undergraduate research duke

Undergraduate Research

Conduct meaningful research with faculty.

The experiential learning that begins in your first semester and continues through hands-on design challenges culminates in authentic research experiences with faculty in their laboratories. You’ll learn more about science and design than you ever thought possible—even if what you learn is that laboratory life isn’t for you.

By the Numbers

Undergraduate students, have intensive research experiences with faculty, publish or present a research paper off-campus, work on independent study projects.

Being a Grand Challenge Scholar opened my eyes to broader systemic injustices, especially racial and socioeconomic injustices—not just in the United States but worldwide. I want to work to address those inequities.

Find a Research Experience with Muser

Duke’s online student research network is the place to start. Our faculty research labs list opportunities for undergraduates within the Muser system. Typically, there are three rounds of recruiting every calendar year. Research experiences usually last one semester.

Independent Study for Credit

This is your opportunity to work under faculty supervision on a research topic that you choose while earning course credit. Typically, first- and second-year students enroll in an independent study course as a free elective. Third- and fourth-year students enroll in an advanced elective in their major.

The first step is to request an independent study. The deadline is two days before Drop/Add Ends .

A special note to our Trinity College peers: You can participate in these experiences, too!

Pratt Research Fellowships

The Pratt Research Fellows Program provides opportunities for immersive research over three semesters. Third-year and advanced second-year students are encouraged to apply. Typically, Pratt Fellows graduate with distinction and with many other honors.

Katsouleas NAE Grand Challenges Scholars

The Thomas C. Katsouleas National Academy of Engineering (NAE) Grand Challenges Scholars Program seeks leaders with the drive to take on some of the biggest challenges facing humanity—and want to start while they are still undergraduates.

Conference Grants

Experiential learning doesn’t end in the lab. It continues to authentic professional activity, including presenting your discoveries at academic and scientific conferences. As part of our holistic approach to student support, the Pratt School of Engineering provides grants of up to $500 to help students attend national or regional research conferences.

Undergraduate Research Contacts

Carmen Rawls, Ph.D.

Assistant Dean for Advising & Outreach

David E. Schaad

Professor of the Practice of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Related Stories

Elizabeth Griffin: Striving for Equity in Water and Sanitation

The Grand Challenges Scholar is determined to address the critical global problem of equitable access to clean water and sanitation.

The Student Experience: Research Intensives

Gifted with curiosity and an independent nature? The Pratt Research Fellows program might be right up your alley

Infinite Opportunities: Pratt Research Fellows

The Pratt Research Fellows program offers juniors the opportunity to pursue valuable research experience for three semesters and a summer

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Undergraduate research opportunities, get involved.

Duke undergraduates have numerous opportunities to gain hands-on project and research experience in Computer Science.  A wide range of research projects guided by Duke's world-class faculty engage undergraduates, who often become co-authors on papers in major academic conferences. Undergraduates can pursue independent study courses guided by faculty, participate in the summer research and/or the  Identity in Computing Research  programs, and graduate with a distinction in research.

To stay tapped in and receive info about the latest Computer Science opportunities and events, add yourself to our Duke mailing list [email protected] ! Go to: https://lists.duke.edu/sympa  and enter "compsci" in the search box to find the CS Undergraduate listserv.

Graduation with Distinction » Alumni who Graduated with Distinction »

If you meet the requirements, including completion of a substantial project, you may qualify to graduate with distinction.

• Independent Study

Interested in pursuing independent study of computer science research or non-research projects in a specific field of interest with a faculty member?

Undergraduate Project Showcase

This event celebrates student inquiry in computer science. Students present posters on projects from mentored research, class projects, and independent work.

CS+ Program Summer Research »

Not sure what to do this summer? Enjoy computer science and want to explore in more depth? Check out some projects Computer Science faculty are working on and are seeking help for!

Research Resources

• Getting into Research as an Undergraduate:   Information and guidance from Computing Research Association (CRA)
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Summer Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Listing of undergraduate summer research opportunities across STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) and Healthcare disciplines at Duke University. 

H=Housing provided, $$= Stipend provided, and T=Travel Funding Available

Summer Research Opportunities in STEM

Requirements: US Citizen, Rising Junior or Senior

This 10-week program is designed for full-time first- and second-year underrepresented minority (URM) students at any college or university. The program provides high-quality mentored training experience for URM underclassmen to gain the experience, knowledge and skills to pursue and successfully complete a major in a STEM field and prepare for a job or higher learning in a STEM-related field.

Amgen Scholars Program Website

Requirements: US Citizen, rising juniors and seniors

During a period of nine weeks, students will work full-time in a research project, will participate in weekly seminars and workshops, and will attend regular group meetings in their research labs. We strongly encourage students from underrepresented minorities groups and students with disabilities, to apply. REU participants have the opportunity to conduct research in a large spectrum of interdisciplinary topics broadly organized into five areas: energy, environment, health, national security, and learning.

REU Website

Requirements: US Citizen, Rising Sophomore or Junior

This 10-week program is designed for full-time first- and second-year underrepresented minority (URM) students at any college or university. The program provides high-quality mentored training experience for URM underclassmen to gain the experience, knowledge and skills to pursue and successfully complete a major in a STEM field and prepare for a job or higher learning in a STEM-related field. 

Genome Sciences & Medicine Summer Scholars Website

Requirements: Open to all years and experience levels

10-week training program designed to give motivated undergraduate students hands-on experience in graduate-level biomedical research. We welcome applicants from around the United States who are seriously considering joining a Ph.D. graduate program after completing their undergraduate degree. Students from underrepresented groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

SROP Website  

Requirements: US Citizen, open to all years no previous research necessary

The eight-week program,will give participants who are interested in science and medicine real hands-on experience in research methodology and writing. Participants are placed in teams and matched with Duke faculty mentors to work on an original, hypothesis-driven project, originating as a one-page summary and culminating in a complete research paper. A goal of the program is to have every participant qualify for co-authorship on a peer-reviewed manuscript related to their team’s project.

