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Bass Connections engages undergraduate and graduate/professional students in collaborative research on complex societal challenges, working alongside faculty from across Duke. Students can choose from among many:
Most teams collaborate with partners outside Duke, including companies, nonprofits, universities, school systems, hospitals and government agencies. Students of all levels can take their research further through student research grants and other opportunities within Duke and beyond.
Current student participants, see our Resources for Teams
For Undergraduates
Through Bass Connections, undergraduate students can focus on contemporary societal challenges while obtaining depth in a major. For undergraduates, the benefits of participating in Bass Connections include:
- Building research skills in a small group setting
- Developing a deep understanding of an issue of interest to you
- Engaging with communities and organizations outside of Duke
- Exploring career paths and gaining valuable experience for your resume
- Applying coursework to a complex societal challenge
- Enhancing honors thesis research
- Co-authoring publications
Duke’s Directors of Academic Engagement are available to help undergraduates develop their own educational pathways of interdisciplinary experiences.
Bass Connections has been, by far, the best learning experience I have had in my life. The multidisciplinary team approach helped me learn in new ways. I have formed close friendships with everyone on my team. This experience has led me to find a topic of study I am truly passionate about.
Undergraduate Student
For Graduate and Professional Students
Graduate and professional students learn connections between traditional disciplines and the professions, receiving an interdisciplinary education involving collaborative work on concrete problems and projects. Working in teams, students collaborate with faculty, postdocs and outside experts on cutting-edge research that spans subjects and borders.
Benefits of participating in Bass Connections include:
- Enhancing dissertation or master’s thesis research
- Co-authoring publications
- Deepening relationships with key faculty
- Gaining project management experience and opportunities for funding
- Accessing professional development resources
- Honing career-enhancing skills to stand out on the job market
- Networking with colleagues in diverse fields
- Getting experience mentoring others, particularly undergraduates
Graduate and professional school students play a crucial role in Bass Connections – often as project managers on year-long project teams, as mentors for Data+ summer teams and as research or teaching assistants for faculty who design and deliver Bass Connections courses.
As a graduate student, I got invaluable experience mentoring undergraduates and leading them as a team. I also established new interdisciplinary collaborations that allowed me to learn new skills and new topic areas, which was important for my professional development.
Graduate Student
Learn More
To learn more about the program, please browse our Student FAQs; review how project teams work and read descriptions of current and past project teams; explore our interdisciplinary themes; browse funding opportunities; read stories from students about their project team experience; and consider joining our Student Advisory Council.