Happy Birthday, Duke Energy Initiative!

The Duke Energy Initiative was born four years ago with an interdisciplinary mission to “provide accessible, affordable, reliable and clean energy” and to combat the growing problem of meeting energy demands while accounting for climate change. It has served as an invaluable resource to faculty, students and outside individuals interested in energy by forging partnerships with schools like the Fuqua School of Business and the Sanford School of Public Policy, creating a database for the university where students can search for energy-focused courses, and setting up the Energy Research Seed Fund, which has given $450,000 in support of teams performing research in the energy field.

The Initiative has been actively involved in Bass Connections through over 20 project teams so far in the Energy theme. These teams have tackled complex and intriguing projects; one team used film to explore the use of energy in post-conflict regions and how energy could promote peace, while another strived to assist new homeowners in making environmentally-sound decisions in their new homes.

Looking into the future, the Energy Initiative hopes to continue to broaden its roster of dedicated faculty and students (especially in energy courses and programs), foster support both from inside and outside the university for energy-related projects and build on Duke’s “global reputation as a go-to source for policy- and business-relevant research and the next generation of energy innovators and leaders.”

Read more about the Energy Initiative’s progress and learn how to get involved with Bass Connections.