Summer 2023 Archives - Duke Interdisciplinary Studies

Ph.D. Students Design Internships to Enhance Their Education, From Muskrats to the Music Business

May 26, 2023Sarah Dwyer

Headshots of eight students in two rows against a background of treetops. — Top row, from left: Hunter Augeri, Thea Ballard, Cade Bourne, Britt Edelen; bottom row: Leo Gaskins, Alex Karsten, Gabi Venable, Zhenxuan Wang

Duke’s Office of the Provost has awarded Graduate Student Training Enhancement Grants (GSTEG) to eight Ph.D. students for summer internships aligned with their core research and training.

Earlier this year, Ph.D. students were invited to propose internships with an NGO, community organization, cultural institution or government agency. These experiences will amplify their intellectual trajectory and contribute to dissertation research, beyond the standard offerings within their program and opportunities otherwise available at Duke.

Summer 2023 GSTEG Recipients

Hunter Augeri, Ph.D. in English

Bibliographic Intern, Printed Matter Inc.

Thea Ballard, Ph.D. in Art, Art History & Visual Studies

Research Intern, Unseen Worlds

Cade Bourne, Ph.D. in Music

Music Business Intern, InStereo Recordings

Britt Edelen, Ph.D. in English

Archival and Public Engagement Intern, Center for Jewish History

Leo Gaskins, Ph.D. in Marine Science & Conservation

Research Intern (How Marsh Bird Use of Muskrat Dens Varies Seasonally in Calumet Wetlands), Audubon Great Lakes

Alex Karsten, Ph.D. in Classical Studies

Publications Intern, American School of Classical Studies at Athens Publications

Gabi Venable, Ph.D. in Evolutionary Anthropology

Canine Cognition Research Intern, Circumference Group

Zhenxuan Wang, Ph.D. in Environmental Economics & Policy

Research Intern (Evaluating the Advances and Challenges of Decarbonizing the Residential Building Sector), Resources for the Future

About These Grants

The Office of the Provost has created a range of research and professional development opportunities to complement the key features of disciplinary training. The options reflect input from Duke Ph.D. alumni and faculty about the full set of skills and experiences that prepare Ph.D. graduates for success, whether within or outside academia. They also align with the recommendations of national reports on Ph.D. education, such as Reshaping Graduate STEM Education for the 21^st Century from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, as well as the report of the Duke Provost’s Committee on Reimagining Doctoral Education.

Graduate Student Training Enhancement Grants are intended to expand opportunities for Ph.D. students to augment their core research and training by acquiring additional skills, knowledge or experiences through an off-campus summer internship. See last summer’s GSTEG internships and learn more about supplemental summer funding for Ph.D. students.

Provost Internships Support Local Research Experiences for Duke Graduate Students

May 26, 2023May 26, 2023Sarah Dwyer

Polaroid-style headshots of 19 students against a blue and green background. — Top row, from left: Shiraz Ahmed, Arona Bender, Samuel Hunnicutt, Victor Jeong, Derek Witten, Gabrielle Carmine; middle row: Nicole Caviness-Ashe, James Draney, Dana Grieco, Anne Harshbarger, Emily Melvin, Elisabetta Menini, Greg Merrill; bottom row: Reshma Nargund, Alexandria Niebergall, Effie Harrington, Hannah Jorgensen, Nikki Locklear, Luoshu Zhang

Eighteen Duke Ph.D. students and one master’s student have received Provost Internships for Summer 2023. These graduate students will partner with Durham Tech, Duke’s Center for Computational Thinking and other campus units on research projects connected to their intellectual trajectories.

Summer 2023 Provost Internships

Durham Technical Community College

Shiraz Ahmed, M.F.A. in Experimental and Documentary Arts

Social Science/Humanities Curriculum and Open Educational Resource (OER) Development: Help develop resources and structures to accommodate a shift to 8-week courses, including development of a web-based OER textbook

Arona Bender, Ph.D. in Marine Science & Conservation

English/Communications Curriculum & OER Development: Help develop resources and structures to accommodate a shift to 8-week courses, including development of a web-based OER textbook

Samuel Hunnicutt, Ph.D. in Romance Studies

Foreign Language Curriculum & OER Development: Help develop resources and structures to accommodate a shift to 8-week courses, including development of a web-based open educational resource OER textbook

Victor Jeong, Ph.D. in English

Investigating Equity Gaps in Composition Courses: Conduct literature review to identify interventions that reduce equity gaps in student success rates; work with instructors to adapt and implement

Derek Witten, Ph.D. in English

Educational Programming for First-Generation Students: Assist in developing targeted programming for first-generation college students by researching data methods, best practices and funding support

Duke Center for Computational Thinking

These students will serve as Ph.D. Computational Fellows:

Gabrielle Carmine, Ph.D. in Marine Science & Conservation

Nicole Caviness-Ashe, Ph.D. in Nursing

James Draney, Ph.D. in English

Dana Grieco, Ph.D. in Marine Science & Conservation

Anne Harshbarger, Ph.D. in Marine Science & Conservation

Emily Melvin, Ph.D. in Marine Science & Conservation

Elisabetta Menini, Ph.D. in Marine Science & Conservation

Greg Merrill, Ph.D. in Ecology

Reshma Nargund, Ph.D. in Environment

Alexandria Niebergall, Ph.D. in Earth & Climate Science

They will also participate in a summer bootcamp, Introduction to Data Science.

