Ella Sheehan is a senior from Austin, Texas majoring in Economics with a minor in Political Science. In additional to serving as a Trinity Ambassador, she has been involved in the Economics Student Union, Club Lacrosse, Business Oriented Women and Runway of Dreams. She studied abroad in London and completed a summer internship at Barclays as an operations analyst. In her free time, Sheehan enjoys hiking, painting and trying new restaurants. As the academic year draws to a close, we asked Sheehan to reflect on her time… read more about Ella Sheehan '26: The Small Moments That Shape a Duke Experience »
Jason Murray is a senior double majoring in Classical Languages and Philosophy with a minor in Political Science. In addition to serving as a Trinity Ambassador, he co-leads the Transformative Ideas Living Learning Community, works with the Center for Christianity and Scholarship and is a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow. His academic interests center on ancient history and theology, particularly the intellectual life of the Eastern Roman Empire. In his free time, he enjoys playing chess and strategy video games. As… read more about Jason Murray '26: Studying the Ancient World While Building Community in Durham »
Ben Kahne is a senior majoring in Political Science with a concentration in political economy, a minor in Economics and a Certificate in Markets and Management Studies. In addition to serving as a Trinity Ambassador, he is involved with the Duke Investment Club and the Duke Real Estate Club, and is the founder of the Duke Business Ethics Club. He studied abroad with Duke in Madrid, and, in his free time, he enjoys DJing, listening to music, playing basketball and spending time with friends. As his undergraduate… read more about Ben Kahne '26: Learning to Ask for Help and Keep Going »
During Full Frame week in downtown Durham, Belem Destefani moves with quiet purpose. A volunteer has a question about their shift. A filmmaker needs to do a tech check for their film. A screening is about to let out, and the lobby is filling fast. Destefani takes it all in, then pivots to the next task. “I like to think of my role as putting everything together,” she says. “Giving people the tools they need, then trusting them to do what they do best.” Since 2024, Destefani (T’09) has served as Operations Director… read more about From Trinity to Full Frame by Means of Curiosity »
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 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 »
The death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the first day of the Iran war generated hope that the regime change the Trump administration and Israel yearned for would come to pass, perhaps with a more moderate new leader stepping up. That, after all, is what happened two months ago in Venezuela, where Delcy Rodríguez assumed power after her boss, Nicolás Maduro, was captured by U.S. forces. The nationwide protests in Iran late last year and early this one hinted at a country potentially on the cusp of seismic… read more about Peter Feaver Weighs In on the Four Stages of the Iran War »
A little more than a week into the fight with Iran, President Donald Trump is recasting the role of wartime leader in his image, breaking from generations of practice as he attacks domestic enemies, jumps on issues as far afield as alleged voter fraud and college sports, and revels in meme-driven celebrations of America’s military prowess.Trump’s approach to leading the nation in war is in keeping with his precedent-smashing style of politics. His supporters say that style has enabled him to connect with Americans and build… read more about Peter Feaver On A Wartime Presidency Defined by Trump’s Unique Political Style »
Getting involved in politics can feel simultaneously unavoidable and inaccessible, and many Americans are left wondering how they should engage — or if they should at all. For some, the question is where to begin. For others, the sheer pressure of daily life, work, caregiving or fear of saying the wrong thing can be a barrier. Allison Anoll, associate professor of Political Science, studies political participation, representation and family life, and argues that civic engagement does not come in a… read more about Getting Involved When It Feels Overwhelming: What Political Participation Can Look Like Today »
On Dec. 3, 2025, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang walked into the Oval Office for a one-on-one meeting. The only other person privy to the conversation was the current occupant, Donald Trump. Huang later said only that they “talked in general about export controls,” and Trump said almost nothing about the meeting. But five days later, Trump and Nvidia announced an extraordinary policy shift: Rather than continue to be classified as a serious crime, sending Nvidia’s H200 chips to China was suddenly not just allowed—it was a welcome… read more about Peter Feaver Weighs In on How Donald Trump's Dealmaking Instincts Are Shaking Up Business and the Government »
In the aftermath of the U.S. intervention in Venezuela, we explore how rising political divides are leading to bigger swings in America's foreign policy — and what that means for our future in the liberal international order.In her book "Polarization and International Politics: How Extreme Partisanship Threatens Global Security," Rachel Myrick argues that polarization reshapes the nature of constraints on democratic leaders, which in turn erodes the advantages democracies have in foreign affairs. We discuss how the pendulum… read more about Rachel Myrick Discusses How America's Political Divides Affect its Foreign Policy »
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 »
Colder weather means it’s time to curl up with a book. New readings from Duke authors include everything from a mystery and a middle-grade novel to books on privacy, hip-hop and fast fashion. Below is a roundup of some of the most recent and upcoming published titles. Many of the books, including new editions of previous titles, can be found on the “Duke Authors” display shelves near the circulation desk in Perkins Library. Some are available as e-books for quick download. Most can also be purchased through the… read more about Books for When There’s a Chill in the Air »
Should America be a meritocracy? Should those with the most ability get the most rewards? Or is the ideal of meritocracy tearing us apart?Political philosopher Michael Sandel discussed the influences of meritocracy and how we might rethink attitudes toward success and failure at a talk presented at the Karsh Alumni Center on October 7. Sandel teaches political philosophy at Harvard University where he is the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government. read more about Meritocracy on Trial: A Public Conversation on Michael Sandel’s The Tyranny of Merit »
