Elliott Loverin, a junior majoring in Psychology with a minor in musical theater, is focused on the intersections of developmental, abnormal and social psychology. He’s also intrigued by the interactions between individual psychopathology and group dynamics, especially in young people.“Gaining insight into the processes that govern human behavior inspired me to pursue psychology, and its diverse applications allow me to investigate the topics I find interesting within the field.”Loverin’s theater career began with an… read more » about Psychology Student Hones Critical Thinking Skills in Theater
On February 16, the Department of Romance Studies hosted a celebration of recently published faculty books, listed below. Many of the works were published just before or during the COVID-19 pandemic, which prohibited the opportunity to honor the research achievements that each represents. Martin Eisner, a featured faculty author and department chair, shared remarks with colleagues at the celebration: “Although each of these books deserves its own individual celebration, the party is an attempt to recognize… read more » about Romance Studies Department Celebrates Recently Published Faculty Books
After teaching about climate change for 18 years, Emily Bernhardt knows how difficult the subject is for students. “When you say, ‘let’s talk about climate change,’ they don’t feel great,” said Bernhardt, James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Biology, last week at the Academic Council. “The topic overwhelms people. They end up feeling more sad in these discussions when you start with the science, saying ‘it’s a lot worse than you think.’” Duke’s Climate Commitment is beginning to change that, said Bernhardt and a… read more » about Faculty Exchange Ideas on Duke’s Climate Commitment in Academic Council
Who doesn’t dream of owning a house that automatically closes the windows when it starts to rain, or a car that copes with traffic so you don’t have to? The science fiction of yesterday is today’s reality, and even better days are on the horizon. Such is the promise of “smartness.” It’s touted as the answer to all of humanity’s problems, a path not just to prosperity but to the very survival of our species. Is a smart future inevitable, though? What would a world constructed by smartness look like, and is it the best… read more » about Does “Smart” Always Make Sense? Robert Mitchell’s The Smartness Mandate Tackles Our Global Obsession
If you read any of the many stories written just last week about ChatGPT and generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, you likely noticed a lot of both hype and concerns: ChatGPT will help students to better express their ideas. ChatGPT will lead young people down dark rabbit holes, end take-home exams and lead to layoffs. On Friday, a multidisciplinary panel of scholars and industry professionals broke down where the hype is overstated and the dangers overblown, but also where the benefits are possible and the… read more » about ChatGPT Is Here to Stay. What Do We Do With It?
Selected as this year’s Duke Chapel Student Preacher, first-year student Erin Dickerson will deliver a sermon in the chapel worship service at 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 5. A double major in Turkish and International Comparative Studies, Dickerson’s sermon, titled “Resting in the Lord,” is based on the Bible’s Psalm 121. “Psalm 121 is about finding rest in God, and God protecting us,” said Dickerson, who is a member of the Duke Wesley campus ministry and also attends the Summit Church in Durham. “It can be tempting to find… read more » about Duke Chapel Student Preacher Sermon March 5 to Focus on Rest in God
DURHAM, N.C. -- The “deathbed rally,” the “last hurrah” -- it’s not unheard of for living things to mysteriously perk up in the moments before death. It turns out that plants do it too, at least at the cellular level. A new study shows that diseased plant cells rally before their final demise, cranking up their protein-making machinery before life fades away. This end-of-life surge serves an important purpose: it actually helps the rest of the plant stay healthy, says Duke biology professor Xinnian Dong. Dong and… read more » about Dying Plant Cells Alert Healthy Cells to Save Themselves From Disease
Name: Jorge Fidhel Gonzalez Position: Supervisor of the Research Greenhouses for the Department of Biology Years at Duke: 13 What he does at Duke: Jorge Fidhel Gonzalez starts every workday by surveying his workspace: the Research Greenhouses that span about 15,000 square feet. Donning cargo shorts, a T-shirt and knee-high rubber boots, his first task is to walk across the sprawling facility behind the Biological Science Building, stopping by… read more » about Blue Devil of the Week: A Caretaker for 1,000 Plants