Summer Training in Academic Research (STAR) Program Website  

The  SURPH@Duke  fellowship is targeted to rising juniors and seniors who are interested in future graduate study to obtain a PhD. This ten-week summer research experience focuses on learning how scientific discovery at the bench can be translated to treatment of disease. Students will train with a faculty mentor and carry out an independent research project in Duke’s Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology.

SURPH Program Website

Requirements: Undergraduate and Masters level students

This program allows students to select from a network of projects funded by the the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). All projects at Duke Superfund Research Center focus on early, low dose exposure toxins and their developmental impacts that are usually only evident during later life stages. In addition to working with their project or core, interns will be expected to participate in weekly research discussions and lab meetings and to present their research.

Superfund Summer Research Internship Website

Summer Research Opportunities in Healthcare and Medicine

REACH Equity Summer Undergraduate Research Program (RESURP) is an 8- week summer program for rising junior and senior undergraduate students. The overall goals of the program are to: increase students’ knowledge of the causes and consequences of racial and ethnic disparities in health; introduce students to basic skills in clinical research, professional development workshops, and provide an opportunity to conduct and present a health disparities research project.

RESURP Website

Undergraduate Research Support Office

The Undergraduate Research Support Office (URS) promotes undergraduate research at Duke through workshops, the annual Visible Thinking Symposium, funding independent research, assistantships and conferences and by providing support for summer research programs. See the complete list of  URS programs

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Undergraduate Research Support Office

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Getting started with research and not sure where to begin? The Undergraduate Research Support office promotes undergraduate research at Duke through workshops, the annual Visible Thinking Symposium, funding independent research, assistantships and conferences and by providing support for summer research programs. See the complete list of URS programs and check out the How to Begin page to get started!

Find a Research Opportunity

The Duke Institute for Brain Sciences hosts and supports several paid research opportunities for undergraduate and high school students.

Undergraduate

Cognitive neuroscience research internship.

The Cognitive Neuroscience Research Internship ( CNRI ) is a fully paid semester-long research internship for Duke undergraduate students who want to learn how to conduct research on human behavior and cognition. Learn more about CNRI  here .

SUMMER NEUROSCIENCE PROGRAM

The  Summer Neuroscience Program  ( SNP ) is an eight-week summer program that enables undergraduates to jumpstart their senior theses by working one-on-one with faculty mentors. The full program is open only to rising juniors and seniors who are declared Neuroscience majors. Learn more about SNP  here .

Job & Research Listings for Undergrads

The Undergraduate Research Support Office (URS) promotes undergraduate research at Duke through workshops, the annual Visible Thinking Symposium, funding independent research, assistantships and conferences and by providing support for summer research programs. See the complete list of  URS programs . 

JobX is Duke University's new student employment portal with part-time jobs and volunteer opportunities of all categories. See complete listings (log into DukeHub is required)

Muser provides Duke students with regularly-scheduled, clearly articulated, and equitable access to research opportunities across all fields.  Research mentors are members of the entire Duke University research community who can provide meaningful research experiences for students. Mentors are graduate students, postdocs, lab technicians, research team leaders, principal investigators, and professors.

Muser runs at least five rounds per year:  start of the fall semester for fall positions, mid-fall semester for spring semester positions, spring semester for the following fall semester positions, and spring semester for summer positions. See current listings here .

Department of Psychology and Neuroscience hosts a job board with internships, paid jobs, research, and professional development opportunities. See current listings here .

Duke provides a vast variety of summer opportunities for students. See the complete listings here . 

A list of undergraduate summer research opportunities across STEM disciplines at Duke maintained by the Duke SOM's IDEALS Office .

More Information on Getting Involved in Research as an Undergrad at Duke

For more information on getting involved in research as an undergrad at Duke, be sure to check out the Academic Advising Center's  video series and accompanying article  on the benefits, how-to, and more!

High School

Duke university neuroscience education.

The Duke University Neuroscience Experience ( DUNE ) provides high school students with a paid cutting-edge research experience in neuroscience laboratories at Duke University and encourages participation by students from underrepresented minority groups in STEM. Learn more about DUNE  here .

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Nominations for the Judith Deckers Prize for excellence in undergraduate teaching are now open. Details are available here.

OUE Research

Scientifically approaching the investigation of the diverse processes that impact student success and well-being.

In OUE Research, we take a scientifically rigorous approach to investigating the diverse processes that impact student success and well-being. We also provide leadership for research, assessment, and evaluation efforts in furtherance of OUE’s mission to cultivate transformative educational experiences for all undergraduates. A key aspect of our work is to collaborate with partners across campus to leverage research evidence to inform campus decision-making 

OUE Research provides a complement to the existing robust institutional research and assessment infrastructure at Duke, which includes the  Office of Institutional Research ,  Trinity College Office of Assessment , the assessment team in Student Affairs, and the  Registrar , among others. A distinctive feature of OUE Research is that we take a holistic view of undergraduate student success, focusing not only on learning and academic performance, but also the broader socioemotional and institutional context in which students are living, learning, and developing. Within this holistic approach, our research centers on three domains that are foundational to student success: (1) relationships and social connection, (2) academic motivation and engagement, and (3) emotional well-being and mental health. 

Molly S. Weeks, PhD

Director, OUE Research

Molly S. Weeks is the Director of Research for the Office of Undergraduate Education, providing leadership for research, assessment, and evaluation efforts in furtherance of our mission to deliver transformational educational experiences for all undergraduates.  Prior to joining OUE, Molly was a Research Scientist in the Department of Psychology & Neuroscience at Duke, and project director for the four-campus Student Resilience and Well-Being Project funded by The Duke Endowment. She received her B.A. in psychology with a minor in sociology from North Carolina State University, and her M.A. and Ph.D. in developmental psychology from Duke University. As a psychological scientist with a background in human development, Molly takes a scientifically rigorous approach to understanding the factors that contribute to emotional and academic adjustment during the college years and beyond. This approach, coupled with over a decade of experience working with diverse stakeholders at Duke, facilitates the leveraging of data science to improve the undergraduate experience, as well as contributing to generalizable knowledge in higher education and psychology. Outside of work, Molly enjoys cooking, eating, reading novels, and spending time with her family.

