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OFA Faculty Seed Grants are intended to provide a financial start for novel, faculty-led initiatives in academic units (schools, departments, divisions, centers and institutes) that aim to promote a vibrant and inclusive academic community and cultivate networks for faculty to collaborate and form meaningful relationships. Successful seed grants are intended to have a positive impact on academic units and may continue beyond the scope of the award to become long-term initiatives.   The Office for Faculty… read more about Faculty Advancement Seed Grants 2023 »

“We’re seeing these policies and the necessity of moving beyond a very narrow definition of understanding of a policy like Title IX,” Dr. Deondra Rose said.  Dr. Rose, an associate professor of public policy at Duke University who focuses on landmark social policies in the United States. “Some people are working to use Title IX to restrict and confine, and that’s out of step with the intention of the policy.” Read the full article in the New York Times read more about Dr. Deondra Rose Quoted in the NYT About the Title IX Anniversary »

Dr. Tyson H. Brown, Associate Professor of Sociology at Duke University,  W.L.F. endowed chair, and director of the Center on Health & Society, reflects on his year exploring what  went inside many units across the university  as the inaugural Presidential Fellow.  As he completes his work as a fellow – with engineering professor Adrienne Stiff-Roberts taking over the role in this school year, Brown says he leaves it with a better understanding of the complexity of the university which… read more about TYSON BROWN’S YEAR OF EXPLORING DUKE LEADERSHIP »

Stelfanie Williams will serve a second five-year term as vice president for Durham and community affairs, President Vincent Price announced this week. The reappointment followed a routine administrative review that was conducted by a committee chaired by Dave Kennedy, vice president for alumni engagement and development. Her new term begins July 1, 2023. “Stelfanie has been a remarkable leader, fostering relationships with our neighbors and partners across the region,” said Price. “Through the Strategic Community Impact… read more about STELFANIE WILLIAMS REAPPOINTED TO SECOND TERM AS VP FOR DURHAM & COMMUNITY AFFAIRS »

Dr. Felwine Sarr, Anne-Marie Bryan Distinguished Professor of Romance Studies at Duke, has been described in various biographies as a public intellectual, humanist, philosopher, economist, musician, playwright and poet. In 2021, he was named among Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people for his work to restitute African and Asian artworks to their countries of origin. A native of Senegal, where he taught at the University of Gaston-Berger in Saint Louis, Senegal, Sarr has been at Duke since 2020. His face and his… read more about U.S. Tour of Works by Felwine Sarr Comes to Duke Performances »

The Arts & Sciences Council’s Committee on Undergraduate Teaching has announced this year’s recipients of awards for excellence in undergraduate teaching. Congratulations Dr. Anne-Maria Makhulu, Associate Professor of Cultural Anthropology on receiving the 2022 Howard D. Johnson Award!! From colleagues: “She reached out across the campus to expose Business students and I&E students to ethnographic thinking in Business Anthropology and Anthropology of Design classes that offer students another… read more about Congratulations to Dr. Makhulu on receiving the Howard D. Johnson Teaching Award! »

The latest WRAL Documentary, Critical Term: Why are Black Mothers and Babies Dying, shines a light on the maternal and infant health crisis and what local programs are working to lower this rate. WRAL Investigative Documentary reporter and producers set out to understand why this is happening in the Black community. Their investigation uncovered startling instances of systemic racism leading to misconceptions about Black women and myths about their pain tolerance still taught to healthcare providers in the modern era. Dr… read more about Dr. Bentley-Edwards and Dr. McMillian-Bohler on "Critical Term: Why are Black mothers and babies dying?" »

Jennifer C. Nash is Jean Fox O’Barr Professor of Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies at Duke University and author of Birthing Black Mothers.  In this article to Boston Reviews, Dr. Nash discusses Black motherhood through her personal experiences. "Freedom means a world where how I parent is simply mundane rather than overburdened with meaning". Read the full article here read more about Dr. Jennifer Nash: The Ordinary Pleasures of Black Motherhood  »

Dr. Hedwig "Hedy" Lee, who joined Duke this fall as a professor of Sociology, is dedicated to measuring the invisible. She quantifies some of the most critical issues facing society today, such as racial and ethnic health disparities, in an effort to shed light upon forms of inequality that would otherwise go unseen. “We can't really see or understand a problem until we can measure it,” said Lee. “A lot of my work, especially when it comes to thinking about health inequality, is about better measurement… read more about Dr. Hedy Lee Finds Better Measures For Old Problems »

Associate Research Professor of Theological Ethics and Bioethics Patrick T. Smith, is the faculty director of the program, which continues a legacy of work led by the late Dr. Richard Payne, who was the Esther Colliflower Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Divinity at Duke Divinity School. The Advance Care Planning and Healthy Living Through Faith (ACP-HLTF) program will help strengthen the capacity of the African American Advance Care Planning/Palliative Care (AA ACP/PC) Network to develop a community of… read more about Led by Dr. Patrick Smith, Duke Divinity Receives Grant Supporting Efforts to Overcome Racial Inequities in Health Care »

