Trinity College of Arts & Sciences is increasing its support for early-stage interdisciplinary research efforts with new funding for four faculty-led research initiatives designed to foster collaboration across the social sciences, natural sciences and arts & humanities. The projects — spanning biodiversity, statistics, mental health, philosophy, cultural heritage and data science — came out of a competitive call for proposals launched last year. Two initiatives, Causality at Duke and BioTA: Biodiversity… read more about Trinity Funds Four New Faculty-Led Research Initiatives »
This summer, 260 undergraduate and graduate students joined research teams through Duke’s +Programs, exploring questions ranging from AI ethics to climate change, documentary storytelling and public history. Along the way, they discovered new interests, built confidence and learned what collaborative research is really like. read more about Trinity Departments Support a Summer of Discovery Through Collaboration »
There’s math games and math art. Math theater and math music. Math for the family. Math for the kids. Mathdramatics. Math on stage. Math movies. Math podcasts. Math murals. Math rock stars. Math awards. Math in sports. Math in culture. Philly math.Ancient math. Existential math! Asking whether it would even matter if machines solve the greatest math questions of all time but no human understands how. The beauty of math. The patterns and excitement. Ubiquity and mystery. The undeniable logic and truth. Of Math.Welcome to the… read more about Duke Mathematician Ingrid Daubechies Presents at the ‘Olympics of Math’ in Philly »
Ingrid Daubechies, James B. Duke Distinguished Professor Emerita of Mathematics, has been named to the Andrew Carnegie Foundation’s 2026 Class of Great Immigrants, Great Americans, recognizing 25 distinguished naturalized citizens whose contributions have strengthened America. The tribute, launched by Carnegie more than 20 years ago, is celebrated every Fourth of July. Daubechies was born in the small coal-mining town of Houthalen, Belgium. She earned a bachelor’s degree and Ph.D. in physics from the Vrije Universiteit… read more about Ingrid Daubechies Named to Carnegie Foundation’s ‘Great Immigrants, Great Americans’ »
We invited Duke University faculty to reflect on the Declaration through the lens of their own discipline. Each contributor responded to a common prompt: “250 years later, how does your field help us understand, advance or challenge the ideals expressed in the Declaration of Independence?” By Jonathan Mattingly, Kimberly J. Jenkins Distinguished University Professor of New Technologies in MathematicsMathematics empowers the algorithms that drive our technological society.… read more about The Declaration at 250: Jonathan Mattingly Reflects on Exploring a Better Path Forward, Mathematically »
The Andrew Carnegie Foundation announced its annual list of “Great Immigrants, Great Americans” on Tuesday. The 2026 class includes Ingrid Daubechies, James B. Duke Distinguished Professor Emerita of Mathematics. read more about Ingrid Daubechies Named to 2026 Class of ‘Great Immigrants, Great Americans’ »
Professor Jayce R. Getz led a two-week intensive research program at Postech Mathematics Institute funded jointly by the Duke Number Theory RTG grant DMS-2231514 and the Postech Global Scholars program. A group of 8 postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduates from Duke, the University of Chicago, and Tel Aviv participated. The goal of the program is to study exotic Fourier transforms intimately related to Langlands functoriality. The unique, vertically integrated and research centered format… read more about Duke-Postech Research Teams »
Professor Veronica Ciocanel holds joint positions in Mathematics (Primary) and Biology (Joint) at Duke University. She works in mathematical biology and uses mathematical modeling, analysis, and numerical simulation to provide insights into intracellular transport and filament organization mechanisms. The NSF award will enable her to integrate these research goals with training mathematics and STEM students in mathematical modeling and data-driven techniques. The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER)… read more about Veronica Ciocanel awarded NSF CAREER Award »
Professor Ingrid Daubechies has been awarded the Medal of the Erwin Schrödinger Institute (ESI) for Mathematics and Physics for the year 2026 in recognition of her fundamental and transformative contributions to mathematical information science. In addition to her groundbreaking work in the wavelet theory, she is honored for a novel way of detecting sparsity in data using the iterative least squares algorithm, for her seminal advances in the problem of phase retrieval, her proof of… read more about Ingrid Daubechies awarded the 2026 Medal of the Erwin Schrödinger Institute for Mathematics and Physics »
As the 2026 World Cup puts soccer in the global spotlight, three Duke sophomores tackled a different challenge behind the game: How to build a team that can compete, stay profitable and avoid the financial disaster of relegation. The answer — developed by Mathematics majors Daniel Cheng, Malachy O’Donnabhain and Zain Radwan — earned top honors in one of the world’s largest and most competitive undergraduate mathematics contests. Competing against 32,000 teams from 28 countries in the Mathematical Contest in… read more about Modeling the Beautiful Game: Duke Students Win Global Math Competition with Soccer Analytics »
