In this series of four stories, we are highlighting students whose “Why I Learn Languages” essays have been selected as winners of the Trinity Language Council’s 2024 Best Essay competition. Grace Kurtz-Nelson is a senior majoring in Public Policy and French. Through her time at Duke, she deepened her knowledge of French and started Italian. Read and let Kurtz-Nelson tell you, in her own words, how learning languages helped her make life-long friends while she laid the tracks of her future career.… read more » about In Their Own Words: Discovering the Francophone World, From Pen Pals to Policy
DURHAM, NC — April 8th, 2025 – Duke University web series Left of Black, now in its 15th season, has been nominated for Best Video Series in the category of Science & Education inthe 29th Annual Webby Awards. This nomination comes on the heels of winning Gold at the 20th Annual Davey Awards in the latter part of 2024.Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards, presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS), is… read more » about Award-Winning Left of Black Web Series Nominated for the 29th Annual Webby Awards
On April 2, President Donald Trump held his long-promised “Liberation Day,” during which he took to the Rose Garden of the White House and announced a vast swath of tariffs that he will be implementing. Trump’s “Liberation Day” moves saw the introduction of a 10% tariff on all imported goods, and additional import taxes—of varying degrees—placed on 60 other countries.The U.S. and global markets have already started to feel the impact of Trump’s tariffs, with theU.S. stock market taking the worst hit thus far. At the… read more » about Is the U.S. Heading Into a Recession Amid Trump’s Tariffs? Duke Economist Discusses
Sayan Mukherjee, a Professor of Statistical Science, Mathematics, and Biostatistics & Bioinformatics, passed away unexpectedly on Monday, March 31. He was 54 years old.Since 2022, Mukherjee was in Germany as the Alexander von Humboldt Professor for Artificial Intelligence, a prestigious position shared between Leipzig University and the Max Plank Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences. He retained his affiliation with Duke, where he had been a professor since 2004. Prior to Duke, Mukherjee… read more » about Duke Mourns the Death of Statistician and Mathematician Sayan Mukherjee
Over the past decade, two very different ways of calculating the rate at which the universe is expanding have come to be at odds, a disagreement dubbed the Hubble tension, after 20th-century astronomer Edwin Hubble. Experts have speculated that this dispute might be temporary, stemming from subtle shortcomings in observations or analyses that will eventually be corrected rather than from some flawed understanding of the physics of the cosmos. Now, however, a new study that relies on an independent measure of the properties… read more » about The Hubble Tension Is Becoming a Hubble Crisis for Physicists
Alejandra Gonzalez-Acosta is one of 29 students to receive the 2025 Forever Duke Student Leadership Award.Presented annually by Duke Alumni Engagement and Development, the award recognizes graduating students within Duke’s undergraduate, graduate and professional schools for their outstanding leadership and dedication to fostering a strong sense of community at Duke.Gonzalez-Acosta, a Psychology major with minors in Visual Arts and Computational Biology, was nominated by faculty and peers for her leadership in the… read more » about Psychology Senior Awarded for Outstanding Leadership
The John Hope Franklin Humanities Institute has named Adam Rosenblatt, Professor of the Practice of the International Comparative Studies Program, as the new director of the Duke Human Rights Center (DHRC) at FHI. Rosenblatt, a prominent scholar in the fields of anthropology and death studies, will help expand the interdisciplinary perspective of DHRC’s mission of advancing human rights scholarship and practice.“I started reading Adam’s scholarship when he was a candidate for his position in International Comparative… read more » about Adam Rosenblatt Appointed Director of the Duke Human Rights Center
Master’s student Dhaval Potdar needed something to work on over the summer. He came across Data+, an interdisciplinary program for small teams of students to tackle challenges for clients who are often external to Duke. A project to improve operations at Durham Public Schools appealed to him because of the potential societal impact: “I got to do a project which would, if implemented correctly, have an impact on the lives of 30,000 children,” he said. “That’s pretty significant to me.”Potdar shared his experience at a… read more » about Community Engagement Tips From Faculty, Students and Local Partners
We recently caught up with Duke alum Charlie McSpadden T’10, producer of the 2024 romantic comedy A Nice Indian Boy. The film, produced with Levantine Films and starring Karan Soni (Deadpool) and Jonathan Groff (Frozen, Hamilton), is set for a nationwide theatrical release on April 4 and will be screening at Durham’s AMC Southpoint starting April 10.The film follows Naveen (Soni) as he brings his fiancé Jay (Groff) home to meet his traditional… read more » about Q&A with Charlie McSpadden ‘10, Producer of the 2024 Film “A Nice Indian Boy”
Duke University has offered admission to 1,953 students for the Class of 2029.Those accepted through Duke’s Regular Decision process were notified starting at 7 p.m. ET Monday.Duke received about 4,500 more applications than last year for a total of 58,698 applicants.In December, Duke admitted 849 students to the Class of 2029 through its Early Decision application cycle, from 6,714 early applicants, the highest number in the university’s history. Another 220 students were admitted this week under the Early Deferral process… read more » about Duke Welcomes The Newest Members of the Class of 2029
