Climate+: Duke Education at the Nexus of Climate Research and Data Science

The Data+/Climate+ 2022 "Melting Ice, Shifting Krill" team discusses their investigation of how melting ice and climate change are affecting a key prey species in the Antarctic marine ecosystem.

This story is part of the Climate Education Series

Informed solutions to complex climate problems require data, and data interpretation requires research and multidisciplinary thinking.

Last summer, the Rhodes Information Initiative at Duke (Rhodes iiD) partnered with the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability to expand the existing Data+ program and launch Climate+, a full-time summer research experience for Duke students of all class years and majors. Five student teams -- each comprising up to four undergraduates and one graduate student -- spent ten weeks working on real-world, interdisciplinary data science projects on climate-related topics, deepening their knowledge of both data science and climate change.

Charts showing size and movement of krill
Data visualizations from the "Melting Ice, Shifting Krill" team exploring the size and movement of krill.

“Data science is a critical toolkit to accelerate climate solutions,” said Brian Murray, PhD, interim director of the Nicholas Institute. “We need more leaders who can wield data science as they identify and assess complex climate issues swiftly, initiate and inform innovative approaches to the problem, and advance effective and viable solutions. Through Duke’s Climate+ program, students can prepare for climate leadership in diverse sectors by honing their data science skills and applying them to real climate challenges.”

Ahead of the Summer 2023 lineup of Climate+ projects, this playlist of videos from the 2022 cohort reveals more about the applications of data science to climate.

Learn more about Climate+

Series: Climate Education at Duke
A Climate Commitment Series

This series aligns with the Duke Climate Commitment, which unites the university’s education, research, operations and public service missions to address the climate crisis.