“Don’t burn the onions.” From the faculty kitchen in the John Hope Franklin Center, the sounds of determined chopping and intermittent laughter mixed with the intoxicating aromas of cardamom, coriander, fennel and cumin escape down the hallway. In the middle of the bustle stands Kusum Knapczyk, Hindi lecturer in the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (AMES). As she checks each student’s progress, she also provides encouragement and instructions in Hindi — or in English for urgent matters. The 15… read more » about Cultural Connections, One Meal at a Time
Serra Güllü was just 2 years old in 1999 when a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck the city of İzmit in Turkey, killing thousands and damaging tens of thousands of homes and buildings. From Istanbul, Güllü was too young to remember that day, but her family does, and she’s heard the horror stories. Twenty-four years later, Güllü, a student in the Masters in Analytical Political Economy (MAPE) program at Duke, has been fielding inquiries from friends and family about the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that rocked her country in the… read more » about Turkey’s Fate Was Sealed by Failures – Both Structural and Political, Experts Say
The world of filmmaking is a notoriously insular industry. For students at Duke interested in succeeding in the field, it isn’t only the physical distance from Hollywood that can make the leap into film complicated. The connections and specialized knowledge necessary to break into the industry can be hard to come by. Duke’s Benenson Awards in the Arts helps students make these connections. The Benenson Award provides undergraduates with summer funding for a variety of training experiences, research opportunities or… read more » about Benenson Awards Help Students Explore Paths Through Filmmaking
Gary G. Bennett, an award-winning instructor and scholar of health behavior, began his term as dean of Trinity College of Arts & Sciences on Feb. 1. In an inaugural message to Trinity faculty and staff, he reflected on how the college is uniquely prepared to meet the challenges facing higher education – and to lead the way for others – as a consistently excellent academic community. Bennett's approach to his first weeks in office is to "learn Trinity as a newcomer might...engaging with as many colleagues as… read more » about A Dean’s First Days
Could you stay in a dorm-sized chamber for 36 hours to advance science? This room is actually a sealed chamber that can measure a person’s metabolic rate by analyzing all the air going in and out of the room while they conduct different activities like sleeping, working or biking. Herman Pontzer, associate professor of evolutionary anthropology, is using this special room to study whether a person’s genetics or size affect their metabolism. This is part of the Check It Out series of short videos on science research at… read more » about A 36-Hour Stay in a Chamber to Advance Metabolism
Undergraduate research doesn’t happen by accident. It takes intentionality through dedicated faculty mentors willing to teach and work with students. For those committed to assisting students in becoming researchers, involving them in the research process takes sacrifice and care. When done successfully, the benefits for both faculty and students can be lasting. This is the picture that Academic Dean Sarah Russell and the newly named Director of Undergraduate Research Support, Jessica Harrell, model as they work together… read more » about New Director of Undergraduate Research Finds Mentorship is the Future of Student Research
Yuansi Chen, assistant professor of Statistical Science, and Kevin Welsher, associate professor of Chemistry, have been named Sloan Research Fellows for 2023. Awarded annually since 1955, Sloan Research Fellowships are one of the most prestigious awards available to U.S. and Canadian researchers. Yuansi Chen Chen’s research focuses on sampling algorithms – procedures that allow us to draw samples out of a distribution or population. They give us a glimpse into the unknown, whether the unknown is… read more » about Two Trinity Faculty Named 2023 Sloan Research Fellows
Celebrate the renewal of spring with a book from a Duke author. This season of new and upcoming books that cover a variety of times, places and subjects from the arts to computer science. The writings include studies of body shaming in the theater, civil defense in Japan, intellectual conformity in higher education and a cautionary look at the future of brain hacking. Many of the books, including new editions of previous titles, can be found on the “Duke Authors” display shelves near the circulation desk in Perkins… read more » about Spring Books from Duke Authors from Wittgenstein to Capoeira