Tarek Elgindi, Professor of Mathematics, has been awarded a 2026 Guggenheim Fellowship, joining the 101st class of Guggenheim Fellows. The fellowship, established in 1925 by Senator Simon Guggenheim, provides recipients with a stipend to pursue independent work under what the foundation describes as “the freest possible conditions.” Elgindi’s research centers on the Euler equation, a fundamental mathematical model describing the motion of fluids such as air and water. His work explores the complex behavior… read more about Tarek Elgindi Awarded Guggenheim Fellowship »
The Office of the Provost has awarded Intellectual Community Planning Grants to ten projects from Duke faculty members based in eight schools, along with faculty colleagues at UNC-Chapel Hill, NC Central and NC State.These planning grants will be used to cover the cost of meeting venues, external speakers, event materials, books or other meeting costs, and/or exploratory research into potential collaborators.Seed funding supports Duke’s strategic vision of empowering the boldest thinkers to take on pressing challenges and… read more about Trinity Faculty Collaborations Receive Intellectual Community Planning Grants »
Robert Calderbank is among the recently elected 120 members and 25 international members of National Academy of Sciences (NAS) "in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.” He is also a member of the National Academy of Engineering.Robert Calderbank is Charles S. Sydnor Distinguished Professor of Computer Science and professor of mathematics at Trinity College of Arts & Sciences. He is also a professor of electrical and computer… read more about Robert Calderbank Elected to The National Academy of Sciences »
Mathematics Professor Tarek Elgindi has been awarded 2026 Guggenheim Fellowship. The new fellows are part of the 101st class of 223 awarded scholars, scientists and creative professionals from the U.S. and Canada chosen from a pool of more than 5,000 applicants based on both prior career achievement and exceptional promise. “Our new class of Guggenheim Fellows is representative of the world’s best thinkers, innovators, and creators in art, science, and scholarship,” said Edward Hirsch, award-winning poet and President… read more about Mathematics Professor awarded 2026 Guggenheim Fellowship »
Bradley Bowen is a senior double majoring in Statistical Science and Earth & Climate Science with a minor in Mathematics. In addition to serving as a Trinity Ambassador, he works as a statistics research assistant analyzing chemical mixtures in medical data and he is the vice president of the Duke Actuarial Society. Bowen is also a member of the Duke Chapel Choir and enjoys hiking and attending Duke athletics events. As the academic year draws to a close, we asked Bowen to reflect on his time at Duke, the… read more about Bradley Bowen '26: Finding Interdisciplinary Purpose »
Sarah Wu is a senior from San Diego, California, double majoring in Statistical Science and Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics. At Duke, she developed a strong interest in statistics and teaching through her work as a teaching assistant for courses including Introduction to Calculus II and Introduction to Data Science. After graduation, Wu will pursue a Ph.D. in Biostatistics at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. As graduation approaches, we asked Wu to reflect on her time at Duke, the experiences… read more about Sarah Wu '26: Discovering a Love for Challenge and Teaching at Duke »
Taylor Moorehead is a senior from Woodstock, Maryland, double majoring in Computer Science and Economics with a minor in Mathematics. In addition to serving as a Trinity Ambassador, she serves as an executive member of Duke Quantitative Finance, social chair of The Cube Entrepreneurship, LLC, and as a tour guide for the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. For the past two summers, she worked as a quantitative trader intern in Chicago and Austin. In her free time, she enjoys playing spikeball and attending Duke basketball… read more about Taylor Moorehead '26: A Small Decision That Defined a Duke Experience »
One of Felix Zhu’s most memorable moments at Duke happened early on. During his first year, Zhu and his band, Weekend Therapy, performed for the last day of classes celebration (LDOC), opening for Cafuné, one of his favorite artists. Standing on that stage felt like a high point, even as a first-year student. “It was a huge milestone for me and my bandmates and a huge personal achievement to be on the big stage,” he says. That moment captures something central about Zhu’s four years at Duke: a… read more about Felix Zhu '26 Found His Rhythm on Stage and in the Classroom »
Duke University undergraduates Daniel Levin, Anushka Peer, Emily Song, and Caroline Zhang have been honored as Barry M. Goldwater Scholars. This prestigious award recognizes accomplished sophomore and junior researchers who plan to pursue careers in the fields of science, engineering, and mathematics. Each Goldwater Scholar receives up to $7,500 annually toward the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board.“Congratulations to Duke’s newest Goldwater Scholars,” Provost Alec D. Gallimore said. “Duke is tremendously… read more about Three Trinity Undergraduates Named 2026 Goldwater Scholars »
Duke student Jasper Svenson started exploring AI agents in the fall of 2025, focusing primarily on their real-world business applications. And with a background in restaurant-focused investment banking—as well as parents who spent their careers in the restaurant industry—he kept coming back to one space: the drive-thru.“After some conversations, I fell onto the drive-thru, which is a spot that I think is going to be very automated over time,” Svenson said.With that in mind, he brought on his classmate Carlos Penzini, a math… read more about Duke Students Build Startup Bringing AI Personalization to Drive-Thrus »
