Provost Internships Support Local Research Experiences for Duke Graduate Students
Eighteen Duke Ph.D. students and one master’s student have received Provost Internships for Summer 2023. These graduate students will partner with Durham Tech, Duke’s Center for Computational Thinking and other campus units on research projects connected to their intellectual trajectories.
Summer 2023 Provost Internships
Durham Technical Community College
Shiraz Ahmed, M.F.A. in Experimental and Documentary Arts
Social Science/Humanities Curriculum and Open Educational Resource (OER) Development: Help develop resources and structures to accommodate a shift to 8-week courses, including development of a web-based OER textbook
Arona Bender, Ph.D. in Marine Science & Conservation
English/Communications Curriculum & OER Development: Help develop resources and structures to accommodate a shift to 8-week courses, including development of a web-based OER textbook
Samuel Hunnicutt, Ph.D. in Romance Studies
Foreign Language Curriculum & OER Development: Help develop resources and structures to accommodate a shift to 8-week courses, including development of a web-based open educational resource OER textbook
Victor Jeong, Ph.D. in English
Investigating Equity Gaps in Composition Courses: Conduct literature review to identify interventions that reduce equity gaps in student success rates; work with instructors to adapt and implement
Derek Witten, Ph.D. in English
Educational Programming for First-Generation Students: Assist in developing targeted programming for first-generation college students by researching data methods, best practices and funding support
Duke Center for Computational Thinking
These students will serve as Ph.D. Computational Fellows:
Gabrielle Carmine, Ph.D. in Marine Science & Conservation
Nicole Caviness-Ashe, Ph.D. in Nursing
James Draney, Ph.D. in English
Dana Grieco, Ph.D. in Marine Science & Conservation
Anne Harshbarger, Ph.D. in Marine Science & Conservation
Emily Melvin, Ph.D. in Marine Science & Conservation
Elisabetta Menini, Ph.D. in Marine Science & Conservation
Greg Merrill, Ph.D. in Ecology
Reshma Nargund, Ph.D. in Environment
Alexandria Niebergall, Ph.D. in Earth & Climate Science
They will also participate in a summer bootcamp, Introduction to Data Science.
Other Duke Units
Effie Harrington, Ph.D. in English
Office for Faculty Advancement, Evaluating Excellence in Teaching and Mentoring: Conduct landscape analysis of new approaches to teaching and mentoring effectiveness, to inform faculty tenure and promotion reviews
Hannah Jorgensen, Ph.D. in English
Forum for Scholars & Publics, Public Scholarship Community Programming: Conduct internal and external research to inform strategies for collaborations; develop, promote and manage international online public events
Nikki Locklear, Ph.D. in History
Story+, Research Program Evaluation: Develop structures and best practices for team project management and mentoring for cultivating community across teams; support professional development for program participants; help facilitate symposium
Luoshu Zhang, Ph.D. in English
Graduate Liberal Studies Program, Master’s Student Capstone Project Experience Models: Develop differentiated set of capstone options for Liberal Studies master’s students
About These Internships
The Office of the Provost has created a range of research and professional development opportunities to complement the key features of disciplinary training. The options reflect input from Duke Ph.D. alumni and faculty about the full set of skills and experiences that prepare Ph.D. graduates for success, whether within or outside academia. They also align with the recommendations of national reports on Ph.D. education, such as Reshaping Graduate STEM Education for the 21st Century from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, as well as the report of the Duke Provost’s Committee on Reimagining Doctoral Education.
Provost Internships are supported by the Office of the Provost in collaboration with the Office of Durham & Community Affairs. Ph.D. students who do not have full summer funding are invited to apply for experiential internships with external organizations such as Durham Tech, along with other internship and research assistant opportunities with Duke units across campus. All interns take an experiential learning workshop, GS950, during Duke Summer Session.
See last summer’s internships and learn more about supplemental summer funding for Ph.D. students.
Caption for main image: Top row, from left: Shiraz Ahmed, Arona Bender, Samuel Hunnicutt, Victor Jeong, Derek Witten, Gabrielle Carmine; middle row: Nicole Caviness-Ashe, James Draney, Dana Grieco, Anne Harshbarger, Emily Melvin, Elisabetta Menini, Greg Merrill; bottom row: Reshma Nargund, Alexandria Niebergall, Effie Harrington, Hannah Jorgensen, Nikki Locklear, Luoshu Zhang