In this episode and season two premiere of The Connector, host and IEI Policy and Program Manager Tarik Woods is joined by Dr. Michael “Mike” Cline, North Carolina’s State Demographer, and Alyssa Brown Moseley, Research Director at Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC). 

North Carolina is expanding rapidly. Most projections estimate that by 2050 more than 14 million people will call North Carolina home, surpassing Ohio and Georgia. Woods, Cline and Moseley discuss these demographic trends shaping the state, what’s drawing new businesses to North Carolina and how the state is responding to its energy landscape to meet these evolving demands.

This episode kicks off a special series previewing the 2025 Emerging Issues Forum: Future Forward Energy, happening on Feb. 19. Tickets for the forum are available at go.ncsu.edu/2025forum.

Find The Connector on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform—or watch this episode on IEI’s YouTube channel.

The Connector podcast explores connections being made across sectors, regions and perspectives resulting in a more vibrant and prosperous North Carolina. To learn more about the Institute for Emerging Issues, visit emergingissues.org.