Sarah Eisensmith, PhD

Student Success Data and Assessment Manager

Sarah Eisensmith is the Data and Assessment Manager for the Division of Student Success. She develops and implements data collection and assessment initiatives to facilitate informed, evidenced-based decisions to support goals of the division. Sarah received her B.A. in sociology from Duke University, her M.Ed. from Lesley University, and her MSW and Ph.D. in social work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is interested in identifying and leveraging relational, programmatic, and systemic approaches that promote equitable learning. It is her hope that all students feel heard, valued, encouraged, and supported as they forge their path as learners and in the world. Sarah's evaluation work is informed by experiences as an educator, researcher, and clinical and forensic social worker in public school, community, and university settings. Outside of work, Sarah enjoys creating obsessively specific playlists, reading moody novels, spending time in nature, and cooking with and for family and friends.

Marina Wagemaker, PhD

Research Analyst, OUE Research

Marina Wagemaker is a Research Analyst in the Office of Undergraduate Education Research group. She conducts statistical analyses, provides data visualization, and implements data collection and data management efforts supporting research, assessment, and evaluation furthering our mission to deliver transformational educational experiences for all undergraduates. Dr. Wagemaker received her B.A. in psychology and a B.S in Elementary Education from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and her M.A. in Elementary Education and Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from North Carolina State University. She has experience teaching and leading professional development for PreK through higher education in North Carolina and abroad in Argentina, Estonia, Finland, Mexico, and South Korea. Dr. Wagemaker views partnership among researchers and other stakeholders as essential to assuring intellectually rigorous, culturally sustaining, and humanizing education for all students, and is dedicated to contributing to the diversity and excellence of the academic community through her experience, research, and service. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and traveling.

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• Math Intranet

Undergraduate Research

There are several ways students can become involved in research while still an undergraduate at Duke. After these programs, students can continue their research as a senior research project to earn  Graduation with Distinction .

Math+ (formerly DOmath) is an eight-week collaborative summer research program in mathematics, open to all Duke undergraduates. The program consists of groups of 2-4 undergraduate students working together on a single project. Each project is led by a faculty mentor assisted by a graduate student.

PRUV Fellow Program

PRUV provides financial support for six weeks of summer research with a faculty mentor in the Duke Mathematics Department. PRUV fellows, usually in the summer after their junior year, receive a stipend and live on campus with other students in the program.

Data+ is a ten-week summer research experience open to Duke undergraduates of all majors who are interested in exploring new data-driven approaches to interdisciplinary challenges. Students join small project teams, working alongside other teams in a communal environment. They learn how to marshal, analyze, and visualize data while gaining broad exposure to the modern world of data science.

Seminar Courses

We offer seminar courses that offer the opportunity to begin a research project within a small class setting and earn course credit. These include MATH 305S, Number Theory; MATH 323S, Geometry; MATH 361S, Mathematical Numerical Analysis; MATH 451S, Nonlinear Ordinary Differential Equations; and MATH 476S, Mathematical Modeling.

Independent Study

Students can pursue a research project with a faculty mentor and earn course credit in a Research Independent Study .  Often such an independent study continues research begun in one of the above programs.  Examples of recent projects include "Neural Coding in the Barn Owl", "Higher Genus Modular Forms", "Computing and Kidneys", "Yang-Mills flow on 4-manifolds", "Image Processing for Art Investigation", and "Random Unitary Transformations"..

Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)

Students are encouraged to participate in the many summer REU programs held at a variety of schools around the country.

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• Neuroscience: Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Undergraduate Studies in Neuroscience at Duke University provides rich opportunities for undergraduate students to explore neuroscience with faculty from diverse disciplines and perspectives. Accordingly, there are research opportunities with DIBS faculty  and Psychology & Neuroscience faculty . In addition to mentoring independent studies, many of these mentors have also been instrumental in developing a student's senior thesis for Graduation with Distinction.  

Once you identify faculty with research opportunities that interest you, here’s how to get involved:

• STEP 1. Write an email to a faculty member introducing yourself and expressing why you are interested in her/his research (e.g., mention something from a recent paper that you may have read and piqued your curiosity). This email should be brief, but personal. It should also include a simple question asking if if there is opportunity to get involved. There may be opportunity to meet the faculty member and discuss the research, attend a lab meeting, or shadow a more advanced student who is conducting a project or running an experiment. You might also simply volunteer to assist or inquire about employment under the work study program. You should also explore the resources linked below for other strategies of making an initial connection to faculty with research opportunities at Duke and elsewhere.
• STEP 2. Once you meet the faculty member and learn more about the research opportunities, you should consider registering for NEUROSCI 150 Research Practicum, which is a half-credit course unit that may be used to account for your activities in the lab for a semester.
• STEP 3. Research Practicum is a great way to get involved in research. But it is not an essential pre-requisite for research independent study. You could skip STEP 2 and enroll in NEUROSCI 493 Research Independent Study 1 without prior completion of a practicum. However, you and your prospective faculty mentor should plan one semester in advance of when you do expect to enroll in NEUROSCI 493 (if enrolled in NEUROSCI 150, the planning phase can be part of what you do in your research practicum—one very good reason for progressing through STEP 2!). Research Independent Study carries a full course unit of academic credit and should be thought of as equivalent to an upper division science course.
• STEP 4. Consider pursuing  Graduation with Distinction in Neuroscience . Once a research independent study project gets started, most students are eager to continue with subsequent terms of research course credit (NEUROSCI 494-496) so that they can fully benefit from the maturation of the science and completion of the research aims. If that’s you, then consider making your research project a two- (or more) term effort that could culminate in a successful senior thesis and graduation with distinction honors.

Visit the Undergraduate Research Support Office site for other helpful details pertaining to research.

Check out the Charles Lafitte Foundation Program for information on funding departmental research grants. 

Other summer research opportunities at Duke

Deans' Summer Research Fellowships  provide funding for faculty-mentored undergraduate research projects in all disciplines. The Fellowships can be used for most research-related expenses, including international travel and living expenses during the fellowship period. 

