SCALe Pathways for Students 

Want to contribute to local sustainability and climate change efforts but uncertain where to start? We're here to guide you.

The Sustainability and Climate Applied Learning (SCALe) program aims to champion Duke students as leaders in addressing real-world climate and sustainability challenges and opportunities by offering hands-on learning experiences in and out of the classroom. 

Four students kneel in a shaded parking lot around a box of potatoes and sort them into bags for a food drive.

Request mini grant funding for a solutions-focused project that complements the Duke Climate Commitment goals. 

A student draws futuristic car designs in a notebook.

Approach your credit-bearing thesis, practicum, dissertation, capstone, master’s project, applied research course or other type of independent study with a campus-specific sustainability or climate lens.

There are two main pathways for connecting your coursework to Sustainability and Climate Applied Learning:

  1. Consider linking your coursework to an existing sustainability or climate need on campus. Review the Campus Needs List to choose from ready-made campus projects actively seeking student collaborators. These real-world projects have a predefined scope and applied research question of interest identified by a campus partner. While also great for your resume, your findings and contributions can influence Duke's decision-making and drive sustainability and climate-conscious advancements.
  1. Alternatively, you may propose your own campus-related sustainability or climate applied research project as the basis for a credit-bearing independent study. Please submit your proposal at least two months prior to your next course registration period to allow for review and feedback. Our team will offer guidance and recommendations to eligible projects. 
  • For inspiration, visit the Applied Learning Project Library, a resource featuring past campus projects that worked to address Duke-specific climate and sustainability challenges and opportunities.

**​​​Important for Both Pathways**

Each Duke school has their own procedures for credit-bearing independent studies, capstone projects, master's projects, etc. If interested in any type of independent study, please speak to your advisor first to discuss the steps required of you. You will also be expected to identify a faculty member who is willing to supervise your independent study; in some instances, we may be able to help facilitate an introduction to a faculty member who might be a good fit. 

Three people plant a tree near the road as a Duke bus drives by in the distance.

Green Devils are paid interns.

The Green Devil internship program offers Duke students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience, build professional skills, and make tangible impacts on campus and in the broader community.

Project-based positions allow students to engage in real-world problem solving across a diverse range of sustainability topics, which evolve annually based on shifting needs and opportunities. 

A spotlight lights up a Duke athletic field with silhouettes of people sitting on couches in front of a stadium of people

Recognize an individual for their contributions to Duke's sustainability and climate goals by nominating them for the SCALe Spotlight!

SCALe Spotlight stories celebrate Duke students, staff, faculty and community partners who demonstrate a commitment to sustainability and climate education through applied teaching, learning and action.