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Sarah Rogers

rLab Call for Applications: “Debt — What We Owe to Each Other”

Posted on by Sarah Rogers

Regenerative Futures Lab tile featuring representations of mountains, trees, and human formsCreating something new with the tools of the old does not work. Our current systems are failing us — that is easy to see. But what might a new, better system look like?

Applications are now open for the 2024 Regenerative Futures Lab (rLab) sponsored by Kenan Institute for Ethics, Trinity College, and the Transformative Systems Project. Each semester, rLab will provide funding for several teams of students to search for paradigm shifting, regenerative answers to specific topical areas that will differ each year. The topical focus for the academic year 2023/24 is Debt – What We Owe to Each Other.

The Regenerative Futures Lab is a student-led research and action lab leveraging Duke’s resources to shift towards a regenerative economy. Students will work in teams of 4–5 to produce original results in the field of regenerative economics, policy, and activism. Both product and process of the students’ work will involve traditional and nontraditional pathways and final product components. The purpose of both product and process is to advance a regenerative future. In addition to the projects themselves, we will reflect upon concepts such as ecological economics, community-based research, and personal leadership growth in our weekly cohort meetings.

All teams will receive support from the director of rLab, and will actively seek collaborations and input from experts in the field, faculty, and outside organizations. This process aims to generate non-extractive relationships between cohort members and the world around them as an essential part of breaking down exploitative constructs of work and community.

This lab is for students who sense that something is fundamentally wrong with the system in which we live — and that we study to become part of. We are looking for people who are willing to question everything, even themselves. While having more questions than answers may feel hopeless, it is from this starting point that the lab begins. Our aim is to empower such students to think beyond mainstream/dominant paradigms and towards a future that centers wellbeing, reciprocity, safety, and justice. 

Our spring ’24 cohort has the option to continue working on the projects developed in the fall ’23 cohort, or to develop new projects of their own. See current team project descriptions here.

Application Deadline: December 31, 2023, 11:59pm

Program Dates: January 19 – April 24, 2024

Eligibility: Duke Undergraduate Student

Commitment/Expectation

All students will take part in a weekend workshop on regenerative economy hosted by the lab and explore possible subtopics before the lab meetings start. Students are expected to devote 6–8 hours a week to rLab. This time is split between lab/cohort meetings, independent research, and related events tied to the lab. Finally, the students are expected to present their research findings in a symposium at the end of the semester (tentatively April 26, 2024).

Award: Stipend of $1,200 per semester

Application Requirements

  1. 100-200 words on (a) background (if applicable) in regenerative/transformative thinking and work; (b) specific interest/focus on a post-capitalist or post-growth or post-colonial or post-extractivist future 
  2. 100-200 words in response to: “If I could wave a magic wand, what 2 or 3 major changes in the world would I propose?”
  3. 100-200 words on why you would like to join the lab
  4. A short essay on a topic that perplexes you and what you’ve done to make sense of it
  5. Indicate whether you have (1) taken a transformative course (such as wellbeing/care/feminist economics; post-colonial realities; indigenous narratives, etc); (2) been a member of Transformative Systems Project; (3) engaged in organizing or research efforts with a transformative systems groups and/or scholar (such as wellbeing or care econ, post-growth, BLM/Extinction Rebellion/Fridays for Future etc)  – none of the above in any way represent requirements

 

Apply Here

Call for Applications: 2024 Re-Imagining Medicine Fellowship

Posted on by Sarah Rogers

Reimagining MedicineWhat does it mean to be a good healthcare practitioner? How do we learn to care for people, not as containers of symptoms and illness, but as bearers of stories? How do we work for just, fair, humane, and equitable practices of health care? How do the arts, ethics, and history help us prepare to practice medicine with character and creativity, to develop a sense of meaning and purpose in our work, and to encourage and empower the communities whom we serve?

If you are a current first-, second-, or third-year Duke undergraduate planning on working in health care and are interested in exploring these questions, Reimagining Medicine (ReMed) invites you to apply for a Summer 2024 Fellowship.

