Toddi Steelman in Antarctica in November with Duke alumni and National Geographic.
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As the year comes to a close, I want to extend my warmest holiday wishes to our partners, friends and colleagues and share my deep appreciation for all we have accomplished together through the Duke Climate Commitment. This has been a year of meaningful progress for our university. Together, we launched a new Strategy that charts a clear and ambitious roadmap for the years ahead. Our Annual Report captures the tangible strides we have made in education, research, engagement, operations and community partnership—evidence that our efforts are adding up to real impact.
On a personal note, my recent trip to Antarctica was a profound reminder of both the fragility and timelessness of our planet. Standing on the ice, witnessing landscapes shaped over millennia and now changing with alarming speed, I was once again struck by the urgency of our mission. Soul-filling experiences like this renew my sense of purpose. I hope each of you finds your own source of inspiration, whether in a classroom, a lab, a local community or the natural world that sustains us all.
I wish you rest, joy and time with the people and places that matter most. I look forward to returning in the New Year—recharged, inspired and ready to continue this important work together. Here’s to even greater plans for 2026!
Regards,
Toddi Steelman, Vice President and Vice Provost for Climate and Sustainability
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Duke Launches Funded Climate-focused Fellowship Program
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Duke University has received $10.45 million in the form of a new award and donor pledges to launch a one-of-a-kind, climate-focused program for postdoctoral fellows. The program is made possible by the collective effort of The Duke Endowment, which contributed $5 million, and Duke donors Julie ‘81 and Ritson ‘81 Ferguson and Mark ‘80 and Lynne Florian, who contributed $3.2 million and $2.25 million, respectively.
Scholars for Climate and Advanced Leadership in Environment and Sustainability (SCALES) will recruit outstanding early-career scholars to Duke to advance breakthroughs in climate challenges through research partnerships across Duke’s more than 10 schools. Learn more about the SCALES gift and the program information.
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Profiles and Perspectives from Scholars |
Let’s Talk About Climate Change is an interdisciplinary class for first-year students that encourages exploration of climate change from perspectives in the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and the arts. Incoming students will see it offered as part of the How Does Climate Affect Our World Constellation series. The new video series "Climate Is..." highlights perspectives from faculty who taught in the course. Each video will be highlighted on YouTube over the next eights weeks and you can preview all of the videos today.
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Call for Nominations: Climate Commitment Awards |
The Office of Climate and Sustainability is seeking nominations for Duke students, staff and faculty who demonstrate exceptional leadership in climate and sustainability efforts in support of Duke's Climate Commitment. Nominations are due by Jan. 23. Winners will be announced at the Climate Commitment Celebration in spring 2026! (Photo from 2024 awards)
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Call for Faculty Applications:
CAST Fellows - Experiential Learning Edition |
Duke scholars across all schools and Duke’s interdisciplinary centers and institutes are experts in their disciplines and also innovators working across boundaries, discovering new systems, methods, histories, and materials, all in the service of positive societal and environmental impact. Meet eight researchers affecting climate and oceans, health and finance and policy.
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Duke Kunshan Climate and Sustainability Initiative |
The Duke Kunshan University Climate and Sustainability Initiative (CSI) was launched in April 2024 to promote sustainable development at DKU through education, research, campus operations and external engagement. CSI has a new website to learn more about the initiative. (Photo of DKU campus)
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Sanford Podcast Features Michael Regan |
Michael Regan, former administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and current Duke Polis Distinguished Fellow, joins Interim Dean Manoj Mohanan for a conversation on leadership and environmental justice in this Policy 360 podcast from the Duke Sanford School of Public Policy. (Photo courtesy of Sanford School)
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A Bass Connections project “Ghost (Forest) Stories: Unearthing History and Climate Change” explores how centuries of human activity have shaped, and continue to reshape, North Carolina’s coastal landscapes. (Illustration by Aeran Coughlin and Michelle Ling)
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Research on Greenland Ice Sheet Melting |
Melting from the Greenland Ice Sheet is a top contributor to global sea level rise. Two recent studies published in Nature Communications by Nicholas School of the Environment researchers and colleagues investigate the role of surface water in ice sheet melting. Find out more in this research paper and this related paper.
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New Documentary Explores Algal Blooms in NC |
Through a collaborative research effort, Duke's Pratt School of Engineering is working with North Carolina communities and health leaders to investigate the growing number of harmful algal blooms in the Albemarle Sound region. These blooms release potent neurotoxins, and the team is exploring whether long-term exposure could be linked to the area’s unusually high rates of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a devastating neurodegenerative disease. Learn more in this Pratt School documentary.
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Dive into Master in Business, Climate, & Sustainability |
Duke University's new Master in Business, Climate, and Sustainability (MBCS) degree prepares students for these roles in just 10 months. Fuqua School of Business Dean Mary Frances Luce and Nicholas School of the Environment Dean Lori Bennear talk with MBA student Eliza Harrison about the new program.
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Recap: Geothermal Climate Collaboration Symposium |
The Duke Climate Collaboration Symposium led by the Pratt School of Engineering on Dec. 2 explored the history, opportunities and challenges of geothermal energy – opening with a summary of Duke’s efforts to date. (Photo courtesy of the Nicholas Institute)
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Office of Climate and Sustainability Updates |
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