Lee D. Baker has been appointed vice provost for undergraduate education at Duke, Provost Alec D. Gallimore announced today.Baker, a professor in the departments of Cultural Anthropology and African and African American Studies, has been a member of the faculty for 30 years. He served as chair of the Arts & Sciences Council from 2005-2007, dean of academic affairs in the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences from 2008-2016, chair of Cultural Anthropology from 2017-2020, and director of the Program in International… read more about Lee D. Baker Appointed Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education »
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 »
Sonia Green is a graduating senior with majors in African & African American Studies and Visual & Media Studies. She has served as a Trinity Ambassador for African & African American Studies. 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… read more about Notes From the Class of 2025: Reevaluating "Traditional" Academia »
Duke University awarded its inaugural Judith Decker Prize for excellence in undergraduate teaching this year to three faculty members—Catherine Admay, Dorian Canelas and Karin Shapiro. The prize winners were chosen from 120 faculty candidates identified last spring during an open nomination period where Duke faculty, staff, alums, and current students submitted over 500 nominations.Duke’s Office of Undergraduate Education had student writers interview professors Admay, Canelas and Shapiro and get a take on their teaching… read more about Three Decker Award Winners on Engaging Students in Lifelong Learning »
Trinity faculty member Naima Khahaifa has been selected as one of 62 scholars — selected from a pool of over 2,300 applicants through a multi-stage peer review process — to receive a fellowship from The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS).As the program’s longest running program, the ACLS Fellowships support outstanding scholarship in the humanities and social sciences. In 2025, the program will award more than $3.5 million in support of outstanding scholarship in the humanities… read more about Naima Khahaifa Named Fellow of the American Council of Learned Societies »
Destiny Bejamin, T’25 (Photo courtesy of Destiny Benjamin) Destiny Benjamin (she/her) is a senior from South Carolina majoring in African & African American Studies and minoring in Political Science and Sociology. During her time at Duke, Benjamin served as Chief of Staff of the Black Women’s Union and Co-Treasurer for United in Praise Gospel Choir. She is a student ambassador for the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture and for the AAAS Department of… read more about Introducing Trinity’s Class of 2025: Destiny Benjamin »
Cecilia Gyamfi, T’25 (Photo courtesy of Cecilia Gyamfi) Cecilia Gyamfi (she/her) is a senior from Columbus, Ohio double-majoring in African & African-American Studies and Political Science, while also attaining a certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. During her time at Duke, Gyamfi served in the Duke Student Government, Duke Project Justice and the Duke NAACP for four years, including as the president of the organization. She conducted… read more about Introducing Trinity’s Class of 2025: Cecilia Gyamfi »
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 »
DURHAM, NC — April 8th, 2025 – Duke University web series Left of Black, now in its 15th season, has been nominated for Best Video Series in the category of Science & Education inthe 29th Annual Webby Awards. This nomination comes on the heels of winning Gold at the 20th Annual Davey Awards in the latter part of 2024.Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards, presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS), is… read more about Award-Winning Left of Black Web Series Nominated for the 29th Annual Webby Awards »
Three undergraduate faculty members received the inaugural Judith Deckers Prize for excellence in undergraduate education. This honor recognizes leaders in their fields who have substantial track records of positively affecting student learning and lives. The honorees were celebrated Thursday evening during a reception on Duke’s campus. Provost Alec Gallimore, and Interim Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education Candis Watts Smith each gave remarks, congratulating the prize winners and reflecting on their… read more about Three Undergraduate Faculty Win Inaugural Judith Deckers Teaching Award »
Charmaine Royal, the Robert O. Keohane Professor of African & African American Studies, Biology, Global Health and Family Medicine & Community Health was recently selected as one of The Hastings Center 2024 Fellows. The Hastings Center fellows are a distinguished group of around 300 experts whose work has shaped scholarship and public understanding of ethical challenges in health, healthcare, science and technology. These prestigious fellowships reflect influence in advancing ethical scholarship, policy and… read more about Charmaine Royal Named 2024 Hastings Center Fellow »
“When people think about geography, they usually think about it as a physical science, but it’s also a social science,” said Naiima Khahaifa. “I’m a human geographer. I study how people navigate Earth’s social landscape — specifically, people from marginalized groups.”Khahaifa’s interest in uneven international development led her to complete a master’s degree in international trade. But after reading research from prominent Black feminist geographers like Ruth Wilson Gilmore and Katherine McKittrick,… read more about Naiima Khahaifa Studies Human Bonds Hidden Behind Prison Walls »
Four faculty in the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences were recently recognized by the Arts & Sciences Council for outstanding achievements in undergraduate teaching.Each year, the Council’s Committee on Undergraduate Teaching selects outstanding faculty members for their commitment to their students, for engaging them deeply in research and scholarship, for their continued development as innovative teachers and mentors, and more.Members of the council — in collaboration with the dean's office — … read more about Four Trinity Faculty Receive 2024 Undergraduate Teaching Awards »
read more about Mark Anthony Neal: Center Fielder Willie Mays Has Left the Field for the Last Time »
A warm and enthusiastic audience greeted Charmaine DM Royal, Robert O. Keohane Professor of African & African American Studies, Biology, Global Health and Family Medicine & Community Health as she delivered the 2024 Trinity Distinguished Lecture on May 1 at Duke. Her talk, “Shifting Paradigms on Genetics and Race,” reflected on her personal and professional journey as a scholar focusing on the ethical, social and clinical dimensions of human genetics and genomics, particularly as they relate to the intersection of… read more about Charmaine Royal Delivers Trinity Distinguished Lecture »
read more about What Dreamville Fest Means to NC’s Black community, According to Mark Anthony Neal »
"Science and society have influenced and have been influenced by the creation, reproduction and maintenance of racial hierarchies." That is the catalyst behind the creative programming for the Race, Genomics and Society course at Duke. Charmaine Royal, the Robert O. Keohane Professor of African & African American Studies and Biology and director of the Duke Center for Truth, Racial Healing & Transformation, has taught the course since 2009. The creative portions of have grown to… read more about Transdisciplinary Course Creativity »
