In the discussion on how political polarization began in the United States, Dr. Charmaine Royal (AAAS) said that the "The United States was never together in the first place. However, with The national Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation (TRHT) framework in Dukes, it provides an opportunity for a diverse group of people to come together and listen to and share authentic stories about their lives. Read more! read more about Professor Charmaine Royal Discusses Political Polarization and Racial Healing »
Congratulations to Dr. Gustavo Silva (Biology), who is among the 13 recipients of the Dean’s Award for inclusive excellence in graduate education. The Dean's Award recognizes outstanding efforts by faculty, graduate students, and departments/programs in mentoring, teaching, and creating inclusive spaces for graduate education. The recipients will be recognized at an in-person reception on March 30. Click the link below for the list of the recipients. More details about each recipient will be posted… read more about Dr. Gustavo Silva Receives the 2023 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring »
Congratulations to Dr. Brigit Carter (Nursing) for winning the Raymond Gavins Distinguished Faculty Award from the Samuel Dubois Cook Society. The award recognizes the honoree’s community members who follow Dr. Cook's example of social activism and leadership. Other recipients include Elaine M., Oneal (Service), Lisa Davis (Staff), Kamillah Kasam (Graduate Student) and Kansi Udochukwu (Undergraduate). The 2023 Awards Ceremony will be held at 5:30 PM on… read more about Congratulations to Dr. Brigit Carter , recipient of the 2023 Samuel DuBois Cook Faculty Award »
In this interview to Profiles in Brain Sciences, Dr. Jamila Minga (SoM) discusses her research investigating how people communicate differently after right hemisphere brain damage, including how those changes are affected by race. She also shares some of the joys and challenges of working with stroke survivors, and her loves of cooking, science fiction, and time with her family when she’s not at work. Click to read more. read more about Meet Dr. Jamila Minga, PhD: Communicating Through the Right Side of the Brain »
Shanna Fitzpatrick (CFO Graduate School), Sheba Hall (Coordinator, Medical Education), and Gwendolyn Wright (Strategy, Cook Center) are among the eight individuals who earned Duke’s highest staff and faculty honors: The Presidential Award. The winners will be honored with a ceremony at 4 p.m. Tuesday, February 28, in Page Auditorium. Following the ceremony, there will be a reception in Penn Pavilion. The duke community is invited to attend;… read more about Fitzpatrick, Hall, and Wright Clinch Duke’s 2022-23 Presidential Award »
At Duke’s annual service honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Sunday, bestselling author Mikki Kendall asked more than 250 people who had filed into the pews to look away from her and face each other. “Look for someone who looks nothing like you,” she said as she began her keynote address in Duke Chapel. “Now, if you have ever been poor, raise your hand. If you ever been stressed about a class, or about a job, raise your hand,” she said. All people share common experiences and struggles, even those who think they’ll never… read more about “To Fight for Equality, All Must Take a Turn ‘In the Ring” - Mikki Kendall gives keynote address at MLK service »
Dr. Tracie Canada (Cul Ant) wrote on the “terrifyingly ordinary” nature of football’s violence which disproportionately affects Black men. She said that as a cultural anthropologist, she spent the last decade learning how Black college football players navigate the exploitation, racism, and anti-Blackness that are fundamental to its current system. Dr. Canada also questions the leagues, organizations, teams, coaches, spectators, and fans who benefit from their performance and expect them to tough it… read more about Dr. Tracie Canada discusses on Scientific American the disproportional violence Black men experience in football »
Duke has been awarded a grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop a one-year postbaccalaureate program for students interested in pursuing a PhD or MD/PhD in the biomedical sciences and basic sciences. Dr. Johnna Frierson, PhD (SoM), one of three co-principal investigators and mentor of the program said that “the main benefit to the students is the program gives them time to pause before going into a PhD or MD/PhD”. The $1.2 million, five-year grant establishes the Duke Preparing Research… read more about Dr. Johnna Frierson and colleagues Awarded NIH Grant to Prep Students for Graduate and Medical Programs »
Dr. Richard J. Powell (Art) is the Blue Devil of the Week. Dr. Powell is a scholar and art historian, who has become a respected voice on American art. Dr. Powell explores the forces that shaped the lives of artists and the society that experienced their works. In this interview, he discusses how he has “always approached art and art history not just as a narrow set of facts about artists, their lives and an analysis of their works, but also their historical, cultural and social contexts,” Read the full… read more about Meet Dr. Richard J. Powell: Opening Our Eyes to the Full Picture »
Dr. Lee Baker (Cul Ant) was one of the scholars that was interviewed in the in the first chapter of the claiming a space documentary of the renowned author of the Harlem Renaissance, Zora Neale Hurston, whose groundbreaking anthropological work would challenge assumptions of race, gender, and cultural superiority. In the PBS documentary, Dr. Baker said that from the beginning, Zora’s experience was shaped by her world view, and what it showed again is that black lives matter. Click to watch read more about Dr. Lee Baker featured in Zora Neale Hurston Documentary »