Other Duke Units

Effie Harrington, Ph.D. in English

Office for Faculty Advancement, Evaluating Excellence in Teaching and Mentoring: Conduct landscape analysis of new approaches to teaching and mentoring effectiveness, to inform faculty tenure and promotion reviews

Hannah Jorgensen, Ph.D. in English

Forum for Scholars & Publics, Public Scholarship Community Programming: Conduct internal and external research to inform strategies for collaborations; develop, promote and manage international online public events

Nikki Locklear, Ph.D. in History

Story+, Research Program Evaluation: Develop structures and best practices for team project management and mentoring for cultivating community across teams; support professional development for program participants; help facilitate symposium

Luoshu Zhang, Ph.D. in English

Graduate Liberal Studies Program, Master’s Student Capstone Project Experience Models: Develop differentiated set of capstone options for Liberal Studies master’s students

About These Internships

Provost Internships are supported by the Office of the Provost in collaboration with the Office of Durham & Community Affairs. Ph.D. students who do not have full summer funding are invited to apply for experiential internships with external organizations such as Durham Tech, along with other internship and research assistant opportunities with Duke units across campus. All interns take an experiential learning workshop, GS950, during Duke Summer Session.

See last summer’s internships and learn more about supplemental summer funding for Ph.D. students.

Duke Ph.D. Students Help Create Unique Undergraduate Summer Courses

March 2, 2023March 2, 2023Sarah Dwyer

Through Summer Course Development Grants, Ph.D. students learn about course design and teaching while enhancing undergraduate education within Duke’s departments

Adults standing together in a group of about a dozen, outside in warm weather under an archway. — Grant recipients at a course design workshop led by Duke Learning Innovation in 2022 (Photo: Blythe Tyrone)

By Khilan Walker

Approaches to learning and teaching are constantly evolving, and any curriculum benefits from periodic revision and new offerings. It takes time to develop new courses from scratch or even to redesign existing courses, though, and faculty members are already juggling a heavy load.

A new grant program supports departments in the development or redesign of undergraduate courses that will be offered regularly during Duke Summer Session. By involving Ph.D. students and drawing on experts from Duke Learning Innovation, the grants seek to foster innovative courses while helping doctoral students gain skills and experience.

Last year, nine departments received Summer Course Development Grants from the offices of Undergraduate Education and Interdisciplinary Studies. Here are two of them.

The Future of Ocean Use

Jon Choi

Within the Department of Marine Science & Conservation, Ph.D. student Jon Choi worked alongside faculty members Rebecca Vidra and John Virdin to create a course entitled “The Future of Ocean Use.” Choi stated that the course grew out of a webinar series hosted by Oceans@Duke that highlights ways in which Duke researchers and alumni are working on ocean-related issues.

Vidra and Virdin wanted to make the webinars’ content more sustainable, so they applied for the Summer Course Development Grant and asked Choi to help develop a course.

At first, Choi struggled to decide how to create a cogent throughline for the course from the diverse webinars. He decided to focus on developing writing skills at the undergraduate level, using what he learned as a Duke Law student. Through two-page policy memos summarizing complex issues, students will hone their ability to think critically about the challenges facing the world’s oceans, consider the intended audiences for their writings, and improve their use of active voice and sentence structure.

The course begins with two weeks focused on learning critical writing and research skills, starting with an initial draft memo summarizing the rapid acceleration of human use of the ocean. During the following four weeks, students will craft two memos per week on a variety of topics, such as deep seabed mining, illegal fishing, small scale fisheries and offshore wind.

These memo assignments start with a prompt that places students in the role of a junior staff member who must brief people in different organizations.

To help students strengthen their writing, Choi built in numerous writing workshops and one-on-one meetings. By the end of the course, students will have written nine memos. They can then reflect on them and revise their five favorite memos for grading.

Beyond Ordinary Consciousness: The Science, Philosophy and Phenomenology of Contemplation

Joseph Diehl

The Department of Psychology & Neuroscience was another recipient of a Summer Course Development Grant. Faculty members Bridgette Hard, Moria Smoski and Richard Jaffe teamed up to propose a new course along with Ph.D. student Joseph Diehl.

As an undergraduate student at Brown University, Diehl majored in contemplative studies, an experience that he loves to this day. He learned about the history and context of contemplative practices, and even got to try some of them out during ‘meditation labs.’

For the new Duke summer course, Diehl interacted with various staff and Duke Learning Innovation to figure out how he could adapt his Brown experience.

The grant included a three-day workshop on inclusive course design led by Duke Learning Innovation. The program focused on how student learning outcomes should inform course design, considerations for planning short-term summer courses, and leveling up on skills and tools needed to complete the course design by the end of the grant period. The teaching consultants also provided ongoing guidance as needed.

Diehl wanted his course to address the challenge of loneliness that increased over the past few years, exacerbated by the pandemic. “I’m hoping not just to create a class, but to build a community on Duke’s campus,” he said. He also hoped he could inspire some students to create a long-term contemplative practice beyond the class.

During the course, students will participate in meditation labs, learning about philosophical and religious traditions as well as the scientific applications of such traditions. Diehl included time for in-class meditation, while coursework will be done individually. He opted to divide students into three different groups, with an opportunity for each group to teach others about what they learn.

Both Choi and Diehl built valuable skills and received summer funding for their work last year. Their departments now have two innovative new courses that will add to their regular summer offerings for undergraduates.

