Author: Stone Yan Page 1 of 2

Posters Galore and More: Undergraduate Research in the Spotlight

On April 14, 2025

Biomedical engineering. Climate science. Political science. Global Health.

While these departments are housed in buildings far from each other on campus, their current research was all spotlighted at the Duke Undergraduate Research Symposium on April 10. Over the course of two hours, 120 budding researchers presented their work in Penn Pavilion, eagerly chatting with peers, faculty, and community members alike.

Presenters, friends, and community members gathered in Penn Pavilion to hear opening remarks from the Undergraduate Research Support Office’s director.

The level of professionalism was obvious upon a glance at the poster titles. The symposium was strongly represented by the biomedical and health sciences; hence, membrane receptors and transport proteins bearing combinations of letters and numbers populated the majority of posters. However, many projects shared findings unrelated to enzymes or transgenic models: posters investigating “The Undocumented Republican Latino Vote” and “Palimpsest and Identity in Hong Kong” attracted as much attention.

I began my journey by talking to Eduardo Fadul Chavez, a junior who is researching chemistry. He gave me an invigorating talk on Nedd4 E3 ligase ligands (a field I admittedly have no background knowledge in). What was greatly appealing about his presentation was his focus on the relevance and impact of his team’s work, especially in innovating treatments for Parkinson’s and other cancers. “Yes, we hope to apply our findings from a pharmacological perspective,” Chavez said. “Nedd4 plays an important role in Parkinson’s disease, so figuring out how to inhibit its activity can greatly inform therapeutic development.”

Chavez’s poster on his work on Nedd4 ligase ligands, which play a role in Parkinson’s disease.

After this inspiring talk aiming to improve health and cure ailments from a biological perspective, I wandered around in search of a project looking into the sociocultural perspective. Walking across the room, I encountered Austin Brown and his colleagues presenting their work with the Help Desk.

“The Help Desk is a student-led initiative seeking to tackle social determinants of health,” Brown told me. The organization began as a Bass Connections project and has since attracted hundreds of student volunteers. Currently, about 50 volunteers work across three sites: the Duke Hospital Emergency Department, the Duke Endocrinology Clinic, and the Lincoln Community Health Center. “If patients screen positive on the background survey provided, our community resource navigators will provide support by connecting them with local organizations and follow up after the appointment to ensure they are doing well.”

The Help Desk has reached more than 3,200 patients since its inception, Brown said. Maintaining communication with patients after the initial meeting or appointment can be tricky, however. “Our biggest barrier is retention and keeping the channels of contact open,” Brown said.

By this point, I was already amazed by the depth and impact of my peers’ research. I was only more impressed when I came across the poster of Millie Evonlah, who presented on the impact of paternal cannabis consumption on adolescent offspring glutamatergic and cholinergic systems. Given the rise in recreational marijuana usage and legalization, there is a great need to study the impact of men’s usage, particularly intermittent usage, on their children’s brain regions regulating immune and cognitive function.

Evonlah in front of her poster on paternal cannabis exposure effects on adolescent offspring

“We hypothesized that there would be different expression results and responses between male and female offspring,” Evonlah said, “and our findings support this claim.” While there was decreased glutamatergic expression in the CA3 hippocampal region in both male and female offspring, males and females experienced increased acetylcholine expression in different brain regions. Additionally, only the “weekenders,” or animal subjects who partook in intermittent cannabis exposure, imparted significant biological alterations in their offspring’s brains.

All these presentations were inspiring to listen to, and selecting the few to cover in detail was a difficult task. However, I would be amiss not to mention a few other invigorating presentations I listened to. For instance, Michael Wang, who studied GRK-2 mediated regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the ischemic heart, and I had a lengthy conversation about daily research activities and cell culturing principles. I also had a spirited discussion with Madeline Morrison and her co-presenters, who talked about their experiences conducting fieldwork in Roatán, Honduras, and their perspectives on the importance of global health research.

After two hours of interacting with student researchers, it was clear to me that Duke’s research efforts indeed transform, improve, and save lives. The undergraduate student body’s collective desire to pursue scientific discovery, clinical innovation, and sociocultural advancement is a motivating force that cannot be understated.

In this season, let us all spring into research!

How the Humanities Helped This Duke Grad Become the Doctor She Hoped to Be

By Stone Yan

On March 28, 2025

In Humanities, Medicine

“I see you, you see me, I trust you to know me.”

This phrase was one of many that underscored the powerful testimony Dr. Jennifer Hong, Massachusetts General Hospital physician and Duke alumna, shared on March 23 in a talk on West Campus. Invited by Duke’s Humanities in Medicine club, Hong spoke eloquently about the importance of humanities in medicine, leaning on her undergraduate experience as an English/Neuroscience pre-med and her medical training. Her moving stories about patients and her perspective on the American medical system captivated the entire audience.

Dr. Jennifer Hong (‘14), MGM primary care physician and Duke alumna

Hong opened her discussion by underscoring the power of language—and the potential of wielding narrative writing as a “weapon of resistance.” She shared how, as an undergrad, her most memorable, impactful academic lessons were ones in the English realm, where she explored how historical narratives of female physicians revealed the pervasive patriarchy underlying medicine. Hong reflected that the skills required to be an adept doctor are much akin to those needed to write a good essay: one must be able to relate to people and experiences that are very different from one’s own.