In this program, you are invited to imagine the ways that healthcare professionals can use their specialized knowledge and skills with humility to care for individuals, cure and prevent disease and suffering, flourish in their chosen profession, collaborate with other professionals, and work toward the greater good. Fellows will join with healthcare professionals and faculty from other disciplines to develop practices and skills that will help them to attend closely to their own stories, to the stories of the places where they live and work, and to the stories of the communities whom they plan to serve.

The Reimagining Medicine Fellowship is limited to 20 students. The priority application deadline is January 31, 2024. After that time, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until available spots are filled.

Eligibility

Current first-year, sophomore, or junior undergraduate students at Duke who are planning on careers in medicine, nursing, physical/occupational therapy, health administration, public health, or other healthcare-related disciplines are invited to participate. Priority will be given to rising juniors and seniors.

Commitment

ReMed is not a stand-alone program. To enable critical reflection on lived experiences and practices, Fellows are required to pair their participation in ReMed with an internship, employment, or service work related to health or health care over the summer. Fellows must arrange this parallel experience on their own. Practicum experiences must be at least twenty hours a week for eight weeks over the summer, and may include, but are not limited to:

  • Formal Duke civic engagement or research programs, with permission from the directors of those programs
  • Volunteer service in a health-related setting
  • Paid employment in a hospital, clinic, public health agency, or health-related company or nonprofit
  • Engagement in clinical research

Applicants must specify their proposed summer experience at the time of application. If your placement is not confirmed, please note in the application the type of experience you are considering. ReMed staff may be able to make recommendations.

Schedule

The 2024 ReMed cohort schedule has three components:

  • Immersive Week: Fellows will gather in person for a week at Duke from May 12–17, 2024 (the week following commencement). This immersive week will feature shared meals and conversation, experiential learning at Duke Hospital and Duke Regional Hospital, engagement with creative writing and the visual arts, introduction to the medical humanities, and facilitated reflections on justice and equity in health care.
  • Weekly Virtual Sessions: Following this week, ReMed will meet virtually for eight weeks. Fellows and faculty will gather for weekly 90-minute ReMed Seminars online to reflect on their summer experiences and to engage in conversation with leading scholars and practitioners in the medical humanities. Readings, writing exercise, and reflective practices will be assigned between seminars. These seminars will take place on Zoom from 4:30 pm–6:00 pm ET on the following Thursdays: May 30, June 6, June 13, June 20, June 27, July 11, July 18, July 25.
  • Fall 2024 ReMed Dinner Gathering to reflect on and celebrate the summer ReMed cohort and student accomplishments (date TBD).

ReMed Fellows are expected to participate fully in all components of the fellowship, including the entire immersive week, and to miss no more than one virtual Seminar.

Award

For full participation in the Fellowship, Fellows will receive:

  • Housing at The Lodge Hotel, located near the Duke School of Medicine (RAs and others with prior housing arrangements may opt out of the provided housing option), during the immersive week
    • Meals throughout the immersive week
    • $1000 honorarium

Application Questions

  1. Full Name
  2. Major (if known)
  3. Minor (if known)
  4. In 250 words or less, describe your interest in working in health care. What motivates you, and what area(s) interest you most?
  5. In 250 words or less, describe a time when you faced a challenge and worked to overcome it. What did you learn about yourself and others?
  6. In 250 words or less, describe a time when you discovered an unexpected connection with someone or changed your mind as the result of a conversation.
  7. Please describe your plan for a summer practicum experience (at least 20 hours/week of work or service in a health-related setting in summer 2024 – see call for application for details).
  8. In 250 words or less, describe how engaging the medical humanities, arts, ethics, and history through ReMed will make a difference in your summer health-related work or service, and/or in your future career in health care. Be as specific as possible.
  9. Please provide contact information for one faculty/staff reference: full name, title, email address, work phone, and how you know each other.
  10. Please upload your resume (PDF, two-page limit).
  11. All Fellows will be offered accommodation at The Lodge Hotel near the Duke University Hospital Campus during the ReMed immersive week, 5/12/24-5/17/24. Please note your lodging intention below. (This is for reservation estimates only, and can be amended later should your application be accepted).
    • I intend to stay at The Lodge Hotel
    • I intend to arrange my own accommodations
  12. By submitting an application, you are indicating your intention, if selected, to participate fully in all aspects of the Fellowship including the summer experiential week in May 12-17, 2024. You agree to participate in the immersive week and all virtual weekly meetings. Do you know of any conflicts with your participation, as described? (Please note if you plan to take Summer Term 1 courses).

