DukEngineer Magazine 2024

Dean Jerry Lynch

Welcome to another inspiring edition of the DukEngineer Magazine, our student-written magazine for 84 years and running! This year is an especially meaningful time to reflect on this publication’s history, as our Duke community is celebrating our institutional centennial this year.

I was on hand to join the kickoff celebration earlier this year held at Cameron Indoor Stadium, and all I can say is, “Wow! What an amazing event!” What I loved most about the experience was that it told our story by showcasing the lived experiences of members of our Duke family. Common to all our stories was such a clear demonstration of our shared values and shared purpose. Coach K’s words had the most resonance to me that evening, “You are not part of Duke, but rather you are Duke.”

Those words ring especially true through the annals of this magazine, through which we can see the lives and minds of our intrepid students change with society over more than eight decades. It is a portal through which we can see the grand arc of Duke Engineering ever evolving and pioneering engineering education and research programs.

So rather than these stories being a part of Duke Engineering, I would agree with Coach K and say that these stories are Duke Engineering. And as such, I believe you will see our focus on developing well-rounded, confident engineering leaders shine through in the articles featured within. Together with our continuing efforts to intertwine ethics, foundational experiences, and collaborations across campus ranging from the law school to modern dance classes, our students are enriching their understanding of the cultural, ethical, and political implications of their work as global engineers.

Take for example this year’s cover story, which brings you on a journey through the trials and tribulations of the Duke Motorsports Club. Prior to racing in the Formula SAE Collegiate Design Series held in Michigan this year, the team will have spent literally thousands of hours over the summer and school year both designing and building their car from the ground up. You can find them working in a garage underneath Hudson Hall just about any day of the week, bringing lessons from the classroom onto the racetrack.

A hallmark of these types of clubs is the passing down of knowledge from one generation of students to the next. In a similar vein, one of the best examples of students helping each other grow and learn comes in the form of “house classes,” half-credit courses taught by undergraduates held in the evenings that are sponsored by a faculty member. The topic highlighted here is quantum computing—a fantastic way for students to discover whether or not they want to delve more deeply into this rapidly evolving space of innovation that is certain to unleash unprecedented computational power to solve complex problems that are unsolvable using today’s silicon-based computers.

You’ll be introduced to some of our newest efforts to boldly tackle issues related to climate change. Get an inside look at the beginnings of our involvement with the New York Climate Exchange, a $700 million living-learning facility for environmental solutions led by Stony Brook University that we are proud to be a part of. You can also take a tour of the inaugural initiatives spearheaded by the new Design Climate program, which is in collaboration with the Nicholas School of the Environment. Design Climate is a series of project-based classes structured around the climate-friendly design of solutions ready for translation to triple-bottom-line startups offering benefits to investors along with our communities and planet.

This year’s stories also highlight the interdisciplinary nature of our students and our school. Take a peek into how members of our Fitzpatrick Institute for Photonics are gearing up to leverage the new Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope to unlock the secrets of the universe. And learn about a Bass Connections team that is harnessing the destructive powers of bacteria to break down plastics in the environment by bringing together students from biomedical engineering, environmental engineering, ecology, computer science, and biology.

Finally, get to know one of our newest faculty members, Sonia Bansal, who brings a passionate whole-student approach to her classes in the biomedical engineering department. Encompassing what a Duke Engineering education is all about, she sees engineering is a team sport and wants her students to be comfortable working together, communicating with each other, keeping open minds, and actively solving problems.

Those are just short glimpses into the fantastic stories featured in this year’s DukEngineer Magazine. I hope you’ll take the time to explore them in more detail. If you do, I know you’ll come away as proud as I am of everything our school is working toward.

It’s never been a better time to be a Duke Engineer, especially as Duke celebrates its 100th birthday. And, as always, Go Duke!

Jerome P. Lynch, PhD, F.EMI
Vinik Dean of Engineering
Fitzpatrick Family University Distinguished Professor
Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering
Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering

I feel very fortunate to have grown alongside Engineering Student Government (ESG) since I joined in the spring of 2022. During my first year of college, I was overwhelmed by the many possibilities of who I might become. Now, much like ESG, I feel I have gained focus. For me, this has meant discovering passions that have directed who I am at Duke and who I want to be after I graduate. For ESG, this has meant a newfound dedication to initiatives that serve every aspect of the Pratt School of Engineering student experience. As we enter our first full year of being a larger, more effective organization, the possibilities are endless.