To back up her claim, Hong shared a story from her early days of residency. One day, she and her team were overwhelmed by two Code Blues—the highest level of medical alerts—and a rapid response, which she was handling alone. As a slew of medical professionals rushed into the patient’s room, Hong noted that the patient and her partner had no idea what was happening, as they spoke no English. Connecting with the patient’s son over the phone, Hong tried to explain to the best of her ability the situation and her perspective—the patient’s metastatic cancer prognosis would be best approached with comfort care, not more ventilators.

“You’re hurting them. Stop hurting them,” was the son’s short reply.

This was a landmark moment in Hong’s training, one she described as “shell shocking” and “demonstrating to people who want control that they have no control”. In a rapidly evolving environment where so many elements demand physicians’ attention, Hong notes that it’s incredibly easy to act in a way not aligned with one’s personal values. This foreshadowed one of her responses to a later question regarding what exercises or habits prospective medical students should adopt before stepping into graduate education: she suggested that students should periodically check in on their values and how they plan on upholding them.

The captivating lecture continued to include many remarks on the current state of medicine in America. As an aspiring pre-med student, I find it enlightening and disturbing to hear about the unignorable forces at work every day in physician offices and the hospital setting. Hong carefully described how, despite medicine being “the last frontier” where societal wrongs could be remedied and addressed, capitalist institutions, like private equity investors, are forging ahead with standardizing care and prioritizing profit in medical spaces. Yet, she reminded the audience that hope is present and what drives her work are the physician-patient relationships she treasures. She emphasized the presence of humanities education in medical work, highlighting the skills of translating between “medical speak and patient speak”, seeing human dignity in every patient, and telling patients’ case histories as narratives.

I cannot conclude this blog without mentioning the powerful story Hong shared before she finished her remarks. Since her years as a resident, Hong has frequently met with a patient suffering from numerous chronic illnesses. Despite his many struggles, he maintained a lively sense of humor, evoking joy from every small moment. He was regularly hospitalized, sometimes up to months in duration, and he leaned on Hong to tell his story—his illnesses, his past medication history, and his resilience—to his different care teams. This was what drove the “I see you, you see me, I trust you to know me” quote: in his weakest moments, the patient wanted Hong to tell his story instead of telling his own experiences.

The patient passed away last year. Shortly before his passing, he still messaged Hong, sharing pictures of his youth. This patient was surely not the healthiest of Hong’s patients, but he was among the most memorable and impactful. Even as an audience member, I cannot help but root and feel fondness for this patient.

In my humble opinion, what made this lecture so motivational was not Hong’s advice and encouragement to a room full of pre-meds but her skilled recounting of firsthand experiences. Her testimony is proof that the humanities are still critically valuable, especially in medicine, providing food for thought for Duke students.

The Key to Transforming Minds

By Stone Yan

On February 19, 2025

In Faculty, History, Humanities, Religion, Uncategorized

Global wars. Ever-advancing artificial intelligence. Uncertain economic and job market prospects. Climate change. Amidst a world filled with change posing deep questions, could humanities provide counsel to our pressing issues and lead us towards more fulfilling, enriching daily experiences?

Last week, I had the privilege to speak with Divinity School and history professor Polly Ha, director of the Transformative Ideas program and co-lecturer of “The Good Life,” an acclaimed course exploring the intersection of religion, philosophy, and other ethical issues. “The Good Life” encouraged Duke students, hailing from all disciplines and backgrounds, to slow down and incorporate more reflection and intention into their everyday lives.

Duke professor Polly Ha, faculty in the Divinity School and director of the Transformative Ideas Program

Why is “slowing down” a key principle of “the Good Life”? As Ha pointed out, “it’s more stressful to try to slow down, to rest and reflect, than to take an exam for some students.” This powerful statement prompted me to reflect on my own experiences at Duke. Is it true that, amidst the hurries of daily academics and extracurriculars, merely pausing and thinking has become a difficult task? Perhaps so. If this is true for first-year students like me, how much more severe is this syndrome for upperclassmen undergraduate and graduate students?

Ha approaches this topic fully empathizing with the busy lifestyle so many of us lead. “As the daughter of immigrant parents, the pace of my life has always been highly accelerated. The challenge of trying to slow down is something I can definitely relate to,” she commented. Ha identified this as a key reason why she required her Fall 2024 cohort to write down their reflections in physical journals so they could more clearly see their own growth throughout the semester.

Encouraging Civility — A “Good Life” class is in session. Ha prepares to call on a student while Professor Abdullah Antepli of the Sanford School of Public Policy looks on.

The course professors also prepared students to engage in active civic discourse, a key pillar of the Transformative Ideas program. “Many students expressed that during our course, they felt understood and affirmed by their peers, sometimes for the first time,” Ha remarked. While she acknowledges that the class is not comprehensive in covering all thought-provoking, debatable issues of our day, Ha believes that her class prepares students to tackle all types of topics beyond the scope of the class. This is evident in the course’s continual evolvement to respond to our rapidly changing world: this year, she introduced lectures on transhumanism alongside ancient traditions.

