Video

"The Institute for Emerging Issues is probably the premier public policy institute in North Carolina."- Former N.C. governor James B. Hunt, Jr.Preeminent state, national and international thought leaders gathered to build a plan for North Carolina's energy future at the 2008 Emerging Issues Forum, held February 11-12 at the McKimmon Center at NC State University. A long-standing signature event in North Carolina, forum organizers brought a diversity of leaders from across the nation and around the world to help inform, engage and mobilize the state."The Institute for Emerging Issues is probably the premier public policy institute in North Carolina," said former North Carolina governor James B. Hunt, Jr. "We've had the top leaders from all over America over those years — Carl Sagan one year, Bill Clinton — you just name it, they've all been here to NC State under the auspices of this forum."The 2008 Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI) Forum is part of a larger program of work on energy and the environment, and attracted record numbers of participants to campus this year. Speakers on hand included The New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman, Nobel Prize winner Rajendra Pachauri, an NC State alum and chairman of the International Panel on Climate Change, as well as U.S. Senator Richard Burr and current N.C. governor Mike Easley.Housed at North Carolina State University, IEI serves the people of North Carolina - challenging state leaders to anticipate future challenges and supporting their response with incisive solutions that benefit all 100 counties across the state. It is a think-and-do tank focused on tackling big issues that affect North Carolina's future growth and prosperity. From energy to fiscal modernization to improving our systems of higher education, IEI takes the lead in convening state leaders in business, nonprofits, higher education and government to address these issues early to prepare for future challenges and opportunities.