Jan 22
Bass Connections Fair
Students of all levels are encouraged to stop by the Bass Connections Fair on Thursday, January 22, from 2-4 p.m. in Penn Pavilion. At the fair, students can talk with […]
2:00 pm – 2:00 pm Penn Pavilion
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.
Upcoming Events
Feb 12
#SCAI2026 – Conference on Society-Centered AI
The #SCAI2026: Conference on Society-Centered AI (previously Responsible AI Symposium), co-sponsored by The Society-Centered AI Initiative at Duke, the Fuqua School of Business, and the Duke Artificial Intelligence Master of […]
Fuqua School of Business
Feb 27
2026 Outreach Design Education Camp (for High School Students) Application Deadline
Applications for the 2026 Outreach Design Education Camp are now OPEN! The Summer Design Camp is an opportunity for rising 10th – 12th grade students from throughout the Triangle to […]
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.
Digital Biomarker Discovery Project (DBDP)
Digital biomarkers are digitally collected data that are transformed into indicators of health outcomes. The purpose of the DBDP is to make discovering digital biomarkers more accessible. From the input of wearable sensor data to the development of machine learning algorithms, we provide an open source software resource for the digital biomarker community.
Center for Water, Sanitation, Hygiene, & 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.
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.
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.
BME 462L: Design for the Developing World
Student teams will apply the engineering design process to create community-driven focused solutions for global health applications. The course will build students’ ability to understand the relationship between global health and engineering while constructing and testing prototype solutions to design challenges from global partners. Students will collaboratively build solutions driven by global partnerships and human-centered design to better unite theory, application, and reflection through a global lens.
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.
DESIGNTK 540: Design Ethics & Social Innovation
In this course, students use methodologies and frameworks related to design ethics, design justice, participatory and co-design, and social innovation while completing a semester-long innovation project focused on a single client.
STEM Outreach
Duke Engineering supports a wide range of programs that work with local partners to inspire the next generation of problem-solvers.
FEMMES+
FEMMES+ is a STEM outreach organization offering hands-on learning opportunities to local Durham students. The FEMMES+ After-School Program and Saturday Program provide two free 5-week programs for elementary students. FEMMES+ also has a yearlong Connect mentorship program along with a Summer Camp, Hacks, and Capstone event.
Duke Aviators
Duke Aviators is a student organization dedicated to sharing a passion for flying and aviation with the larger University and RTP community.
DPS/Duke Engineering STEM After-school Program
Duke Engineering faculty, staff, and students offer engaging, hands-on STEM activities to middle school students in Durham Public Schools during the ENCORE! Afterschool Program.
Community-Based Innovation Stories
Advancing Departmental Growth Through Strategic Leadership
Former MEMS Chair Cate Brinson reflects on her five-and-a-half years working to strengthen departmental organization and expand faculty hiring in key research areas.
Designing Healthcare Solutions with DukeEngage Uganda
Ann Saterbak brings students to Uganda for an eight-week summer experience working with community partners and addressing the needs of Ugandan healthcare facilities.
Built With Teachers: Bringing Engineering Design to Classrooms
Partnerships with local middle and high school teachers allow Duke Engineering STEM outreach to multiply its impact.
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
Alisha Brice
Director, Community-Based Innovation