This appealing curriculum is far from the only major project Ha is undertaking. As an active author, scholar, lecturer, and administrator, she currently devotes much time to writing her newest book, “The Future of Freedom,” and researching history and its lessons on freedom and liberty. She is also involved in a multitude of interdisciplinary projects at Duke and beyond linking history and theology to fields as diverse as bioethics and public policy.

Ha was gracious enough to provide me with a sneak peak of “The Future of Freedom.” In her words, this book is tailored not just to fellow academics but a broader audience, a read suitable for novices like me. Reading the first chapter, I was already transported into a world where grappling with heated topics is appreciated and celebrated. I especially enjoyed Ha’s continued use of rhetorical questions as she elucidated the modern threats against every liberty we cherish. Quotes like “Can we take freedom of conscience, thought, speech, consent, and action for granted?” challenged my perspective on my relationship to the ongoing battles surrounding surveillance capitalism and privacy protection—and whether I, an involved engineering student with aspirations in healthcare, have a role to play in this predicament. Given the captivating read, I am confident that Ha’s inquiry into 1600s England will enlighten many readers and portray the significance of history in our daily endeavors.

As we chatted about history’s place within a larger interdisciplinary web of research active on Duke’s campus, Ha provided two incredible insights that could not be neglected in this blog. Firstly, she described history as “a spine that connects to many ideas,” contrary to the popular notion that it is solely a window into the past. If history is by nature interdisciplinary, why are renowned historical works still solely focused on primary sources, dates, and battlefield events? According to Ha, Duke’s interdisciplinary research scene is especially strong. “For me, as someone coming from some specialized cultures that did not have the same interdisciplinary superhighways, this has been something I deeply value,” she remarked.

From teaching “The Good Life” to researching freedom’s past, present, and future, Ha has contributed much to our scholarly community. By bringing the humanities into conversation with twenty-first century challenges, and offering the immersive opportunities provided by Transformative Ideas, her work promises to sow the seeds in students that will sprout into exemplary lives.

The Hearth of Aging Research and Discovery

By Stone Yan

On December 9, 2024

In Medicine

How do you motivate faculty, external colleagues, and curious undergraduates alike to brave the frigid cold to attend an 8:30am symposium?

Short answer: biscotti and coffee.

Of course, the breakfast delicacies are only a supplement to the strong, irresistible offerings of the annual Aging Center Research and Education Showcase, held Dec. 6 at the Trent Semans Center. As a first-semester undergraduate, I can attest to the captivating, inspiring nature of the speakers’ presentations; the research projects were interdisciplinary, comprehensive, and thought-provoking. What’s even more impressive is the intellectually stimulating questions prompted by the seasoned researchers in the audience. What an honor it was to listen to and learn from the legendary Dr. Harvey Cohen, Duke’s very own father of geriatrics, as he offered his advice to various presenters!

Excited attendees at the exposition of the Aging Center Research and Education Showcase!

If I were to continue heaping praise on the symposium and narrate every detail of the 4-hour-long event, you would be bored to death. Instead, allow me to focus on the most impressive research undertakings (in my humble perspective): the PRISM Comparative Effectiveness Trial co-led by Dr. Cathleen Colon-Emeric, division chief of geriatrics, and the AI-driven clinical guidance project led by Dr. Juliessa Pavon.

The PRISM trial presentation from Colon-Emeric was the second talk listed in the symposium agenda, the first after the welcoming remarks from Dr. Heather Whitson, director of the aging center. And its headline placement was justified from the get-go: data on the prevalence of fall-related injuries is astonishing and concerning. For instance, did you know that two deaths occur from falls every hour in America? How about the fact that fractures are a more potent cause of death than breast or prostate cancers?

Having established the basis for her research, Colon-Emeric soon transitioned to her focus on post-acute care and the avenue by which she is investigating injury prevention mechanisms. Given that 90% of fracture patients take fall risk-increasing medications, with many taking up to three such medications simultaneously, Colon-Emeric and her co-investigators sought to design a randomized cluster crossover trial measuring injurious fall rates under three conditions. By assigning 3,780 patients in the study to deprescribing dangerous medications, treating osteoporosis, and both deprescription and treatment groups, the researchers hope to discern which model performs the best in preventing fall injuries.

After a few more invigorating lectures, the audience welcomed Dr. Juliessa Pavon for her remarks on her research on leveraging AI to personalize medication deprescribing for older adults. While Pavon’s project similarly aims to confront the issue of polypharmacy in seniors, especially the use of multiple central nervous system (CNS) acting drugs, she focuses on the process of deprescribing and how to improve decision-making. Noting that the current deprescribing tools such as STOPP and START are limited by their “one size fits all” nature, Pavon proposed that AI, the driving force behind individualized treatment rules (ITRs), could be used as a better alternative.

