We are committed to uplifting every community through inclusive engineering.
A society where no one is left behind requires pathways to economic opportunity, social connection, and human dignity. By harnessing our global network of partners, Duke Engineering ensures these pathways remain open and accessible to everyone.
For over a century, Duke has championed knowledge in service of society. Today, we meet people where they are, creating routes to prosperity through active learning, entrepreneurial ventures, and community-driven research.
Locally, we strengthen North Carolina’s STEM pipeline through outreach education, empower innovators to launch forward-looking enterprises, and engage residents directly in research projects shaping their hometowns. Globally, we engineer affordable medical devices for low-resource settings, design culturally informed sanitation systems, and foster sustainable development in collaboration with international universities and industry.
Cultivating an inclusive society requires engineers who are not only technically proficient but also culturally insightful. Duke’s unique strengths in the liberal arts and humanities provide fertile ground for developing leaders grounded in history, philosophy, economics,
and sociology.
Harnessing these interdisciplinary ties, we embed ethical principles in our classrooms and expose students to diverse cultures through experiential learning. Engineering solutions that are technically effective, socially responsible, and economically viable is not merely good practice—it is how we create lasting impact.
Building a better world at Duke Engineering is not merely aspirational—it is already underway. Our commitment to people, programs, and partnerships is evidenced by numerous initiatives demonstrating that uplifting society is achievable and ongoing.
Duke Engineering strengthens local and global connections through community-engaged research, transformative learning, and impactful STEM outreach. We’ve dedicated staff and resources through Community-Based Innovation to engage our neighbors in co-designing research and outreach opportunities, co-creating solutions to today’s grand challenges.
Outreach Design Education (ODE) expands access to hands-on design learning for students from underserved communities. Through collaborative projects and local partnerships, the program introduces real-world STEM challenges, builds practical skills, and sparks curiosity. By bringing design education into middle and high school classrooms, we help students envision and create the innovations of tomorrow.
At Duke Engineering, we don’t leave character development to chance. Through our Character Forward Initiative, we embed intentional lessons in ethics, empathy, and leadership across both courses and co-curricular experiences ensuring graduates emerge as skilled innovators and thoughtful, responsible citizens.
Each year, student-led teams travel around the globe to collaborate with local partners identifying critical needs, co-designing solutions, and implementing projects in the field. Duke Engineers for International Development (DEID) is an immersive program that builds real-world experience and a sense of global responsibility, preparing engineers to drive positive change worldwide.
Nearly half the world—3.6 billion people—lack reliable access to safe sanitation. Addressing this challenge requires solutions tuned to local economics, cultural norms, and environmental conditions. Backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Center for Water, Sanitation, Hygiene, and Infectious Disease (WaSH-AID) designs and pilots treatment systems for blackwater, greywater, and stormwater. The center also develops wastewater-based health monitoring tools bringing affordable, effective sanitation and disease surveillance to regions that need it most.
Since its founding, the Center for Global Women’s Health Technologies (GWHT) has driven breakthroughs in cervical and breast cancer care, developing diagnostics, prevention tools, and treatments that reach women wherever they live. By placing women’s needs at the heart of each solution, we build sustainable ecosystems of change that advance global health equity and amplify impact.
Shaundra Daily was recognized for her contributions to computing education, and Nicki Washington was recognized for contributions to broadening participation in computing.
Duke University’s A. James Clark Scholars program provides full tuition and financial aid support to promising students who will develop into tomorrow’s engineering leaders.
Ann Saterbak brings students to Uganda for an eight-week summer experience working with community partners and addressing the needs of Ugandan healthcare facilities.
