Duke’s Design Climate program is empowering interdisciplinary student teams to tackle urgent environmental challenges through hands-on, community-driven innovation. The yearlong elective course sequence blends design thinking with sustainability principles. Split into two project-based courses, Design Climate I: Discover and Design Climate II: Develop, the program guides students in creating solutions that balance environmental impact, business viability, and social good.
Final presentations on April 18, 2025 showcased a year’s worth of iterative development and stakeholder engagement. One team, Connexus, evolved from a microloan-focused concept to a virtual reality-powered workforce development platform over the year. Their goal: to train high school graduates for solar installation and weatherization jobs, bridging the gap between trade employers and potential workers. Their gamified virtual modules offered immersive job previews and pre-employment training, aiming to boost retention and accelerate placement.
Another team, LightSyn Labs, pivoted from methane synthesis to green ammonia production after consulting with the Luol Deng Foundation. Partnering with Duke chemistry Professor Jie Liu, the students explored plasmonic catalysis—a light-activated, low-energy alternative to the traditional Haber-Bosch process. Their innovation could reduce emissions and improve fertilizer access for South Sudanese farmers.
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Photo: Design Climate showcase of projects at Energy Week 2024.