Beyond the complexity of models and algorithms used for this machine learning product and the behemoth dataset (containing information from 278,000 individuals) involved, I found Pavon’s explanation for the benefits of ITRs to be the most engrossing. Contrary to popular belief, ITRs don’t improve treatment outcomes for all patients, as portrayed in the depiction below. However, the strength of ITRs arises from their ability to achieve better outcomes for many patients beyond the baseline level, which is more desirable on a population level than applying the average treatment regimen. This realization was key for me to understand the rest of Pavon’s presentation.

Graphic showing the effect of applying individualized treatment rules (ITRs) on a patient population

Of course, I must address the other fascinating talks and poster presentations before I conclude. Dr. Cara McDermott’s seminar on improving medication and safety for rural residents featured another exciting research project; the selected data on the costs and difficulties surrounding dementia care was enlightening and underscores the grave realities confronting the support networks of dementia patients. Additionally, Dr. Maria Marquine’s address on research education in the Aging Center featured much celebratory applause as the audience congratulated undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate scholars affiliated with the Aging Center’s various initiatives. Marquine’s passion and dedication to cultivating the next generation of aging and geriatric physician-leaders are evidenced by her involvement in all levels of the Aging Center’s education model, which warrants acclamation from the population at large. Lastly, I must mention the innovative research project spearheaded by Dr. Darina Petrovsky, assistant professor of nursing, examining the effect of music-based intervention for dementia patients. Her work, combined with her unique educational background of music studies and nursing, illustrates the multidisciplinary nature of medicine and how all skillsets could be applied to improving human health. Pre-med students: take this to heart!

While the weather outside was frightful, the fire of research and discovery inside the Trent Great Hall was surely delightful. As we celebrate another year of remarkable research progress at Duke Medicine and the Aging Center, let us congratulate our in-house experts on their work and together look forward to their exciting work in the coming year!

Invented at Duke, Inspired at Duke

By Stone Yan

On November 25, 2024

In Biomedical Engineering, Entrepreneurship

“Our technology is tailored towards scanning animals. In fact, we can run scans on entire organisms!”

Image from the Photoacoustic Imaging Lab that made it onto the front page of Science: glassfrog transparency!

Excitedly, Soon-Woo Cho, a postdoctoral associate in the Photoacoustic Imaging Lab, referred me to the standing poster at the Nov. 20 Invented at Duke showcase. While I stood puzzled looking intensely at the articulate images, I suddenly realized that the jumble of blue and red outlined the shape of a frog!

As one could imagine, this technology, the masterpiece invention of biomedical engineering professor Junjie Yao and his team, is too advanced for a first-semester undergraduate to understand.

Nonetheless, Cho patiently explained its basic mechanisms to me in simpler terms. One of the technology’s key attributes was its speed; while traditional imaging counterparts were known for their long processing times, Yao’s team was able to reduce that time to mere seconds.

Another accomplishment is the product’s versatility and widespread application. Not only can the system distinguish between arteries and veins, coloring them as red and blue respectively, it can also play an important role in diagnosing cancer cells, as these malignant cells are known for inducing abnormal growth of surrounding blood vessels.

After hearing this inspirational work, I traveled a few steps to another booth. While both research projects take place within the biomedical engineering department, their focus could not be more different. Ruth Verrinder, a current PhD student working in Jonathan Viventi’s lab, explained to me how the flexible electrode strips on display are part of an effort to address a significant medical need.

Ruth Verrinder, PhD student and member of the Viventi Lab.

Today, many surgeries to treat epilepsy are disappointingly unsuccessful. Even after a lengthy medical process including diagnosis and highly intensive treatment and procedures, such failures are simply too much to bear for many patients and families. The Viventi Lab believes that through improving the quality and quantity of data collected by medical electrodes, more surgical successes would naturally follow.

Their current product is already in use at Duke, and the team has ambitious plans for further developing the product. The top priority is to build implantable electrodes so brain signals could be tracked for weeks to months before prospective surgeries, better informing surgeons and medical professionals on the specific patient’s conditions.

While the booths hosting major inventions attracted the most fanfare, many other organizations were also present. One can hardly avoid the history exhibition: the bending, wave-like wall of “A Century of Innovation at Duke” greeted every visitor as they walked in the Penn Pavilion doors. On the other side of the wall, a history table curated by the Rubenstein Library displayed remarkable patents from Blue Devils across time, not to mention the popular button-making station that touted designs like “I love patents!”

Although the acclaimed Dr. Robert Califf, director of the Food and Drug Administration, did not make it to the event, the occasion was nonetheless an overwhelming success. As a biomedical engineering student, I got to witness some of the most advanced research occurring in my field of study and meet prominent faculty. In the crowd of attendees, many students, regardless of undergraduate or graduate, studying humanities or the sciences, huddled around posters while inquisitively listening to inventors. Even academics from other institutions came to attend the sixth annual Invented at Duke: while I was learning more about the Viventi Lab’s research, a scholar from the University of Georgia joined the huddle and posed questions.

Even as all attendees, including myself, were astounded by the ingenious discoveries presented, I think there is a deeper takeaway than simply being “wowed” by incredibly advanced brain electrodes or imaging systems.

As stressed by the Office of Translation and Commercialization, Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and Nucleate, a student-led organization focused on biotechnology innovation, groundbreaking development is feasible and not a feat to be done alone. For those with bold ideas, there are innumerable resources on campus to help bring those visions into reality.

