Dear Colleagues,
I am continually inspired by how our faculty, staff, and students tackle society’s wicked problems by looking beneath the surface — sometimes literally — to better understand natural and engineered systems. The stories featured here highlight research that questions long-held assumptions, develop new ways to model the world around us, and translate insight into impact for climate, energy, and public health. This work reflects our department’s core strength: rigorous engineering that informs decisions that shape the future of our society.
Whether examining biological responses to environmental change, reimagining how we supply energy using natural subsurface conditions, or tracing contaminants back to their sources, Duke CEE researchers are focused on addressing root causes through interdisciplinary collaboration with campus and community partners. This is the kind of scholarship that defines civil and environmental engineering today, and I am excited to see where it takes us next.