Dr. Asiya Gusa (SoM) co-authored a collaborative work on the dual role of fungi as a species-threatening force capable of devastating bats and frogs, and yet vital to the ecosystem and everyday life. The February issue of Nature Magazine features a review entitled “Fungal impacts on Earth’s ecosystems” they examine the fungal threats facing civilization and investigate opportunities to use fungi to combat these threats. Find out more. Nature Article link (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-… read more about Dr. Asiya Gusa: Fungi are Earth’s Friend and Foe »
Dr. Nathaniel Mackey (English) is the Reynolds Price Distinguished Professor of Creative Writing at Duke University and has been an intellectual and creative force for five decades. Dr. Mackey was a longtime professor at UC Santa Cruz and his poetry has always born a kind of mystic relationship with music. In an interview for UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, Dr. Mackey talks about his connections with jazz and collaborations with musicians that shaped his career. Read the full story here! read more about Celebrated Poet Dr. Nathaniel Mackey on Connections between Jazz and Language »
Dr. Kiesha Bentley-Edwards (Medicine), has been named to the 2025 Office for Faculty leadership programs at Duke University School of Medicine. She joins the Academic Leadership, Innovation, and Collaborative Engagement (ALICE) program, a 10-month leadership development opportunity for mid-career women faculty in the School of Medicine. The program empowers participants with in-depth experiences in leadership skill development, personal reflection and goal setting, peer mentoring, and structured 360-degree… read more about Dr. Keisha Bentley-Edwards named to Leadership Programs »
Dr. Kevin Saunders (Surgery) is the Associate Director of the Duke Health Vaccine Institute (DHVI). He said vaccine research has entered the rational design phase: “We’re working with molecules we’ve computationally designed.” Dr. Saunders is excited about the future of vaccines in human health. Dr. Saunders and the DHVI have three different programs that are all being spearheaded by groups at Duke: a pan-coronavirus vaccine, a pan-influenza vaccine, and an HIV vaccine. Read more read more about Dr. Kevin Saunders on What Comes Next Regarding Vaccines »
The way football is played and who plays it, from the pee-wees to the pros tells us so much about race, labor and power in the United States. Dr. Tracie Canada’s (Cul Anth) interview with NPR’s podcast “Code Switch” speaks about how Black college football players are nudged towards more physically taxing positions, which affects who gets injured, how they're cared for, and who benefits from it. Listen to the episode here.Dr. Canada's new book Tackling the Everyday is available at UC Press read more about Dr. Canada on NPR’s Code Switch: What Football Tells Us About Race in the U.S. »
A new documentary short film, “C.B.: Power to the Player”, tells the story of Dr. C.B. Claiborne, the first Black basketball player at Duke, and the changes his activism wrought that are felt even now. Drs. Javier Wallace and Martin Smith (Education) are co-leaders on the project. The two former college athletes conduct research and teach about the historical and cultural significance of the intersections between athletics and activism. Read more on Duke MagazineThe website… read more about Drs. Wallace and Smith: New documentary on C.B. Claiborne’s contribution to change Duke »
Dr. Thavolia Glymph (History) was awarded the Raymond Gavins Distinguished Faculty Award from the Cook Society honoring those whose work, research and service reflect Cook’s social activism and leadership. A historian of the U.S. South, Dr. Glymph has produced histories that uncovered important new stories that have reshaped our historical understanding of the Civil War and much of U.S. history.This award is named after Dr. Glymph’s late history department colleague (Dr. Raymond Gavins), the first… read more about Dr. Thavolia Glymph, 2025 Cook Society Honoree »
In an AAMC viewpoint article, Dr. Damon Tweedy (Psychiatry), describes a health care system built on the assumption that the mind and the body basically exist on different planets. From his training in medical school, to his practice today as Professor of Medicine at Duke, Dr. Tweedy outlines his experience of the breakdown between physical versus mental health care and the solutions he would like to see happen. Read his interview to AAMC here.Dr. Tweedy is the author of the 2024 book Facing the Unseen: The… read more about Dr. Damon Tweedy brings physical and mental health together »
Dr. Mark Anthony Neal (AAAS) delves into the evolution of Sam Cooke’s music and his own connection to the legend. Dr. Neal remembers being a 9-year-old child in 1975 in the South Bronx when Sam Cooke was the voice in the K-Tel commercials that introduced him to the music his parents had listened to. Neal expertly unfolds Sam Cook’s musical history that has complex roots in gospel, soul, and the civil rights movement. Read the full article here read more about “Nearer to Thee”: The Still Evolving Legacy and Politics of Sam Cooke by Dr. Mark Anthony Neal »
In a recent Duke Today article, Vice Provost John V. Brown (Music) shares his insights on teamwork and finding harmony between their music and professional careers. Dr. Brown discusses the roles and responsibilities of musicians individually and as part of team: “practicing is what you do individually”. But Dr. Brown says he’s seen both colleagues and students have lightbulb moments when playing in groups. They often see how their instrument fits in with the larger picture. Read more read more about Dr. John Brown is Striking a Chord in Life and Work »
