Voices/Perspectives (2025-2026)

Diandre’ Richie (Master of Environmental Management)

Climate Change Impacts on Farmed and Wild Oysters (2025-2026)

“One of the most meaningful lessons I learned from this experience was the value of working with different scientists who specialize in various topics, and collaborating with undergraduates to tell the complete story of our project. My work is driven by the belief that for coastal and marine strategies to be successful, they must be technically rigorous, legally sound and socially equitable. I've found that the most effective solutions exist at the intersection of quantitative modeling and community-driven advocacy.”

Richie is considering pursuing a Ph.D. in quantitative fisheries or embarking on a career in applied marine ecology that focuses on helping fisheries and coastal communities adapt to a changing climate.

Xukun Zhu (Master of Statistical Science)

“My Bass Connections experience profoundly shaped my time at Duke by allowing me to apply statistical methods to the real-world challenge of early disease diagnosis. Rather than working in isolation, I had the opportunity to collaborate with a diverse, interdisciplinary team. What stands out to me as most meaningful was the process of jointly exploring research ideas and engaging in team-based problem-solving. Discussing methodologies with team members from computer science, engineering and neurology backgrounds taught me how to effectively communicate complex statistical concepts across different fields.”

Zhu will continue his research in statistics, focusing on Bayesian statistics and developing robust methodological frameworks for complex applications.