See a related story on the Summer Course Development Grants.

Khilan Walker ’24 is a content writer in the Office of the Provost. He is majoring in political science with a minor in African & African American studies.

How New Summer Courses Enhance Both Undergraduate Learning and Ph.D. Training

March 2, 2023March 2, 2023Sarah Dwyer

Duke Ph.D. students help departments with course development while building their own teaching skills

Three students wearing goggles stand in front of their chemistry experiment inside a lab. — Undergraduates in a Chemistry 202 Lab class in 2019 (Photo: Megan Mendenhall)

By Lily Neusaenger

In lab courses across the country, undergraduates tend to carry out weekly experiments that aren’t related to each other. Actual research labs, by contrast, operate differently.

Taylor Outlaw

“A growing trend in science education is to turn these laboratory courses into more inquiry-based experiences, where students participate in a semester-long research project,” said Taylor Outlaw, a Ph.D. student in chemistry. Talking with Charlie Cox, associate professor of the practice of chemistry, Outlaw learned that he was interested in making some changes along these lines.

Last year, Chemistry was one of nine departments that received Summer Course Development Grants for the creation or redesign of courses that will be offered regularly to undergraduates beginning in Summer 2023. Cox and Outlaw collaborated on revising CHEM 202L into a new Organic Chemistry II Laboratory for Duke’s summer session.

“It’s really [about] trying to showcase the scientific method and a more realistic experience of a hands-on lab,” Outlaw said. “When you’re a Ph.D. student or a full-time researcher, nobody does a ‘dump, dump, stir, throw it out’ process. Whatever you’re doing, you’re either characterizing it, doing something new with it or trying to answer a big-picture question.”

Samar Miled

This kind of transformative course development is happening outside of labs too.

For the Department of Romance Studies, Senior Lecturer Laura Florand teamed up with Ph.D. student Samar Miled to revise FRENCH 204A into Advanced Intermediate French with a focus on culture and sustainability in Tunisia.

Miled, a Tunisian native, was able to bring her cultural knowledge to the Duke in Tunisia study abroad program, which includes the revised course.

“Through extensive travel throughout the country, we will delve into cultural issues, including the ongoing ten-year revolution, while also emphasizing ecology and sustainability,” she explained. “We want to decentralize and allow students to discover […] different French-speaking regions” beyond France.

Creative Strategy Behind the Grants

These new grants from Duke’s offices of Undergraduate Education and Interdisciplinary Studies are intended to foster Duke Summer Session courses that align with curricular priorities, incorporate innovative approaches and provide teaching opportunities for Ph.D. students.

Duke Learning Innovation furnishes course design guidance through an intensive workshop and ongoing consultation.

More broadly, the grant program is a strategic way for Duke to strengthen undergraduate education and respond to increased demand for summer courses, while furthering the university’s commitment to excellence in Ph.D. training.

Participating doctoral students build skills in course design and pedagogy, and they receive summer funding — a result of creative thinking about how to provide 12-month Ph.D. funding. Those who go on to teach the resulting courses also gain experience as effective instructors. Participating faculty members receive research funding.

Becoming Better Teachers

Charlie Cox

“Charlie Cox has been amazing,” Outlaw noted, “and I learned a lot from Duke Learning Innovation about the student-centered approach to teaching — reflecting upon what we actually want students to come out of this course understanding or knowing about,” she said. “Not everyone that takes organic chemistry is going to be a chemist, but skills like writing, inquiry, thinking through the scientific method, being able to develop a solution to a problem [are] broadly applicable across disciplines. That’s what I want students to come out of my class with.”

Outlaw hopes to embark on a teaching-intensive academic career after graduation. “I feel like this has been a really cool, low-stakes practice run for when I’m actually doing this and am in full control of everything that occurs.”

For Miled, who comes from a traditional educational background, “Duke Learning Innovation taught me things like how to teach using games, especially with language. We don’t want [our courses] to be boring.”

Two women stand on a boat with hats and glasses, view a slight view of the sea behind them. — Laura Florand and Samar Miled in Tunisia

Learning Innovation also invited psychiatrists and psychologists to advise the Ph.D. students on working with undergraduates, which Miled found helpful. “I think it’s very important to think about mental health, especially in a diverse setting such as a classroom, and to know how to behave with every student — what to say, what to avoid saying, how to think about their comfort and needs.” She said the grant experience boosted her confidence and made her feel comfortable teaching something new in a different setting.

These two examples illustrate the Summer Course Development Grants’ goals, which lie at the intersection of enhancing undergraduate education, addressing the rise in summer course demand, supporting Ph.D. training and providing 12-month funding. Looking ahead, future Ph.D. students will benefit from these grants by tapping into an archive of course materials to support their own summer teaching.

See a related story on the Summer Course Development Grants.

Lily Neusaenger ’25 is a content writer in the Office of the Provost. She is majoring in computer science with minors in statistical science and creative writing.

Register for Duke Graduate Academy Short Courses in Summer 2023

February 21, 2023May 4, 2023Sarah Dwyer

Purple flowers in Duke Gardens with logo of Duke Graduate Academy; text: Duke Graduate Academy. Register now for Summer 2023.

The Provost’s Office is pleased to announce a new session of the Duke Graduate Academy, which offers online short courses that introduce Duke graduate and professional students and postdoctoral fellows to skills, tools and knowledge that augment their regular coursework and research.

