Duke University has received an $8 million award from The Duke Endowment to support the development of innovative, interdisciplinary Ph.D. graduate education collaboratives aimed at preparing doctoral students to tackle the most pressing societal problems of our time. 

The award will support the creation of three new communities at Duke that will deepen Duke’s impact as an interdisciplinary leader, drive innovative research collaborations across campus, and enable the recruitment of more talented Ph.D. students. 

“We are grateful to The Duke Endowment for their generous support to launch this exciting new approach to doctoral education,” said Duke University President Vincent E. Price. “These programs will help prepare the next generation of scholars to draw on interdisciplinary perspectives and approaches as they work to address the most pressing challenges of the next century.” 

The collaboratives, called Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Collaboratives (IGECs), will provide doctoral students with enhanced opportunities for collaborative research, mentoring, and professional development. Each IGEC will be co-sponsored by degree-granting programs from multiple divisions of The Graduate School representing biological and biomedical sciences, humanities, physical sciences and engineering, and social sciences. 

In addition, throughout their time at Duke, students will participate in a set of curated opportunities, such as interdisciplinary seminars; a journal club to discuss current academic literature; specialized courses; collaborative projects; and summer experiences.  

“This award affirms our commitment to cultivating creative, adaptive scholars,” said Ed Balleisen, Duke’s vice provost for interdisciplinary studies and principal investigator for the IGECs grant. “By investing in interdisciplinary graduate education, we are strengthening Duke’s position as a global leader in innovative research and scholarship.”  

The award will also support the research and teaching of top-tier faculty to lead IGECs interdisciplinary programs and to foster a culture of collaboration across the university.  

“Faculty are key to the success of this effort,” said Suzanne Barbour, dean of The Graduate School and vice provost for graduate education, who will work with Dr. Balleisen to implement the new training programs. “Duke is special place. Our faculty are not only at the top of their fields. They are committed to working across disciplines to solve problems and they are passionate about mentoring students and instilling an appreciation for interdisciplinary approaches in the next generation of scholars and researchers. This combination produces outcomes that will help us achieve some of our boldest aspirations for Duke.” 

Dave Kennedy, vice president for Duke Alumni Engagement and Development, said that the new collaboratives are exciting because they demonstrate how philanthropy can drive academic innovation. 

“I am grateful for this investment from the Duke Endowment,” he said “I look forward to seeing the profound impact these programs will have on Duke’s graduate education and the broader academic community.”  

Charles C. Lucas III, chair of The Duke Endowment Board of Trustees, said the Endowment couldn’t agree more. 

“We are excited about the opportunity to further strengthen Duke’s leadership in interdisciplinary research and scholarship,” Lucas said, “and to amplify its impact on some of the most pressing societal challenges of our time.” 

Based in Charlotte and established in 1924 by industrialist and philanthropist James B. Duke, The Duke Endowment is a private foundation that strengthens communities in North Carolina and South Carolina by nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds and enriching spirits. Since its founding, it has distributed more than $5 billion in grants. The Endowment shares a name with Duke University and Duke Energy, but all are separate organizations.