Class of 2027 students Megan Bonne, Sally Maroa, and Kimmy Parboosingh have received the Voyager Scholarship for Public Service. Created by the Obamas and Airbnb's Brian Chesky, this two-year scholarship for juniors supports young leaders who are committed to careers in public service. read more about Three Trinity Students Receive the Voyager Scholarship »
Imagine a politician battling accusations of corruption leading up to an election, accusations so serious that they are likely to impact how people cast their ballots. How do you account for the wide range of factors that can determine who a person votes for — partisanship, age, gender, race, educational level — to gain insight into the influence of the corruption allegations on Election Day? That challenge is being taken up by Jiawei Fu, a new assistant professor of Political Science who develops tools to help… read more about Jiawei Fu Develops New Tools to Unravel the Complexities of Political Decision-Making »
As he peers into the past, Francisco Garfias counts upon the meticulous record-keeping of colonial Spain during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries to shine a light so he can better understand the present and anticipate the future. “The way that Spanish authorities governed their colonies, particularly in what’s now Mexico, created a lot of records,” said Garfias, who joined the Department of Political Science as an associate professor. “That highly bureaucratized approach, as a side product, allows researchers like myself to… read more about Francisco Garfias Looks to the Past for Insights into How Governments Take Shape »
A question that resonated with Allison Anoll as an undergraduate is now reflected in her research as a political scientist — could many of society’s problems be solved if more people participated equally in the democratic process? “I said it so much that I convinced myself it might be true,” said Anoll, who joined the Department of Political Science this year as an associate professor. “That question I started asking when I was 18 is the question that I’m still trying to fundamentally answer in the work that I do.”… read more about Allison Anoll Seeks to Understand the ‘Why’ Behind Political Participation »
D. Sunshine Hillygus, professor of Political Science and Public Policy, has been elected a Fellow of the Society for Political Methodology in 2025.Hillygus’s research spans American political behavior, campaigns and elections, survey methodology, public opinion, and the interplay between information technology and politics. She is co‑author of “Making Young Voters: Converting Civic Attitudes into Civic Action” (Cambridge University Press, 2020), “The Persuadable Voter: Wedge Issues in Political… read more about Sunshine Hillygus Elected Fellow of the Society for Political Methodology »
When we think about ‘misinformation,’ we usually think about phony or misleading news stories. But what about people who take real new stories and use those to spread phony or misleading narratives? Aaron welcomes Duke political scientist Jon Green to discuss a new study he co-wrote, which finds that that’s a pervasive issue as well – and one that’s not easy to combat. read more about On Air: Duke’s Jon Green on Using Real News Stories to Push False Narratives »
Kerry L. Haynie, Trinity’s dean of Social Sciences and professor of Political Science and African & African American Studies, recently received the Mac Jewell Enduring Contribution Award from the American Political Science Association. Honoring scholarly contributions to U.S. state politics or policy that continue to shape the field more than a decade after publication, the award was presented to Haynie and co-author Kathleen Bratton of Louisiana State University for their influential 1999 Journal of… read more about Enduring Impact: A Seat at the Table Still Matters »
Duke Professor of Political Science Pablo Beramendi has been awarded the 2025 Daniel Elazar Distinguished Federalism Scholar Award from the American Political Science Association (APSA). The Daniel Elazar Distinguished Federalism Scholar Award recognizes distinguished scholarly contributions to the study of federalism and intergovernmental relations.Beramendi's research delves into the political economy of inequality and redistribution, with a particular emphasis on the territorial dimensions of distributive… read more about Pablo Beramendi Receives Daniel Elazar Distinguished Federalism Scholar Award »
Duke Professor Emeritus of Political Science Sheridan Johns passed away on May 1, at the age of 90. Johns was widely recognized as an Africanist specializing in South African political history and liberation movements. He joined Duke as an associate professor in the political science department in 1970, five years after earning his Ph.D. from Harvard University. Throughout his career at Duke, Johns held several notable visiting appointments around the world, including at the Institute of Social Studies… read more about Political Science Professor Sheridan Johns Passes Away »
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 »
Department of Statistical Science Chair Amy Herring has been named Dean of Natural Sciences and Professor of Political Science Kerry Haynie has been appointed to a second term as Dean of Social Sciences, Dean Gary Bennett announced Tuesday. In sharing the announcement, Bennett also expressed his gratitude to Susan Alberts, Robert F. Durden Distinguished Professor of Biology, for her several impactful years as Dean of Natural Sciences. Bennett noted that in returning full time to her research, “Susan is… read more about Herring, Haynie to Lead Natural Sciences, Social Sciences Divisions; Alberts to Return to Research »
Felicia Wang (T ’25) is an artist and Mathematics major with a double minor in Computer Science and Political Science. Her career interests converge in climate policy, and she leaves behind something special at Duke: Climate Cafes. Climate Cafes are campus meetups where students can discuss themes around emerging issues of climate change. Bryan Koen the Assistant Director for Education & Experiential Learning at the Nicholas Institute, remembers, Wang discussing the need for… read more about Graduating Senior Felicia Wang Leaves Impact Through Climate Cafe Programming »
Herbert Kitschelt, the George V. Allen Distinguished Professor of International Relations, is the 2025 recipient of the Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science, in honor of his groundbreaking research on party systems.Kitschelt is primarily known for his studies on how European multiparty systems are structured. Throughout his career, he has investigated how political parties, in competition with each other and as a result of changing attitudes and behaviors within the electorate, have… read more about Herbert P. Kitschelt Awarded the 2025 Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science »