In our new structure, we have an expansive board focusing on five major areas: academic affairs, campus outreach, events, marketing, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Prior to the fall of 2023, we had a small board whose impact was limited by our size. It was in this time frame that I joined ESG as E-Ball Chair, a role which really meant single-handedly planning every ESG event. Our new broader structure has empowered us with the additional talents our new Vice President of Events, Director of Special Events and Director of E-Socials. Changes like this across the ESG board have expanded our bandwidth, and allowed us to extend the reach of ESG beyond the routine and into new territories. In just a few short months we have already begun to reap the benefits of these changes, and I am excited to see what the future holds.

As I look forward to 2024, I have two goals—one for ESG, and one for the Pratt community as a whole. My hope for the 2024 ESG board is that we will continue to think beyond what we’ve done in the past and be ambitious on behalf of our peers. If we have learned anything in Pratt (or at least in EGR 101), it is that no idea is too crazy for the brainstorming process. We are excited to preserve traditions that Pratt students look forward to, while introducing new events that further cultivate community. We plan to continue strengthening the current relationships we have with faculty, alumni, and industry, while actively making connections in order to better serve our peers.

For the greater Pratt community, I want the ESG board to be seen as a resource for every audience—from Duke graduates and companies looking to interact with engineering students, to current students and groups who feel their voices are not being heard. Although I and fellow ESG members have our own ideas on how we can make our school better, at the end of the day we are just 24 individuals in a school of over 1200 people, not even counting our extended Duke community. In an effort to make ourselves more accessible, we’ll make specific points of contact available in formal directories on our new website and through marketing initiatives. As we receive critiques and ideas, we will do our best to amplify and reflect the voices of Pratt students so that their needs are met.

I am proud to now be at the helm of such an impactful organization. I am confident in establishing ambitious goals for the next year because I know that the ESG board is full of motivated and talented individuals who are willing to push the limits of our capabilities.

I also know that I learned from the best; I wouldn’t be here without the mentorship of Jack Rhodes (ESG President 2023) and Nikita Suri (ESG President 2022). Above all, I am confident in these goals because I care about the community ESG strives to serve—Pratt has become an integral part of me, and E-Quad a home away from home.

Cheers,
Eliana Durkee
ESG Executive President

At the first meeting of the Engineering Graduate Student Council (EGSC), I knew that my job as president would be easy. The new board members brainstormed so many events and initiatives that the biggest challenge was deciding what to do first. The group’s enthusiasm galvanized an incredibly productive year for EGSC and clear achievements in our mission to unify the different graduate programs within Pratt and to foster a student community that cultivates friendships and academic success, while ensuring that every student feels at home at Duke.

Although the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have subsided, graduate school remains a challenging experience. Students must balance the demands of coursework, research, career preparation, and self-care while staying optimistic in the face of global conflict and societal problems. EGSC has aimed to provide boosts of positivity wherever possible— oftentimes, through free food and fun socials! Paris Brown (DEI Chair) spearheaded a new DEI Food Festival event to celebrate the diverse cultures and identities that make up Pratt. We had 10 student cooks prepare cuisines from various countries for over 200 Pratt attendees to enjoy together. In addition, we spiced up our usual weekly Pratt Chats with catered local meals thanks to insights about grad students’ food preferences from a survey designed by Han Zhang (MEMS representative).

It wasn’t all about food though: Elizabeth Jacobia (CEE Rep.) organized two of our most popular functions: free professional headshots and climbs to the top of the Duke Chapel. Daniel Marshall and Deniz Acil (Vice President; ECE Rep.) are organizing the upcoming Pratt poster session for graduate students to exhibit their research. Daniel is also diligently searching for ways to improve sustainability efforts in Pratt through green lab certifications. Behind the scenes, Keenan Powers (Treasurer) has been fairly allocating our budget to maximize the student experience, mindful of those from low-income backgrounds. I would also like to thank board members Shivani Metta and Nikki Kulkarni (Communications), Shaojun Xia (BME rep.), Sai Sanjay Panchatcharam (M.Eng. Rep.), Prakhar Jain (MEM Rep.), and Josh Chan (M.S. Rep.). Finally, support from the administration has been key in making these events possible. We would like to thank professor Joel Collier, Dean Jerry Lynch, and especially Alison Brandeis—new this year in the role of Sr. Program Coordinator for PhD Programs in Student Engagement and Support. We are very appreciative for their encouragement and assistance for the community-building events organized by EGSC.