Also, please note that there are over 20 fellowships and grants for undergraduate summer research available from many offices and departments at Duke, including the Summer Neuroscience Program described above. Students are welcome to apply for and are eligible for co-funding for single projects. Undergraduate funding opportunities can be searched on the Undergraduate Research Support website .

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Duke Undergraduate Research Society

Administered jointly by the URS Office and the Duke Undergraduate Research Society , the Research Ambassadors are an experienced group of juniors and seniors serving as peer advisors for underclassmen looking to get involved in research at Duke. Ambassadors provide that special student perspective and inside advice on getting started, finding a mentor, making the most of a research experience, and finding support for research.

Looking for help from a Research Ambassador?

• Click here for Ambassador profiles and request form

Want to be a Research Ambassador? Here's what's involved:

• Semester-long commitment
• Training session (mandatory)
• Kick-Off event: Research Ambassadors/Mentees "Meet & Greet" (mandatory)
• Represent URS Office & DURS at a minimum of one info event (Majors fair, Blue Devil Days, etc.)
• Develop one-on-one relationships with your underclassmen mentees

Thank you for your interest in becoming a Research Ambassador. This application is now closed. For questions or more information, email [email protected] .

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We encourage students to engage in undergraduate research, and will support Global Culture and Theory students and undergraduates pursuing other majors as well. Undergraduate research is a mentored experience, and you will work closely with a faculty member. More than half of all undergraduates at Duke engage in some form of undergraduate research.

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Research Awards & Recognition

The Bascom Headen Palmer Literary Prize is awarded annually to recognize the best senior honors thesis in literary study each spring. The prize was established in honor of Judge Bascom Headen Palmer's who graduated from Trinity College in 1875 and won the Hesperian Literary Society's Medal of that year. Each year a Global Culture and Theory major is nominated for this prestigious award.

Research Funding

The  Edward H. Benenson Awards in the Arts : These awards range from $600 to $4500 with an average award size of $1800 and are granted annually through the generosity of Duke alumnus and trustee Edward H. Benenson. Funds are awarded for fees, equipment, supplies, travel, production and other educational expenses for projects in art, music, drama, dance, creative writing, and film/video proposed by undergraduates and graduating seniors of Trinity College and the School of Engineering. Information regarding application forms and instructions can be found  here .

To find funding for undergraduate research, visit  Undergraduate Research Support (URS) program . 

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Research opportunities for undergraduates.

The Duke History Department, together with allied sites across the university, offers many opportunities for Duke students to pursue historical research across the globe. This is especially relevant for students who are writing a thesis, or who are thinking of writing a thesis. But it is actually relevant for anyone: if you are a Duke student with a passion for history, and you would like to do research to support a project, we would like to work with you. You can reach out to [email protected] at any time. Below, though, is a rough guide to the available opportunities.

• For anyone: The first port of call would be the Office of Undergraduate Research , which offers many opportunities. Some of the most relevant would be the Trinity Summer Research Fellowship the Independent Study Grants .  The Human Rights Summer Research Grants are also an excellent opportunity for history students.
• History+ :   for students seeking practical, results-oriented experience outside of the classroom during the summer months.  These are mentored, small-group experiences that vary from year to year. Further details here .
• Pre-thesis research : for students who have a potential thesis idea, and would like to do some exploratory archival travel to see if it would make sense for a project. This makes most sense for sophomores , and is a great way to spend some time in the summer between sophomore and junior year. If you are interested in funding for a trip like this, send a two-page application (1 page narrative justification, 1 page detailed budget) to [email protected] by 1 April. This will be considered together by the Director of Undergraduate Studies and the Director of the Honors Seminar. Generally, awards for $500 but requests for more funds can be considered, pending availability. We recommend that students reach out to other funding organizations as well if their needs exceed $500. Students will be expected to provide a one-page report, potentially for use on our website, about their trip and their findings.
• Thesis research: for students who have already been admitted to the thesis seminar. The application for summer funding is a part of the application to the thesis seminar itself. Subsequent funding requests for admitted students will be considered by the DUS and the honors thesis director. Students will be expected to provide a one-page report, potentially for use on our website, about their trip and their findings.
• Women’s history. The Department has a special fund devoted to women’s history research. If your project falls into that category, consider applying for an Anne Firor Scott award.
• Helping faculty members with research . This can be a very rewarding activity, especially if you have formed a connection with a faculty member. Many history professors are in need of short-term help with research, often over the summer. If you are looking for this kind of work and would like ideas, feel free to reach out to [email protected] . Please note that you can only work for Duke if you are in one of the “approved to work” states . So, for instance, if you would like to work remotely for a faculty member over the summer, that is perfectly possible if you are in one of those states.
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• Undergraduate Research

During her last undergraduate semester at Duke, Aasha Henderson worked with colleagues in Sociology and Nursing to examine health outcomes in a Latinx community.  Her independent study paper compared how recent Latinx immigrants to North Carolina categorized themselves into racial groups ( self-reported race ) to how they believed other Americans would perceive their race when they walked down a street ( street race ).  When given the U.S. Census categories, most research participants self-reported… read more about Aasha Henderson, Duke Sociology Undergraduate, Publishes Paper on Race & Health  »

This summer, I worked as a researcher at the Institute für Mittelstandsforschung (IfM) in Bonn, Germany. Sociologists and economists at IfM Bonn work closely with German government ministries to conduct applied research into Der Mittelstand . At its core the Mittelstand refers to the assortment of German companies that are both owned and managed by individual entrepreneurs and their family members. The Mittelstand is the backbone of the German social market economy. Almost 94% of all German companies, using the… read more about Researching the German Mittelstand  »

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Research Opportunities for Undergraduate Students

Learn more about research opportunities for undergraduate students in the list of projects below.