These short courses help emerging scholars prepare for high-level research, innovative teaching, leadership and/or public engagement.

Courses in the Duke Graduate Academy cover topics not typically included in a graduate curriculum, or provide an intensive introduction for graduate students and postdocs who might not have the time or inclination to pursue a full course in a subject. Instructors are Duke faculty as well as highly trained Duke staff and Ph.D. students.

The Graduate Academy welcomes all current/active doctoral, master’s and professional students at any stage of their studies as well as all postdoctoral fellows. There are no prerequisites for any of the courses.

Program Details

Courses

2023 Duke Graduate Academy Summer Session Course Descriptions

These Duke Graduate Academy courses will be offered during Duke’s Summer Sessions I and II.

Each course meets regularly for one to three weeks.

Courses are not for credit and are not graded, but they will appear on Duke graduate student transcripts. No offerings require prerequisites or assume areas of knowledge. Classes are offered online with synchronous and asynchronous elements. Instructors will emphasize interactive discussion and group activities/projects to maintain a high level of student engagement.

Cost

There is no cost for Duke participants.

Location

All classes meet online/virtually. Individual class schedules are noted in the course descriptions and in DukeHub. Meeting details and coursework materials will be confirmed by instructor email or through course sites.

Registration and Deadlines

Duke Student Registration: Current/active doctoral, master’s and professional students may register for up to two (2) courses via DukeHub.

[Fuqua students, please note: Duke Graduate Academy courses are available to Fuqua students active in an MSQM program or in the Daytime MBA program. Fuqua students must obtain proper permission from their program dean (MSQM) or the Fuqua Registrar (MBA).]

Duke Postdoc Registration: Postdocs may register for up to two (2) courses via Qualtrics.

Waitlists will be used for all courses. Enrollment and all course changes must be completed by the Drop/Add deadline for the relevant Summer Session (May 19 for Term 1; July 6 for Term 2).

Participation, Eligibility and Enrollment

Participation is open to current Duke graduate students, including Duke law and medical students, master’s and professional students. The Graduate Academy is also open to all Duke postdocs. Space is filled on a first-come, first-served basis during registration.

Most courses will enroll 30 students, although some courses may be smaller or larger. Courses with fewer than eight enrolled students may be canceled. Course participation will appear on graduate students’ transcripts.

Contact and Additional Information

For questions regarding the Duke Graduate Academy, or for help with enrollment and withdrawals, please contact Meg Atchison at mjb43@duke.edu.

Summer 2023 Course List by Area

Courses are offered in the following broad areas. See all course descriptions.

Business & Entrepreneurship

Business & Organizational Fundamentals for Entrepreneurial Action [Filled]
Leading Teams: Foundations of Teamwork & Leadership
Narrative Design Seminar [Filled]

Communication & Pedagogy

Best Practices in Mentoring
Navigating Scholarly Publishing
~~Public Speaking for Everyone~~ [Canceled]
~~Social Media for Scholars~~ [Canceled]
Science & Research Communication: Communicating Your Research to Non-Experts
Teaching With Digital Archives

Interpretive Research Methods

Asking Questions
Community-Engaged Research
Design Digital Research: Formulation to Publication
Evaluation: Understanding Impact & Improving Effectiveness
Introduction to Qualitative & Mixed Methods Research
Zero-Code Digital Humanities Text Analysis

Societal & Policy Contexts

Exploring Race & History Through Southern Historic Places
Science Policy

Find and Fund Your Summer Internship in Energy

February 14, 2023May 26, 2023Sarah Dwyer

Deadline: Rolling

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.

Find Your Internship

View summer 2023 internship opportunities for Duke undergraduate and graduate students (NetID log-in required). We’ll be adding new internships throughout the spring, so check back here regularly and keep an eye on our email newsletter.

Fund Your Internship

Duke undergraduate and graduate students who will be returning to Duke for the subsequent fall semester may apply for supplementary funding through the Energy Internship Program once they have been offered an energy-related internship. This funding can be used to turn an unpaid internship into a paid internship or increase the stipend for a low-paying internship.

The internship does not have to be included on the Nicholas Institute’s list of opportunities for you to be eligible for funding. The amount of financial support will be negotiated with both student and employer, based on numerous factors, including the extent of compensation (if any) indicated in the internship offer letter. Funding decisions are made on a rolling basis, so apply ASAP after receiving your internship offer!

We will consider funding applications for unpaid or low-paid internships. Low-paid internships are generally defined as those for which the compensation does not cover your primary living expenses in the region where the hiring organization requires you to live.

Note: International students requiring CPT status must be approved for CPT to receive funding from the Energy Internship Program. This must be determined and approved with Duke Visa Services PRIOR to the start of the funded internship.

Thanks to a partnership with the James E. Rogers Energy Access Project at Duke, some funding is reserved for internships related to energy access or energy transitions in low- and middle-income countries.

Additional Resources

Explore other Duke-affiliated programs on our summer experiences page. And of course, the career center affiliated with your Duke school has information about other potential opportunities and is an excellent source of advice on interviewing and other career development skills.

Questions?

Contact Bryan Koen (Senior Education Program Coordinator, Nicholas Institute).

Learn more on the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability website.

Summer 2023 Provost Internships for Duke Ph.D. Students

January 23, 2023May 26, 2023Sarah Dwyer

Summer flowers with view of road, text reading "Summer 2023 provost internships for Ph.D. students, apply now," logo of Duke Office of the Provost.

