In January 2024, the Office of Climate and Sustainability took a significant step forward by appointing Norman Wirzba, Gilbert T. Rowe Distinguished Professor of Christian Theology and Senior Fellow at the Kenan Institute for Ethics, as its first Director of Research. In this new role, Wirzba co-chaired the Research Innovations Subcommittee of the Climate Commitment Advisory Council, where he began actively engaging with faculty to identify research priorities and opportunities for collaboration across Duke. His work has been instrumental in fostering interdisciplinary connections that support Duke’s climate research agenda.
At the same time, Dr. Robert Tighe, Associate Professor of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, was appointed to lead the School of Medicine’s climate research strategy. In spring 2024, Tighe connected with researchers across Duke to map existing work and potential growth areas. A comprehensive Climate + Health survey provided valuable data for shaping future research.
In June, Wirzba and Tighe convened a collaborative session with 25 climate and health researchers to discuss Duke’s approach to climate and health research. This gathering underscored Duke’s unique positioning to address climate change’s health impacts, leveraging its strengths as a leading research institution with a top-tier medical system.