Eight faculty in Duke University’s Trinity College of Arts & Sciences have been honored with named professorships, effective July 1.These endowed positions recognize leadership and commitment to excellence in scholarship and research. Their recipients are outstanding teachers, mentors and researchers whose contributions are invaluable to the College of Arts & Sciences, as well as their students and colleagues.“Trinity is defined by the strength of its faculty, and we are extraordinarily fortunate to count these… read more about Eight Trinity College of Arts & Sciences Faculty Honored With Named Professorships »
DURHAM, N.C. -- Have you ever been stuck on a problem, puzzling over something for what felt like ages without getting anywhere, but then suddenly the answer came to you like a bolt from the blue?We’ve all experienced that “aha! moment,” that sudden clarity or magical epiphany you feel when a new idea or perspective pops into your head as if out of nowhere.Now, new evidence from brain imaging research shows that these flashes of insight aren’t just satisfying — they actually reshape how your brain represents information,… read more about Brain Scans Reveal What Happens in the Mind When Insight Strikes »
In the quest to unravel the mysteries of human cognition, a new study led by researchers from Duke University and Humboldt and Hamburg Universities in Germany has illuminated the neural underpinnings of those remarkable “aha!” or insight moments that often accompany sudden problem-solving breakthroughs. This collaborative research employed cutting-edge functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to capture the brain’s activity patterns as participants engaged in solving ambiguous visual puzzles. Beyond merely satisfying… read more about Duke Research Uncovers the Moment Insight Lights Up the Mind »
This month’s Student Spotlight features Mary Kate Merenich from Linwood, New Jersey. Merenich is a senior majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Psychology. Her journey toward pursuing a Neuroscience major began long before she stepped onto Duke’s campus. Merenich’s story is a powerful example of how illness can alter the course of one’s life—but doesn’t have to define it. Her experiences serve as an inspiring reminder of how personal challenges can ignite curiosity and a drive to explore unanswered medical… read more about Student Spotlight: Mary Kate Merenich »
The following is a partial list of national, university, school and departmental awards presented to the members of the Class of 2025. In some awards where there are multiple winners, only members of the Class of 2025 are included. read more about Department Honors and Laurels for the Class of 2025 »
Undergraduate research is one of the cornerstones of a Duke education. More than half of the undergraduates leave Duke after doing an honors project, independent study or other faculty-mentored research.“At Duke, undergraduate research is more than an opportunity — it’s part of our culture,” said Deb Reisinger, dean of undergraduate education. “From their very first year on campus, students are encouraged to explore big questions, test ideas, and engage directly with faculty mentors across every discipline. Whether in an… read more about Class of 2025 Honors: Exploring the Big Questions »
A new “atlas” developed by researchers at Duke University School of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, and the University of Pittsburgh will increase precision in measuring changes in brain structure and make it easier to share results for scientists working to understand neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. The tool, the Duke Mouse Brain Atlas, combines microscopic resolution, three-dimensional images from three different techniques to create a detailed map of the entire mouse… read more about Brain ‘Atlas’ to Help Study Neurological Disorders »
Alex Wang is a graduating senior with majors in Political Science and Economics and a minor in Psychology. He has served as a Trinity Ambassador for Political Science. Trinity Ambassadors are student volunteers, nominated by their departments, to serve in this unique and important role.We asked a few of the ambassadors from the Class of 2025 to share their favorite memories from Duke. The below interview has been slightly edited for clarity. What was the most important thing you’ve learned at Duke?The… read more about Notes From the Class of 2025: From FOCUS to Favorite Professor »
Alejandra Gonzalez-Acosta is a graduating senior with a major in Psychology and minors in Visual Arts and Computational Biology. She has served as a Trinity Ambassador for Psychology. Trinity Ambassadors are student volunteers, nominated by their departments, to serve in this unique and important role.We asked a few of the ambassadors from the Class of 2025 to share their favorite memories from Duke. The below interview has been slightly edited for clarity. What was one of the most impactful classes you took… read more about Notes From the Class of 2025: Seize Opportunities and Learn About Yourself »
