Welcome to the Duke Lemur Center, joining the Office of Climate and Sustainability. Learn more about new support for the Lemur Center from The Duke Endowment and its important conservation efforts.

Congratulations to all Duke graduates this spring! Nearly 7,000 new Duke graduates are heading into the world with climate knowledge through the Duke Climate Commitment. May was a month to celebrate new graduates who worked with the Duke Campus Farm, seniors featured for memorable climate impacts, graduating Green Devils who served our community, Climate Pathfinders with incredible journeys, and every student who is now Duke's newest alumni. 

Duke University’s Office of Climate and Sustainability and the National University of Singapore (NUS) welcome proposals for NUS-Duke University Joint Sustainability Research Initiative Grants. This initiative aims to kick-start collaborations in climate and sustainability-related research between the two universities. Each institution has committed approximately $400,000 in funding to support up to four selected projects. Proposals are due June 1.

Duke Campus Farm and the Charlotte Brody Discovery Garden are more than places where fruits and vegetables grow. They are classrooms, community resources and examples of how food connects people. Both connect Duke with the Durham community, and both offer produce to local food-relief organizations and donation networks.

Did you know that over the last 10 years, Duke Gardens has donated more than 34,000 pounds of fresh, sustainably grown produce to food pantries in Durham?⁠

At Duke Campus Farm, crops are divided between CSA members and donation networks. The networks include Root Causes, the Durham Community Fridge Project, Duke’s Graduate and Professional School Pantry, Iglesia Presbiteriana Emanuel church, Bagging it 4 Kids, and the West End Free Market.

(Photo of Pam Ryan, who runs the food pantry at Iglesia Presbiteriana Emanuel church)

Twelve Duke faculty focusing on environmental education, infectious disease, chemistry, photography, Italian and more disciplines are part of the newest Climate and Sustainability Teaching Fellows (CAST) cohort to expand the presence and quality of climate and sustainability-related education across disciplines. In May, OCS offered the first experiential-focused CAST program for these selected faculty.

Student-athlete Zizi Newhard is both a fencer and an environmental science major.  “I would say the advantages to studying climate, biology and environmental science at Duke is all the resources we have available here,” says Newhard. Follow along a day in the life with this student-athlete who is passionate about climate and sustainability.

The Climate and Health Big Idea Symposium, a campus-wide convening that brought together faculty and trainees from across Duke University hosted by the Climate and Health Research Initiative, focused on pressing climate-driven health challenges and encouraged new collaborations. It also provided a platform for teams to present “big ideas” aimed at mitigating the health impacts of climate change, particularly for vulnerable populations. Five awardees have received grants as a result. (Photo of Rob Tighe by Eamon Queeney)

At Duke University, researchers across medicine, engineering, environmental science and public policy are studying what hotter temperatures mean for human health, ecosystems and communities. Their work spans everything from kidney disease in agricultural workers to urban heat maps and coral reef survival.

Duke University continues to expand its programs that divert usable materials from landfills while building more circular systems across campus that keep items in use, strengthen community partnerships and engage students directly in sustainability efforts – with several added efforts this year.

Duke’s Move Out Donation Program is coordinated by Duke Student Affairs Sustainability in partnership with community organizations including local nonprofits TROSA and Goodwill. For more than 15 years, the program has helped students donate unwanted items during year-end move-out rather than sending them to the landfill.

Read more about recent move-out collection updates and related initiatives.

June 1 - Deadline for proposals: NUS-Duke University Joint Sustainability Research Initiative Grants 

June 11 and 18 - Duke Campus Farm Community Work Days

Duke University Libraries - Climate and Sustainability Resources