Dr. Patrick Smith (Divinity) current research, writing, publications, and public speaking are in the areas of moral philosophy, bioethics, the intersection of religious social ethics and health inequities, and the ethics of end-of-life care. Fellows from all ACC institutions will participate in three on-site sessions designed to build awareness and effectiveness in the context of academic leadership. The sessions also provide opportunities to engage with peers across the ACC and discuss issues and… read more about Dr. Patrick Smith to serve as fellow in the 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Academic Leaders Network »
Dr. Sarah Gaither (Psych&Neuro) will join her colleague Dr. Tamar Kushnir to lead a program focused on increasing children’s sense of belonging in STEM. This project team will work with the Museum of Life and Science in Durham to design and implement a pilot study centered on creating a structured and encouraging experience for young children visiting the museum. Read more here read more about Dr. Sarah Gaither to lead new Bass Connections program on Belonging in STEM »
Wiley's 2023 Martin Luther King (MLK) day podcast featuring Wiley partner Lukman Azeez and Dr. H. Timothy Lovelace (Law) celebrates the enduring words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in his famous "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." Click to listen, reflect, and be inspired! read more about Dr. H. Timothy Lovelace Featured on Wiley’s Reflections on The Enduring Power Of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Political Vision (Podcast) »
Congratulations to Prof. Candis Watts Smith (Poli Sci) as she becomes the interim vice provost for undergraduate education. For the next 18-month term, she will provide strategic vision and leadership for the many facets of Duke’s undergraduate educational experience and will lead the Office of Undergraduate Education and its initiatives to support student success, foster intellectual community, and facilitate experiential education for undergraduates. Click to read more. read more about Dr. Candis Watts Smith Appointed Interim Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education »
President Vincent Price has appointed a committee to conduct a national search for Duke University’s next Provost. The search committee, which includes members such as Dr. Keisha Cutright (Fuqua), Carmichael Roberts (Board of Trustees) and Kim Hewitt (OIE), is accepting nominations and applications for the position. Candidate nominations, applications, and comments about the position should be sent via email to DukeProvost@SpencerStuart.com All… read more about Search Committee Announced for New Provost »
Hosted by Dr. Charmaine Royal, Robert O. Keohone Professor of African & African American Studies and director of the Duke Center for Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation, Gail Christopher and her daughter Heather McGhee engaged with students, administrators, staff and faculty, culminating in a public Katz Women, Ethics, and Leadership Lecture on “Racial Healing, Hope, and the ‘Solidarity Dividend. The event was tied with Dr. Royal’s UNIV 101: Let’s Talk About Race, a university-wide course that was piloted last… read more about Dr. Charmaine Royal (AAAS): Seeking ‘The Solidarity Dividend’ Of Racial Healing »
Profs. Candis Watts (Pol Sci) and Iyun Harrison (Dance) shared their informative thoughts, alongside other researchers on why failing at research is not a bad thing. According to Prof. Watts, she said that “we feel overwhelmed by the expectation that we have to be successful every time, but research by design means that, sometimes, we would not get the outcome we desire, and that’s okay”. Prof Harrison said, “perhaps in the initial idea, you cannot find evidence for it, then you have… read more about Profs. Candis Watts and Iyun Harrison: What is a successful Research? »
Dr. Sarah E. Gaither an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, she shared on episode #38 of “Master in Psychology” her research experience on multiracial identities. Dr. Gaither also offered advice to those interested in joining her department and advised that they should have a research experience, which inevitably gives them an edge. Click to learn and Listen to the podcast here read more about Dr Sarah Gaither shares her research on ”Master’s in Psychology” podcast »
The Department of Medicine (DOM) announces that Dr. Julius M. Wilder, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the division of Gastroenterology, chair of the DOM Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Anti-racism Committee, and co-director of the Duke CTSE Community Engaged Research Initiative, will be the featured speaker at the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Grand Rounds. The theme of his presentation will be: Health Equity, Social Justice, and Duke Health. It will be held on Friday, January 13, 2023.… read more about Dr. Julius Wilder features in the 2023 Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Medicine Grand Rounds »
Professor Tsitsi Jaji (English) was once a piano student at Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Over the years, she has accompanied a well-known tenor and composed music for an African modern dance troupe. She is also known for her literary scholarship and creative works like Beating the Graves and Mother Tongues – poetry collections that reflect on family relations, diaspora, powerful women, first words, and love and language. Now she is using a new Mellon Fellowship to return to her roots and… read more about Meet Professor Tsitsi Jaji (English): Connecting Black Poetry And Music Into Dialogue »
