Jul 9
Community-Based Innovation
Engineering in Service to Society
Duke Engineering is strengthening local and global connections through community-engaged research, transformative learning and impactful STEM outreach. Our mission is to serve society by turning innovation into action and making a lasting difference with the communities we serve.

Community-Engaged Research & Design
The search for solutions shouldn’t happen in a vacuum. Our faculty and students design with the end user in mind, integrating community input to build trust and create more effective, holistic results.

Ignite Makers Program
The Ignite Makers Program is a free program that runs from September through April each year for high school students. This program challenges students to use Human-Centered and Engineering Design processes to research problems related to the UN Global Goals of Clean Energy (Light Team), Clean Water (Water Team), or Good Health (Health Team).

Center for Global Women’s Health Technologies
From Durham to South America to Central Africa, GWHT collaborates with women of all ages, developing affordable health solutions for field implementation and inspiring interest in the sciences.

Center for Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Infectious Disease
Initially funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Duke University Center for WaSH-AID collaborates globally to co-design pilot demonstrations for treating blackwater, greywater, and stormwater, while also developing technologies to generate health data through wastewater.
Community-Based Learning
Students actively learn through direct, hands-on experiences. They see the issues they study firsthand, while meaningfully contributing to the analysis and solution of real-world challenges.

DukeEngage: Ghana
Engaging, educating, and raising awareness among auto mechanics about the toxicity of heavy metals in used motor oil and implications on human health, the environment and food security.

EGR 190: Introduction to Community Engagement for Engineers
Designed to guide engineering students through skill development and experiential learning opportunities as they expand their engagement with organizations and individuals in the Durham community.
STEM Outreach
Duke Engineering supports a wide range of programs that work with local partners to inspire the next generation of problem-solvers.

GEM Workshops
GEM is a 10-day STEM camp for middle school students each summer. Each half-day participants explore a rich, complex, and accessible math problem and visit the lab or clinic of a STEM woman on campus.

DukeEngage: LIFT Lab
LIFT Lab is partnering with Durham schools to empower local youth through exciting STEAM activities.

Outreach Design Education
Outreach Design Education is dedicated to engendering STEM identity in grades 6 – 12 students. We do this by giving design lessons in middle schools, having high school students participate in our summer design camp, and collaborating with middle and high school teachers to class materials.
Upcoming Events
Jul 10
3MT Preliminary Competition Round
Come cheer on competitors as they deliver their 3-Minute Thesis presentations. Judges will determine who from this round moves on to the Finals!
10:00 am – 10:00 am Teer 115
Jul 10
3MT Preliminary Competition Round
Come cheer on competitors as they deliver their 3-Minute Thesis presentations. Judges will determine who from this round moves on to the Finals!
10:00 am – 10:00 am Teer 115
Community-Based Innovation Stories

Breathing New Life Into Baby CPR Training
A team of undergrads took on the challenge of designing a responsive CPR training manikin for their MEMS senior design capstone.

Engineering Humanitarian Aid
Several groups of students and faculty in multiple programs tied to Duke Engineering are working to help those suffering from humanitarian crises.

Duke Engineering Hosts Riverside High School Engineering Program
Duke’s Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering brought more than 80 high school students to campus for a full day including tours, lunch and a lab.
Contact Us
How can Duke help spark innovation in your community? Email Pratt-CBI@duke.edu or complete the form below to learn more.

Adrienne Stiff-Roberts, Ph.D.
adrienne.stiffroberts@duke.eduAssociate Dean for Community-Based Innovation, Professor of ECE
