While March is celebrated as Women’s History Month, 2025 also marks a milestone: the 50th anniversary of the first United Nations World Conference on Women, held in June 1975 in Mexico City. The first in a series of four U.N. women’s conferences — which included Copenhagen in 1980, Nairobi in 1985 and Beijing in 1995 — the 1975 conference is considered by scholars to have been “a watershed moment.” Yet, few know about it. Professor of History Jocelyn Olcott wrote the book — or one of the books — on this landmark event… read more » about Revisiting a Landmark in Global Feminism: Jocelyn Olcott Discusses the 50th Anniversary of the U.N. International Women’s Year Conference
“This is a really sweet, full-circle moment for me,” said Tracie Canada, Andrew W. Mellon Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology.Canada’s first book, “Tackling the Everyday: Race and Nation in Big-Time College Football,” published by the University of California Press in February, has roots in her days as an undergraduate at Duke.When she was a sophomore, Canada started asking questions about the experiences of students who participate in college sports — especially the high-stakes, lucrative worlds of… read more » about Strong Relationships Help Black College Football Players “Tackle the Everyday”
Carter Zenke ’20 was initially drawn to Duke because of its interdisciplinary strengths. He began his academic journey in Duke’s Pratt School of Engineering, focusing on electrical and computer engineering. But he quickly realized his interests were much broader. Zenke moved to Trinity and created his own interdisciplinary major through Program II, an individualized degree program for students whose interests cross departmental boundaries. read more » about Carter Zenke Shares His Journey Through Interdisciplinary Education at Duke
“Transformative ideas,” explained keynote speaker Roosevelt Montás, “are ideas that have the power to transform the world and transform you.”Hundreds of Duke students and faculty were listening and engaging. The first evening of the Transformative Ideas and POLIS Symposium kicked off in style last Thursday evening with a “Spring in the 20s” ball. Think suits, long dresses and live jazz.“We wanted to inspire our students and bring people together to reflect back and think forward at Duke’s centennial. Live jazz seemed to… read more » about Transformative Ideas and Polis Programs Bring Serious Fun
Established when Germany was still divided by a wall, Duke in Berlin has provided students with a truly immersive study abroad experience for nearly 40 years. Administered by the Global Education Office (GEO) and sponsored by German Studies, the program is available during both fall and spring semesters as well as the summer — with options to stay in the city anywhere from one semester to a year. Together with the team at GEO, Andrea Larson, Duke in Berlin’s academic director, ensures students are well-prepared… read more » about When Berlin Is Your Classroom
Elle Chavis, a native of Dallas, TX, is a second-year Duke English major and Robertson Scholar. Chavis has always loved reading and writing, which ties into her desire to pursue a career in sports journalism. Chavis is a sports reporter for the Duke Chronicle covering softball, women's basketball, and women's soccer. read more » about Meet English Major Elle Chavis
Perfectionism, although a way to control our surroundings, can often control us. As a student in the stressful and competitive environment of college, I’ve seen the pursuit of perfection overwhelm me and those around me. These incidents caught the attention of Duke psychiatry and behavioral science professors Nancy Zucker and Rachel Alison Adcock. The two decided to do an in-depth study of perfectionism, and how perfectionists can better handle their stress and be more productive. read more » about The Imperfect Ways of a Perfectionist
Duke is equipping students to respect differing viewpoints in a variety of ways. This Duke Today series examines the decline in civil discourse and Duke’s efforts to improve campus dialogue.A few years back, Norman Wirzba was pondering how best to get 150 Duke students to have civil, respectful class discussions about climate change, a charged topic that prompts myriad opinions.His solution: food.He and co-organizer Emily Bernhardt knew mealtime conversations land differently than classroom conversations. Your guard is down… read more » about Putting Climate Talk on Low Heat
A new survey produced in partnership with the Duke Department of Economics is offering informed predictions from former Federal Reserve officials and staff on how the central bank may act to impact monetary policy. The results of the new survey will be released in advance of the March, July, September and December meetings of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy body. The survey will provide advance insight into the Summary of Economic Projections, the FOMC’s own… read more » about New Survey Partnership Offers Federal Reserve Insights
For Khiyali Pillalamarri, pursuing a double major in Theater Studies and Mathematics is completely rational. Inspired by her grandmother’s mantra that “All knowledge is one,” the senior finds harmony in blending the creativity of the arts with the precision of mathematics, proving that logic and imagination can be two sides of the same equation. Homeschooled until high school, Pillalamarri thrived in a world where exceptional math resources were always within reach, and she had the freedom to decide her path of study.… read more » about Equations and Encores
Ingrid Daubechies, a mathematician at Duke University, is an expert on many matters, not least the baking of cookies in the shape of pi, the mathematical constant that equals the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, or roughly 3.14159. Dr. Daubechies plans to bake pi cookies to celebrate Pi Day, which is this Friday, March 14 — 3/14. That day is also the International Day of Mathematics; the theme in 2025 is mathematics, art and creativity.For the occasion, this year Dr. Daubechies is visiting the University… read more » about A Mathematical ‘Fever Dream’ Hits the Road with Duke Mathematician
My guest is Dr. Herman Pontzer, Ph.D., a professor of evolutionary anthropology and global health at Duke University, known for his research on human bioenergetics, particularly energy expenditure and the exercise paradox. We discuss his work comparing highly active hunter-gatherer groups to more sedentary cultures, exploring their total energy expenditure and the surprising similarities.We examine the impact of factors such as age, sex, exercise, and pregnancy on daily energy expenditure. We also break down whether diet or… read more » about Herman Pontzer: How We Really Burn Calories & Lose Weight