How can we learn to heal from systemic violence in ways that are not suppressive, but expressive? This is the fundamental question that Lenora Lee posed in her talk titled Stories in Motion: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Dance Making on February 28 in the Pink Parlor in the East Duke building. Professor Jingqui Guan, Assistant Professor of the Practice of Dance invited Lee, the Artistic Director of Lenora Lee Dance, to discuss how she combines dance, history, and community as an artist.In her talk, Lee… read more » about Stories in Motion: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Dance Making
Jonathan C. Mattingly, Kimberly J. Jenkins Distinguished University Professor of New Technologies in the department of Mathematics, has been selected as a 2025 SIAM Fellow, one of the highest honors of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM). His nomination and selection recognize his fundamental contributions to stochastic analysis and for applying stochastic tools to scientific and societal problems.The SIAM Fellows are nominated in recognition of their outstanding research and service to the community.… read more » about Jonathan C. Mattingly Selected as a 2025 SIAM Fellow
In this series of four stories, we are highlighting students whose “Why I Learn Languages” essays have been selected as winners of the Trinity Language Council’s 2024 Best Essay competition. Sarah Gorbatov is a junior majoring in Biology and Russian, with a minor in Computer Science, who reconnected with her native Russian through her time at Duke. Read and let Gorbatov tell you, in her own words, how learning languages gave her the tools to reconcile a language of hurt with a language of love. … read more » about In Their Own Words: From Hurt to Love, with Nothing Lost in Translation
In this series of four stories, we are highlighting students whose “Why I Learn Languages” essays have been selected as winners of the Trinity Language Council’s 2024 Best Essay competition. Damilola Bankole is a junior majoring in Global Health and Spanish. Read and let Bankole tell you, in her own words, how learning languages allows her to translates not only words, but emotions, prayers and hopes. Language has always been more than a tool… read more » about In Their Own Words: Languages as a Lifeline
In this series of four stories, we are highlighting students whose “Why I Learn Languages” essays have been selected as winners of the Trinity Language Council’s 2024 Best Essay competition. Charlotte Yew Huixin is a sophomore majoring in Sociology and Public Policy, with a minor in Asian and Middle Eastern Studies (AMES) focused on Korean. Read and let Yew tell you, in her own words, how learning languages helped unveil layers of affection in her… read more » about In Their Own Words: Languages Unveil Layers of Affection
When is a lie acceptable, perhaps even a catalyst for creativity?This is a central question in Pierre Corneille’s “The Liar,” and it remains as thought-provoking today as it was at the play’s premiere in 1644.Directed by Darren Gobert, Duke Theater Studies’ Mainstage production of David Ives’ adaptation of the comedic masterpiece is impish, full of physical humor and surprisingly relevant. It follows the romantic misadventures of Dorante, a young man with a penchant for creative invention, and his servant, Cliton, who is… read more » about "The Liar” Showcases the Joy of Theatrical Make-Believe
The Graduate School is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2025 Dean's Awards, recognizing excellence in mentoring, teaching, and inclusive initiatives.View the recipients' profiles below, including their thoughts on mentoring and teaching, and accolades shared by their faculty. student, and staff colleagues. read more » about Graduate School Grants 9 Dean's Awards for 2025
Six Duke faculty have been elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).Fellowship in AAAS is considered one of the most distinct honors in the scientific community.The 2024 fellows class consists of 471 scientists, engineers and innovators across 24 AAAS disciplinary sections who are being recognized for their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements. “This year’s class of fellows are the embodiment of scientific excellence and service to our communities,” said Sudip… read more » about Five Trinity Faculty Named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
Students in the Class of 2027 participated in the Halfway There Celebration on Abele Quad after declaring their majors. Sponsored by Sophomore Spark, a signature program through QuadEx, Halfway There is an annual event to recognize the accomplishments of the current sophomore class and celebrate the halfway point of their Duke undergraduate experience. Trinity College of Arts & Sciences is home to 35 departments and programs across arts, humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. Approximately 80% of Duke’s… read more » about Trinity Sophomores Declare They Are Halfway There
Senior Faculty at the Duke Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity and Professor of the Practice in Education at Duke UniversityDavid Malone, PhD, joined the Cook Center in 2014, when it first originated as the Duke Consortium on Social Equity. He is currently the Co-Director of the Working Group on Educational Equity & Policy at the Cook Center and a Professor of the Practice in Education. With almost 40 years of experience in leadership, teaching, and research at Duke, Dr… read more » about A Q&A with Senior Faculty David M. Malone
