With R. Kelly’s conviction on all counts in his sex-trafficking trial, America is now grappling with yet another celebrity convicted of crimes and where they belong in our culture. Professor of African American studies at Duke University Mark Anthony Neal joins the show to discuss what to do with R. Kelly’s music and how he should be remembered. Watch here. read more about What R. Kelly’s conviction means for American music culture »
Hundreds celebrate historic moment as university names classroom building after one of the 'First Five' Duke pioneer Wilhelmina Reuben-Cooke opened heavy doors as a student, said Duke President Vincent Price. Now some of those doors will open to a West Campus classroom building named in her honor. Price was speaking at a Sept. 24 ceremony to dedicate the Sociology-Psychology Building for the late Reuben-Cooke ’67, one of the university’s first five Black undergraduates at Duke. “For four decades after this building… read more about THE REUBEN-COOKE BUILDING, NAMED AFTER A SUPERSTAR »
Legal scholar James E. Coleman, Jr. writes about a conflict of interest regarding Justice Berger in the News & Observer. Is it a conflict of interest for a son to serve as a judge on a legal case directly involving his father? The question is presented in NAACP v. Moore, which awaits a hearing before the N.C. Supreme Court. The plaintiffs formally requested Associate Justice Phil Berger Jr., son of the powerful state Senate leader, President Pro Tem Phil Berger, Sr., to recuse himself because his… read more about James E. Coleman: Justice Berger must recuse himself from case that involves his father, the Senate leader »
Dr. Opeyemi Olabisi and co-investigators for receiving a 5-year R01 grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities for a APOL1 nephropathy Phase II clinical trial and clinical trail in-a-dish! read more about Con-grant-ulations to Dr. Opeyemi Olabisi and co-investigators on receiving a grant from NIMHD! »
(This article was originally published in the Louisville Courier-Journal on Sept. 28, 2021. It requires a subscription to view on the website.) Less than five hours after a drive-by shooting killed 16-year-old Tyree Smith and wounded two other teens as they waited at a school bus stop, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer stood at a podium inside Metro Hall to address a weary city. Stunned and frustrated residents demanded an end to the bloodshed. Fischer promised action, saying the city would do everything in… read more about Miller discusses gun preemption laws: "No reason why the values of a county of 1,000 should be the same values imposed on a city of over 100,000" »
Schenita Davis Randolph, associate professor and inaugural Betty Irene Moore Nurse Fellow, has been selected to serve on the city of Mebane's Racial Equity Advisory Committee. She is one of seven members tasked with providing input on new projects, ordinances or general policies. The committee's first meeting was covered by the "Burlington Times-News." read more about Randolph Selected to Serve on Mebane's Racial Equity Advisory Committee »
What consumer brands typically do not do is compliment those rivals – they wouldn’t want to grant an adversary free publicity, said Keisha Cutright, a marketing professor at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. But new research from Cutright published in the Journal of Marketing suggests a little goodwill can pay off. Complimenting a competitor makes brands seem warm and trustworthy, particularly with skeptical consumers. Learn more here. read more about Dr. Keisha Cutright: Brands Can Boost Their Own Reputations and Sales By Praising Rivals »
A masking mandate in North Carolina schools during the early weeks of the Delta variant surge resulted in a lower rate of infection among school children and staff members than what was reported in the broader community, according to a new report from the ABC Science Collaborative. Publishing in the journal Pediatrics, the analysis includes data from 20 school districts in North Carolina that held summer school or year-round school between June 14, 2021, and Aug. 13, 2021. The Delta variant became the dominant strain… read more about Data Finds Universal Masking Limits School Transmission of COVID-19 Despite Delta Variant »
David Emmanuel Goatley, Associate Dean for Academic and Vocational Formation, Ruth W. and A. Morris Williams, Jr. Research Professor of Theology and Christian Ministry, and Director of the Office of Black Church Studies at the Divinity School recently completed a 36 episode series of the Pilgrimages of Striving and Thriving podcast (https://goodfaithmedia.org/pilgrimages-of-striving-and-thriving/). The project received generous support from Lilly Endowment Inc. and is available wherever you subscribe. Goatley is… read more about Rev. Dr. David Emmanuel Goatley: Pilgrimages of Striving and Thriving »
The Provost’s Office is once again offering support to Duke faculty who are interested in convening a group of colleagues to begin or test a new collaboration around a shared intellectual interest. Project funds ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 will be awarded for use during the 2022 calendar year. Recipients can use funds to cover the cost of meeting venues, external speakers, event materials, books or other meeting costs, and/or exploratory research (as by a student research assistant) into potential collaborators at Duke,… read more about Explore Shared Interests Through Intellectual Community Planning Grants »
