In this episode of The End of Sport, Nathan and Derek sit down with Dr. Tracie Canada, Andrew W. Mellon Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology and Director of The HEARTS Lab at Duke University, to discuss her new book Tackling the Everyday: Race and Nation in Big-Time College Football (University of California Press). A decade in the making, this Black feminist analysis confronts how college football exploits and harms the young Black men who dominate rosters across the United States. While universities and coaches… read more » about Interview With Tracie Canada on the Exploitation and Care in College Football
Stefano Filipazzi studies the geometry of shapes you can’t draw. The new assistant professor of Mathematics is an algebraic geometer. “What I like to do is geometry — study shapes and try to understand their properties. The algebra part of being an algebraic geometer comes from focusing on shapes that can be described by a polynomial equation,” Filipazzi explained. For those whose memories of pre-calculus are a bit dusty, polynomial equations are built by adding up simple ingredients, such as numbers, variables… read more » about Stefano Filipazzi Finds Order in Limitless Complexity
Marguerite Nguyen has been a Blue Devil basketball fan since elementary school. The daughter of Vietnamese refugees who fled Saigon in 1975, Nguyen developed an obsession for ACC basketball and would spend hours watching games in the family’s living room in southeastern Virginia. That early connection to Duke eventually brought her to campus to pursue a B.A. in English. “I knew I wanted to be an English major but didn’t necessarily know what I wanted to do with the major,” she explains. “With a lifelong love for… read more » about Marguerite Nguyen: Scholarship Rooted in the Refugee Experience
“It’s almost impossible to be an informed citizen without understanding the importance of religion across various cultures,” said Daniel Herskowitz, Smart Family Associate Professor in Judaic Studies. “You won’t be able to really understand anything in the news.” Herskowitz joined the Department of Religious Studies in January 2025. A scholar of intellectual history and philosophy with a focus on Jewish thought in the twentieth century, he doesn’t shy away from some of the most controversial figures and events of our… read more » about Daniel Herskowitz: New Perspectives on Jewish Thought
Evert Njomen doesn’t want to waste time. The new assistant professor of Chemistry and HHMI Hanna Gray Faculty Fellow identifies potential drug targets by employing a time-saving method and proteome-wide approach pioneered by her postdoc supervisor, Benjamin Cravatt at the Scripps Research Institute. The approach the Njomen Lab uses allows drugs to be discovered in native systems, like cell cultures or animal models, as opposed to the traditional method of purifying a single protein target and screening millions of… read more » about Evert Njomen Wants to Speed Up Drug Discovery
For Madeline Sutton, joining Duke as assistant professor of the practice in the Thompson Writing Program (TWP) and assistant director of the Writing Studio is a full-circle moment. Sutton brings six years of on-the-ground experience to the Writing Studio, having previously worked in writing centers as an undergraduate, graduate student and graduate assistant director. Now, as assistant director of the TWP Writing Studio she’ll use her experience and expertise to guide all Duke students, regardless of their… read more » about Madeline Sutton Brings Expertise in Writing and Mentorship to the Thompson Writing Program
“I come from a household background that is not very typical in China: My mom earns much more income than my dad, which is the opposite of the conventional cultural norms,” said Wenhao Jiang. The new assistant professor of Sociology now studies inequality, mostly along the lines of gender, in the U.S. labor market. Jiang’s research focuses on the devaluation of jobs that have become more feminized (i.e., increasingly performed by women), and on the cultural mechanisms at play. “When there's an increasing… read more » about Wenhao Jiang Studies the Devaluation of “Women’s Jobs”
Sophomore year is when things start to click, and the unknowns become the familiar. Classes feel more purposeful, friendships run deeper, routines develop and campus becomes home. As our four Trinity students return, the series picks back up to follow their next chapter focused on exploring new opportunities, choosing majors and finding momentum. Through stories, photos, videos and social updates, we’ll capture the energy as they lean in, step up — and hit their stride. Finding Their Stride: Fall Semester“Every Duke… read more » about Trinity in Four Acts: Amylyn De Paz-De Paz
“I study what makes or breaks science,” said Daniel Scott Smith, assistant professor of Sociology. Smith studies the social foundations of science, focusing on peer review — the evaluation process of a scientific paper before it's accepted for publication in a journal. Is this research new? Is it accurate? Does it make a valuable contribution to the literature? Does it generate new ideas and open new paths of research? These are all questions one might ask when evaluating new science for… read more » about Daniel Scott Smith Studies the Scientific Peer Review Process