The Black Think Tank congratulates the new Full Professors, Drs. Tyson Brown (Sociology), Keisha Cutright (Fuqua), Charles Musiba, (Evolutionary Anthropology), and Tonia Poteat (Nursing).The rank of professor is reserved for those who have clearly met the criteria for tenure and have demonstrated their continuous intellectual development and leadership. This milestone is the culmination of a rigorous and thorough review by faculty peers inside and outside… read more about Celebrating Duke’s New Full Professors »
The Black-White health gap is one of the most striking examples of the depths of racial inequality in the United States. Why does it persist? A new paper from Dr. William Darity (Sanford) and researchers at the Samuel DuBois Cook Center discuss how the transgenerational slavery trauma hypothesis, a theory that has been gaining prominence, fails to explain the Black-White health gap. The article was published in the current issue of Social Science & Medicine. Read more read more about Dr. William Darity Investigates the Effect of Historical Trauma on the Black-White Health Gap »
“Left of Black,” a web series hosted by Dr. Mark Anthony Neal (AAAS), was a Gold Winner of the 2024 Davey Awards. The Davey Award is given to “creative Davids”, in reference to the Biblical David and Goliath story, for achievement in a respective medium without a “stratospheric budget.” In this interview, Dr. Neal talks about the creation of the series and how it is intended to have conversations around blackness that are not part of the status quo of black journalism. Read more read more about Dr. Mark Anthony Neal’s ‘Left of Black’ on winning a Davey Award »
Duke neuroscientist Dr. Kafui Dzirasa (SoM) wants nothing less than to reengineer the brain’s electrical patterns to treat anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. In this profile to STAT , Dr. Dzirasa, the first Black person to graduate with a Ph.D. in neurobiology at Duke, discusses his childhood in Baltimore and his career as one of the most prominent neuroscientists in the country. Discover here how he is developing modern technologies from machine learning to protein engineering to… read more about My life’s purpose: Dr. Kafui Dzirasa wants to rewire mental illness treatment »
Earning tenure after a rigorous review process by peers inside and outside Duke is a testament to the excellence of each individual faculty member and the impact of their research, teaching and service as well as their standing in their disciplines. The Black Think Tank congratulates the newly tenured Associate Professors, Dr. Zakiyyah Jackson (Lit), Dr. Tolu Oyesanya (Nursing), and Dr. Gustavo Silva (Biology). Learn more about the newly tenured faculty in the Duke Faculty… read more about Celebrating Newly Tenured Faculty! »
Dr. Jay Pearson is the McLain Foundation Associate Professor of Public Policy and Sanford’s Associate Dean of Diversity Equity and Inclusion. Dr. Pearson started out in public health shifted to public policy as his specialization and is now particularly interested in the health effects of conventional and non-conventional resources associated with racial assignment, ethnic identity, national origin, immigration, and cultural orientations. In this video interview he answers… read more about 20 Questions with Dr. Jay Pearson »
Dr. Tracie Canada (CulAnth) writes in Time: Made by History article about the historical uniqueness of Duke hosting the Rose Bowl during WWII in 1942, and the segregation practices that characterized the event. With an active threat to the west coast from Japan, Duke played Oregon State at Duke University to a record number of fans. Dr. Canada brings us the story of who was intentionally excluded from that celebration of unity and patriotism. Read the whole story here read more about Dr. Tracie Canada and Duke’s Rose Bowl story in Time Magazine »
Jazz Vespers, with musicians led by Dr. John Brown (Music) draws hundreds of people coming from campus and the surrounding community for an evening once a semester of prayer, music, and improvisation. Dr. Brown is Vice Provost for the Arts, director of the university’s Jazz Program, and a Professor of the Practice of Music. Read full article here. Read full article read more about Dr. John Brown leads Jazz Vespers’ Inspiration and Improvisation at Duke Chapel »
Through the InventHERs Institute, Drs. Whitney McCoy (Sanford) and Shaundra Daily (CompSci & Pratt) are revolutionizing how girls and women see themselves in STEM fields. They are creating what they call a "counterspace", where everyone can authentically belong and thrive. The InventHERs Institute operates out of Duke University's L.I.F.T. (Launching the Inclusive Future of Tech) Lab. The program creates multi-layered mentoring experiences connecting faculty,… read more about Drs. Whitney McCoy and Shaundra Daily create inclusive STEM spaces »
The Midwest Political Science Association (MPSA) announced the renaming of the MPSA Best Paper Award to the Paula D. McClain Award for the MPSA Best Paper. The award recognizes the best paper overall presented at the MPSA conference each year. Dr. Paula McClain is the . James B. Duke Distinguished Professor of Political Science and her primary research interests are in racial minority group politics, particularly inter-minority political and social competition, and urban politics. Join us in… read more about Dr. Paula D. McClain Honored by MPSA »