Media innovation executive Opeyemi Olukemi is the new director of the Center for Documentary Studies (CDS) at Duke University. Olukemi, the fourth director in the center’s 32-year history, began work in September. She came to Duke after stints at the Tribeca Film Institute and, most recently, American Documentary | POV, where she initiated partnerships, initiatives, and projects at the intersections of technology and storytelling. Olukemi said she was drawn both to CDS’s legacy and its potential as a… read more about OPEYEMI OLUKEMI IS NEW DIRECTOR AT THE CENTER FOR DOCUMENTARY STUDIES »
Duke University Chapel is recognizing Ruby Thompkins, manager of information services at Duke Police, with the Humanitarian Service Award for her efforts supporting education for African American boys in Durham. Duke Chapel gives the award each year to someone who demonstrates both a long-term commitment to serving others and a lifestyle marked by simplicity. Thompkins will be presented the award at a reception at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 24, at Bovender Terrace, which is just outside from the Divinity School’s Zweli's Cafe… read more about DUKE CHAPEL HONORS DUKE POLICE STAFF MEMBER WITH AWARD FOR SERVICE IN THE COMMUNITY »
Dr. Jennifer Nash shared an opinion in the San Fransciso Chronicle on the state of black maternal mortality rates in the United States. Black maternal mortality rates are a national embarrassment. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that Black mothers are three times more likely to die from a pregnancy related cause than white mothers. Earlier this year, the American Medical Association described a “culture of disrespect” that marks Black mothers’ experiences with conventional… read more about Dr. Jennifer Nash: Black maternal mortality rates are a national embarrassment. Doulas can help »
Kafui Dzirasa, MD, PhD, the K. Ranga Rama Krishnan Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, has been elected to the prestigious National Academy of Medicine (NAM). Election to NAM is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service. Learn more about the honor and his accomplishments here. See the full list here. read more about Dzirasa named to the National Academy of Medicine »
Here we recognize and celebrate Duke colleagues who recently achieved promotion, and even tenure, in the School of Nursing. Earning a promotion after a rigorous review process by peers and leaders inside and outside Duke is a testament to the caliber of each individual faculty member and the impact of their research, teaching and mentoring, and their reputation among their peers. It is also, in a way, an invitation to be a partner in shaping the future of Duke and its mission, playing a role in advancing its academic… read more about Congratulations to the Newly Promoted Faculty in the School of Nursing! »
The Office for Faculty Advancement is pleased to announce the theme of the fifth round of the Faculty Advancement Seed Grant Program: “Improving Departmental Climate and Building Community.” Seed grant proposals will be accepted for review if they describe a project that seeks to address a specific culture and climate issue in their department, including building bridges and addressing dynamics between faculty colleagues, faculty and staff, or faculty and students. We may also accept a limited number of… read more about 2022 Faculty Advancement Seed Grants Request for Proposals »
Here we recognize and celebrate Duke colleagues who recently achieved promotion, and even tenure, in the School of Medicine. Earning a promotion after a rigorous review process by peers and leaders inside and outside Duke is a testament to the caliber of each individual faculty member and the impact of their research, teaching and mentoring, and their reputation among their peers. It is also, in a way, an invitation to be a partner in shaping the future of Duke and its mission, playing a role in advancing its academic… read more about Congratulations to Promoted Faculty in the School of Medicine! »
Kafui Dzirasa, MD, PhD, the K. Ranga Rama Krishnan Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Cagla Eroglu, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Cell Biology, have been named Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) investigators. HHMI provides its researchers with long-term flexible funding that gives them the freedom to explore and, if necessary, change direction. Becoming a HHMI investigator is a tremendous scientific achievement. Learn more about the honor here.… read more about Dr. Kafui Dzirasa: Duke Brain Scientists Named Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigators »
The Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity is one of the premier research bases on inequality in the world. Named after Samuel DuBois Cook, the first Black faculty member at Duke, the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity studies the causes and consequences of inequality and develops remedies for unfair disparities and their adverse effects. “We are Duke’s only center that is devoted intensively to problems of inequality,” said William “Sandy” Darity, Jr., the founding director of the Center. “And we… read more about DEPARTMENT SPOTLIGHT: COOK CENTER SHINES A LIGHT ON INEQUALITY »
Jacqueline Barnett, DHSc, MHS, PA-C, is the Program Director of the Physician Assistant program at Duke University. Jacqueline grew up in Tracys Landing, Maryland, a rural tobacco farming town with a population of about 1300 people. She attended undergrad at the “wild and wonderful” West Virginia University, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in speech pathology and audiology in 1985. Learn more here. read more about Leading the Way | Jacqueline Barnett, DHSc, MHS, PA-C »
