring to the table and how we utilize the insights and information provided by the partners involved in our work. At IEI, we have an unwavering belief that when people come together with a shared will and common vision, progress is smarter, more comprehensive and enduring.

In the coming weeks, we’ll be releasing the final Recommended Strategies for Strengthening Our Energy Infrastructure from our Energy Infrastructure Advisory Council. As in previous years, our team made it a priority during the 2025 program of work on energy to bring together organizations at the forefront of this space, along with people from different backgrounds and sectors, to inform and advise on these recommendations. We’ll be doing this again when we convene the Water Infrastructure Advisory Council in early September. No other organization is identifying recommendations from a multi-sector, consensus-based approach.

I want to set the expectation that these are not infrastructure recommendations you would expect to see. They’re focused on areas where issues and sectors intersect, including workforce development, energy affordability and investments in community infrastructure. This is not a perfect panacea, but if we can get leaders in education, state government, workforce development, industry, and more to agree on the challenges and potential solutions, imagine the momentum we can create.

Stay tuned.