Get Involved

Every member of the Duke community can play a role in the Climate Commitment. Check out the menu of options below for just a few of the ways you can get involved.

Join Our Team!

Be a part of a community committed to researching and addressing climate change. Explore a broad range of opportunities to be a part of the commitment and help make our future brighter.

Duke Job Opportunities

Attend a Climate Town Hall

Join Duke administrators for a conversion about the Duke Climate Commitment — updates on current efforts and a look a what’s coming in the future.

Watch past town halls (NETID required):

Students

  • Stay informed and subscribe to the Duke Climate Commitment newsletter. Subscribe here (NetID Required). The commitment builds on Duke’s longstanding leadership in climate, energy and sustainability to educate a new generation of climate-fluent innovators and create equitable solutions for all. Current Duke-affiliated students, staff- and faculty can subscribe to the official Duke Climate Commitment biweekly newsletter. Additional Duke-affiliated climate and sustainability mailing list subscriptions include Sustainable Duke, Nicholas Institute, and Energy, Development, and the Global Environment.
  • Immerse yourself in a climate course. Climate- and sustainability-related courses can be found all across campus. There are many courses available to build your knowledge and become climate- and sustainability-fluent. Learn more from the Spring 2024 Climate & Sustainability Course List. If you’re not sure where to start, UNIV 102: Let’s Talk About Climate Change is a great introduction to all things climate!
  • Major or minor in climate-related topics, or earn a certificate. Check out the full listing of climate- and sustainability-related undergraduate majors, minors, and certificates, or specialize in climate and sustainability topics through a variety of graduate programs.
  • Join a climate-related student club. Climate and sustainability student groups abound on Duke’s campus. Check out Duke Groups for the complete listing of all student groups and find the climate and sustainability student group that is right for you. The Nicholas Institute also provides a list of student-led efforts focused on energy, environment and sustainability, as well as opportunities for Duke student organization funding.
  • Explore Duke’s campus as a living learning laboratory. Email emily.bilcik@duke.edu to connect with Sustainable Duke to engage with and develop solutions to real-world sustainability and climate challenges on and around Duke’s campus. Check out the project library of previous projects where students have asked questions, gathered data, monitored changes, experimented with innovations, and piloted solutions. Consider approaching your course assignments, thesis, dissertation, or capstone with a campus sustainability lens.
  • Green your dorm. Get your Green Dorm Room Certification through Sustainable Duke.
  • Scope out climate and sustainability internships and careers. Check out the Energy, Environment & Sustainability Community on Duke Career Hub and begin planning your next career move in a climate- and sustainability-related field. The Energy Internship Program connects Duke students from all majors, backgrounds, and degree programs to summer internship opportunities across the energy sector, including at start-ups, utilities, renewable energy developers, large firms, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations.
  • Volunteer with Sustainable Duke. Opportunities to engage across campus and in the community include Devil’s Thrifthouse (campus clothing swap), Zero-waste game days, waste audits, litter pickups, tree plantings and more. Follow Sustainable Duke on Instagram to learn more.
  • Join the Sustainability Ambassadors Program. This program is designed to give first-year students the opportunity to build a robust toolkit around interdisciplinary sustainability while also functioning to build community and leadership skills among participants. Mentored by Sustainable Duke’s Green Devil intern team, this year-long program allows students to explore topics such as global sustainability, food systems, environmental and energy policy, urban planning, circular economy, and more. Utilizing project management strategies and community-based social marketing principles, students emerge from the program as skilled leaders with thorough understandings of environmental issues and the social avenues that can be leveraged to address them. Apply here by September 15, 2023.
  • Explore Nicholas Institute events, trips and hands-on experiences. The Nicholas Institute offers Duke students a diverse slate of co-curricular opportunities. Offerings include Bass Connections in Energy & Environment, Climate+, DukeEngage projects, cohort-based course experiences and student assistantships.

Faculty & Staff

  • Build your climate and sustainability fluency, and infuse it into your course curriculum. The North Carolina Environmental Education Certification Program provides educators at all levels with the opportunity to build their knowledge of environmental issues and put their knowledge into practice in the classroom and beyond.
  • Get Green Certified by Sustainable Duke. Reduce the environmental impact of your courses, classrooms, labs, workspaces, and events by following Sustainable Duke’s checklists for Green Certification.

Alumni

  • Watch the Duke Forever Learning Institute’s webinar series. The Duke Forever Learning Institute provides lifelong learning opportunities for alumni. Catch the playbacks of Spring 2022’s seminar series, including sessions on sustainable materials and water, and stay tuned for future climate-related webinar topics.
  • Take a Coursera for Duke course. Duke alumni have free access to Coursera for Duke courses. Check out courses on environmental and climate-related topics, such as renewable energy or conservation.

Beyond Campus

  • Take part in a Climate Fresk workshop. The Climate Fresk is a collaborative workshop that teaches participants about climate change. If you want to better understand the scientific basis for climate change, the Fresk is a great place to start.
  • Follow Duke social media for Climate Commitment updates. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok to find out more about the Climate Commitment’s work as new updates become available.