Get Involved

Every member of the Duke community can play a role in the Climate Commitment. Check out the menu of options below for just a few of the ways you can get involved.

Attend a Climate Town Hall

Join Duke administrators for a conversion about the Duke Climate Commitment — updates on current efforts and a look a what’s coming in the future.

Join us for the fifth Climate Commitment Town Hall on March 24 at 6 p.m. Hear from Climate Commitment leaders about progress, ongoing strategic planning efforts and more.

Watch past town halls (NETID required):

Students

The educational goal of the climate commitment is to prepare all members of Duke University’s learning community with the competencies they need to engage thoughtfully in explorations about climate and sustainability. Duke is focused on enhancing multiple pathways for climate education in and out the classroom:

Degree, Certificate & Seminar Programs

  • Stay informed and subscribe to the Duke Climate Commitment newsletter. The commitment builds on Duke’s longstanding leadership in climate, energy and sustainability to educate a new generation of climate-fluent innovators and create equitable solutions for all. Current Duke-affiliated students, staff- and faculty can subscribe to the official Duke Climate Commitment biweekly newsletter. Subscribe to the Climate Commitment newsletter. Additional Duke-affiliated climate and sustainability mailing list subscriptions include the Office of Climate and Sustainability, Nicholas Institute, and Energy, Development, and the Global Environment.
  • Explore climate and sustainability courses. Climate- and sustainability-related courses can be found all across campus. There are many courses available to build your knowledge and become climate- and sustainability-fluent. Learn more from the Climate and Sustainability Course List.
  • Major or minor in climate-related topics, or earn a certificate. Check out the listing above of undergraduate majors, minors, and certificates, or specialize in climate and sustainability topics through a variety of graduate programs.
  • Join a climate-related student club. Climate and sustainability student groups abound on Duke’s campus. Check out Duke Groups for the complete listing of all student groups and find the climate and sustainability student group that is right for you. The Nicholas Institute also provides a list of student-led efforts focused on energy, environment and sustainability, as well as opportunities for Duke student organization funding.
  • Connect with Duke’s Sustainability and Climate Applied Learning Program (SCALe). Email emily.bilcik@duke.edu in the Office of Climate and Sustainability to engage with and develop solutions to real-world sustainability and climate challenges on and around Duke’s campus. Through SCALe, explore on and around Duke’s campus as a living, learning laboratory to engage with and develop solutions to real-world sustainability and climate challenges.
  • Green your dorm. Get your Green Dorm Room Certification through the Office of Climate and Sustainability.
  • Scope out climate and sustainability internships and careers. Check out the Energy, Environment & Sustainability Community on Duke Career Hub and begin planning your next career move in a climate- and sustainability-related field. The Energy Internship Program connects Duke students from all majors, backgrounds, and degree programs to summer internship opportunities across the energy sector, including at start-ups, utilities, renewable energy developers, large firms, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations.
  • Volunteer with the Office of Climate and Sustainability. Opportunities to engage across campus and in the community include Devil’s Thrifthouse (campus clothing swap), Zero-waste game days, waste audits, litter pickups, tree plantings and more. Follow OCS on Instagram to learn more.
  • Sign up for internships and development. Become a Green Devil or a Sustainability Ambassador with the Office of Climate and Sustainability. Green Devils are a paid intern team that provides hands-on experience, builds professional skills, and makes a tangible impact on campus and in the broader community. The Sustainability Ambassadors program is designed to give first-year students the opportunity to build a robust toolkit around interdisciplinary sustainability while functioning to build community and leadership skills among participants.
  • Explore Nicholas Institute events, trips and hands-on experiences. The Nicholas Institute offers Duke students a diverse slate of co-curricular opportunities. Offerings include Bass Connections in Energy & Environment, Climate+, DukeEngage projects, cohort-based course experiences and student assistantships.

Faculty & Staff

  • Build your climate and sustainability fluency, and infuse it into your course curriculum. Engage with Duke’s Sustainability and Climate Applied Learning (SCALe) program that supports Duke faculty across all disciplines to integrate climate and sustainability into their teaching and applied research endeavors that relate to Duke’s campus. Duke staff can also take advantage of SCALe mini-grants and propose campus project needs for interested faculty and students.
  • Get Green Certified. Reduce the environmental impact of your courses, classrooms, labs, workspaces, and events by following the Office of Climate and Sustainability checklists for Green Certification.
  • Propose a Green Devil intern support position. The Office of Climate and Sustainability is seeking new project proposals for our Green Devil intern program that connects passionate, highly skilled undergraduate and graduate students with community members within and beyond Duke to help them meet their climate and sustainability goals. Learn more about the program and submit a position proposal for academic year 2025-26 by March 14th.

Alumni

Beyond Campus

  • Take part in a Climate Fresk workshop. The Climate Fresk is a collaborative workshop that teaches participants about climate change. If you want to better understand the scientific basis for climate change, the Fresk is a great place to start.
  • Follow Duke social media for Climate Commitment updates. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok to find out more about the Climate Commitment’s work as new updates become available.