For those interested in innovation but do not have the “sparks,” there are countless ways to get involved with existing projects and find one that suits your passions. Above all, those whose interest lies beyond biomedical sciences should not be discouraged: if there are current initiatives aimed at improving satellite images, there are surely many other non-biomedical endeavors for you to explore!

Let us not only celebrate what’s invented, but also the thriving spirit of invention here at Duke. Onwards!

Secrets From Duke Admissions

By Stone Yan

On November 12, 2024

In Students

This is not clickbait.

If you are looking for a top-secret formula used to determine your odds of being accepted by Duke’s Undergraduate Admissions Office, you are out of luck. However, if you’re curious about Duke’s unique characteristics, the students’ qualities, and the long-term vision of the Admissions Office, you have clicked the right link.

Christoph Guttentag, Duke’s Dean of Undergraduate Admissions since 1992

I sat down with Dean of Admissions Christoph Guttentag on a mild November Wednesday to discuss these wide-ranging topics. In a world where the admissions process at top U.S. institutions like Duke is becoming increasingly competitive, it is nice to learn a little more about how admissions officers approach these life-changing decisions. Lucky for me, Guttentag warmly received my inquiries and engaged in a spiriting conversation. I am excited to share his many fascinating insights below.

To begin, I posed a simple question: “How is Duke unique?” While many of us are familiar with the standard response given by Duke tour guides, I wanted to see if Guttentag has more to share than the touted academic and extracurricular offerings. And he did!

“Unique is hard,” he remarked, “but Duke is distinctive.” Duke looks for students who are ambitious but celebrate each other’s success. While they are excited about their learning, they see “no conflict between enjoying oneself and fulfilling responsibilities.” This is why the school radiates with its immense school spirit, something often missing at other academically rigorous institutions.

I found one of his remarks to be uniquely memorable: “They [Duke students] have high aspirations for themselves, and others who know them have high aspirations for them too.” Wow. What a community of changemakers that the Admissions Office is continually strengthening. Students also understand that they are “prepared but not complete,” remaining open-minded in cherishing differences and embracing challenges.

Naturally, this led me to wonder how hard it is to discern such talent among growing application pools. To put it simply, I asked: “How hard is your job? How do you approach your work every day?”

Duke’s Office of Undergraduate Admissions, where Dean Guttentag returns to after his midday Beyu Blue trips

“With anticipation and wonder.”

How pleasantly surprising! I’m sure many intrigued readers feel the same way. Admissions officers don’t arrive at work with a grumpy face, drinking coffee until their day is over?

“The process is never pro forma,” Guttentag continued. “Reviewing applications is always interesting,” adding that the process is a cherished opportunity and responsibility. Looking forward, the Dean expressed that his long-term vision includes expanding the economic diversity of the student body, a noble goal that allows “a broad range of viewpoints, values, and experiences” to be represented.

What should one take away from the conversation? Embrace ambition, cooperation, a passion for learning, and a ferocious Blue Devil spirit. Never stop searching for what interests you and reject the “course of least resistance”. Think boldly and welcome challenges as much as successes, leading to endless growth that stimulates scholarship.

Before I conclude, let me broadcast a PSA on behalf of the Undergraduate Admissions Office. According to Guttentag, a top misconception about Duke’s admissions process is that admissions officers play favorites when examining applicants’ high schools. In reality, the office has “no maximum or minimum acceptances per school.” Duke received applications from over 14,000 high schools last year—and that number is continuing to rise!

Thank you, Dean Guttentag, for your 30-plus years of service, helping to shape Duke into the warm, friendly, invigorating place it is today. Your heartfelt conversation—and delight in Beyu Blue’s mango smoothies—are unforgettable.

Enemies, Politics, and the Future of Higher Education

By Stone Yan

On November 6, 2024

In Political science, Students

Who or what do you perceive as “the enemy”?

If you ask me, I will say homework. Also, midterms and finals.

The quips aside, there are serious ramifications for what individuals believe to be the enemy. The word holds a gravity and seriousness that outmatches that of other words used to describe displeasure or opposition.

Why so much attention on a diction choice? It turns out that the recent framing of institutions, particularly universities, as the “enemy” by various political figures is causing great concern amongst academics. This was one of many topics discussed during the two-part series hosted by the Kenan Institute of Ethics, titled “When Universities are the ‘Enemy’: Academic Freedom, Institutional Autonomy, and the Future of American Higher Education.”

Dr. Eric Mlyn, moderator of both components of the series on higher education

The series began with a webinar featuring three panelists, all of whom were experts on the history and politics of American higher education. Moderated by Dr. Eric Mlyn, Distinguished Faculty Fellow in the Kenan Institute, Doctors John Douglass (UC Berkeley), Don Moynihan (University of Michigan), and Ellen Schrecker (Yeshiva University) all shared insights into the recent potent attacks on universities leveled by conservatives. Examining the evolution of academic freedom, the panelists each described potential backsliding of freedoms under a prospective second Trump Administration.