Katherine Brading, D.Phil., is the chair of the Duke Department of Philosophy, in which she is also a professor. Brading received her B.Sc. from King’s College London in 1992, her B.Phil. from the University of Oxford in 1996, and her D.Phil. from the University of Oxford in 2003.Following her D.Phil., Brading moved to the University of Notre Dame (2004-2017), where she received fellowships from the National Science Foundation and the American Council of Learned Societies, and served as Director of the History and… read more » about Philosophy's Katherine Brading Receives Dean’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring
Sarah Marion is a Ph.D. candidate in Biology, expected to complete her program in 2025. She received a B.A. in Biology from Brown University in 2012.Prior to beginning her Ph.D. program, Marion held several positions at Duke, including a college advisor in mentoring undergraduate students, a laboratory instructor, a teaching lab manager, and a research associate in evolutionary genetics research. In these roles, she was known for her characteristic enthusiasm and making personal connections to support students in… read more » about Biologist Sarah Marion Receives Dean’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring
Staci D. Bilbo, Ph.D., is the Haley Family Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke. She received her B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin in 1998, her M.A. from Johns Hopkins University in 2000, and her Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in 2003.Bilbo began as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Colorado before joining Duke, where she was an assistant professor. She spent eight months as a Visiting Scholar at the University of Cambridge. From 2016 to 2019, Bilbo was Director of Research at the Lurie… read more » about Staci Bilbo Receives Dean's Award for Excellence in Mentoring
Rick LaRowe is a principal technical fellow at Raytheon, an RTX company, where he has worked for 22 years. He is currently the software engineering technical director and leads software strategy and roadmaps for AI and machine learning. Prior to joining Raytheon, Rick held senior management and technical positions working in advanced systems and software at Baltimore Technologies, GTE Internetworking, BBN, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and Encore Computers. He has numerous publications and holds four patents… read more » about Alumni Profiles Series: Rick LaRowe
The Department of Art, Art History & Visual Studies (AAHVS) at Duke established the Anti-Racism and Social Justice Initiative in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd, amidst the recognition on a national scale that institutions were called upon to respond to increasing social and cultural tensions. The initial goal of the initiative was to confront and dismantle systemic racism within academia and the arts at Duke, reflecting the department’s commitment to fostering inclusivity and justice through concrete actions… read more » about 2025 Dean's Award: AAHVS Anti-Racism and Social Justice Initiative
It has been nearly a decade since Sandra Valnes Quammen, senior lecturer with the Department of Romance Studies, began exploring ways to integrate sustainability into her language teaching — largely thanks to the Trillium Sustainability Fellows Program. Created by Charlotte Clark, associate professor of the practice of sustainability (now emeritus) at the Nicholas School of the Environment, the program encouraged faculty from outside the environmental sciences to think of ways climate sustainability could intersect with… read more » about Sustainable Conversations
Duke University has awarded distinguished professorships to 31 faculty members and will recognize them in a ceremony at the Washington Duke Inn on May 14.“I am very proud to recognize these outstanding faculty colleagues with distinguished professorships,” said President Vincent E. Price. “Through their extraordinary scholarship and teaching, they are advancing solutions, inventions and cures that will uplift humankind and make a lasting difference in the world.”Distinguished professorships honor faculty who are well-… read more » about Six Trinity Faculty Members Among Duke's New Distinguished Professors
Keohane Distinguished Visiting Professor speaks on reconnecting people to place“We Black folks are a land-based people who must rediscover our relationship to land,” asserts artist and scholar Ashon T. Crawley. “I do not think it can be said that we Black people are ‘of’ the urban north. Even in the urban north, we are a southern land people.”Crawley is the 2024-25 Nannerl Keohane Distinguished Visiting Professor at Duke and UNC Chapel Hill. “One of the things I’m trying to work through is that we’re all southern people,”… read more » about Arts and the American South: Keohane Distinguished Visiting Professor Speaks on Reconnecting People to Place
For years, studies have suggested that many white evangelical Christians reject the scientific consensus that human actions are driving climate change. A just-published study of clergy in America confirms it. According to the National Survey of Religious Leaders, 78% of white evangelical clergy reject the assertion that human actions are the cause of climate change. By contrast, only 27% of Black Protestant clergy and 21% of liberal or mainline Protestant clergy reject it. The study of 1,600 U.S. congregational leaders… read more » about Are Evangelical Clergy Outliers on Science? Duke Researcher Says Yes and No