In this Q&A Dean Barbour discusses her motivation, past accomplishments, and here future goals as the new Dean of the Graduate School. Read the full Q&A here and watch her introductory message to the Duke community below. read more about Suzanne Barbour, The new dean of The Graduate School dean discusses her goals and plans as she takes the helm »

“I wondered what other kind of shapes or paths we might use used to understand history. So instead of just a straight line there are maybe, circles, ups and downs, even moving backwards", says Dr. Justin Leroy, the new assistant professor in the History Department. That idea has become the context for the research he does today — studying and teaching these connections between the past and the present while challenging the notion of a straight line through history. Leroy views the wealth inequalities, systemic issues and… read more about No Straight Line to Progress: Meet Historian Justin Leroy »

Until late June, the midterm election process was chugging along predictably, with voters expected to lean Republican in the course-corrective way voters do between presidential voting cycles. Pundits were forecasting a red wave in federal legislative races to blunt any momentum President Joe Biden, a Democrat elected in 2020, was enjoying. But then came the U.S. Supreme Court’s seismic ruling in the Dobbs v. Jackson case that criminalized abortion in many states and turned the entire election cycle on its head. Dr.… read more about Dr. Kerry Haynie and Colleagues discuss Dobs and the Midterm elections  »

It only takes a few minutes with Nikki Lane, Gender, Sexuality & Feminist Studies’ newest assistant professor, to get clear why the department was eager to welcome her. Her research is provocative, she teaches a class called “Hot Girl Meg” and, as if the topic alone isn’t captivating, Lane commands an audience when she speaks. She is as comfortable citing Kimberlé Crenshaw as she is Salt-N-Pepa lyrics, effortlessly mixing her research interests in linguistics, cultural anthropology, and the role of race,… read more about Dr. Nikki Lane: Bringing Rap Into Gender Studies and the Classroom Onto Instagram »

The fellowship was launched last year by President Vincent Price with the aims to prepare promising faculty for future leadership roles by providing them with the opportunity to interact closely with and receive mentorship from the president and other senior leaders at Duke and to observe leadership in action through direct participation in leadership meetings and specific projects of interest to both the fellow and the president’s office. Dr. Stiff-Roberts, the Jeffrey N. Vinik Professor of Electrical and Computer… read more about ADRIENNE STIFF-ROBERTS NAMED PRESIDENTIAL FELLOW FOR 2022-23 ACADEMIC YEAR »

With the beginning of the new year, the BTT would like to highlight to Top10 most read news articles during Spring 2022 from the BTT website. This is becoming a tradition and it is only possible because of the amazing work, leadership, and contributions made by this amazing community of Black Faculty.  Here are the BTT top 10 articles: Number #10  BLACK HISTORY MONTH: SHOWCASING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF SIX FACULTY AND STAFF Number #9 Sherilynn Black (SoM) Dr. Sherilynn Black (SoM)… read more about BTT Top10 Most Read News of Spring2022 »

Aaron Kyle recently joined Duke University’s Department of Biomedical Engineering as a Professor of the Practice. With vast experience in engineering education, Kyle will develop new design courses that will help students learn how to apply engineering concepts to address biomedical problems. Kyle’s work will also extend beyond Duke’s campus, where he’ll help launch engineering outreach programs to introduce underrepresented minority students to STEM concepts through biomedical engineering design projects. Lear more about… read more about Dr. Aaron Kyle: Exploring New Methods to Diversify and Strengthen Engineering Education »

As a national health emergency is declared, Duke researchers discuss testing, community responses and who is at risk. DURHAM, N.C. -- While children can contract the monkeypox virus, it is not likely to spread rapidly once schools reopen this fall, a Duke pediatrician cautioned Friday.  Because the virus spreads through prolonged, close, skin-to-skin contact, youngsters are unlikely to get it in school and daycare settings as long as parents, teachers and other providers take precautions, said Dr. Ibukun Kalu, an… read more about MEDICAL EXPERTS ADDRESS FEARS, REALITIES OF MONKEYPOX »

DURHAM, N.C. -- The rapid spread of very strict abortion bans in some states are leaving health care workers in increasingly difficult positions as they try to care for patients, three Duke Health physicians said Tuesday. States that enacted abortion bans following the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent overturning of Roe v. Wade have not adequately considered the complexity and nuance required of pregnancy care, the physicians said, adding they expect maternal morbidity rates to increase.   Watch Dr. Maria Small and… read more about ABORTION BANS STRAINING HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, MEDICAL EXPERTS SAY »

