Trinity College of Arts & Sciences is increasing its support for early-stage interdisciplinary research efforts with new funding for four faculty-led research initiatives designed to foster collaboration across the social sciences, natural sciences and arts & humanities. The projects — spanning biodiversity, statistics, mental health, philosophy, cultural heritage and data science — came out of a competitive call for proposals launched last year. Two initiatives, Causality at Duke and BioTA: Biodiversity… read more about Trinity Funds Four New Faculty-Led Research Initiatives »
Congratulations to Dr. Sheila Dewitt, a 2026 Fellow of The American Chemical Society. ACS fellows are members who have made outstanding achievements in and contributions to science, the chemistry profession, and the society. Fellows will be celebrated during the ACS Fall 2026 meeting in Chicago.Dr. Dewitt completed her PhD work in 1986 with Professor Daniel Sternbach. While at Duke, she developed new synthetic routes and insights into constructing substituted cyclopentadienes and tricyclo 5.2.1.0('1,5) dec-8-ene ring… read more about Duke Chem Alumna Named ACS Fellow »
As temperatures climb and daylight stretches late into the evening, summer brings a familiar set of experiences — buzzing mosquitoes, sun-soaked afternoons and, for many people, the urge to reset routines or chase new goals. But the season also carries serious risks. Extreme heat and wildfires can threaten lives, destroy homes and ecosystems, and send hazardous smoke across entire regions. Behind both the ordinary and unsettling aspects of summer are fascinating scientific explanations.We asked four Duke faculty experts to… read more about Hot Days, Cool Science: Duke Experts Break Down Summer’s Everyday Mysteries »
Henry Chesley-Vogels has been selected as a new CBTE Fellow! The Duke Center for Biomolecular and Tissue Engineering (CBTE) is an interdisciplinary center for training and research. The primary focus of CBTE is to nucleate interdisciplinary research and educational activities that link three broad areas of biotechnology: Biomolecular engineering, Cellular engineering, and Tissue engineering.The Fellowship selection committee is excited to welcome Henry into a program focused on preparing PhD students for leadership in… read more about Henry Chesley-Vogels Selected to Receive CBTE Fellowship »
Chemistry major Chinelo Agwuegbo is one of eighteen Duke students and alumni to have been offered a Fulbright grant for the 2026-2027 year. Through the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, students will pursue independent research projects, enroll in graduate study, or work as an English teaching assistant in 12 different countries. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is a world-renowned international education program, designed to facilitate cultural exchange and increase mutual understanding between the United States and more… read more about Chinelo Agwuegbo Receives Fulbright to Luxembourg »
The application of external voltages to self-assembled monolayers formed on electrodes allows for dynamic tuning of the properties of the constituent molecules. The electrode and the applied voltage give rise to two main effects on the molecules, the electro-inductive and electric field effects, both of which significantly alter their chemical properties and reactivity. Dr. Jun-Hyeong Kim and Prof. Weitao Yang present fractional charge density functional theory coupled with a model electrode and a continuum model solvent (… read more about Yang Lab presents "Fractional charge density functional theory elucidates electro-inductive and electric field effects at electrochemical interfaces" »
Professor Jonathan Schultz, a former Arnold O. Beckman Postdoctoral Fellow with Prof. David Beratan, has been named as a 2026-2027 IAIER Emerging Leaders in AI and Research at North Carolina Central University! This year’s cohort includes professionals and changemakers who are committed to exploring the future of artificial intelligence, emerging research, and real-world impact. Jon's research group at NC Central combines theory, machine learning, and experiments to examine how energy and charge move… read more about Former Beckman Postdoc, Dr. Jonathan Schultz, named Emerging Leader at NCCU »
Sarah Angle has received a prestigious fellowship from the National Institutes of Health! Sarah's T31 award, "Developing Prodrugs to Selectively Suppress Beta-lactam Resistant Bacteria", will provide funding for her continued studies with Professor Katherine Franz. Antibiotic-resistant infections are steadily on the rise and threaten public health worldwide. Sarah's research aims to develop new antibacterial prodrugs that are only activated in resistant bacteria, reducing harm to beneficial microbes. In the long term, this… read more about Sarah Angle Awarded NIH Fellowship »
Three students with extensive research records under their belts have been named 2026 Faculty Scholars, the highest award given by the Academic Council to undergraduate students.The students are Daniel Levin, a biology major; Emily Song, who is studying biomedical engineering; and Anushka Kumar, who crafted her own Program II individualized major. The trio was chosen from 27 applicants.Meet the scholars:Emily SongEmily Song’s interest in neuro-engineering began long before college through work with the… read more about Trinity Undergraduate Students Named Faculty Scholars »