Breast Cancer Research Directors: Jeffrey Marks, PhD , and  E. Shelley Hwang, MD, MPH

Cardiothoracic Surgery Translational Research Laboratory Directors: Carmelo Milano, MD , and  Dawn Bowles, MD

Center for Applied Therapeutics Director: Herbert Kim Lyerly, MD

Center for Applied Therapeutics - Immune Therapy of Cancer Director: Joshua C. Snyder, PhD

Computational Modeling Research Laboratory Director: Dennis O. Frank-Ito, PhD

Congenital Heart Surgery Research Laboratory Director: Joseph Turek, MD

Duke Transplant Center Jean Kwun, PhD

Immune Management Laboratory Director: Allan D. Kirk, MD, PhD

Immune Responses and Virology Laboratory Director:  Georgia Tomaras, PhD

Immunology, Inflammation and Immunotherapy Laboratory Smita Nair, PhD

Melanoma Research Program Georgia Beasley, MD

Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation Director:  Linda Cendales, MD

Breast Research Director:  Jennifer Plichta, MD

Center for Applied Therapeutics Director:  Herbert Kim Lyerly, MD

Center for Applied Therapeutics - Cancer Heterogeneity and Complexity Director:  Qing Cheng, PhD

Congenital Heart Surgery Research Laboratory Director:  Joseph Turek, MD

Duke Kidney Stone Center Director:  Michael Lipkin, MD

Global Surgery Director:  Henry Rice, MD

Melanoma Research Program Georgia Beasley, MD Paul Mosca, MD

Patient Safety Center Director:  Paul Mosca, MD

Surgical Education and Activities Laboratory Director:  Ranjan Sudan, MD

Thoracic Oncology Research Program Director:  Thomas D'Amico, MD

Vascular Surgery Research Program Director:  Cynthia Shortell, MD

Surgical Education and Activities Laboratory Director:  Ranjan Sudan, MD

Duke Clinical Research Institute Urology Director:  Charles Scales, MD

Endocrine Surgery Health Services Research   Director:  Randall P. Scheri, MD

Pediatric Global Surgery Research Director:  Tamara N. Fitzgerald, MD, PhD

Pediatric Urology Clinical and Health Services Research Lab Director:  Jonathan C. Routh, MD

Surgical Oncology Health Services Research Director:  Dan Blazer III, MD

Thoracic Oncology Health Services Research Director:  Betty Tong, MD

Vascular Surgery Health Services Research Director:  Cynthia Shortell, MD

See an Interesting Project?

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Research independent study for undergraduates.

Independent Study at Duke provides an intensive, demanding, and individualized research experience with the guidance of a Duke faculty member. In close collaboration with more senior researchers, the undergraduate researcher will acquire hands-on experience in the design and execution of experiments, computation, and simulations. Further information is found in the  Handbook for Majors  and:

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The faculty mentor may also be referred to as: Research Director, Supervising Faculty, PI (Principal Investigator), Research Supervisor, Research Advisor and Research Mentor.

Summer Research Opportunities in Chemistry

Numerous summer research opportunities exist for Duke undergraduates on the Duke campus, in Research Triangle Park, and at Universities and national laboratories around the country. 

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Four Undergraduates Receive National Goldwater Scholarships

Awards support stem student in furthering careers.

Four Duke University undergraduates have received the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, a federally endowed award that supports students in pursuing careers in the fields of mathematics, the natural sciences and engineering.

Ayush Jain, Juliet Jiang, Michelle Si  and  Marie-Hélène Tomé  are among the 508 students nationwide awarded Goldwater Scholarships for the 2024-2025 academic year. 

The Goldwater Scholars were chosen based on academic merit from a pool of 1,353 natural science, engineering and mathematics students nominated by the institutional representatives of 446 colleges and universities nationwide. Most Goldwater Scholars plan to pursue a Ph.D. in their field of interest.

Each Goldwater Scholar annually receives an amount equal to the cost of tuition, mandatory fees, books and room and board minus the amount of support provided for by other sources, up to a maximum of $7,500 per full academic year.  

“Congratulations to these impressive Duke students on being named Goldwater Scholars,” said Duke Provost Alec D. Gallimore. “Because of Duke’s strong commitment to faculty mentorship of undergraduate research, they are already contributing to their academic disciplines through publications and presentations. We are incredibly proud of their achievements and wish them well in their fields, where they will undoubtedly continue to contribute to advancements in the world’s knowledge.”

Jain is a sophomore computer science and chemistry double major from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Under mentors professors Samuel Berchuck and David Page in biostatistics and bioinformatics, and professor Jian Pei in computer science, Jain designs machine-learning-based approaches to solve clinical medicine problems such as finding optimal drug doses, suggesting successful drug repurposing hypotheses, and to emulate clinical trials with causal inference.

While working with Dr. Anthony Philippakis and Marie-Laure Charpignon at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, he proposed a novel hypergraph learning method for generating hypotheses for drug repurposing. Jain ultimately plans to use AI to design novel therapeutics for the world’s most pressing diseases. He will pursue a graduate degree at the intersection of medicine, computer science and systems pharmacology. Jain is the first author on two publications and has been invited to speak on his work at international conferences in his field.

From Winchester, Massachusetts, Jiang is a junior mathematics and biomedical engineering double major. Under the mentorship of professor of radiology Jeffrey Petrella and Penn State professor of mathematics Wenrui Hao, she studies a computational causal model that describes biomarker accumulation in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, contributing to the rise of personalized medicine.

Jiang also conducts research with professor Amanda Randles in computational fluid dynamics, investigating the role of boundary conditions in the accuracy of computationally derived hemodynamic metrics. She is also exploring the application of autoregressive hidden Markov models in understanding behavioral patterns of Parkinson’s patients with professor Timothy Dunn.

Jiang’s research has produced four first and second author publications and presentations in fields that span mathematics and engineering. She plans to pursue a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering or computational neuroscience, studying neurodegenerative diseases and mathematical modeling.

Si is a junior mathematics major who plans to pursue a career in algorithmic game theory and computational economics. As an A.B. Duke Scholar from San Jose, California, she has participated in a rigorous internship through Microsoft Research New England in the Econ-CS group and works closely with professor Jian Pei of the Department of Computer Science at Duke. 

