From Oyster Reefs to Critical Minerals, Students Use Data Science to Advance Climate Solutions

This summer, 30 Duke University students participated in nine project teams. 

When mechanical engineering major Sophie Chi signed up for Duke’s ten-week Climate+ program, she expected a summer immersed in data analysis. The rising sophomore had no idea that by July, she’d also be waist-deep in an oyster farm, getting an up-close perspective on the climate challenge her project team was tackling.

Chi’s team studied climate change’s impacts on wild and farmed oysters in North Carolina, analyzing RNA sequencing data to visualize gene expression and potential correlations with environmental conditions. The work is part of a series of research projects that will continue this school year—all aimed at informing decisions by oyster farmers and other community partners.

“My biggest takeaway this summer is to embrace opportunities and to explore new skills and subjects without judging them before giving them a genuine chance,” Chi said.

A subset of Duke’s Data+ program, Climate+ teams marshal, analyze, and visualize data to yield new insights about climate risks and promising solutions. Guided by a faculty lead and a graduate student manager, each team includes two to four undergraduate students from a variety of academic backgrounds. 

This summer, teams included:

• LiDAR-Based Monitoring and Visualization of Stream Restoration in the Duke Forest
• AI-Driven Mapping of Trees Outside of Forests in Sub-Saharan Africa
• Building a Duke Student Environmental Consultancy (Developing a Durham Public Schools’ emissions footprint inventory)
• Characterizing Weather Forecast Errors to Improve Power System Operations
• Climate Change is Fueling Fungal Threats Globally
• Climate Change Impacts on Farmed and Wild Oysters
• Data-Driven Valuation of Flood Resilience Investments
• Mapping Environmental Stressors in the US
• The Role of Mine Waste in Supplying Critical Minerals Needed for the Clean Energy Transition

Throughout the summer, all Data+ students get insights from guest speakers about data analysis techniques, applications and relevant careers, in addition to exchanging lessons learned across dozens of different research teams. Climate+ students also connect with experts in energy and environmental data analysis and do deep-dives on topics like climate science and how to communicate their research.

Teams presented their findings in late July at the annual Plus Programs Poster Session Finale.

One project focused on sustainable ways to meet the global demand surge for critical minerals used in renewable technologies. The team developed machine learning models for predicting the presence and abundance of critical minerals in mine waste and mine-polluted water (also known as acid mine drainage). The team’s work will help provide a foundation for the development of a decision-making tool to help guide researchers, policy makers and industry professionals.

"Applying your technical skills to real-world problems is the most rewarding way to learn,” said team member Vinodhini Rajasekhar, a master of engineering student at Pratt School of Engineering. “Realizing that your code and predictive algorithms could influence broader environmental strategies brings immense purpose to the daily research grind.”

Another team, working with LiDAR remote sensing data and drone data, created an analysis workflow to help Duke Forest staff monitor ongoing impacts of the recent restoration of New Hope Creek. Staff will be able to plug future drone data into the workflow to examine long-term changes, “making restoration tracking more efficient and sustainable,” explained team member Caroline Huang, a rising sophomore studying economics and statistical science at Trinity College of Arts & Sciences. 

Launched in 2022, Climate+ reflects Duke University’s commitment to three of its key priorities: helping students learn through hands-on experiences, advancing climate solutions, and accelerating science and technology research. Pratt School of Engineering professor Kyle Bradbury, director of the Energy Data Analytics Lab at the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, has helped lead the interdisciplinary program since its creation.

“Climate+ shows students that while data science is a powerful tool, enduring climate solutions depend on pairing technical skills with a deep understanding of the people, places, and problems involved,” said Bradbury. “That means learning to actively listen, exercise curiosity, communicate clearly, and build trust with partners. Climate+ really pushes students to develop those skills, which are just as important as technical expertise—and often give early career academics and professionals a significant advantage on the job market.” 

Climate+ is offered by the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability in partnership with the Rhodes Information Initiative at Duke. The program is aligned with the Duke Climate Commitment. Funding for Climate+ comes from The Duke Endowment, the Rhodes Information Initiative, and the Office of Climate and Sustainability.