Duke University has awarded distinguished professorships to 38 faculty and will recognize them in a ceremony at the Washington Duke Inn on May 18.“I am delighted to recognize these faculty members with distinguished professorships,” said President Vincent E. Price. “Their work reflects a deep commitment to excellence in research and education, advancing new ideas and discoveries that benefit society and inspire future generations.”Distinguished professorships honor faculty who are well-established members of the Duke… read more about Seven Trinity Faculty Members Among Duke's New Distinguished Professors »
The Duke team (consisting of the top 3 Duke performers: Akshat Basannavar, Fletch Rydell, and Kai Wang) placed 7th overall among 487 institutions.Kai Wang and Fletch Rydell won Honorable Mention for placing in the top 100 contestants overall among 4329 students.Akshat Basannavar placed in the top 200.Davidson Zhu, Akshar Yeccherla, and Justin Morrill… read more about December Putnam Competition: Duke Highlights »
The Bass Connection team, Duke iGEM: Synthetic Biology for Human Health and Society (Duke iGEM), earned a gold medal at the 2025 International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Jamboree for its project RESPIRA: Responsive Engineered Strain for Polymicrobial Infection Recovery in Airways. Students from across Trinity College of Arts and Sciences and Pratt School of Engineering comprise the core of Duke iGEM. Cameron Kim, assistant professor of the practice in Biomedical Engineering explains that RESPIRA… read more about Duke iGEM Team Wins Gold at 2025 International Jamboree »
ScholarsThe Judith Deckers Prize honors three Duke faculty members for their excellence in undergraduate education. This award recognizes leaders in their fields who have substantial track records of positively affecting student learning and lives. The three faculty receiving the 2025 Judith Deckers Prize are Lisa Huettel of Pratt, Deondra Rose of Sanford and Sarah Schott of Trinity.“These faculty members’ commitment to the exemplary teaching of our undergraduates plays such an important role in… read more about Congratulations to Sarah Schott on winning Duke's Judith Deckers Prize for undergraduate teaching! »
From an initial pool of just over 5,800 applicants, the highest number of applications in the program’s history, two recent Duke alum and one undergraduate student were among the 150 Schwarzman Scholars chosen from around the world. The Schwarzman Scholars of 2026 include recent alumna Qingyan (Elaine) Zhang of Duke, who completed her studies in December; DKU senior Amanda Niza Gonzalez Mejia; and DKU alumna Yufei Li, who graduated in 2024. read more about Recent Alumnae and Undergrad Named Schwarzman Scholars for Graduate Study in China »
On January 8, Duke mathematician Jonathan Mattingly joined a delegation of 290 educators, students and researchers from the mathematical sciences community on a visit to Capitol Hill, where they met with their congressional representatives and advocated for sustained federal support of mathematics. Organized by the American Mathematical Society, the #MathSciOnTheHill event highlighted the profound impact of mathematics and reinforced the importance of federal investment in research and education across the… read more about Duke Mathematicians Engage Lawmakers in Washington to Champion STEM Investment »
The Judith Deckers Prize honors three Duke faculty members for their excellence in undergraduate education. This award recognizes leaders in their fields who have substantial track records of positively affecting student learning and lives. The three faculty receiving the 2025 Judith Deckers Prize are Lisa Huettel of Pratt, Deondra Rose of Sanford and Sarah Schott of Trinity. read more about Three Faculty Honored with Judith Deckers Prize, Duke’s Undergraduate Teaching Award »
An interdisciplinary team of Duke faculty is among the international recipients of a new grant from the Schmidt Sciences Humanities and Artificial Intelligence Virtual Institute (HAVI), a program designed to bridge the gap between AI technology and humanistic inquiry. Led by Martin Fischer, Research Professor of Chemistry and Physics; Shira Faigenbaum-Golovin, Assistant Professor of Mathematics from Bar-Ilan University (formerly of Duke); and John K. Delaney, from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, the project… read more about Duke Researchers Awarded Grant to Reveal Hidden Histories of Artworks Through AI and Imaging »
The Duke University Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) student chapter has recently been recognized by the national AWM organization for hosting three virtual math competitions designed specifically for middle school girls. This initiative was inspired by mathematician Po-Shen Loh's visit to Duke, where he emphasized the importance of engaging young students with mathematics in ways that are joyful, accessible, and adaptable to their learning styles. Chapter members worked together to curate… read more about Duke University Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) Recognized »
Duke’s Trinity College of Arts & Sciences has invited its faculty to submit proposals for the creation of new research initiatives on campus.Following the successful launches of the SPACE Initiative and the Society-Centered AI Initiative, the Trinity Research Initiative will support new directions for interdisciplinary research through seed funding for nascent research collaborations, community-building, and complementary educational and outreach activities.Open to all areas of research and… read more about Trinity College of Arts & Sciences Invites Proposals for New Research Initiatives »