Ultra-conservatives’ view higher education as a “hotbed of radicalism,” Schrecker said. Arguing that various forces on the political right have been villainizing universities for the past five decades, Schrecker stated that “today’s attack on universities is much, much more dangerous than McCarthyism.” Even more dangerous than McCarthyism, arguably the most famous period of repression and nationwide hysteria over a political ideology? This quote immediately captured my attention, and I assume many of my peers on the Zoom were equally captivated. Schrecker also mentioned many surprising statistics during her opening statement, for instance pointing out the austerity measures present in modern higher education led to 75% of university faculty being adjunct professors. Her talk shined a light on the inherent perils in the education system, which is evidently much more intricate and complex than most of us imagine.

Another thought-provoking comment during the webinar came from Moynihan, who focused his comments on the impact of federal actions under a possible Trump administration. Cautioning that intruding upon academic freedom is a tell-tale sign of potential democratic backsliding, Moynihan articulated potential paths that conservative appointees could use to target university activities, the most probable being withholding federal research grants. If Republican officials blacklist institutions sponsoring research into “controversial topics,” this will remove institutions’ ability to access NIH, NSF, and other funds, constituting “a huge setback for many R1 researchers.” The power to influence funding could be a point of leverage that, combined with heightened media scrutiny of universities, could target and destroy innumerable administrators and professors.

After the webinar, many student attendees, including myself, met in West Duke 101 four days later for a lunch discussion about the panel. Consisting of four freshmen, one sophomore, one senior, Mlyn, and Jac Arnade-Colwill, a program coordinator at the Kenan Institute, the meeting featured diverse perspectives on the causes for the whirlwinds confronting higher education.

A few memorable quotes stuck with me. One remark, “university politics is opaque”, struck me as we students indeed know little about Duke’s operations and institutional policies. Why is this the case? Would the mistrust in universities lessen if there were more transparency and openness? Additionally, a participant’s note of the partisan stereotypes associated with higher education was uniquely insightful. As they admitted their own tendency of associating conservatives with being less educated, they highlighted some “self-inflicted wounds” universities grapple with, one important one being limited ideological diversity and increasing ostracization of conservatism on campuses.

As universities seek to defend themselves against vicious criticism, there is a need for students, including undergraduates, to involve themselves in civic action and voice their thoughts on the education system they partake in. According to Mlyn, the Kenan Institute of Ethics is actively trying to discern “the undergraduate voice” on these issues and hosting many opportunities for student participation. There are also other outlets for civic engagement on campus for students to consider, including many centers and initiatives housed at the Sanford School of Public Policy.

Are we the enemy? How do we mitigate skeptics and critics’ pointed feelings? How do we legitimize our educational philosophies? Open questions for those craving food for thought.

40 Years in Global Health – an Interview With Dr. John Bartlett

By Stone Yan

On October 21, 2024

In Global Health, Immunology, Medicine

Dr. John Bartlett, Professor of Medicine and Global Health Researcher

In your retirement, would you ever hold four Zoom calls every week with colleagues?

To be fair, Dr. John Bartlett is not technically retired. He is employed by Duke at the 20% level and continues to serve as a Professor of Medicine. However, his busy schedule, which also includes 2-3 months in Tanzania every year and writing grants to support research education efforts, in no way resembles the glorified picture of retirement many of us imagine!

Fellow freshmen, we may be in for the long haul.

Before I dive into my interview with Dr. Bartlett, I must acknowledge the incredible enthusiasm he showed in response to my invitation to an interview. Even as cable lines are down in western North Carolina, where he resides, due to the impact of Hurricane Helene, he still offered to keep our original interview time and made himself fully accessible to my questions. I extend my sincere gratitude to Dr. Bartlett for his time, and it is only just for me to relay his thoughts to our readers at large.

For students unfamiliar with Dr. Bartlett’s background or professional experiences, he has been a Duke faculty member since the 1980s, serving as both a physician in infectious diseases and internal medicine and a professor. His lengthy career traversed continents, having become deeply involved in international HIV/AIDS research and treatment since the 2000 World AIDS conference held in Durban, South Africa.

“As I traveled to South Africa, I witnessed the profound disparities between clinical outcomes for patients in the U.S., who were thriving, and [those in] the continent most severely impacted by HIV, where no treatment was available,” said Dr. Bartlett, recalling his transition to international work. “We reckoned that [the] concept of research with service could be applicable with an African partner,” he added, which led him to spend two-thirds of the next decade in Tanzania, focusing on this new partnership.

Picture of the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, where Dr. Bartlett conducted most of his research and education efforts in Tanzania

Captivated by Dr. Bartlett’s unique experiences, I inquired why he became involved in Tanzania, a country halfway across the globe. To my surprise, it turned out that in the early 2000s, faculty and students at Duke held a strong inclination towards advancing global health research. At the same time, researchers also sought to expand the scope of their activities overseas. Dr. Bartlett shared what was perhaps the most important reason last: “I have to credit my wife, a social worker, who was also quite committed to international work.”