With professor Pei, Si conducts research regarding a counterfactual explanation of the Shapley value (a concept in cooperative game theory) in data marketplaces and is working towards a first author publication. This semester, she is studying abroad in Budapest, learning graph theory and counting and arranging in mathematics to further expand her theoretical skillset as well as conducting research on unit distance graphs with the Renyi Institute. After earning a Ph.D. in computer science, Si plans to pursue a career in researching data and information markets.

Originally from Ardsley, New York, Tomé is a junior mathematics major and computer science and linguistics minor. She has participated in professor Ken Ono’s REU at the University of Virginia on number theory, which ignited her passion for the subfield. This led to a single author paper on finite formulas for the class number effectively answering a conjecture of the German mathematician Erich Hecke that had remained open since 1920.

This work was presented at the 2024 Joint Mathematics Meetings and will soon appear in a well-known journal in the field of number theory.

At Duke, under the mentorship of professor Lillian Pierce, Tomé has completed an independent study leading to an expository paper on the proof of an important bound in analytic number theory. Under the guidance of professor Samit Dasgupta, she will continue her research in algebraic number theory. Tomé plans to earn a Ph.D. in pure mathematics, teach at the university level to share her passion for mathematics with others, and conduct research in algebraic and analytic number theory.

Since its first award in 1989, the foundation has awarded 10,720 scholarships worth over $70 million. Ninety-seven Duke students have won Goldwater scholarships since 1990. 

Duke students and alumni can receive support for opportunities like the Goldwater Scholarship from the Nationally Competitive Scholarships team at the Office of University Scholars and Fellows.

For more information on the Goldwater Scholarship and other awards, visit the  Office of University Scholars and Fellows website.  

Michelle Si

Juliet Jiang

Marie-Hélène Tomé

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Duke Senior, Alumnus Win Mitchell Scholarships

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Duke undergraduate research symposium.

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Date: Monday, April 15, 2024 | 04:00 pm - 06:00 pm EDT

Location:  Karsh Alumni & Visitor Center United States

Please join us at the Duke Undergraduate Research Symposium to celebrate students' ongoing research. All are welcome! More information about our Symposium can be found here: https://undergraduateresearch.duke.edu/Symposium

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Event Cancellation by Sponsor Duke Alumni Engagement and Development (AED) reserves the right to cancel an event due to low enrollment or other circumstances which would make the event non-viable. If AED cancels an event, registrants will be offered a full refund. Should circumstances arise that result in the postponement of an event, registrants will have the option to either receive a full refund or transfer registration to the same event at the new, future date. Registration Cancellation by Participant Unless specifically stated on registration materials, the deadline to receive a refund for your registration is 5 business days before the event. Cancellations received after the stated deadline will not be eligible for a refund. Refunds will not be available for registrants who choose not to attend an event. Cancellations will be accepted via phone, fax or e-mail, and must be received by the stated cancellation deadline. All refund requests must be made by the attendee or credit card holder. Refund requests must include the name of the attendee and/or transaction number. Refunds will be credited back to the original credit card used for payment. These above policies apply to all AED Events unless otherwise noted in the corresponding event materials. Please read all individual event information thoroughly.

Duke Kunshan University Humanities Research Center

Interdisciplinary Research Center in the Arts, Humanities, and Interpretive Social Sciences at Duke Kunshan University

Register for the 2024 Undergraduate Humanities Research Conference

The Humanities Research Center is pleased to announce its annual Undergraduate Humanities Research Conference, Superdeep , which will be held in person at Duke Kunshan University from April 26-27, 2023. The conference will feature approximately 40 undergraduate research papers and 4 keynote addresses. Students who register for the conference may attend an exclusive seminar with one of the keynote speakers, as well as a gala dinner with all the presenters.

Register to attend the conference here by April 19

View the draft program here

Keynote Speakers

Roger T. Ames  安樂哲 is Humanities Chair Professor at Peking University, Senior Academic Advisor of the Peking University Berggruen Research Center, and Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Hawai’i. He is former editor of  Philosophy East & West  and founding editor of  China Review International . Ames has authored several interpretative studies of Chinese philosophy and culture, and his publications also include translations of the Chinese philosophical classics. His most recent monograph is  Human Becomings: Theorizing ‘Persons’ for Confucian Role Ethics  (2021). He has most recently compiled the new  Sourcebook in Classical Confucian Philosophy  with its companion  A Conceptual Lexicon for Classical Confucian Philosophy , and is committed to writing articles promoting a conversation between pragmatism and Confucian philosophy.

Ru YE is an associate professor at Wuhan University. She works on epistemology, more specifically, epistemic permissivism, higher-order evidence, and pragmatic encroachment. She is also interested in formal epistemology and the intersection between ethics and epistemology.  She received her PhD from Cornell University in 2016, and before that, she did undergraduate work at Wuhan University. 

Seth Jaffe is Associate Professor (Research) of the History of Political Thought at Luiss Guido Carli University, Rome (LUISS). His PhD is from the University of Toronto, his MSc from the LSE, and his BA from Bowdoin. He has worked on U.S. foreign policy, been a postdoc at FU Berlin, and is a regular Senior Associate of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. He has research interests in Greek and Roman political philosophy, the history of international political thought, and how classical frameworks can enrich contemporary debates. His first book, Thucydides on the Outbreak of War , was published in 2017 by Oxford UP, and he is working on a book on Polybius. He recently co-edited (with Guillermo Graíño Ferrer) a double special issue of The Review of Politics on populism in the history of political thought.

Hao TANG is Professor of Philosophy at Tsinghua University. He received his MA and PhD from the University of Pittsburgh after graduating with a BSc in Material Science from Fudan University. He is interested in Wittgenstein, philosophy of language, philosophy of mind, and philosophy of action.

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New Curriculum Approved For Trinity College of Arts & Sciences

April 4, 2024.

Elizabeth Thompson, Trinity Communications

Trinity College of Arts & Sciences has adopted a new curriculum that will reshape the academic experience of its undergraduate students beginning in Fall 2025, following an April 4 vote by faculty representatives.

