North Carolina wine has certainly matured, and it is helping to revitalize rural economies once dominated by tobacco. With nearly 200 licensed wineries and 2,300 grape-bearing acres, the state now ranks seventh in the United States in terms of wine and grape production. In various ways, UNC System institutions have helped to grow this increasingly important segment of the state’s economy.

The annual Appalachian Energy Summit brings together the region’s energy, sustainability and academic communities for plenary sessions, working groups, a Student Summit, meetings and tours of App State’s energy initiatives. Here’s a preview.

Using the Boone Creek watershed that runs through Appalachian State University’s campus as a laboratory, an interdisciplinary research team at Appalachian has been studying impacts from stormwater runoff and how to manage that runoff.

Bayley Plummer wasn’t meant to sit behind a desk all day, so when the App State basketball star enrolled in Boone she quickly changed her major from accounting, her mother’s profession, to criminal justice, her grandfather’s passion.

When it comes to tracking a tornado, sometimes it’s most effective to hunt in packs. One assistant professor at Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C., is spearheading an effort to do exactly that. Meet Anton Seimon. His work covers an array of topics, from long-term climate-change effects in the Andes Mountains to the dynamics of tornadoes on quick time scales.

With hundreds of open jobs and high starting salaries, sustainability careers are especially promising. Appalachian State University is recognized in ThomasNet’s list as one of the best U.S. schools for degrees in sustainability studies.

Appalachian State crews are taking precautions to protect one of the oldest trees on campus as a new multi-use pathway is being constructed nearby. The white oak tree is located between Newland Hall and Wey Hall, where a “pedestrian pathway connector” is planned by the university in an effort to “unite the two halves of Appalachian’s campus” and to allow for temporary vehicular egress during large athletic and arts events.

The United States is home to thousands of colleges, many of which are surrounded by gorgeous towns. To really escape from it all, head deep into the Blue Ridge Mountains to Boone, North Carolina, home to Appalachian State University. The mix of the mountain and college cultures creates an eclectic vibe for dining and relaxation.

The recent visit of Jared Kushner to Amman left many Jordanians worried that the Kushner plan, or President Trump’s alleged “deal of the century,” will try to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at Jordan’s expense. Appalachian State University professor Dr. Curtis R. Ryan examines why the Kushner peace plan causes alarm in Jordan.