The Duke Digest - August 27, 2010

In Today's Issue:

  • Duke Receives Record Number of Title VI Grants
  • $343K Grant to Fund Internships and Fellowships in Green Energy Ventures (ARRA)
  • Opinion: This School Year, Learn About the Three R's - and Your Brain
  • Duke Expert: Egg Recall Due to Industrialized Food Production

DUKE RECEIVES RECORD NUMBER OF TITLE VI GRANTS
Seven Duke centers focused on different geographic regions or international issues have received major federal grants under Title VI of the Higher Education Act to strengthen their activities over the next four years -- a record number for the university and the highest number of any private research university, campus officials announced Thursday.

Title VI grants are competitive awards from the International Education Program Service of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) that provide funding for a four-year period to undergraduate and graduate programs that focus on particular regions, foreign languages and international studies. Duke's area centers combine language instruction with interdisciplinary studies and research, as well as with  outreach to public schools

Read More:
Title VI Success (Duke News)


$343K GRANT TO FUND INTERNSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS IN GREEN ENERGY VENTURES (ARRA)
A Duke University green energy program has been awarded a $343,239 grant that will allow the hire of 18 interns and four fellows. The program is a joint initiative of Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment, the Center for Energy, Development and the Global Environment (EDGE), and the Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. It has two components: an internship program that places students with North Carolina businesses to work on high-impact energy efficiency strategies, and a fellowship program that will help fund the launch of new clean energy businesses in the state.The grant was part of $5.6 million in stimulus funds awarded by the North Carolina Energy Office through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Read More:
New $343K Grant to Fund Internships and Fellowships in Green Energy Ventures (Nicholas School of the Environment)

THIS SCHOOL YEAR, LEARN ABOUT THE THREE R's - AND YOUR BRAIN
Two Duke neuroscientists, Wilkie A. Wilson and Cynthia Kuhn, discuss how students can improve brain function without a moment of additional study - no extra books, computer drills, or tutoring sessions. They only need to make three simple lifestyle changes, each of which is based on findings from modern neuroscience.

Read More:
This School Year, Learn About the Three R's (DukeNews)


DUKE EXPERT:  EGG RECALL DUE TO INDUSTRIALIZED FOOD PRODUCTION
Kathy Rudy, Associate Professor of Women's Studies, focuses her research on food politics, animals and ethics. On the recent egg recall Rudy says: “The time when we as a nation can rely on industrialized cheap food is coming to an end.  Whether meat, spinach, peanut butter or eggs, the mass production of cheap food is making us sick.  We put ourselves at risk by allowing conglomerates to cut corners with our nourishment.  Cheap food is also damaging our soil, air and water, resources that cannot be replaced.  The task in front of us is to figure out how to eat locally and sustainably, and most importantly, how to get this wholesome healthy food onto the plates of people who currently can't afford it.”

Rudy's forthcoming book "Animal Effects: Culture and Connection in Animal Advocacy," delves into the above topics.  |

She can be reached at Krudy@acpub.duke.edu.