Deadline: February 20 (priority), rolling through April 20, 2023

The Duke University Provost’s Office, in collaboration with the Office of Durham and Community Affairs, supports professional development opportunities for current Duke Ph.D. students who do not have full summer funding. A number of experiential internships with external organizations are available by application, along with other internship and research assistant opportunities with Duke units across campus.

Interested Ph.D. students should review the opportunities to match both skills/background and research interests. You may apply to a maximum of two positions (this could be two external or two Duke internships, or one of each).

The priority consideration period is through February 20 at 9:00 a.m. Applications received through that time will be processed and shared with internship hosts. Hosts will begin a review of applications by March 2 and may reach out to applicants of interest for interviews. Applications received after the February 20 priority deadline will be considered on a rolling basis through April 20.

All interns will be required to take the experiential workshop, GS950, during Duke Summer Session I or II.

Please see the FAQ section below and contact the Office of Interdisciplinary Studies at ovpis@duke.edu if you have questions.

How to Apply

All applications must be submitted through this Duke portal:

https://dukeinterdisc.formstack.com/forms/duke_phd_summer_internship

You will be asked to provide the following:

Letter of application for each opportunity
Brief CV (2-page maximum)
Letter of support from your department DGS, indicating how the proposed internship(s) will enhance your intellectual trajectory.

Provost Internships

Browse, search or sort alphabetically by any column. Click on the link in the Internship Focus column to access more information. Please do not contact the host directly.

Organization or Duke Unit	Internship Focus	Brief Scope of Work
American Historical Association	Research & Publications OR Teaching & Learning	Conduct research on an agreed-upon topic such as research in support of teaching & learning initiatives or with Racist Histories & the AHA initiative
Diaper Bank of NC	Period & Adult Incontinence Product Distribution Programs	Contribute to process evaluation of DBNC's distribution program for free period products to local public schools; activities include conducting and analyzing key informant interviews with community members involved in the period product distribution; OR Document local retail options for individuals seeking adult incontinence supplies in low-income census tracts; activities include quantitative analysis of community characteristics, mapping or creating other visual representations of local retail options
Duke Bass Connections	Pedagogical Models for Project-Based Learning	Help design & conduct symposium for higher education administrators on approaches to fostering project-based learning
Duke Center for Computational Thinking	Ph.D. Computational Fellowship	Participate in Summer Bootcamp: Introduction to Data Science; give short oral presentation of research question, exploratory data analysis and findings as a final project
Duke Faculty Advancement	Evaluating Excellence in Teaching & Mentoring	Conduct landscape analysis of new approaches to teaching & mentoring effectiveness, to inform faculty tenure & promotion reviews
Duke Forum for Scholars & Publics	Public Scholarship Community Programming	Conduct internal & external research to inform strategies for collaborations; develop, promote & manage international online public events
Duke Graduate Liberal Studies	Master’s Student Capstone Project Experience Models	Develop differentiated set of capstone options for Liberal Studies master’s students
Duke North Carolina Leadership Forum	Public Policy: Civic, Business & Political Leaders in Constructive Engagement	Conduct literature review; collect & analyze data; contribute to two planned writing projects related to NCLF’s founding, mission & impact
Duke Science & Society (AE+)	Applied Ethics+ Project Teams	Guide & mentor 2-3 student teams throughout 10-week intensive program for undergraduates; participate in program management & assessment
Duke Social Science Research Institute	Equity & Community-Partnered Research	Develop academic manuscript from data analysis & reporting; develop practice-oriented guidance
Duke Social Science Research Institute	Mentoring in AIDS Research Training Program for Clinical & Basic Science Investigators	Help evaluate newly implemented programming for AIDS researchers designed to improve mentor/mentee communications within different cultural backgrounds, activities to include data collection, analysis & development of recommendations
Duke Social Science Research Institute	Program Evaluation & Applied Social Science Research	Inform development of graduate certificate by landscape analysis of similar programs at other institutions
Duke Story+	Project-Based Research in Humanities, Arts & Interpretive Social Sciences	Develop structures & best practices for team project management & mentoring for cultivating community across teams; support professional development for program participants; help facilitate symposium
Duke University Press	University Press Finances	Conduct analyses of book production costs over time and of revenues compared to associated costs, to help inform future directions for publishing program
Durham Arts Guild	Education for NC Artists	Collect feedback and data from local art community and Durham Art Guild membership base to formulate an accessible and equitable educational program for adult artists with a focus on real world business skills
Durham Arts Guild	Impact of the Arts & DAG on Durham	Research & collect information from Durham Arts Guild's 75 years to determine impact of the organization, & the arts in general, on Durham's growth & commercial development
Durham Technical Community College	Educational Programming for First-Generation Students	Assist in developing targeted programming for first-gen students by researching data methods, best practices & funding support
Durham Technical Community College	Foreign Language Curriculum & OER Development	Help develop resources and structures to accommodate a shift to 8-week courses, including development of a web-based open educational resource (OER) textbook (from gathering materials to managing layout/design to platform implementation)
Durham Technical Community College	English/Communications Curriculum & OER Development	Help develop resources and structures to accommodate a shift to 8-week courses, including development of a web-based open educational resource (OER) textbook (from gathering materials to managing layout/design to platform implementation)
Durham Technical Community College	Social Science/Humanities Curriculum & OER Development	Help develop resources and structures to accommodate a shift to 8-week courses, including development of a web-based open educational resource (OER) textbook (from gathering materials to managing layout/design to platform implementation)
Durham Technical Community College	Graphic Design Curricular Program Development	Conduct landscape analysis of existing graphic design programs; collaborate with Durham Tech leadership & partners to explore creation of graphic design program for Durham Tech
Durham Technical Community College	Interventions for Equity Gaps in Student Success Rates	Conduct literature review to identify interventions that reduce equity gaps in student success rates; work with instructors to adapt & implement
Justice Matters	Literature Review of Trauma-Informed Legal Services	Conduct a literature review that will examine the public health benefits to providing trauma-informed legal services
Society of St. Andrew	Hunger & Food Rescue Issues	Research hunger & food rescue issues to help define impact of SoSA's work & strategize best practices
Triangle Center for Evolutionary Medicine	Team Science & Research Administration	Assist in developing & delivering educational materials for undergraduates; engage with computational labs & applied field training experiences; plan & facilitate summer programming