Prof. Ivan Moreno-Hernandez has been named as the Eberts Family Assistant Professor of Chemistry beginning July 1, 2026. This title is in recognition to the contributions to Duke’s program of teaching and scholarship. Congratulations, Ivan! read more about Moreno-Hernandez named Eberts Family Assistant Professor of Chemistry »
Two Duke alumni have been awarded the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship for graduate study at Stanford University. Class of 2022 graduates Ayden Case and Jonathan Perera will receive three years of funding there.Case and Perera are members of the ninth Knight-Hennessy cohort and are the 15th and 16th Duke students to receive the scholarship since the program welcomed its first class in 2018.“I am thrilled to celebrate Ayden and Jonathan as 2026 recipients of the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship, an honor that recognizes… read more about Duke Chemistry Alumnus Awarded Knight-Hennessy Scholarship »
Christina Colwell knew she wanted a college where friendships would grow beyond the classroom and professors felt more like mentors than voices at the front of a lecture hall. A campus visit with her father during Blue Devil Days made that vision a reality. “The faculty and students I met were so kind and accessible, and there was such a vibrant community spirit,” she recalls. “I remember calling my mom and telling her I needed to be here.” From her sophomore year in the… read more about Rewriting the Formula: How Christina Colwell Brought Her Path to Science, Language and Cameron Indoor »
Michael Kiel is a senior from Des Moines, Iowa, majoring in Environmental Sciences with minors in Biology and Chemistry. During his time at Duke, he participated in research through Bass Connections and completed a Graduation with Distinction honors thesis in the Levin Lab studying the effects of environmental exposures on neurobehavior. As he prepares to graduate, Kiel reflects on the academic opportunities and communities that shaped his Duke experience. This interview has been edited for clarity and… read more about Michael Kiel '26: Discovering a Passion for Research »
Alexandria Calloway is a senior majoring in Chemistry with a concentration in Biochemistry. In addition to serving as a Trinity Ambassador, she is a member of the Baldwin Scholars program, the Huang Fellows Program and the Iota Mu Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Calloway is interested in pursuing a career in healthcare, and in her free time she enjoys playing tennis, cooking, spending time with family and relaxing near the water. As commencement draws near, we asked Calloway to reflect on her time at Duke, the… read more about Alexandria Calloway '26: Mentorship, Growth and Independence »
Eighteen current students in The Graduate School, including eight students in the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, have received awards from the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP) for 2026. Since 1952, the NSF GRFP has supported more than 70,000 outstanding graduate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. Fellows receive a three-year stipend, coverage of tuition and fees, and access to professional development opportunities.The… read more about Eight Trinity Students Receive NSF Graduate Research Fellowships »
On April 16, over 100 Duke University students presented their research at the Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium.Students presented posters, gave flash talks, shared their senior theses and attended lectures with Duke alumni. Discover some of the highlights of the day. read more about Discovery on Display at the Undergraduate Research Symposium »
Congratulations to Chemistry's six NSF Graduate Research Fellowship award recipients! These include Klaire Bradley (Becker Lab), Olivia Dube (Therien Lab), Emily Matas (Therien Lab), Alannah Miller (Hong Lab), Mallory Roberts (Njomen Lab) and Abigail Taylor (Becker Lab). The NSF-GRFP is a highly competitive program that supports over 100 subfields. This year's approximately 2400 fellowship winners were… read more about NSF Fellowships Abound! »
Chem Majors Daniel Levin and Anushka Peer have been honored as Barry M. Goldwater Scholars! This prestigious award recognizes accomplished sophomore and junior researchers who plan to pursue careers in the fields of science, engineering, and mathematics. Each Goldwater Scholar receives up to $7,500 annually toward the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board.A.B. Duke Scholar Daniel Levin plans to complete an honors thesis in both Chemistry and Biology before he graduates. Levin, a junior, has studied across… read more about Chem Majors Daniel Levin and Anushka Peer Honored as Barry M. Goldwater Scholars »
Duke University undergraduates Daniel Levin, Anushka Peer, Emily Song, and Caroline Zhang have been honored as Barry M. Goldwater Scholars. This prestigious award recognizes accomplished sophomore and junior researchers who plan to pursue careers in the fields of science, engineering, and mathematics. Each Goldwater Scholar receives up to $7,500 annually toward the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board.“Congratulations to Duke’s newest Goldwater Scholars,” Provost Alec D. Gallimore said. “Duke is tremendously… read more about Three Trinity Undergraduates Named 2026 Goldwater Scholars »
Duke University has awarded distinguished professorships to 38 faculty and will recognize them in a ceremony at the Washington Duke Inn on May 18.“I am delighted to recognize these faculty members with distinguished professorships,” said President Vincent E. Price. “Their work reflects a deep commitment to excellence in research and education, advancing new ideas and discoveries that benefit society and inspire future generations.”Distinguished professorships honor faculty who are well-established members of the Duke… read more about Seven Trinity Faculty Members Among Duke's New Distinguished Professors »