I learned much about global health throughout the interview. When Dr. Bartlett shared statistics showing 100% effectiveness of certain HIV/AIDS treatments currently offered in lower-income countries, I was stunned. From no access to treatment a few decades ago to successful management of the disease today, there has been remarkable and swift progress that is saving millions of lives. Of course, there are still barriers to treatment including cultural norms, “ubiquitous” stigma, lack of testing resources, and cost. However, the global health field is advancing every day, with newfound knowledge regarding protective factors against HIV transmission helping to further lower mortality rates.

Discussing Duke’s global health efforts at large, Dr. Barlett was quick to point out the diversity of current projects around the world. “I would refer you to the website for the latest list of countries because I can’t keep up with the continuing growth!” Upon a quick search, this sentiment makes sense: Duke works in more than 40 countries and there are more than 100 active projects. “I am especially proud to see that [the institute’s work] is not limited to a single geographic region or a single topic”, Dr. Bartlett added, reflecting how projects “run the gammit from infectious diseases to non-communicable diseases to cancer to mental health to health systems strengthening.”

By this point in the article, maybe some engineer readers are yearning for a message pertaining to their academic interests. Don’t worry, Dr. Bartlett talked about your importance in global health work during the conversation too! “There are quite a few BME professors who work with students to develop practical, low-cost solutions to common global health problems,” he said. From rapid diagnostic tests to laparoscopes, the BME department has played a crucial role in the Global Health Institute’s efforts. And these engineering projects are still active: for students desiring to involve themselves in this work, Dr. Bartlett recommends reaching out to Dr. Ann Saterbak, a Biomedical Engineering professor who coordinates many opportunities.

Before I conclude, I would like to share a quote from Dr. Kathy Andolsek, professor of family medicine, discussing the character, expertise, and work of Dr. Bartlett:

“He was a dedicated researcher and clinician and an early pioneer in HIV/AIDS. [As a] primary doc, I [worked] with him to get my patients into his clinical trials… so we ‘shared’ many patients. He was inspirational to students and a great listener.”

Thank you, Dr. Bartlett, for your tireless work on HIV/AIDS treatment around the world. As an educator, researcher, and clinician, you have contributed much to the betterment of health outcomes for patients. Your commitment towards this noble cause and desire to help Tanzanian counterparts become independent in their research encourage all of us, medical students and non-medical students alike, to persistently pursue goals we believe in.

A Savory Chat With Dean Sue

By Stone Yan

On September 26, 2024

In Students

Dean Sue on East Campus, giving a tour as the Dean of Students

Half a century at Duke University. And many more years to come.

For more than 40 cohorts of Duke students, Sue Wasiolek has served as their Dean of Students, affectionately known to all as Dean Sue. Today, she is back in the classroom as an adjunct professor in the program of education, teaching several classes this semester on free speech, civil discourse, and education law.

For many in the Class of 2028, Dean Sue may be an unfamiliar figure. Having gotten to chat with her several times since August, first meeting at a Project Citizen dinner during orientation week, I cannot help but share Dean Sue’s insights and advice with my fellow freshmen and students at large. So, just like many of my peers, I FLUNCHed with Dean Sue on Monday and invited her to share her perspective on undergraduate education and how students can best formulate their journey in a rapidly changing world.

To begin our interview, I asked Dean Sue to introduce herself to new students and briefly describe her relationship with the student body. Besides stating her formal role and faculty appointment, Dean Sue emphasized that her previous tenure as Dean still heavily influences her perspective as a professor. “I would have a very hard time overlooking the fact that I had been a Dean of Students here for over 40 years,” she said. “I do think about the student experience through this lens of student life and community building and wellbeing, and that is not the way most faculty think.” Just from listening to that brief introduction, I was again astounded by the deep-rooted, unchangeable connection Dean Sue has with Duke students, particularly first-year students.

Next, I invited Dean Sue to explain the motivation and creation process behind her work, “Getting the Best Out of College.” Funny enough, I did misread the title when I posed the question, labelling it as “Getting the Most Out of College.” This small slip-up led to a lengthy exploration of the book’s title and mission, and unbeknownst to me before the interview, the word choice of “best” versus “most” was precisely the object of contention between the co-authors, which also included Professor Peter Feaver and alumna Anne Crossman. “In order to sell this book, [Dr. Feaver] felt like we needed to appeal to students and their parents,” said Dean Sue. And perhaps because of the final decision of “best” and orienting the book towards a noble end, the book suffered in sales performance. “I still get royalty checks from the publisher, and I got maybe $13 last year? And that’s likely an exaggeration,” she said.

Discussing the work’s inspiration, Dean Sue said that Professor Feaver believed that the combination of student, faculty, and administrator perspectives featured in the book made it a rich, insightful read. “We cannot find another book like it… everything was admissions-based,” she explained. And despite not receiving an Oprah’s Book List nomination or other accolades for the first two editions, Dean Sue is convinced of the book’s literary value and pursuing a third edition. “The last edition came out in 2012, and the smartphone came out in 2008”, she stated, discussing the need to include pertinent content like transferring and technology in a new edition.