FAQ: Summer 2023 Provost Internships

Are master’s students or professional students, including professional doctorates like Th.D. students, eligible to apply for these opportunities?

We are sorry; the internships are only available to Ph.D. students.

I am graduating from Duke with a Ph.D. this spring (or, I am coming to Duke this summer or fall). Am I eligible to apply?

No, only currently enrolled Duke Ph.D. students are eligible. Students who will matriculate in the summer or fall are not eligible.

I already have full summer funding, but one of these positions would be a perfect fit for me. May I still apply?

No, these internships are available only to current Ph.D. students without full summer funding.

I have partial summer funding. Am I still eligible?

Interns may receive other Duke summer funding; however, total Duke summer funding may not exceed $9,000.

I would like to apply to several opportunities. Is this allowed?

You may apply to a maximum of two (2) opportunities (two external, or two internal internships, or one of each).

I’m an international Ph.D. student. May I apply?

Yes, so long as you are residing in one of the U.S. jurisdictions approved for Duke employment: Arizona, Hawaii, Illinois, Montana, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, DC. You should consult as soon as possible with Duke Visa Services for assistance with filing applications for Curricular Practical Training and any other visa-related requirements.

I am a Ph.D. student currently in the United States but living outside North Carolina. Can I still apply?

Yes, as long as during the internship you are residing in one of the jurisdictions approved for Duke employment besides North Carolina: Arizona, Hawaii, Illinois, Montana, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, DC.

What would a strong application for an internship look like?

Beyond submitting all the required pieces of the application, we recommend giving special attention to the letter of application and brief CV. The application letter should explain how the opportunity would enrich or further develop your academic interests. At the same time, internship hosts are particularly keen to identify the best candidates for the job at hand. Help the readers understand how you are well qualified for the position, and give some sense of what distinctive contributions you can make to the position and the organization or Duke unit.

How do I abridge my CV to two pages?

Only include the most important information from your longer CV (key elements of your scholarship; your most important fellowships and teaching assignments; etc.). Highlight details that best demonstrate your qualifications for the position. As an example, for a research-intensive position, you should include evidence of your skills in research and writing, such as publications. For other positions, you may want to offer more information about your experience with collaborative projects, website development and relevant nonacademic work.

How will candidates be evaluated and selected?

You will apply through this Duke portal. Complete applications that are well suited to the positions will be forwarded to the internship hosts. Hosts may or may not reach out to candidates for virtual interviews, which may happen on very short notice. Hosts will make the final decision on candidate selection, but notification letters will come from the Provost’s Office. If you wish to check up on your application status or have questions, please contact the Office of Interdisciplinary Studies (ovpis@duke.edu). Please do not contact the host directly.

What is the timeline for these opportunities?

Hosts will begin review of applications received through the priority deadline of February 20 by March 2. Hosts will then consider additional applications on a rolling basis until April 20, 2023. They should make their decisions by that date. We ask all students to expeditiously confirm their acceptance/decline of offers. Internships will begin no earlier than May 15 and will end no later than August 18, 2023.

When will the internship take place? How many service hours are expected?

Internships may involve six weeks, eight weeks or twelve weeks of engagement, and must take place between May 15 – August 18, 2023 with no more than 19.9 hours/week, leaving time for students to engage with their own research, study and/or writing.

All internship opportunities listed are configured in one of the following formats:

Three months (12 weeks, 19.9 hours/week)
Two months (8 weeks, 19.9 hours/week)
One and a half months (6 weeks/19.9 hours/week)

How much will I be paid for the internship, and how will I be paid?

You will receive a stipend commensurate with the three options for length of engagement:

Three months: $8,415
Two months: $5,610
One and a half months: $4,207.50

Stipends will be paid across Duke’s June – August payroll cycles. Your summer tuition will be covered, and your department will also receive the summer health fee.

I am not eligible to apply, but I would love to collaborate with one of these external organizations in some way. How can I reach out?

This is not the time to reach out unless you’re eligible to fill the organization’s posted position. Please consider contacting Maria Wisdom, director of interdisciplinary mentoring and coaching programs, to discuss a long-term networking strategy.

I will be traveling during the summer. Am I still eligible for an internship?

Though brief travel outside the internship jurisdiction is permitted, you need to be physically residing in the jurisdiction approved for Duke employment for the duration of the internship to be eligible for the opportunity. International students should confirm their visa/residency status with Duke Visa Services.