Here we recognize and celebrate Duke colleagues who recently achieved promotion and tenure. Earning promotion and tenure after a rigorous review process by peers and leaders inside and outside Duke is a testament to the caliber of each individual faculty member and the impact of their research, teaching and mentoring, and their reputation among their peers. It is also, in a way, an invitation to be a partner in shaping the future of Duke and its mission, playing a role in advancing its academic excellence and making it… read more about Duke Awards Tenure to Faculty Members on the Campus Side »
New faculty members contribute to the depth and dynamism of our academic community. Please join us in welcoming these new faculty who have chosen to make Duke their academic home. Browse the list of new faculty below (if we’ve missed anyone, please let us know) and learn more about their backgrounds and areas of expertise. Law School Crystal Grant, Clinical Professor, 7/1/21 start date (see related article) Jesse McCoy, Clinical Professor, 7/1/21 start date Thomas Wilson Williams, Clinical Professor, 7/1/21 start… read more about Meet Duke’s New Faculty! »
The Dance Program at Duke University is proud to welcome Iyun Ashani Harrison as an associate professor for the ballet practice. He will also serve as director for undergraduate studies. A graduate of The Julliard School, Harrison received his M.F.A. from Hollins University in Virginia and is a doctoral candidate in education at Marymount University. He is the founder and executive director of Ballet Ashani and has performed with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, Ballet Hispanico of New York, Ailey II,… read more about Duke Dance Program Announces New Faculty Appointment: Iyun Harrison »
Deng Madut, M.D. Assistant Professor of Medicine Primary appointment: School of Medicine Madut, a 2019 graduate of DGHI’s Master of Science in Global Health program, participated in the Global Health Pathway program through the Hubert-Yeargan Center for Global Health. He is currently a clinical associate in the Duke Division of Infectious Diseases. He completed his medical training at Texas Tech School of Medicine and his internal medicine residency at Duke. As part of the global health… read more about DGHI Welcomes New Professors: Deng Madut, M.D. »
The Hart Leadership Program is excited to announce that Student U ‘s Executive Director and Durham education leader Alexandra Zagbayou is set to join us as a Hart Associate Professor of the Practice in January of 2022. Alexandra graduated from the University of North Carolina in 2010 from its innovative leadership program known as APPLES. Having fled political persecution from the Ivory Coast with her family at the young age of 10, APPLES was an important incubator for Alexandra’s ongoing leadership… read more about DURHAM EDUCATION LEADER, ALEXANDRA ZAGBAYOU, TO JOIN HART LEADERSHIP PROGRAM »
Five individuals on TIME Magazine’s list of the 100 Most Influential People in 2021 have a Duke connection—two trustees, a faculty member, an alumna and a soon-to-be honorary degree recipient. A member of the Duke faculty is highlighted on the TIME list as a “Pioneer.” Felwine Sarr, the Anne-Marie Bryan Distinguished Professor of Romance Studies, joined the faculty in 2020. A native of Senegal and an internationally known public intellectual, Sarr has research interests that span from economics to… read more about Dr. Felwine Sarr: TIME Magazine's list of the 100 Most Influential People in 2021 »
On Democracy Works episode 87 Dr. Candis Watts Smith and Rebecca Kreitzer unpack the politics of abortion and its implications for democracy, from court decisions to public opinion and campaign messaging. Listen to the podcast episode, titled Abortion is not always a clash of absolutes, here. read more about Candis Watts Smith on Democracy Works »
Black Americans are more likely to experience kidney failure and less likely to receive a transplant from a living donor than non-Black people. That racial disparity is a concern, said Dr. Lisa McElroy, MD, a transplant surgeon at Duke Health, because having a living donor can get you off dialysis sooner and help you improve your health and quality of life faster. Why the discrepancy between Black and non-Black patients? A lot has to do with a lack of information about the benefits of living donation and concerns about… read more about Dr. Lisa McElroy: Living Kidney Donations Help Black People with Kidney Disease Get Transplanted Faster »
This year’s University Medals will honor the distinguished service of two former chairs of the Duke University Board of Trustees and an influential leader at Duke and in Durham. The highest honor presented by the university, the awards will be presented in conjunction with Founders’ Weekend September 24-26. “The University Medal is reserved for those who make transformational contributions to the Duke community,” said President Vincent E. Price. “It is fitting, then, that we this year recognize MaryAnn Black, Pete… read more about MaryAnn Black among three to receive university medals »
Watch Gina-Gail Fletcher at the 2021 Cato Summit on Financial Regulation on a panel discussing Retail Trading and Market Structure. View here. read more about Gina-Gail Fletcher: Fair Shares: Retail Investors and the Future of Equities Markets »