In an art career spanning a quarter-century, Duke professor Beverly McIver (Art), has always pushed boundaries and reaped rewards for the effort. Her first retrospective, which opens in Winston-Salem Dec. 8, showcases the power and versatility of her art as well as her support for the creativity of her students and mentors. Watch her interview here. Mclver read more about Meet Professor Beverly McIver: Celebrating a Career in the Arts »
Congratulations to Professor Jay Pearson as he will become the first Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) at the Sanford School of Public Policy. Dr. Pearson is an Associate Professor whose research, teaching, and advocacy address how policy-sponsored, structurally rooted social inequality influences health inequities. Dr. Pearson will lead Sanford’s work as a community that embraces all its members and educates leaders prepared to engage policy problems with a keen understanding of… read more about Dr. Jay Pearson appointed as the inaugural Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Sanford »
Professors Kerry L. Haynie (Poli Sci), and Adriane Lentz-Smith (History) were received by Duke communications for a special media briefing following the conclusion of the North Carolina midterm elections. The election had provoked mixed reactions upon the results. Together with colleagues, they discussed the strength of the electoral procedure, policies regarding the Republican party leadership, and the role abortion and other hot-button issues played in the election results.… read more about Drs. Kerry L. Haynie and Adriane Lentz-Smith offer takeaways from the Midterm elections »
Noted Historian, Prof. Robin D.G. Kelley joined Professor Neal (AAAS) to discuss political organizing in the South and the 20th anniversary edition of his book 'Freedom Dreams: The Black Radical Imagination'. The book was written based on the events that led to the exoneration of the cops that killed Amadou Diallo. However, based on the Black Lives Matter movement of 2020, Prof. Kelley revisited the book based on new revolutionary fervor of the youths and multiracial activists, charting the way forward for… read more about Professor Mark Anthony Neal (AAAS) receives Robin Kelley in the 13th season of ”Left of Black” »
Three law professors whose expertise and scholarship are at the forefront of race and the law provide answers in this special two-part series of the Duke Law Podcast: Professor Trina Jones, the Jerome M. Culp Professor of Law at Duke Law School and director of the Center on Race, Law, and Policy at Duke Law, Professor H. Timothy Lovelace, the John Hope Franklin Research Scholar and Professor of Law at Duke Law School are joined by Professor Osamudia James, a Professor of Law at UNC.… read more about What is critical race theory, and why is it under attack? »
Dr. Douglas A. Jones Jr. (Theater Studies) delivered a prestigious Langford Lecture on his research into the history and legacy of Black minstrel performers - "sophisticated cultural workers" who made a lasting impact on literature, comedy, music and more. Named after former Duke University Provost and Divinity School Dean Thomas Langford, the lectureship was established in 2000 to honor Langford’s commitment to the highest university values of scholarship, teaching, collegiality, and promotion of faculty… read more about Dr. Douglas A. Jones Jr. delivered the prestigious Langford Lecture »
African scholars Dr. Felwine Sarr (Romance) and Dorcy Rugamba seek to answer this question with the musical theatre performance Freedom, I’ll have lived your dream until the very last day. The theme, “Life that desires to be life. Life that persists and soars. How do we free those who are already free?” is the final question of their performance (in French with English subtitles) that happened at the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) Florence Gould Hall Theater on… read more about Prof. Felwine Sarr: How Do We Free Those Who Are Already Free? »
Coordinated by Professor Fred Boadu (Civil and Environmental Engineering), students from DukeEngage Ghana led educational and awareness efforts in Cape Coast this summer regarding the harmful effects of used motor oil on human health and the environment. Learn more about DukeEngage Ghana here and in the video below: read more about Dr. Fred Boadu: Oil and trouble; Reflections from Ghana »
The tgiFHI series from the Franklin Humanities Institute (FHI) is a weekly series that gives Duke faculty in the humanities, interpretive social sciences and arts the opportunity to present their current research to their departmental and interdepartmental colleagues, students, and other interlocutors in their field. In this interview for the “Meet Your Humanities Faculty”, Professor Douglas Jones, new Associate Professor of Theater Studies discusses his current research interests and practice… read more about Professor Douglas Jones interviewed in the “Meet Your Humanities Faculty” series »
Following “Gone Missing”, Professor Karla FC Holloway (English, AAAS) publishes her new book in the “in Harlem” series named: A Death and Abduction in Harlem. Centered on post-WWI Harlem and the Harlem Renaissance, these two black mysteries reflect how race and class impact the response to death and abduction in the lives of Black families. Learn more about Prof Holloway’s books on Our Time Press https://ourtimepress.com/a-death-and-abduction-in-harlem/ Order your copy of Prof… read more about New Book by Prof. Karla Holloway: A Death and Abduction in Harlem »