Ten exceptional faculty members received the prestigious Bass Chairs, marking their induction into the Bass Society of Fellows. This honor recognizes their contributions to undergraduate teaching and research.The newly named chairs were celebrated during a reception at the Washington Duke Inn, where President Vincent Price, Provost Alec Gallimore and Vice Provost Candis Watts Smith offered remarks. They reflected on the qualities that define Bass Fellows, congratulated the new chairs, and expressed gratitude to the Bass… read more about Six Trinity Faculty Named 2025 Bass Chairs »
This month's student spotlight featured Hannah Hortman, a senior majoring in Neuroscience and minor in Computational Biology, and Chinese. Hannah is one of two Neuroscience students nominated for this year’s Faculty Scholar Award. This nomination, by itself, is quite an honor. Several highly competitive majors put in a bid for nomination.For Hannah, the path to neuroscience began with a spark of curiosity in middle school. While participating in the Positivity Project, a project with a goal to help middle schoolers develop… read more about Student Spotlight: Hannah Hortman »
Dr. John Purakal’s passion for his work became clear after finding, through his research, that residents in Detroit faced greater barriers to health care than those in Jamaica and Tanzania. His research mentor asked him what he was going to do with the study.“Publish it?” he responded. Purakal immediately realized that wasn’t the answer the professor was seeking.“Doesn’t that result make you mad?” the professor said.He was. Purakal has spent his career looking to identify health inequalities and create solutions to barriers… read more about Three Who Found Solutions to Community Problems »
Dr. John Purakal’s passion for his work became clear after finding, through his research, that residents in Detroit faced greater barriers to health care than those in Jamaica and Tanzania. His research mentor asked him what he was going to do with the study.“Publish it?” he responded. Purakal immediately realized that wasn’t the answer the professor was seeking.“Doesn’t that result make you mad?” the professor said.He was. Purakal has spent his career looking to identify health inequalities and create solutions to barriers… read more about Sullivan Award Honors Three Creating Stronger Access to Community Services »
Minor league baseball draws an unusually broad array of spectators. A retired social scientist helped fans find their seats, took their photos, and chatted them up during one championship season. Harris Cooper is an emeritus professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University. In 2022, he ushered at Durham Bulls Athletic Park and wrote a book about it, Finding America in a Minor League Ballpark: A Season Hosting for the Durham Bulls, which we are excerpting below. This is published with permission from… read more about Harris Cooper: Finding America at Durham Bulls Athletic Park »
Alejandra Gonzalez-Acosta is one of 29 students to receive the 2025 Forever Duke Student Leadership Award.Presented annually by Duke Alumni Engagement and Development, the award recognizes graduating students within Duke’s undergraduate, graduate and professional schools for their outstanding leadership and dedication to fostering a strong sense of community at Duke.Gonzalez-Acosta, a Psychology major with minors in Visual Arts and Computational Biology, was nominated by faculty and peers for her leadership in the… read more about Psychology Senior Awarded for Outstanding Leadership »
Six Duke faculty have been elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).Fellowship in AAAS is considered one of the most distinct honors in the scientific community.The 2024 fellows class consists of 471 scientists, engineers and innovators across 24 AAAS disciplinary sections who are being recognized for their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements. “This year’s class of fellows are the embodiment of scientific excellence and service to our communities,” said Sudip… read more about Five Trinity Faculty Named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science »
Staci D. Bilbo, Ph.D., is the Haley Family Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Duke. She received her B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin in 1998, her M.A. from Johns Hopkins University in 2000, and her Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in 2003.Bilbo began as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Colorado before joining Duke, where she was an assistant professor. She spent eight months as a Visiting Scholar at the University of Cambridge. From 2016 to 2019, Bilbo was Director of Research at the Lurie… read more about Staci Bilbo Receives Dean's Award for Excellence in Mentoring »