Approximately 80% of Duke’s undergraduate student body calls Trinity College its intellectual home, and thus will earn degrees through the Arts & Sciences Curriculum. It marks the first comprehensive update since Curriculum 2000 was adopted a generation ago.

Key features of the new curriculum include an enhanced first-year experience, a structure that encourages exploration across academic disciplines via innovative courses and a renewed affirmation of the value of language studies, writing, humanities and the arts.

“Today’s undergraduates live in a very different world than the students of the early 2000s,” said Gary G. Bennett , dean of Trinity College. “Amid global insecurities, climate change, increased polarization and technological advances that were barely imaginable 25 years ago, a world-class liberal arts education is more valuable than ever. But how we deliver on that promise should evolve over time.”

In March 2022, former Dean Valerie Ashby and past Provost Sally Kornbluth issued the charge to reimagine the curriculum and created the Trinity Curriculum Development Committee, chaired by Professor of Psychology & Neuroscience Scott Huettel . The two-year process that followed included a comprehensive discovery phase in which members of the committee met with faculty, departmental leadership and students to determine the values that would anchor the new curriculum.

“Establishing the curriculum for Trinity College students is one of the most important responsibilities of our faculty,” said Huettel. “We wanted our process to be transparent and student-centered, with continual input from stakeholders throughout our community. The result is a new curriculum that provides our students with considerable flexibility in pursuing pathways through Duke, while encouraging innovative approaches to teaching and course design.”

When a new student arrives on campus in Fall 2025, they will encounter Duke Constellations, a first-year experience that includes a set of three interconnected classes examining a single topic from a variety of perspectives . One of these classes will be a writing course. At least one of the other two classes will involve small group learning, and both will incorporate experiential elements. This structure encourages students to build connections early in their college careers while engaging with complex ideas through an interdisciplinary lens.

To ensure a firm grounding in the liberal arts, students will also take two courses in each of six categories across the Arts & Humanities , Natural Sciences and Social Sciences . Those categories will be: Creating and Engaging with Art; Humanistic Inquiry; Interpreting Institutions, Justice and Power; Investigating the Natural World; Quantitative and Computational Reasoning ; and Social and Behavioral Analysis .

Each major may create its own Century Course, designed to encourage exploration of disciplines outside of a student’s previous academic experiences . Century Courses can be described as the course our faculty would most want a student to take if they could only take one course in a particular subject in their life. These classes will be open to all students without prerequisites.

Although requirements for the completion of a major will remain largely unchanged , the new curriculum places increased emphasis on writing and language . Students will complete three writing courses, including the writing course that is part of the first-year experience. The curriculum acknowledges that “instruction in global languages and in writing is central to a Duke liberal arts education,” noting that students will “live their lives in an interconnected world — and much of their career success and personal growth will depend upon their abilities to understand others’ perspectives and express their own ideas.”

Dean Bennett announced that planning toward implementation has already begun, and a $1 million philanthropic gift will support the creation of an office to support that work, led by Interim Dean of Academic Affairs Deborah Reisinger . Reisinger is a professor of the practice in Romance Studies and was a member of the Trinity Curriculum Development Committee.

“Trinity College of Arts & Sciences is committed to providing an educational experience that supports each student’s intellectual and personal growth,” she said. “With the adoption of this new curriculum, tomorrow’s undergraduates will continue to experience the world-class liberal arts education Trinity is known for as Duke University moves into its second century."

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Duke Centennial Ecology Symposium 2024 (Two-Day Event)

Join us as we look back at 100 years of ecology history, thought and scholarship at Duke University! This two-day event will feature a talk on the history of ecology at Duke; faculty, students, and alumni sharing their recent research and work in ecology; a panel discussion on the future of ecology, and a keynote by M. Sanjayan , chief executive officer of Conservation International.

Register Now

Complimentary parking available. Instructions to be emailed after registration.

Event Agenda

Thursday, april 18.

2-3 pm: History of Duke Ecology

• Curt Richardson - Professor of Resource Ecology and founding Director of the Duke University Wetland Center in the Nicholas School of the Environment

3-4 pm: Hear from Alumni in Ecology Who Graduated from Duke (three 20-min talks)

• Liz Shaver PhD’18 - Coral Conservation Program Manager, Caribbean Division, The Nature Conservancy
• Miles Silman PhD’96 - Professor of Biology, Andrew Sabin Family Foundation Professor of Conservation Biology, Wake Forest University; Director, Center for Energy, Environment, and Sustainability
• Patrick Megonigal PhD’06 - Senior Scientist & Deputy Director, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

4-4:30 pm: Break (snacks and drinks provided)

4:30-5:30 pm: Hear from Current PhD Students Renata Kamakura, Ze-Yi Han, and Anita Simha (three 20-min talks)

5:30-7:30 pm: Duke Ecology@100 Social (heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks)  

Friday, April 19

9-10 am: Breakfast and Coffee Social

10-11:30 am: Keynote by M Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International

11:30 am – 1 pm: Strolling Lunch and Student Poster Session (food and drinks provided)

1-2 pm: Faculty Speakers from Duke (three 15-min talks)

• Anne Yoder - Braxton Craven Distinguished Professor of Evolutionary Biology
• Emily Bernhardt - James B. Duke Distinguished Professor, Biology Department
• Brian R. Silliman - Rachel Carson Distinguished Professor of Marine Conservation Biology, Director of Duke RESTORE, and Director of the Duke Wetland and Coasts Center

2-2:45 pm: Faculty and Alumni Panel Discussion on the Future of Duke Ecology

2:45 pm: Closing Remarks    

  If you need a disability-related accommodation, please contact Katie O’Grady at 919-613-8003 or [email protected].  

Judith Kelley to Step Down as Sanford School Dean

Judith Kelley , dean of the Sanford School of Public Policy , has decided to step down and return to the faculty at the end of the 2023-24 academic year. Kelley is the ITT/Terry Sanford Distinguished Professor of Public Policy and a Bass Fellow.

Manoj Mohanan , senior associate dean for faculty and research, has been appointed interim dean of the Sanford School, effective July 1, 2024. Mohanan, the Creed C. Black Professor and a professor of economics and research professor of global health, will serve a two-year term as interim dean.

