Off the Top...

Governors Island, 'Dedicated Outpost' to Advance Climate Goals

Joining a collaborative effort during New York Climate Week at the New York Climate Exchange on Governors Island, Duke University aims to devise innovative solutions to pressing climate issues, advance its climate goals, and foster climate innovation through education, research, and community programs.

The Exchange will enable Duke and its partners to generate climate solutions, enhance tech commercialization, and provide startups with greater access to venture capital, emphasizing Duke’s commitment to addressing climate challenges and making a global impact.

Duke Takes A Bite of the Big Apple

Federally Funded Research at Duke...

Building a Better Solar Cell--How To Make Using Solar Energy More Efficient

Advancements in technology by Duke Professor Adrienne Stiff-Roberts and her team are poised to significantly enhance the efficiency of solar cells, potentially revolutionizing renewable energy sources. This innovation, coupled with a multidisciplinary approach that includes policy and economics, positions Duke as a leading institution in addressing and solving comprehensive renewable energy challenges.

Dr. Stiff-Robert’s research is funded by the National Science Foundation’s BRITE Fellowship.

Solar Power

Unzipping mRNA Rallies Plant Cells to Fight Infection
Living things from bacteria to plants to humans must constantly adjust the chemical soup of proteins -- the workhorse molecules of life -- inside their cells to adapt to stress or changing conditions, such as when nutrients are scarce, or when a pathogen attacks. Now, researchers have identified a previously unknown molecular mechanism that helps explain how they do it. This discovery doesn’t just apply to plants, the authors noted in their Sept. 6 publication in the journal Nature. They also found that these RNA structures have similar effects on protein production in human cells, too.

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.

Plant Rally

Water Depth is Key for Boosting CO2 Storage in Southern Peatlands

A recent Duke study found that maintaining a water level between 20 and 30 centimeters below the local water table will boost southern peatlands’ carbon storage and reduce the amount of climate-warming carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane they release back into the atmosphere during dry periods by up to 90 percent.

Duke Wetland and Coasts Center Founding Director Curtis J. Richardson, who also holds an appointment as a research professor of resource ecology at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment, said that the southeastern U.S. coastal plain was originally home to more than 2.4 million acres of evergreen shrub bogs but more than 70% of them have been drained for agriculture and forestry over the years. This can help unproductive land into something that can generate income while it helps fight climate change.

This work was supported by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Water Depths

Updates from Duke...

Meet the Newest Trinity College of Arts & Sciences Faculty for 2023-24

Trinity College of Arts and Sciences represents a dynamic community where extraordinarily gifted minds are motivated to uncover innovative answers to the globe's most significant challenges. With a remarkable group of new faculty joining the College for the 2023-2024 academic year, the College is further broadening and deepening its research domains, all while elevating the level of teaching and mentorship available to students.

New Kids in Town

Duke, NC Central Volleyball Forge Durham Community Connections

What started in the summer of 2020 has turned into three years of partnership between Duke University's and NC Central University's volleyball programs, plus the first match Duke's program will play at NC Central in five decades.

In the "Share the Mic" series, Duke volleyball turned over its Instagram account to the Eagles for “Instagram takeovers,” allowing the Eagles to utilize Duke’s large national and international brand and platform to give people a glimpse into their lives as NCCU student-athletes. After scheduling the match for this month, the teams also made it a full community event by engaging the Boys & Girls Club of Durham and Orange Counties for a volleyball clinic. The match also served as a fundraiser for the local organization.

Bull City Besties

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