The Bass Connection team, Duke iGEM: Synthetic Biology for Human Health and Society (Duke iGEM), earned a gold medal at the 2025 International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Jamboree for its project RESPIRA: Responsive Engineered Strain for Polymicrobial Infection Recovery in Airways. Students from across Trinity College of Arts and Sciences and Pratt School of Engineering comprise the core of Duke iGEM. Cameron Kim, assistant professor of the practice in Biomedical Engineering explains that RESPIRA… read more about Duke iGEM Team Wins Gold at 2025 International Jamboree »
College can easily become a straight line: pick a major, commit to a track, graduate and start a career. For many students, especially those in STEM, the pressure to stay the course can make exploring other interests feel risky (even irresponsible) and cast the humanities as an indulgence rather than a necessity. But at Trinity, students are encouraged to explore across disciplines, discovering new paths that enrich their education as much as challenge their curiosities. After… read more about Hailey Harmon '26: The Humanities Major She Didn’t See Coming »
The Wang Lab has developed a copper-catalyzed enantioselective synthesis of β-alkylamino lactones by an umpolung amination strategy using O-acylhydroxylamines as alkylamine precursors. This enantioselective amino lactonization reaction shows a broad substrate scope and high functional group tolerance, offering rapid entry to a wide array of β-alkylamino lactones in high efficiency and enantioselectivity from unsaturated carboxylic acids. Furthermore, an atom-economic one-component reaction from unsaturated O… read more about Wang Lab Providing Direct Access to Enantioenriched 1,2-Alkylamino Alcohol Derivatives »
Professor Emily Derbyshire has been elected to the American Academy of Microbiology! The American Academy of Microbiology (the Academy) elected 63 new fellows to the Class of 2026. Fellows of the Academy are elected annually through a highly selective, peer-review process based on their records of scientific achievement and original contributions that have advanced microbiology. Over the last 50 years, more than 2,700 distinguished scientists have been elected… read more about Derbyshire Elected to American Academy of Microbiology »
Emily Derbyshire, Eads Family Professor of Chemistry, has been elected a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology. Fellows of the Academy, the honorific leadership group and scientific think tank within the American Society for Microbiology, are elected annually through a highly selective, peer-review process based on their records of scientific achievement and original contributions that have advanced microbiology. Over the last 50 years, more than 2,700 distinguished… read more about Emily Derbyshire Elected to American Academy of Microbiology »
Iridium oxide is one of the most important — and most problematic — materials in the global push toward clean energy. It is currently the most reliable catalyst used in the conversion of energy to chemicals by electrolysis, a process that uses electricity to split water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen.But iridium is among the rarest non-radioactive elements in Earth’s crust, and not unlike metal rusting over time, iridium oxide catalysts slowly degrade under the harsh acidic and high-voltage conditions required for… read more about Watching a Critical Green-Energy Catalyst Dissolve, Atom by Atom »
Are you interested in independent Chemistry research? Would you love to expand your hands-on research in the lab this summer? Apply now to Chem-SURF! The Chemistry Undergraduate Summer Research Fellows (Chem-SURF) Program is a summer program designed to support students who are conducting research. All undergraduate researchers who are on campus during the summer are welcome to participate in program activities, including weekly professional development workshops, community-building events, and an undergraduate… read more about Duke Chem Researchers: Join for the Summer! »
An interdisciplinary team of Duke faculty is among the international recipients of a new grant from the Schmidt Sciences Humanities and Artificial Intelligence Virtual Institute (HAVI), a program designed to bridge the gap between AI technology and humanistic inquiry. Led by Martin Fischer, Research Professor of Chemistry and Physics; Shira Faigenbaum-Golovin, Assistant Professor of Mathematics from Bar-Ilan University (formerly of Duke); and John K. Delaney, from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, the project… read more about Duke Researchers Awarded Grant to Reveal Hidden Histories of Artworks Through AI and Imaging »
Duke’s Trinity College of Arts & Sciences has invited its faculty to submit proposals for the creation of new research initiatives on campus.Following the successful launches of the SPACE Initiative and the Society-Centered AI Initiative, the Trinity Research Initiative will support new directions for interdisciplinary research through seed funding for nascent research collaborations, community-building, and complementary educational and outreach activities.Open to all areas of research and… read more about Trinity College of Arts & Sciences Invites Proposals for New Research Initiatives »