Data+ Applications Are Open for Summer 2026

Since 2015, Ed Balleisen has led the university’s efforts to advance interdisciplinarity, partnering with academic leaders across campus. We asked him to reflect on what makes Duke’s interdisciplinary approach distinctive.

This summer, 270 undergraduate and graduate students took part in team-based research projects through Data+, History+ and seven other “plus” programs, working alongside other teams on campus.

Can a summer program spark a lifelong passion? For Matthew Ross, a Duke Ph.D. graduate in ecology, one of Duke’s interdisciplinary “plus programs” helped lead to a career that blends environmental science, data visualization and collaborative teaching.