I am available for less time than the full duration of the internships to which I am applying (e.g., 8 weeks instead of 12 weeks). Will I still be considered?

Your application will still be sent to the host for consideration. Your limited availability may affect selection if timing is important to the host, though you may be able to negotiate timing for the internship if selected for an interview.

I am planning to teach a course in one of Duke’s Summer Sessions. Am I still eligible for an internship?

You are not eligible for an internship if you are teaching a Summer Session course. When offered an internship, you will be required to make a choice — to move forward with plans to teach the course or to cancel the course in order to pursue the internship opportunity. The timing around this decision may be tight (a few days) so it is important to consider your preferences in advance.

Ph.D. Students, Create and Fund a Summer Internship Through GSTEG

January 10, 2023May 26, 2023Sarah Dwyer

Graphic with text reading Summer 2023 Create Your Own Ph.D. Internship, Graduate Student Training Enhancement Grants.

Deadline: February 20, 2023

Overview

The Office of the Provost seeks applications from Ph.D. students who, with endorsement from their programs, wish to pursue a summer internship with an off-campus host that is related to their intellectual trajectory. This Graduate Student Training Enhancement Grants (GSTEG) opportunity is limited to current Ph.D. students without full funding for Summer 2023.

RFP released	1/10/2023
RFP deadline for submission	2/20/2023 at 5:00 p.m.
Anticipated recipient notification	3/22/2023
Funds made available	5/5/2023
Funds to be expended by	8/31/2023

Rationale

The goal of this grant competition is to expand opportunities for Ph.D. students to augment their core research and training by acquiring additional skills, knowledge or experiences through an off-campus summer internship. We believe such experiences will lead to better preparation/training, whether for academic positions or other career trajectories. We will consider proposals from current Ph.D. students without full summer funding for internships with a non-Duke community organization, government agency, NGO or cultural institution, related to the student’s area of study. Successful applications will demonstrate how the activities associated with the proposed research experience align with the student’s field of study and research interests.

The GSTEG resource page includes information and advice about how to explore research experiences eligible for GSTEG support.

Restrictions and Parameters

All internships must have a non-Duke host (i.e., may not involve research, training or other engagement with a Duke unit).
Internships should involve up to three months of engagement. Internships must take place between May 15 – August 18, 2023 with no more than 19.9 hours/week of engagement.
Any proposal for an internship must comply with Duke University coronavirus response policies and the residency requirement detailed below.
International Ph.D. student applicants who reside in North Carolina or an approved U.S. jurisdiction detailed below should consult as soon as possible with Duke Visa Services for assistance with filing applications for Curricular Practical Training and any other visa-related requirements.
GSTEG recipients may receive other Duke summer funding; however, total Duke summer funding may not exceed $9,000.
Internship hosts must either be based in North Carolina or an approved U.S. jurisdiction available for Duke employment: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington, DC.
All recipients will be required to take the experiential workshop, GS950, during Duke Summer Session I or II.

Eligibility

All current Ph.D. students who do not have full summer funding may propose internships. Students who will matriculate in the summer/fall of 2023 are not eligible.
Ph.D. student applicants must be resident this summer in North Carolina or an approved U.S. jurisdiction available for Duke employment: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington, DC.
Previous GSTEG awardees may not apply.

Selection Criteria and Review Process

Proposals should specify the type of internship being sought, describe the nature of activities and explain how the experience will contribute to the student’s intellectual trajectory and dissertation research. Successful past applications have made a compelling case for how the proposed experience would amplify the student’s intellectual agenda beyond the standard offerings within their program and opportunities otherwise available at Duke. The review process will be overseen by the vice provost for interdisciplinary studies and the executive vice provost.

Scope and Duration

In person, remote and/or hybrid internships will be considered. The proposed internship experience may last for up to three months in the summer and proposals may be configured in one of the following formats:

Three-month (19.9 hours/week) internship; awardee will receive a stipend of $8,415 as well as coverage of summer tuition and health fee
Two-month (19.9 hours/week) internship; awardee will receive a stipend of $5,610, as well as coverage of summer tuition and health fee
One and a half month/6-week internship (19.9 hours/week); awardee will receive a stipend of $4,207.50 as well as coverage of summer tuition and health fee

Proposal Requirements

You will be asked to provide the following information

An updated CV (maximum two pages)
A brief narrative (maximum three pages) that articulates the proposed activities for the internship, how the experience will contribute to amplifying research training, and how it fits with overall academic, research and professional plans, and that also explains why the internship lends itself to a remote/virtual arrangement (if relevant)
A letter from the prospective host that offers details about the anticipated project or projects, identifies the person within the organization to whom the Ph.D. student would report, describes the nature of engagement with organizational staff members, specifies how the organization envisages a remote/virtual work experience (if relevant), and confirms whether the host can provide a 50% match of the proposed stipend amount
A brief plan (maximum one page) for any complementary training/research activities that a Ph.D. student will undertake during engagement with the host (such as other specific research activities or dissertation writing)
For those applying for less than a three-month internship, a brief plan (maximum one page) for how the internship will intersect with other activities (i.e., research or teaching)
A letter or e-mail of support from your primary faculty advisor, sent separately to the Office of Interdisciplinary Studies indicating how the proposed activities will enhance your intellectual trajectory
For international students, a description (maximum one page) of how the proposed activities align with visa requirements
A listing of all already awarded summer funding, along with concurrent proposals for other summer funding. If applicants receive news about other funding proposals after the submission deadline, they should provide updated information to the Office of Interdisciplinary Studies.