Sophomore year is when things start to click, and the unknowns become the familiar. Classes feel more purposeful, friendships run deeper, routines develop and campus becomes home. As our four Trinity students return, the series picks back up to follow their next chapter focused on exploring new opportunities, choosing majors and finding momentum. Through stories, photos, videos and social updates, we’ll capture the energy as they lean in, step up — and hit their stride. Finding Their Stride: Fall Semester“Last year,… read more » about Trinity in Four Acts: Drew Smith
After surviving a moderate drought, Arabidopsis develops stronger resistance to pathogens, offering insights for developing stress-resilient plants. Plants, firmly rooted in the soil, face numerous challenges, whether it is battling pathogens or coping with the pressures of a warming climate and drought. This has sparked significant interest among farmers and researchers in understanding how plants adapt to drought conditions. read more » about Lucia Strader Discusses How Plants Boost Their Immune System to Recover from Drought
Four faculty in the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences were recently recognized by the Arts & Sciences Council for outstanding achievements in undergraduate teaching.Each year, the Council’s Committee on Undergraduate Teaching honors outstanding faculty for their commitment to their students, for engaging them deeply in research and scholarship, for their continued development as innovative teachers and mentors, and more.Members of the council — in collaboration with the dean's office — select… read more » about Four Trinity Faculty Receive 2025 Undergraduate Teaching Awards
Before the Fed’s decision was announced Wednesday, the White House was already circulating materials touting the drop in mortgage rates in anticipation of a rate cut.Many economists and former Fed officials agree with the Federal Reserve’s decision to cut rates. Ellen Meade, a research professor at Duke University who spent 25 years at the Federal Reserve board, agreed when NOTUS asked if this is a decision the Fed would have made without pressure from Trump. read more » about Duke Economist Discusses the Fed Voting to Cut Interest Rates
The government's negotiations over TikTok and the Federal Reserve's meeting this week are major business stories with political implications for President Trump - and Jon Hilsenrath is here to discuss both. He's a former economics correspondent for the Wall Street Journal and now a visiting scholar at Duke University. Jon, so framework for a deal is not a deal. So what will you be looking for to see if this one actually becomes a deal? read more » about Jon Hilsenrath Discusses TikTok Deal and the Federal Reserve's Upcoming Meeting
Faculty member Tamika Nunley has won the Journal of Women's History Article Prize for 2025 for her work, “The Intellectual World of Phillis Wheatley and the Politics of Genius” which appeared in the journal's Spring 2024 issue (Volume 36, Number 1). The William & Sue Gross Professor of History and Bass Chair, Nunley is a celebrated historian of African American women’s history and the history of slavery. Her award-winning article examines the life and work of enslaved African American poet Phillis Wheatley and her… read more » about Tamika Nunley Wins 2025 Journal of Women's History Article Prize
It was late in the evening in December and I was sitting at my desk crying. I don’t mean dainty tears, I mean ugly crying. Why? Because the ongoing impact of Covid-19 had exhausted all my mentoring tools (not to mention exhausted me!) and, as a result, I worried that I was failing mentees in crisis in my role as DGS. I simply did not know what to do, and that lack of knowing felt awful. read more » about A Humanist’s Very Human Perspective on the Realities of Mentoring
Assistant Professor of History Mélanie Lamotte has been awarded the French Colonial Historical Society’s 2025 Best Article Prize for “Beyond the Atlantic: Unifying Racial Policies across the Early French Empire,” which appeared in the William & Mary Quarterly Vol. 81, no. 1 (Jan. 2024): 3-36. In the citation for the award, the French Colonial Historical Society notes that Lamotte’s article “ambitiously bridges the stories and historiographies of France’s colonies in North America and the Caribbean with those in the… read more » about Mélanie Lamotte Wins French Colonial Historical Society’s Best Article Prize
Thavolia Glymph, Peabody Family Distinguished Professor of History, was honored with the Distinguished Service to Labor and Working-Class History Award from the Labor and Working-Class History Association (LAWCHA) at its annual meeting in June. She is also the recipient of the 2025 Raymond Gavins Distinguished Faculty Award from the Samuel DuBois Cook Society at Duke University. Glymph has served as President of the American Historical Association (2024), President of the Southern Historical Association (2019-2020… read more » about Thavolia Glymph Wins 2025 Distinguished Service to Labor and Working-Class History Award
Conducted by Jon Hilsenrath, a former Wall Street Journal economics writer and Visiting Scholar at Duke University, in partnership with Duke’s Department of Economics, the survey gathers views from former Federal Reserve officials and staff about the economic and outlook for the U.S. central bank. With the strong likelihood of persistent inflation and elevated unemployment in the years ahead, former Federal Reserve officials and staff argue that the central bank should proceed with gradual interest rate… read more » about New Survey of Former Federal Reserve Insiders Point to Risks to Independence and Policy Outlook
