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 »
This week's spotlight features Ben Yacht, a Neuroscience major from Plainview, NY. Yacht is part of the Neuroscience Ambassadors trio for the 2024–2025 academic year.Yacht’s interest in the brain began during his junior year of high school when he took AP Psychology. The unit titled Biological Bases of Behavior, which explores how the brain influences behavior, left him excited to learn more. His fascination deepened further when he completed the Medical Neuroscience course on Coursera with… read more about Student Spotlight: Ben Yacht »
"Failure is always something that we use to build into the story of ourselves and who we are.”Bridgette Martin Hard has learned a lot about the value of failure through her own life experiences. As a psychologist researching growth versus fixed mindsets, the professor of the practice of Psychology and Neuroscience has seen firsthand how students' beliefs about intelligence and ability can hold them back. "I tell students that we hold both of these mindsets in our heads at all times. You're not one or the other,… read more about Freedom to Fail: Viewing Failure as a Way to Improve »
This week's spotlight features one of our student ambassadors, Carolyn Chen. Chen is a junior majoring in Neuroscience on a pre-med track. Her interests include studying neurodegenerative diseases and finding ways to connect with elderly adults.Chen credits the Cognitive Neuroscience & Law FOCUS program at Duke, taken in her freshman year, for her initial interests in Neuroscience. She was able to engage in discussions with faculty and like-minded peers about the interdisciplinary applications of neuroscience. A… read more about Student Spotlight: Carolyn Chen »
Cristina Salvador, assistant professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, has been recognized with an Early Career Award from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP).Each year, in collaboration with SAGE Publications, SPSP offers the SAGE Emerging Scholar Award in order to recognize outstanding achievements by early career PhD scholars in social and personality psychology, including contributions to teaching, research or service to the field. As a social and cultural psychologist,… read more about Cristina Salvador Receives Early Career Award from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology »
On Tuesday, October 8, the Duke Center for Global Mental Health held its inaugural annual conference, drawing over 125 faculty, trainees, and professionals committed to addressing mental health disparities both locally and globally. In honor of World Mental Health Month, this year’s conference focused on the theme Building a Global Mental Health Community: Research, Practice, and Policy Across Disciplines.The event showcased Duke’s collaborative potential, with attendees from diverse schools across the… read more about Duke Center for Global Mental Health Hosts Inaugural Annual Conference »
There’s no such thing as a culture-free human, according to Dorsa Amir, the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience’s newest assistant professor. Born in Tehran, Amir’s family moved to the United States when she was seven. That personal experience informs many of Amir’s professional questions about how culture shapes who we are and how we act — and especially how that process plays out in childhood development. “I think part of my interest in culture is because I'm a first-generation… read more about According to Dorsa Amir, There’s No Such Thing as Culture-Free Humans »
Tobias Egner, professor and chair of Psychology and Neuroscience, has been recognized with a Mid-Career Award from the British Association for Cognitive Neuroscience (BACN). Each year, BACN awards a mid-level career award to researchers with 10-25 years of post-Ph.D. experience who have contributed high-standard and pioneering work to the field of cognitive neuroscience. Egner’s research applies an integrative cognitive neuroscience approach to understand adaptive behavior. One of his lab’s main areas of research… read more about Tobias Egner Receives Mid-Career Award from the British Association for Cognitive Neuroscience »
“I’ve always loved the arts,” Alejandra Gonzalez-Acosta confesses. The senior dabbled in a bit of everything growing up, from singing and dancing to acting and drawing, but decided to take her passion a bit more seriously in high school — and did she ever. With seven theater productions and seven semesters of art classes under her belt, Gonzalez-Acosta wanted to bring those interests with her to Duke. The Psychology major feels she’s achieved the goal twofold through a Visual Arts minor and her involvement with… read more about Canvas of Care: Visual Arts Enhancing Healthcare »
This week's spotlight features Anne Charles, an upcoming senior with a passion for Neuroscience and Global Health. Charles is originally from West Palm Beach, Florida, but has called Durham home for the past three years. She is currently majoring in Neuroscience with minors in Chemistry and Global Health.Charles's interest in Neuroscience began during her junior year of high school. While waiting for the Florida HOSA State award show to start, she began observing the behavior and reactions of those around her. She noticed… read more about Student Spotlight: Anne Charles »
This week’s student spotlight featured Sanjit Pamidi, a junior majoring in Neuroscience with a minor in Global Health. Originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Pamidi spent his freshman year at the University of Texas at Dallas before transferring to Duke University for his sophomore year. Pamidi was drawn to Duke’s vibrant academic community and its opportunities for rigorous intellectual growth. He sought an environment where he could be surrounded by people who would challenge him and vice versa, pushing each other to… read more about Student Spotlight: Sanjit Pamidi »
This week's Student Spotlight featured Margarita Krylova, a rising junior majoring in Neuroscience with minors in Russian and Chemistry. Originally from Kakhovka, Ukraine, Krylova immigrated to the US in 2018 due to political instability and has since called Orlando, Florida, her home. This has provided Krylova with a unique global perspective, which she has applied to her academic and community pursuits. Choosing a major is a pivotal decision for any student. Krylova considered several options including… read more about Student Spotlight: Margarita Krylova »
Read the label of a prenatal vitamins bottle at a drugstore and chances are you’ll see, nudged between biotin and calcium, a nutrient called choline. You can thank Christina Williams for that. Williams, who recently retired after 30 years as a professor Psychology & Neuroscience at Duke, has a long history of looking at how prenatal nutrient supplementation affects offspring memory. “Choline is a very important nutrient,” said Williams, “but one that very few people know much about.” … read more about The End of an Era: Christina Williams Retires After Distinguished Career »
This week’s student spotlight featured Sofia Guerrero, a prominent member of Duke University’s senior class of 2024. With an impressive record in research and several awards to her name, Guerrero exemplifies academic excellence and dedication. Originally from Seattle, Washington, Guerrero began her journey at Duke University in 2020 with a clear direction in mind. Unlike many freshmen, she arrived with a clear interest in understanding how alterations in cell physiology result in disease. This passion led her to join Dr.… read more about Student Spotlight: Sofia Guerrero »
This week’s student spotlight features Karen Ru, a graduating senior from the class of 2024. Ru is part of the 2024 Graduation with Distinction (GwD) cohort. She is enthralled with her experience in the GwD program and would recommend, encourage, and urge her younger classmates not to miss this incredible opportunity. Originally from Farmington, Connecticut, Ru arrived at Duke University amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. But Ru didn’t let that dampen her experiences and made the most of her time as an undergraduate student at… read more about Student Spotlight: Karen Ru »
Ishika Gupta didn’t know anyone when she arrived at Duke as a first-year student. So, when she learned that the university had a mandatory random roommate policy for incoming first-year students, she saw it as an opportunity to meet new people from different backgrounds. “One of the reasons why I loved it is that my roommate was an engineering student, so there was no reason for us to ever meet at Duke except because of the random policy. I feel that because of it I got to meet her,” said Gupta, who at the time was a pre-… read more about Unlikely Roommates, Surprise Friendships »