Provost Alec D. Gallimore (Pratt) has been elected an Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the world’s largest aerospace technical society. Provost Gallimore, an aerospace engineer, was cited “for contributions to research and education in advanced spacecraft electric propulsion systems.” He will be recognized at a ceremony in April in Washington, D.C. Read the full article here read more about Provost Alec Gallimore Elected AIAA Honorary Fellow »
Dr. Zakiyyah Iman Jackson’s work focuses on interdisciplinarity by blending research and knowledge coming from literature, gender and sexuality, African and African American studies, and art. Dr. Jackson (Literature) seeks to redefine our understanding of what it means to be human and in particular what defines a human in a world permeated with anti-Black sentiment. Learn more about her research, which is at the intersection of African diasporic literature and visual art, and how she helps… read more about Learning What It Means to Be Human with Dr. Zakiyyah Jackson »
Dr. Tomi Akinyemiju, is a Professor in Population Health Sciences, who wants to understand why, despite steady improvements in cancer prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment, health disparities still persist.An epidemiologist by training, her research looks at the biological and social factors driving cancer outcomes in the United States and across the globe, trying to understand why some groups of people fare worse than others, and what can be done to close the gap. Learn more in the Duke Centennial… read more about Duke 100 Trailblazer: Dr. Tomi Akinyemiju »
It would be incomplete these days to teach about democracy, ideology and the polarization gripping the nation without covering the media’s role in public discourse. This semester, Prof. Stephen Buckley (Journalism and Public Policy) is teaching one of four courses in a Duke Immerse cluster focusing on democracy and civil discourse. His examines the role media plays in communicating information and influencing public opinion. Learn more here. read more about Prof. Stephen Buckley and the Media’s Role in Public Discourse »
Join us in congratulating Dr. Jarvis C. McInnis,(English), on his new book entitled: Afterlives of the Plantation, Plotting Agrarian Futures in the Global Black South. In contrast to traditional understandings of Black modernity as urban and premised on northward migration, McInnis foregrounds rural settings and practices of place making, rootedness, and liberatory agriculture. Shedding new light on the transnational influence of a historically Black institution in the U.S. South, Afterlives of the… read more about New Book Alert: Dr. Jarvis C. McInnis new book, Afterlives of the Plantation »
In a new study, co-authored by Dr. Keisha Bentley-Edwards (SoM), the team makes the case that the cultural expectation that Black girls and women endure hardship is exacting a toll on their health. This study links the constant demand for Black women and girls to be resilient to lasting adverse effects on health including higher rates of maternal mortality. The study was published this month in The American Psychologist. Read more in GHI research. read more about Dr. Bentley-Edwards and the Problem with Black Resiliency »
As we celebrate the 50th Black Think Tank newsletter in the shadow of Thanksgiving, there are many things for which we are thankful. We appreciate the support of this incredible community of Black faculty that reads, engages, shares, and celebrates their work with us. We also thank the Office for Faculty Advancement for their continued support, as they have partnered with us on this initiative throughout the years. It takes a lot of work to compile, organize, and create the material for this publication, so finally, we… read more about Celebrating the 50th Edition of the BTT Newsletter »
Dr. Eric Noel Fouh Mbindi (CompSci) looks at computer science education through a particularly human angle: emotional self-regulation and the role it plays on learning, particularly computer science-related anxiety and the correlation with avoidance behavior, which may appear in student’s procrastination and less than optimal help seeking. Dr. Fouh is interested in mentoring, outreach, and working with local high schoolers and student… read more about Dr. Eric Fouh is bringing self-regulation to Computer Science Education »
Dr. Dennis Frank-Ito (SoM) is leading a new program at Duke University designed to increase representation of women and Black students in the medical field. Students from Bennett College, and Saint Augustine's University will participate in a 15-month intensive program to study otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat) and communication sciences. The program aims at providing early exposure as many Black students aren't aware of otolaryngology and communication sciences until they are already deep into their… read more about Duke partnering with HBCUs to increase Black student representation in medicine »
As a Presidential Fellow, Dr. Deondra Rose (Sanford) shadowed President Vincent Price, Provost Alec Gallimore and other senior leaders at Duke during the 2023-2024 academic year. The insights she gained from meetings with senior leaders included not only handling budgets, strategic plans, decision-making processes and leadership styles, but also unique perspectives into the synergy at Duke, and the dedication of the officials to their responsibilities. Read more on DukeToday read more about Dr. Deondra Rose on Seeing Duke Leadership at Work »