“Transformative ideas,” explained keynote speaker Roosevelt Montás, “are ideas that have the power to transform the world and transform you.”Hundreds of Duke students and faculty were listening and engaging. The first evening of the Transformative Ideas and POLIS Symposium kicked off in style last Thursday evening with a “Spring in the 20s” ball. Think suits, long dresses and live jazz.“We wanted to inspire our students and bring people together to reflect back and think forward at Duke’s centennial. Live jazz seemed to… read more about Transformative Ideas and Polis Programs Bring Serious Fun »
Perfectionism, although a way to control our surroundings, can often control us. As a student in the stressful and competitive environment of college, I’ve seen the pursuit of perfection overwhelm me and those around me. These incidents caught the attention of Duke psychiatry and behavioral science professors Nancy Zucker and Rachel Alison Adcock. The two decided to do an in-depth study of perfectionism, and how perfectionists can better handle their stress and be more productive. read more about The Imperfect Ways of a Perfectionist »
In the rapidly developing contest between human creativity and artificial intelligence algorithms, professional artists still have an edge in producing more creative AI-assisted artwork than the AI programs themselves or novice artists, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.The rapid advancement of AI raises some existential questions about the nature of creativity, said lead researcher Paul Seli, PhD, an assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University. read more about Duke Neuroscientist Finds Professional Artists Viewed as More Creative Than AI Programs »
This month's student spotlight features Sera Balkir, a graduating senior originally from Chicago, Illinois, who serves as the president of the Duke Neuroscience Majors’ Union (NMU). Balkir’s diverse interests have led her to immerse herself in the intersection of research, medicine, and community engagement. She is currently majoring in neuroscience with minors in chemistry and global health.Balkir chose to major in neuroscience because of her fascination with how research and medicine intersect, from understanding healthy… read more about Student Spotlight: Sera Balkir »
All five university and community leaders honored at the annual Samuel DuBois Cook Society award ceremony Thursday night had the same message: When we embrace difference, we achieve excellence.Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper received the Cook Society’s Distinguished Service Award, given each year to a leader whose service reflects Cook’s social activism and leadership.“It has been said often that my cabinet and staff were by far the most diverse in state history,” Cooper said. “It has also been said that they were the… read more about Cook Society Awards: Five Campus & Community Leaders Who Built a ‘Beloved Community’ »
This month’s Student Spotlight features the final member of the Neuroscience Trinity Ambassador trio, Moray Abbey-Bada. Abbey-Bada is a senior Neuroscience major with a minor in Chemistry. Her interests lie in the biological functions of the brain, mental health, and sport—a unique niche not widely explored but one that could have a significant impact on athletes everywhere.From a young age, Abbey-Bada has been intrigued by the complexities of the human body. As a strong advocate for well-being, both physically and… read more about Student Spotlight: Morayo Abbey-Bada »
The Department of Psychology and Neuroscience is proud to announce that senior Jeslyn Brouwers has been honored as the recipient of the 2024–2025 Jerome S. Bruner Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research.As an international student from Thailand and the Netherlands, Brouwers first discovered her passion for psychology at the International School of Bangkok. She is deeply grateful to her high school psychology teacher, Ms. Ginny Voigt, for introducing her to the field and inspiring her to imagine publishing her … read more about Senior Jeslyn Brouwers Receives 2024-2025 Jerome S. Bruner Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research »
In early December with the fall semester coming to an end, two students — Ryan Henderson, and Margo O’Meara — showed up for Bradley Simmons’ djembe class at the Mary Duke Biddle Music Building on East Campus.O’Meara, a senior psychology major from St. Louis, is playing the goblet-shaped djembe drum, and Henderson, a senior physics major from Albuquerque, New Mexico, is playing accompaniment on the dundun and sangban drums.For a little more than three decades, Simmons has taught classes in West African and Afro-Cuban music… read more about The Meaningful Sounds of the Djembe Drum »