Paula D. McClain will conclude her service as dean of The Graduate School this September, wrapping up 10 years of service in that role. As she prepares to transition back to her position as a faculty member in political science, she shared some reflections on her time as dean and what lies ahead. Read the full article in the Graduate School website read more about Dean McClain reflects on leading The Graduate School »

The clinic specializes in providing comprehensive care for women of childbearing age (18 to 50 years of age) with chronic medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and autoimmune disorders. With a goal to optimize health prior to pregnancy, as well as provide long term postpartum follow-up care, the clinic will also serve women who had conditions such as preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, or gestational diabetes that increase their risk for cardiovascular disease. Ceshae Harding,… read more about Harding to Open New Women’s Primary Care Clinic at the DOC »

Karim Abdelaal, a PhD student in neurobiology, has been awarded a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Gilliam Fellowship for Advanced Study. The fellowship program aims to build a community committed to advancing science through diversity and inclusion. Kafui Dzirasa, MD, PhD, the K. Ranga Rama Krishnan Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, is Abdelaal’s advisor.  Read more on SoM News and at HHMI news  read more about Abdelaal and Dzirasa Awarded Gilliam Fellowship from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute »

The debate over gun control in America often centers around firearms production and distribution. But in recent years gun company marketing techniques have come under scrutiny, as major manufacturers seek out a new and arguably vulnerable audience.  Prof. Sarah Gaither (Psych&Neuro) spoke with Paul Solman for PBS NewsHour about the questionable marketing tactics gun companies use to target customers especially young men and boys. Watch full video at PBS website read more about Firearms industry scrutinized for how it markets to consumers »

Dr. Mark Anthony Neal (AAAS) moderates a panel with the authors Edwidge Danticat, Marc Lamont Hill, Morgan Jerkins and Peniel Joseph where they discussed the social responsibilities of Black writers. The National Black Writers Conference sponsored this event at Medgar Evers College in New York City. https://www.c-span.org/video/?522349-2/author-discussion-social-responsibility-black-writer read more about Author Discussion on the Social Responsibility of the Black Writer »

About A critical mission of the Cook Center is training the next generation of scholars in the social sciences, with a focus on economics as it undergirds and informs most of the research at the Center. This mission could not thrive without the Diversity Initiative for Tenure in Economics (DITE), which began in 2008 in response to the gross underrepresentation of minority economists (particularly Black, Latinx, and native American economists) in the ranks of university faculty. Through mentoring and… read more about Diversity Initiative for Tenure in Economics (DITE) »

Seven faculty members have been chosen to serve as Duke’s first QuadEx Faculty Fellows, responsible for fostering connections between Duke’s academic mission and undergraduate students’ social and residential lives. Among them Drs. Shani Daily (Pratt/Trinity), Lee Baker (CulAnth), and Deondra Rose (Sanford) Each QuadEx Faculty Fellow will be closely associated with (but will not reside in) one of Duke’s seven quad communities. They will work in partnership with students to… read more about MEET THE QUADEX FACULTY FELLOWS »

James E. Coleman Jr. has been named the 2022 recipient of the Raphael Lemkin Rule of Law Guardian Medal by the Bolch Judicial Institute. He will be honored during a program on Sept. 7, to be held at Duke Law School and livestreamed on Duke Law’s YouTube channel. Coleman is the John S. Bradway Professor of the Practice of Law, director of the Center for Criminal Justice and Professional Responsibility, and director of the Wrongful Convictions Clinic at Duke Law. A beloved member of the Duke… read more about Professor James E. Coleman Jr. named the 2022 Lemkin Rule of Law Guardian »

Dr. Shana Lassiter has joined Duke’s Office for Faculty Advancement as assistant vice provost, tapping into a passion for faculty development she discovered throughout a career in higher education. For six years, she played a key role in Columbia University’s faculty advancement office as assistant provost. Seeking a smaller city with a slower pace, Lassiter moved to Durham and enjoyed a new focus as assistant dean for academic programs and student affairs at the Sanford School of Public Policy. But when she learned of the… read more about Shana Lassiter Appointed Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement »

The Department of Gender, Sexuality & Feminist Studies held the first annual Black Feminist Theory Summer Institute on August 1–5. With the theme of “Black Life & Living,” the event for graduate students will bring together a cross-institution intellectual community of scholars to immerse themselves in the field of Black feminist theory. “My hope is that the summer institute produces intellectual space for scholars from across institutions to think collectively about the freedom-making capacity of black feminist… read more about New Summer Institute Focuses on Black Feminist Theory »

The MAP program, a component of the Health Equity Academy (HEA) II that's supported and sustained by Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, is designed to provide ongoing mentorship to facilitate students’ integration and completion of a health profession program.   The MAP program is designed to identify, encourage and nurture students who are from underrepresented groups in health care professions by engaging with students from various universities, particularly Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU… read more about School of Nursing Aims to Increase Diversity in Health Care Professions through Annual Program »