“I am grateful to Judith for her dedication to Sanford and her leadership over the last six years,” said Provost Alec D. Gallimore. “As dean, she has strengthened the school, building on Duke’s history of excellence and innovation in public policy while also guiding faculty, staff and students through a period of unprecedented challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic. I wish her well as she returns to her teaching and research in human rights, democracy and elections.”   

Since her appointment in 2018, Kelley transformed the school through new programs and innovations to bolster research, teaching and engagement while also leading it through the Covid-19 pandemic. She previously served as senior associate dean for five years.

Under Kelley, Sanford recruited over 20 outstanding faculty members, created a strong grant incentive policy, raised new funds for a research pilot funding program and created a director of research opportunities position to support the grant application process and the nomination of faculty for honors. Subsequently, research funding for the school increased, as did the prizes and honors won by the school’s faculty.

Kelley also worked to maintain the Sanford School’s reputation as a premier destination for public policy education. Sanford doubled the size of the school’s flagship Master of Public Policy (MPP) program and maintained its top rankings in social policy, health policy, environmental policy and policy analysis. The MPP program also added several new concentrations and joint degree programs. In addition, Kelley steered the Master of International Development Policy through the challenges of Covid-19. Under Kelley’s leadership, Sanford doubled its professional offerings by creating its first new master’s degree programs since the 1980s. The successful Master of National Security Policy degree is already in its second cohort, and the Executive Master of Public Affairs program will welcome its first cohort next June, focusing on leadership, management and ethics. The school also deepened the undergraduate experience, adding a new certificate program in health policy, the school’s first minor in media and journalism and a number of new experiential learning components, including undergraduate learning trips to Washington.

Kelley spearheaded the entry of Sanford into online and hybrid teaching, building its first full-fledged audio-visual recording studio to support both teaching and research innovations — especially the new hybrid degrees — and hiring the school’s first director of digital learning just in time to support the transition to online teaching during the pandemic.

Alumni engagement increased significantly during Kelley’s deanship. Fundraising more than doubled and the number of endowed graduate financial aid endowments increased from 17 to 30 while the number of endowed professorships rose from 14 to 22.

Supporting the faculty’s engagement with pressing policy challenges, Kelley oversaw the addition of technology policy as an important emerging area of expertise and raised two endowed faculty positions to build new strengths for Sanford and Duke in this area. Since its creation at Sanford, the technology policy lab has already been cited in connection with policy changes in Washington and educated government officials around the world.

In addition, Kelley appointed the school’s first associate dean of diversity, equity and inclusion and doubled the number of underrepresented faculty. Kelley, the first in her family to attend high school and a first-generation immigrant from Denmark, was the first woman to lead public policy at Duke since its establishment in 1972.

Judith Kelley to Step Down as Sanford School Dean

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Judith Kelley , dean of the Sanford School of Public Policy, has decided to step down and return to the faculty at the end of the 2023-24 academic year. Kelley is the ITT/Terry Sanford Distinguished Professor of Public Policy and a Bass Fellow.

Manoj Mohanan , senior associate dean for faculty and research, has been appointed interim dean of the Sanford School, effective July 1, 2024. Mohanan, the Creed C. Black Professor and a professor of economics and research professor of global health, will serve a two-year term as interim dean.

“I am grateful to Judith for her dedication to Sanford and her leadership over the last six years,” said Provost Alec D. Gallimore. “As dean, she has strengthened the school, building on Duke’s history of excellence and innovation in public policy while also guiding faculty, staff and students through a period of unprecedented challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic. I wish her well as she returns to her teaching and research in human rights, democracy and elections.”   

Since her appointment in 2018, Kelley transformed the school through new programs and innovations to bolster research, teaching and engagement while also leading it through the Covid-19 pandemic. She previously served as senior associate dean for five years.

Under Kelley, Sanford recruited over 20 outstanding faculty members, created a strong grant incentive policy, raised new funds for a research pilot funding program and created a director of research opportunities position to support the grant application process and the nomination of faculty for honors. Subsequently, research funding for the school increased, as did the prizes and honors won by the school’s faculty.

Kelley also worked to maintain the Sanford School’s reputation as a premier destination for public policy education. Sanford doubled the size of the school’s flagship  Master of Public Policy  (MPP) program and maintained its top rankings in social policy, health policy, environmental policy and policy analysis. The MPP program also added several new concentrations and joint degree programs. In addition, Kelley steered the  Master of International Development Policy  through the challenges of Covid-19. Under Kelley’s leadership, Sanford doubled its professional offerings by creating its first new master’s degree programs since the 1980s. The successful  Master of National Security Policy  degree is already in its second cohort, and the Executive Master of Public Affairs program will welcome its first cohort next June, focusing on leadership, management and ethics. The school also deepened the undergraduate experience, adding a new certificate program in health policy, the school’s first minor in media and journalism and a number of new experiential learning components, including undergraduate learning trips to Washington.

Kelley spearheaded the entry of Sanford into online and hybrid teaching, building its first full-fledged audio-visual recording studio to support both teaching and research innovations — especially the new hybrid degrees — and hiring the school’s first director of digital learning just in time to support the transition to online teaching during the pandemic.

Alumni engagement increased significantly during Kelley’s deanship. Fundraising more than doubled and the number of endowed graduate financial aid endowments increased from 17 to 30 while the number of endowed professorships rose from 14 to 22.

Supporting the faculty’s engagement with pressing policy challenges, Kelley oversaw the addition of technology policy as an important emerging area of expertise and raised two endowed faculty positions to build new strengths for Sanford and Duke in this area. Since its creation at Sanford, the technology policy lab has already been cited in connection with policy changes in Washington and educated government officials around the world.

In addition, Kelley appointed the school’s first associate dean of diversity, equity and inclusion and doubled the number of underrepresented faculty. Kelley, the first in her family to attend high school and a first-generation immigrant from Denmark, was the first woman to lead public policy at Duke since its establishment in 1972.

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