For over 35 years, the Benenson Awards in the Arts has provided Duke undergraduates with funding to pursue summer arts training, research, or projects. But what happens after the grant? How does that experience shape an individual’s creative journey years down the line? We reached out to four Duke alums who received Benenson Awards to hear where they are today. From launching professional opportunities to shaping new creative directions, their stories reveal the lasting impact of this grant on their professional and… read more » about From Grant to Growth: Duke Alums Reflect on Their Benenson Award
Less common doesn’t mean less impactful. Learning Turkish wasn’t just an academic pursuit for Erin Dickerson — it was a personal journey to connect more deeply with her identity. Now, she’s preparing for a career in U.S. diplomacy AND embracing the language she always longed to study. Didem Havlioglu knows that language study offers students more than just classroom learning — it fosters a deep, personal connection with different cultures. Reflecting on her experiences of learning… read more » about Languages Less Traveled
DURHAM, N.C. -- As erratic weather upends the seasonal rhythms that crops depend on, farmers in the island nation of Madagascar are feeling the effects but struggle to adapt to the new normal.That’s one of the key takeaways of a recent survey of nearly 500 small-scale farmers in the country’s northern Sava region, which produces about two thirds of the world’s vanilla beans.One farmer said she is noticing streams and rivers drying up, making it harder to work the rice paddy that provides the mainstay of her household’s diet… read more » about In the Heart of Vanilla Country, Farmers on the Climate Frontlines Struggle to Adapt
Imagine being able to effortlessly monitor wildlife in real time, continuously gathering information about which species live where, how they interact and how environmental changes affect them. In the midst of a biodiversity crisis — where species are disappearing before they’re even discovered — having such a capability would be groundbreaking for science, conservation and policy.Thanks to a newly funded grant from the National Science Foundation and the Academy of Finland, Arts & Sciences Distinguished… read more » about AI-Powered Biodiversity Monitoring: Revolutionizing How We Track Nature’s Hidden Patterns
In a cozy West Campus classroom, students sit engrossed in lively conversations about family pets. Occasionally, a light hand clap or trill of soft laughter escapes, but the steady hum of the HVAC system remains the loudest sound in the room. Silently, instructor Kraig Klingenberg brings the group activity to a close and seamlessly begins to introduce new vocabulary to the attentive undergrads in the latest language offering at Duke: American Sign Language (ASL).Although the… read more » about Language in Three Dimensions
The Duke Law Center on Law Race & Policy (CLRP) hosted its monthly CLRP Scholarship Mash-Up on February 27 featuring Kerry L. Haynie, Duke University’s dean of the social sciences and professor of Political Science and African and African American Studies. During the Mash-up, Haynie presented on his chapter “The Obama coalition and the future of American politics,” discussing the future of American politics, and he oriented the chapter around a robust discussion on the rise and fall of the rainbow coalition. read more » about CLRP Hosts Scholarship Mash-Up Featuring Kerry L. Haynie
The recent announcement that the National Institutes of Health would cap reimbursement of facilities and administrative (F&A) costs on research grants at 15% would significantly slow or cease scientific and biomedical research in critical areas like Alzheimer’s, cancer, infectious diseases and pediatric health.On Friday, Feb. 21, a federal judge extended a temporary restraining order against the new rate, but the situation remains far from resolved. A significant reduction in F&A costs would have serious… read more » about Explainer: Why Universities Need Support for Research Facilities and Administrative Costs
In the rapidly developing contest between human creativity and artificial intelligence algorithms, professional artists still have an edge in producing more creative AI-assisted artwork than the AI programs themselves or novice artists, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.The rapid advancement of AI raises some existential questions about the nature of creativity, said lead researcher Paul Seli, PhD, an assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University. read more » about Duke Neuroscientist Finds Professional Artists Viewed as More Creative Than AI Programs
Elizabeth Romage, a junior majoring in Public Policy, used to struggle to figure out where her voice fit in writing assignments amidst the boxes she had to check off and goals she needed to accomplish.“There's a conception that you need to start by gathering your resources and outlining, followed by writing those five paragraphs that we were all taught to do,” she said. If you follow the formula, you produce a draft, make edits and finally have a finished product.Romage credits the class History of Writing Studies… read more » about History of Writing Studies Class Helped Public Policy Major Find Her Voice
Until recently, a philosophy doctoral student looking for a dissertation subject would likely choose from an impressive but limited group of historical thinkers. Kant. Descartes. Voltaire. All men. All white.A decade ago, a humanities project at Duke set out to elevate many of the lesser-known women of the field. Called Project Vox, it was a multidisciplinary attempt to discover and spotlight many female philosophers whose impact on the field was either buried over time or never properly recognized at all.It worked.For 10… read more » about Lost and Found: Bringing History’s Female Philosophers to the Forefront
Discover how student-driven demand is expanding ASL (American Sign Language) courses at Duke University. Learn about the vibrant classroom environment, the cultural connections made through ASL, and the growing opportunities to study this expressive language. Watch to see how ASL is bridging communities and inspiring students. read more » about American Sign Language: Why Do You Study That?