A Duke patch accompanied astronaut Anna Menon to space on the Polaris Dawn mission. (Photo courtesy of Menon) The Duke SPACE Initiative (Science and Policy to Advance Cosmic Exploration) celebrated its successful launch on September 8, 2025, with an event combining ongoing research, views from space and the most traveled Duke memento in history. Directed by Dan Scolnic and Michael Troxel, the Duke SPACE initiative unites hard science with policy-making… read more » about Astronaut Alum Kicks Off Duke SPACE Initiative
Trinity College of Arts & Sciences Dean Gary Bennett laid out his strategic ambitions for the college on Tuesday, Sept. 2, during a new Fall Opening event.Over 250 faculty and staff from across Trinity gathered in Penn Pavilion and heard Bennett speak to the importance of faculty excellence, educational excellence and workplace excellence as foundational to achieving "permanent good.” The phrase is drawn from a 1914 letter by James Preston Few, the president of Trinity College and then first president of Duke… read more » about Dean Gary Bennett Shares Strategic Ambitions During New Fall Opening Event
Recently published research from Duke’s LaBar Lab reveals that painting isn’t just creative — it’s calming. In the study, 99 Duke-affiliated students and staff performed one of two leisure activities on alternate days: abstract painting and solving mazes. While wearing Fitbits to monitor physiological responses, participants consistently experienced greater reductions in anxiety after painting compared to solving mazes, regardless of their level of art experience or prior mental health history. Lucas… read more » about Pick Up a Paintbrush — Your Mind Might Thank You
On May 12–16, 2025, Duke Computer Science hosted 30 Ph.D. students from across the country for a week of learning, brainstorming and networking at the Duke & Chen Institute Joint Boot Camp for AI & AI-Accelerated Medical Research. Made possible with generous support from the Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute, the intensive program prepared research-ready Ph.D. students and postdocs to understand the latest advances in AI technology and its impact on medicine and healthcare. read more » about Duke & Chen Institute Host Boot Camp for AI & AI Accelerated Medical Research
Scott Huettel, Senior Associate Dean for Research in Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, is playing the long game.As a professor in Psychology & Neuroscience, Huettel is well aware of the challenges facing research faculty across all disciplines. In the months since his appointment to the newly-created position, he’s been devising ways to help Trinity faculty identify and secure funding opportunities, as well as ensure students have access to robust research opportunities.Trinity leadership created the… read more » about Meet Scott Huettel, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences’ Inaugural Senior Associate Dean for Research
Five Duke scholars have been selected for fellowships in the 2025-26 “Institute for Faculty Voice and Collaborative Leadership,” organized by the Ivy+ Faculty Advancement Network. Nominated by their deans, they will join a cohort of faculty members from other Ivy+ institutions to develop and apply new approaches to strengthen their leadership strategies in the current academic landscape. read more » about Two Trinity Faculty Chosen for Ivy+ Institute on Leadership in the Current Academic Landscape
The Duke Department of Music is delighted to welcome Clara Rottsolk to the faculty. An accomplished soprano and sought-after interpreter of early and modern repertoire, Clara brings a wealth of performance experience and artistry to her new role. Known for her expressive style and dedication to teaching, she is eager to share her knowledge and inspire the next generation of musicians. We are excited to have her join our community and look forward to the impact she will make. Read below to learn more about Clara's journey!… read more » about Clara Rottsolk Joins Duke University Music Faculty
The appointment of Bénédicte Savoy underscores France’s changing views on the issue of returning artifacts that were wrongly taken during the colonial period. read more » about Louvre Museum Names Advocate for African Art Repatriation, Highlighting Research Collaboration With Duke's Felwine Sarr
This is part of a series of stories about our newest Blue Devils.Coming from Waukesha, a small suburb outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Alice Chen wants a sense of belonging. It’s one of the reasons she chose to take part in Project BUILD, one of Duke’s 21 Experiential Orientation programs that incoming students can participate in during orientation week.“I was apprehensive about coming into a new community so quickly,” said Chen. “I felt like participating in a strongly established program like BUILD, which has really good… read more » about Alice Chen Hopes to Build Community Through Volunteer Work in Durham
Researchers working to understand and develop better therapies for diseases like HIV, cancer, and Parkinson’s have more power than ever before to “see” proteins and their interactions inside cells. Cryogenic electron microscopes visualize frozen proteins in their near-native state, capturing ultra-detailed images. Artificial intelligence-powered analysis then detects patterns and producesaccurate 3D models. But the process of turning raw data into usable protein structures requires stitching together multiple… read more » about New Tool From Duke Researchers Cuts Protein Imaging Time from Months to Days