Perhaps the most insightful exchange I had with Dean Sue over delectable food from JB’s was when I posed the question, “What is your message to students from underserved backgrounds intent to go down a certain academic path in regard to their willingness to fully explore at Duke?” To my surprise, Dean Sue replied that her advice for such students is not any different from wealthy students. “What today may appear to bring you great financial stability may not do so 10 or 15 years from now,” she said, encouraging students to know their values and “why” that they are studying what they study. “This takes great courage, but fully explore and get off the treadmill, [which is] what you think you want to do as a career,” Dean Sue advised. Her message of taking advantage of Duke’s amazing faculty and curriculum is one I am sure all of us could take to heart.

Before I close, I must relay the centerpiece of Dean Sue’s recommendation: do not declare anything beyond your required major! “Anything beyond that limits what you can take,” she said. And this includes anything from a second major to a minor or certificate. Why not opt to explore Art History instead of taking your fifth Economics minor class when you can write “extensive coursework in economics” on your resume anyway? That is a question that many Economics students must ponder about.

I would be writing forever if I wanted to capture all the wonderful details from my conversation with Dean Sue. Her wisdom, compassion, empathy, and boundless support continues to impress all who know her, including myself. To all who have yet to interacted with her, I strongly encourage you to go out of your way to embrace her friendly smile, which you can spot around both East and West Campus.

So go and explore.

Deep Dive into Engineering’s Past

By Stone Yan

On September 24, 2024

In Engineering, History

Many of us enter the Duke library complex through the Rubenstein doors, especially on rainy days. However, despite passing countless times, most have never ventured into the Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library or checked out its artifacts – including some eye-catching items featured at the annual Engineering Expo on September 18.

How could I not start by describing the 16th-century amputation saw? The magnificent artifact was handled by many impressed visitors, including myself (see adjacent photo). The embroidery was exuberant, and Rachel Ingold, the Curator of the History of Medicine Collections, informed me that the saw was of European descent. She also pointed out that the blade is removable and appears different from the rest of the artifact, suggesting that the instrument has been so frequently used that the blade had to be replaced. I curiously asked whether historians know how many patients have been victimized by this gruesome, two-person saw… sadly, the answer is we don’t know. Merely the thought of the procedure makes me shudder.

Me holding the amputation blade… it should’ve been held by two people back in the day!

While the saw was the headline artifact, it was by no means the only spotlight! Brooke Guthrie, a Research Services Librarian staffing the event, suggested that I examine Robert Hooke’s “Micrographia,” her personal favorite. In particular, she pointed out the exquisite scientific illustration of a flea, which was recorded using an early microscope. The level of detail (such as the hairs and claws) captured by Hooke in the drawing was fascinating – and spooky! What’s more amazing was that the copy we were looking at was the first edition, now more than 350 years old.

From my conversation with Guthrie, I learned that the Rubenstein Library boasts an expansive portfolio, ranging from the History of Medicine Collections to the Hartman Center for Advertising and Marketing History and the John Hope Franklin Research Center for African and African American History and Culture. While the library is interested in the areas correlated to its existing centers, the acquisition of materials is also heavily guided by student and faculty interests, which is evident in the diversity of Rubenstein collections. For instance, did you know that you could spend an afternoon with historically significant comic books? If that’s not your thing, you could opt to bring a few friends and spend some time playing ancient board games instead.

During my visit, I also spoke to Andy Armacost, Head of Collection Development at the Rubenstein. He introduced me to my favorite artifacts at the event, both hailing from the Hartman Center’s Consumer Reports Collection. The first was an apparatus testing the quality of razor blades: the wood frame was covered with meandering strings and fixtures, with the experimental blade placed adjacent to the test material, positioned in the center of the entire object. The second was a newer device, the structure composed of metal and testing toothpaste, which was applied by a toothbrush onto a grimy dental fixture. Both Armacost and I chuckled at the thought of making the fake teeth “dirty” before each trial… it must have been a sight for the experimenters!

Can you spot the remaining residue on the artificial teeth? Crest needs to do better according to this test machine!

Duke community members continued to stream in to event. Right as I was about to visit the “make a button” station, I spotted Pratt Dean Jerome Lynch in the room as well, testing out visual perception glasses that turned 2D images into 3D scenes. As a Biomedical Engineering student, I could not help walking over to him and asking a few questions regarding his perspective on the exhibition. Lynch was extremely welcoming to my questions and offered many words of advice to Pratt students regarding utilizing the libraries’ rich resources. He encouraged engineering students to frequent the Rubenstein collections, arguing that the artifacts illuminate the evolution of the role of engineers and how previous engineers creatively addressed the great contemporary challenges. He also expressed his personal interest in history… thus defeating any claims that engineers could not simultaneously enjoy the humanities.

The perception goggles that both Dean Lynch and I peeked into during the Engineering Extravaganza!

Before leaving, I made sure to speak to Ingold again, given that she was a leading organizer of the event. Well, she maintains that it was a group effort, so perhaps I should edit “leading organizer” into “co-organizer.” Anyhow, she expressed strong enthusiasm for student involvement in the Rubenstein collections, calling for those interested in exhibit curation to reach out and seek opportunities to do so. She also touted an upcoming Spring exhibition and the likely return of the extravaganza next Fall… Keep vigilant on more information for these events!

Next time you enter through Rubenstein doors, take a moment to check out the storied collections. I promise you will not be disappointed!