To apply, visit https://dukeinterdisc.formstack.com/forms/gsteg

Resources

The GSTEG resource page provides:

Advice for Ph.D. students who wish to explore an individualized/custom summer internship
A link to further advice from the Duke Career Center about arranging a remote internship
Information about tax implications of internships occurring outside of North Carolina
Information about visa implications of internships undertaken by international Ph.D. students
Links to information about past GSTEG awardees

Contact

For any questions related to the online application and/or other logistical questions, please contact the Office of Interdisciplinary Studies.

For questions about whether to pursue a GSTEG application, or to talk through specific ideas for a proposal, such as identifying a potential summer internship host and developing a proposed plan of summer internship activities, the following individuals can provide guidance:

Melissa Bostrom, Assistant Dean, Graduate Student Professional Development, Duke Graduate School, melissa.bostrom@duke.edu (any discipline)
Rachel Coleman, Director of Career Development and Education, Duke Career Center, rachel.coleman@duke.edu (all areas of knowledge)
Maria Wisdom, Director of Interdisciplinary Mentoring and Coaching Programs, Office of Interdisciplinary Studies, maria.wisdom@duke.edu (humanities and interpretive social sciences)

FAQ

What are the key elements of a strong GSTEG application?

The key is to articulate how the proposed experience will enhance your training in a substantial way and why the timing makes sense for where you are in your program.

Who is available to discuss whether a GSTEG proposal makes sense for me this year, given the range of options for seeking summer funding?

As with so many questions that confront graduate students, it’s a good idea to get input from multiple sources, though the mentors and sounding boards who make sense for individuals will vary. Your professors, your program’s DGS, key staff members with expertise about professional development, and peers can all be helpful; and you will need to discuss any proposal with your faculty advisor, since that individual will need to write a letter of endorsement on your behalf.

I’m a master’s student and would like to apply for a grant to fund a research internship.

We’re sorry – grants to support internships are only available for Ph.D. students.

I’m a Ph.D. student who is intrigued by the possibility of developing a proposal for a summer internship, but don’t have a good sense of how to get started. Who might be able to help me think about possible internships linked to my course of study and research interests, and guide me in reaching out to potential hosts and conceptualizing a proposal?

Several Duke Ph.D. students have had internships. The GSTEG resource page includes links to reflections from these students, as well as some more general tips. In addition, there are several individuals who can help you think through this process, including:

Melissa Bostrom, Assistant Dean, Graduate Student Professional Development, Duke Graduate School, melissa.bostrom@duke.edu (any discipline)
Rachel Coleman, Director of Career Development and Education, Duke Career Center, rachel.coleman@duke.edu (all areas of knowledge)
Maria Wisdom, Director of Interdisciplinary Mentoring and Coaching Programs, Office of Interdisciplinary Studies, maria.wisdom@duke.edu (humanities and interpretive social sciences)

I’ve heard there are pre-configured internship opportunities with organizations that have previously partnered with Duke. Where can I find out about those opportunities?

We will be posting a set of Provost Internships – pre-configured fellowships, research assistantships, and internships, mostly with Duke units, but also with some external organizations, on January 23. These opportunities do not fall under GSTEG, and they will have a different application mechanism.

How much time should be planned for an internship?

The appropriate amount of time for an internship can vary, depending on the nature of the research project(s) that you would be undertaking with your host organization and constraints related to your course of study and obligations within your program. This year, we will accept proposals for internships that have a duration of three months, two months or six weeks, to offer flexibility as some students develop complementary activities for part of the summer.

How should I think about the organization where I might pursue an internship?

As you consider different hosts for a potential internship, the most important consideration in putting together a GSTEG application is how that experience will enhance your intellectual development. Ideally, you want to find a host that will offer you the opportunity to engage with research projects that both provide value to the organization and will be relevant for your course of study. It’s also crucial that the host provides you with a clear supervisor and a plan for engagement with staff, so that you have a window on organizational culture and decision-making.

Any proposed internship must comply with Duke University’s coronavirus response policies.

What are the tax implications of doing an internship?

Applicants for a GSTEG-supported internship should give careful thought to tax implications and other logistical challenges. Employment taxation follows the location of the individual taxed. Thus, if you receive GSTEG funding for an internship and remain a resident in North Carolina through the summer, you will be subject to North Carolina taxation regardless of the location of your internship host. By contrast, if you are currently residing outside North Carolina but still in the United States, you will be subject to taxation in that jurisdiction.

Keep in mind that Duke can only fund internships for Ph.D. students who, during the term of the internship, reside in North Carolina or in a U.S. jurisdiction available for Duke employment. These jurisdictions are: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Washington, DC.

Applicants who currently reside outside of North Carolina but within the United States should note that even within these jurisdictions, there may be tax implications for income earned out of state, including separate withholding forms. Applicants should also consult their tax advisor with any questions.

Why do international students who want to pursue an internship need to reach out to Duke Visa Services?

International students need to remain in compliance with the terms of their student visas. Duke Visa Services can assist those students with fulfilling any additional requirements related to Curricular Practical Training provisions or other aspects of adhering to visa-related obligations and limitations.