Duke is celebrating its centennial this year by recognizing the people who have made the first 100 years possible. Through EGSC, I have personally connected with new people from across Pratt and Duke. The board members inspire me weekly with their unwavering commitment to the student body. At Pratt Chat, I’ve had the pleasure of making new friends through conversations about our favorite spots in Durham, our research, and the occasional venting session. I’ve heard from students working on robotics, acoustics, radar, artificial intelligence, tissue engineering, chip manufacturing, and more—and even took away some interesting ideas to apply to my own research. EGSC has made Pratt feel smaller in the best sense possible. For that I am grateful, and I hope that grad students across Pratt have felt the same way.

Stay tuned for more from EGSC! Consider submitting your research work to our poster session and your beautiful scientific photos to our annual Envisioning the Invisible photo competition. We look forward to serving you during the rest of 2024.

Aaron Appelle
EGSC President

Dear Pratt Alumni, Students, and Friends,

As you read through this issue of DukEngineer, you’re certainly seeing the phenomenal contributions of our faculty, current, and former students. The level of excitement and drive that runs through the Pratt School of Engineering and allows us to conquer so many challenges will surely fascinate each and every one of you. I’d like to share in this excitement to point out another accelerator of success at Pratt: our connections.

One of the aims of the Engineering Alumni Council (EAC) is to foster connections among alumni and between alumni and current students. I would like to thank the EAC for its support of the student and alumni experience for all members of the Pratt community. This past year we have driven this focus on connections with new forums for student-alumni interactions, continued advancement of our mentorship program, funding support for student projects, and of course driving EAC membership and celebrating the achievements of Engineering Awards Winners.

Analyses performed by Duke Alumni Engagement & Development show that Pratt is a leading example for the total volume and ratio of alumni engagement. A tangible example of our excellence came in the form of this year’s fall resume review, which over the course of two hours allowed more than 200 students to seek resume feedback from alumni. We saw this eagerness for feedback manifest into long lines to connect with these alumni volunteers and learn how to tell their story with the greatest impact. Other examples come from our virtual mock interviews, Sherpa events (to help ease the stress of students moving to new cities for internships and post-graduation), and other regional engagement activities.

Our exemplary mentorship program continues to connect students with alumni mentors. These relationships can span years and help students build deep relationships with their mentors across all four years at Duke—and beyond, into their careers. This program now has so many alumni volunteers that it can handle many more students than currently participate. So, students—sign up and start connecting!

Student projects are often the glue that connects in-classroom learning with real-world experience. The number of these project groups and the level of participation has continued to rise over the past few years. Unfortunately, though, funding for these projects has not risen apace, so we are only able to meet half the asks of these groups. If you are able to contribute directly to these projects—either through the annual fund or your Engineering Annual Dues (this in particular keeps the EAC’s lights on!), please reach out to me at drew.romes@duke.edu or to Pam Hanson at pam.hanson@duke.edu. Students across Pratt will benefit.

Two final topics. First, please consider joining the Engineering Alumni Council. We have an awful lot of fun, deliver substantial value to Pratt as a whole and to the student body, and push to make connections wherever we can. As the governing and operating board of the Engineering Alumni Association, we are practicing engineers, lawyers, doctors, and business leaders. We bring this experience and passion to everything we do on the EAC and are always looking for motivated alumni to join us. Please visit pratt.duke.edu/friends/alumni/council if you are interested in joining.

Second, this year’s Engineering Awards Banquet will be held on April 26. As always, we will bestow three awards: the Distinguished Alumnus Award, the Distinguished Young Alumnus Award, and the Distinguished Service Award. We are so excited about this year’s recipients, their contributions to Pratt and Duke, and their impact on our society. Even if you can’t make it, you can nominate one of your classmates, a friend, or a member of your regional network here: pratt.duke.edu/alumni-awards.

Thank you to all the Pratt Alumni who help elevate the school, current students, and fellow alumni. Go Duke!

Drew Romes E’02, B’10
President, Engineering Alumni Council