Duke University and the National University of Singapore (NUS) have awarded Joint Sustainability Research Initiative Grants to four collaborative research projects, including one co-led by Ashley Ward and another co-led by Sandeep Pai. 

When Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina in late September 2024, it was breeding season for hellbenders--and their stream habitats were affected by flooding and other damages. In a LinkedIn article, Jin Bai described how Duke University and Appalachian State University researchers worked together to help the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission prioritize sites for monitoring. 

Mid- to small-sized cities are gaining access to high-level planning tools—AI, cloud computing, and advanced visualization—once reserved for global megacities. Rory Linehan, coauthor of recent Nicholas Institute report Built to Endure, joined The Future of 3D podcast to explore how these technologies, coupled with collaboration across academia, government and industry, are reshaping how cities plan resilient infrastructure.

The Center for Innovation in Risk, Catastrophes and Decisions (CIRCAD), a National Science Foundation Industry–University Cooperative Research Center led by Duke University and the University of Georgia, revealed its first round of industry partners and projects this month. The UGA Terry College of Business takes a look at the key research questions impacting insurers, consumers, policymakers and emergency managers that the projects will try to answer.

The four projects unite academic, industry and government partners to generate actionable insights for climate resilience, risk management and infrastructure decision-making. Projects are led by joint, interdisciplinary teams spanning Duke University and the University of Georgia.

At DC Climate Week (April 20-26, 2026), Duke experts and partners will convene leaders across sectors to exchange ideas about resilience solutions for U.S. communities and emerging economies. See a full list of Duke events to be hosted at Duke in DC, the university’s home in the nation’s capital.

Researchers, entrepreneurs, investors and students gathered at Duke University for a workshop focused on a central challenge in climate technology: moving climate ideas out of the lab and into the real world at speed and scale.

Duke University and the University of Georgia are partnering with leaders from the insurance and climate data industries to launch the Center for Innovation in Risk, Catastrophes, and Decisions (CIRCAD), a new initiative focused on advancing insurance innovation and large-scale risk mitigation amid escalating climate disasters, the Pratt School of Engineering announced.

Nicholas Institute experts Lydia Olander and Sara Mason were among leaders from 20 states, academics, nonprofit experts and private sector partners who gathered in August for the annual State Resilience Planning Group, convened by The Pew Charitable Trusts. The group shared best practices and lessons learned to increase disaster resilience, with a focus on how to leverage nature and innovative infrastructure solutions.

At Climate Week New York City 2025, two themes resonated throughout Duke University’s presence: innovation and connections. Duke Today recapped some of the nearly dozen events across the week that Duke experts—including several from the Nicholas Institute—participated in. The events connected climate to finance, health, oceans, technology and more.

Decarbonizing the global economy will require trillions of dollars, largely from private sector investors. What could help accelerate the mobilization of private capital to advance climate solutions? Leaders from finance, government, industry, and academia exchanged ideas about this at the second annual “From Billions to Trillions” summit at Duke University on April 9, 2025. 

Duke University researchers have launched a public dashboard tracking the progress and impact of nature-based solutions efforts along the East Coast. The new resource will provide updates on projects led by the Atlantic Conservation Coalition, which includes state governments in Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, in addition to The Nature Conservancy. Eighteen additional organizations are also partners in the effort.

Duke experts are exploring ways to enhance community resilience to extreme weather events. Lydia Olander and Francis Bouchard joined engineering professor Mark Borsuk in leading a 2024-2025 Bass Connections team exploring community-based catastrophe insurance.

The SALA & Duke Climate and Sustainability Summit gathered more than 100 leaders, researchers and advocates May 21–22 at Duke University to explore bold climate solutions and institutional commitments. Duke Today wrote about some of the university scholars who participated in the summit, including Brian Murray, Nicholas Institute director, and Alison Taylor, Duke Climate Leader in Residence.

Ashley Ward, director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub, spoke at a recent Appalachian State University forum about the urgent need for climate resilience alongside former FEMA Administrator Brock Long. The discussion highlighted strategies for communities to adapt and recover from climate-related impacts, recapped by The Watauga Democrat.