Apply Here

Priority Deadline

January 31, 2024

Questions?

Contact Program Coordinator Victoria Yunez Behm at victoria.behm@duke.edu or Faculty Director Warren Kinghorn at warren.kinghorn@duke.edu

ReMed is a program of The Purpose Project at Duke, the Kenan Institute for Ethics, and the Trent Center for Bioethics, Medical Humanities, and the History of Medicine. It is sponsored by a grant from The Duke Endowment.

DukeEngage Seeks Site Coordinators

Posted on by Sarah Rogers

Each summer DukeEngage relies on full-time Site Coordinators to support our faculty-led programs.

The Site Coordinator, reporting to their program director(s), is a key member of each DukeEngage program. Programs include evening commitments throughout the week, and on-site residence is required. Site Coordinators are on-call 24/7, and may not hold other employment or enroll in courses during the DukeEngage program. DukeEngage covers all site coordinator costs, including travel, housing, meals, and transportation, as well as necessary visas, vaccines, and other prophylactics. Site coordinators will be compensated $7,500 for the eight-week period.

Please visit this link for more information:

DukeEngage Site Coordinator job description

Apply Here

Call for Applications: Teaching on Purpose

Posted on by Sarah Rogers

Teaching on PurposeTeaching on Purpose is an opportunity for Ph.D. students to cultivate their own sense of purpose as aspiring teachers who soon will be (and maybe already are) playing a vital role in the flourishing of undergraduates.

Teaching on Purpose will help you develop a robust teaching philosophy, create compelling courses, and incorporate pedagogical approaches that will enliven students’ intellects and shape the lives they lead. Moreover, as a Teaching on Purpose Fellow, you will be part of a dynamic interdisciplinary community of doctoral students and engage with faculty who care deeply about teaching.

Those pursuing the Certificate in College Teaching can earn course credit toward the certificate for participation in Teaching on Purpose.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications for spring 2024 are due December 1, 2023. Please review eligibility requirements and commitment before applying.

Faculty are also invited to nominate graduate students from their departments whom they believe are excellent candidates for this fellowship. To do so, please email Katherine Jo at katherine.jo@duke.edu.

Commitment

  • Weekly 2.5-hour sessions (Thursdays, 12–2:30PM, lunch provided), January 11–April 11 (no session March 14)
  • Final dinner on Thursday, April 18, time TBD
  • Must be able to attend most sessions, with no more than 2 absences due to prior engagements (prior notification required).
  • Weekly readings, written reflections, and practical assignments (3–4 hours/week

Award

  • $1000 upon completion of the program and fulfillment of the above commitments

Eligibility

  • Discipline: Ph.D. student in any discipline taught at the undergraduate level (at Duke or other institutions)
  • Status: Must have passed preliminary exams
  • No conflicts with other funding: Participation in this program must not conflict with policies of departmental or external funding sources.
  • Approval of DGS: Applicants must confirm at the time of application that their DGS is aware that they are applying. The Purpose Project team will reach out to the DGSs of selected applicants to confirm approval of participation.

Application questions

  • What would you say counts as successful teaching in college? How has your own undergraduate education informed your idea of what successful teaching is? What do you most want to learn in order to succeed as a college teacher? (500 words max)
  • How did you come to care about your discipline and the research you are pursuing? Why do you believe study of your discipline is worth pursuing? (250 words max)
  • If you could develop your own courses on any two topics, what would you love to teach? Write a brief but compelling description of each that not only informs students about what they will learn but also suggests why the subject is worth their attention. (150 words max each)

Apply Now

Good Pursuits with Michael Kliën

Posted on by Sarah Rogers
Photo by Michael Kliën by Justin Cook. © Justin Cook 2022.

