Oceans provide food, materials, human connectivity, and inspiration, all while ensuring the health and habitability of our planet, including by regulating atmospheric heat and carbon. As humanity has increased its activity in this “blue economy,” the world’s oceans are at risk of losing the very health upon which this blue economy depends. Overfishing, pollution, habitat destruction, and other damages threaten the health of oceans and the prosperity of hundreds of millions of people. Duke experts are advancing efforts to ensure a sustainable blue economy for all.  

Duke is educating and deploying graduates who understand that solving ocean challenges leads to solving climate challenges. Organizations, companies, and agencies at the forefront of ocean and climate impact will know Duke graduates to have distinctive training, networks, interdisciplinary frameworks, and ambitions. 

Featured Student:
Eliza Harrison MBA’26

Eliza Harrison is pursuing an MBA at the Duke Fuqua School of Business (class of ’26). Prior to Fuqua, she served as the Director of California Operations for Ocean Rainforest, one of the largest offshore seaweed producers in the Western Hemisphere. There, she co-led the implementation of a research program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy to assess the feasibility of offshore seaweed cultivation in southern California. Eliza holds a B.S. in Environmental Health Science from the Gillings School of Global Public Health at UNC–Chapel Hill and studied extensively at the Duke University Marine Lab during her time as a Robertson Scholar.

For decades, Duke has led with distinction in the areas of ocean and climate research, addressing ways to protect oceans from the impacts of climate change as well as discovering ways the oceans offer potent climate solutions. The complexity of ocean conservation and the blue economy requires multiple disciplines to engage in the search for solutions. Duke’s distinctive approach is built on connectivity: science and management and governance; policy and technology and markets; innovation and communities; future leaders with today’s decision makers; actions and impacts. 

For 85 years, Duke has operated one of the largest and most productive marine research labs in the world. The Duke University Marine Lab in Beaufort, N.C., has connected students and scholars and propelled them to the forefront of research, training, communication, and influence. The Marine Lab is also a core powerhouse of interdisciplinary collaboration at Duke.

Oceans@Duke is a multidisciplinary community of Duke’s scholars working on challenges to sustainable use of the oceans, including the Nicholas School of the Environment, Fuqua Business School, Duke Law School, Sanford School of Public Policy, and Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability. This community of scholars aims to help train the next generation of ocean sustainability leaders, foster interdisciplinary thinking for more sustainable ocean use, and connect Duke’s scholarship to society.

Duke has earned a reputation as a trusted partner to the most influential organizations and agencies, including the United Nations Environment Programme, the U.N. Global Compact, the World Economic Forum, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Food and Agriculture Agency, Global Fishing Watch, The Nature Conservancy, and the Worldwide Fund for Nature.

The best innovations come from the work that happens together. Every school from medicine to business has faculty and students working at the intersection of oceans and climate, leveraging signature Duke assets like the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability and partners like Duke Kunshan University in these efforts. Interdisciplinary teams like the Plastic Pollution Working Group and the Duke Scholars in Marine Medicine are contributing to our climate future.

Oceans Week (March 24-28) is a dedicated week of events and activities aimed at raising awareness about ocean conservation, marine science, and the role of oceans in climate sustainability. It brings together students, faculty, industry professionals, alumni, and environmental advocates to engage in discussions, panels, workshops, and networking opportunities focused on marine research, policy, and career pathways. Through these initiatives, Oceans Week encourages a deeper understanding of ocean ecosystems, communities, and the urgent need for sustainable solutions to protect marine life and coastal communities.

Climate and sustainability efforts at Duke stretch across disciplines, interconnect operations and academics, cross campus boundaries, reach into the community, and around the world. We are building climate and oceans community partnerships for innovation and impact.

The Duke University Marine Lab (DUML) Community Science Initiative was created in 2017 with the goal to collaborate with our community through education, conservation, outreach, and research.

The latest news and features about climate and oceans at Duke University