The long-running Kenan print publication “Good Question” has a new name and a new look. Now titled “Good Pursuits,” this series features reflections by Duke community members on how ethics animates their work.

In the new issue, we interview Michael Kliën, Professor of the Practice of Dance and director of the Laboratory for Social Choreography at the Kenan Institute for Ethics.

By creating the conditions for groups of people to experience and imagine new possibilities through movement, Michael Kliën says, we can change the world.

“We can dig a lot into the structure of socialization simply by moving our bodies and asking questions.” – Michael Kliën

Print copies of the new issue of “Good Pursuits” are available at the Kenan Institute for Ethics office in 102 West Duke.

Read the digital version on our website

“Say the Thing” Encourages Ethical Self-Reflection through Storytelling

Posted on by Sarah Rogers

How does telling your own story help you figure out how to live your life? With the help of great thinkers, poets, and mystics, a new initiative of Duke Chapel and the Kenan Institute for Ethics offers students the chance to explore their own internal ethics through storytelling — and to ask how they might direct those beliefs into external action.

People typically think of college as a place for young adults to embark on journeys of self-discovery — getting to know people who are different from them, exploring new hobbies and intellectual interests, and learning how to be independent.

For Leah Torrey, college is also a time of moral formation, and with the help of storytelling, this can be just as fun as it is meaningful.

As the director of Say the Thing, a storytelling initiative launched by Duke Chapel in partnership with the Kenan Institute for Ethics, Torrey creates “meaning-making opportunities” for students to engage in ethical self-reflection. These can span from writing a poem at a pop-up event (or “Lark”) to six weekly sessions at “the Studio,” which helps students tell their own stories through reading and discussing works from “big thinkers” from across the disciplines.

“We’re trying to create a program where you can walk in from every door,” Torrey said.

During a “Lark” on the Bryan Center walkway on a sunny day in October, a student volunteer called out “Free art for your dorm!” to passers-by — who, after stopping out of curiosity, learned that they would be making the art themselves.

A prompt on the table read “What makes you come alive?” Taking up markers and sheets of pages from books, including a humble dictionary, participants blacked out words, sentences, and entire paragraphs, leaving their answer in a cluster of words comprising a mini-poem.

 

While Say the Thing is a secular, inclusive project, it draws from many influential thinkers, both religious and not. One key figure is Howard Thurman — professor, chaplain, and mentor to Martin Luther King, Jr., who is known as the “spiritual godfather” of the Civil Rights Movement.

“He’s often overlooked, but his philosophy undergirds all of this,” Torrey said.

Thurman’s book “Jesus and the Disinherited” focuses on a “minoritized man living in an oppressive society, who uses non-violent tactics to create systemic change,” Torrey said.

“You don’t need to be Christian to read it,” she added.

Another is “Meditations of the Heart,” she said, which drives home the message that “one has to look inwards and move outwards, back and forth….the inward analysis directs one’s outward actions.”

This resonates for Torrey, a former community organizer.

“In organizing,” she said, “the idea is that your story informs how you’re civically engaged, the actions you take.” She created the “Studio” curriculum to guide this kind of self-reflection.

 

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A post shared by Say the Thing (@say.the.thing)

The next phase of Say the Thing will see the launch of storytelling booths around campus. Supplying participants with prompts on ethical questions, these custom kiosks will record their responses, providing a record of their moral reckoning during a certain time.

Only the participants will have access to the cloud-hosted recording, which expires after a week. “You can download it or let it go,” Torrey said.

While Say the Thing playfully engages with technology, “it encourages a slow-down,” Torrey said. “The limits of older technologies have gifts to offer us.”

This is why she offers a Polaroid portrait to the people who stop and write a poem during a “Lark” — as a physical artifact of a potentially transformative moment in one’s life journey.

Learn more about Say the Thing doings and happenings by following their Instagram.

A collaboration between the Duke Chapel and the Kenan Institute for Ethics, Say the Thing is part of The Purpose Project at Duke and is funded by The Duke Endowment.