Science & Society News
Learn what is happening inside the Duke Initiative for Science & Society. Stay up-to-date on our research, events, and student activities.
Tue, Jan 21
[LISTEN]: Your Brain Is The Next Tech Frontier
We’re entering a new era of brain monitoring and enhancement, but what are the ethical implications? This hour, TED speakers explore the potential and pitfalls of merging our minds with machines.
Guests include legal scholar and AI ethicist Nita Farahany, neurotechnologist and entrepreneur Conor Russomanno, neuroscientist and physician Sergiu Pașca and sous chef Kate Faulkner.
Fri, Jan 17
A Night Out With Science
It’s a Thursday evening in Durham and a little “Friday feel” permeates the food and entertainment hub surrounding Motorco Music Hall. Walkers on the sidewalk. Diners at outside tables. People grabbing drinks after work. Inside Motorco a few dozen people have gathered by the stage, but not to see a buzzworthy indie band. Rather, great white shark specialist and science communicator Michelle Jewell takes the microphone.
“What’s your favorite shark?” a young girl asks at one point.
“Not to be basic, but it’s the species I study,” Jewell says. She’s an entertainer, but in everything funny or clever she says is a nucleus of scientific fact. Great whites, she notes, are smart. “You can watch them suss you out.”
This is Periodic Tables, Duke Science and Society’s science café, and Jewell is a seasoned communicator who knows she’s there to entertain a lay audience. Her presentation centers on shark myths. Sometimes it’s funny. Sometimes it’s ridiculous and sometimes, such as when Jewell shares a picture of the conveyer belt of teeth inside a shark’s gums, it’s a little gnarly, which keeps the audience locked in. Yet for each myth Jewell addresses, she shares research-based facts about the predators she studies.
Thu, Jan 16
Duke Designates New Applied Ethics & Policy Graduate Program to Address Challenges in Emerging Science and Technology
Durham, N.C. (January 16, 2025) — Duke University has renamed its distinctive Master of Arts in Bioethics & Science Policy program to the Master of Arts in Applied Ethics & Policy. The new name marks a strategic evolution in the program’s comprehensive approach to addressing ethical and policy challenges in science, technology, and medicine.
The name change represents Duke’s response to rapidly advancing technologies and their increasing impact on society. The program will maintain its strong foundation in traditional bioethics as it grows to encompass critical areas such as artificial intelligence, data privacy, and digital health.
“This evolution reflects our commitment to empowering the boldest thinkers who can navigate the complex ethical landscape of emerging technologies,” said Nita Farahany, Faculty Chair of the MA in Applied Ethics & Policy. “Specifically focusing on applied ethics positions the program as a forward-looking leader in ethics education, particularly in areas like AI, digital technologies, and the biosciences, which are rapidly transforming society.”
The program’s distinctive approach integrates policy and applied applications into every aspect of the curriculum, setting it apart from traditional bioethics programs. Students engage with real-world challenges at the intersection of science, technology, and society, developing solutions that shape policies in numerous rapidly evolving fields.
Key features of the renamed program include:
- Multidisciplinary curriculum offering pathways to explore both traditional bioethics and the ethics of emerging technologies
- Opportunity to work on real-world problems
- Focus on actionable solutions to specific ethical dilemmas in practical settings
- Preparation for a variety of career paths including law, technology governance, healthcare, and research
This strategic repositioning comes at a crucial time when industries, governments, and organizations worldwide are grappling with unprecedented ethical challenges posed by technological advancement. Graduates of the program will be uniquely qualified to lead in addressing these challenges. The program is now accepting applications for the upcoming academic year.
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Contact:
Ben Shepard
Associate Director, Marketing and Communications
Duke University Initiative for Science & Society
ben.shepard@duke.edu
Sun, Jan 12
Two Tiny Molecules Could Save Thousands From Blindness
A new study reveals the potential of two compounds in treating retinitis pigmentosa, a blinding genetic disorder.
These compounds, identified through virtual screening, have shown promising results in stabilizing rhodopsin protein and preventing retinal degeneration in animal models.
Breakthroughs in Retinitis Pigmentosa Treatment
Researchers have identified two promising compounds that may help treat retinitis pigmentosa, a group of inherited eye disorders that lead to blindness. The discovery, published today (January 14th) in the open-access journal PLOS Biology, was led by Beata Jastrzebska from Case Western Reserve University, USA, and her team. These compounds were uncovered using a virtual screening technique.
Retinitis pigmentosa occurs when genetic mutations cause the retinal protein rhodopsin to misfold, resulting in the death of retinal cells and progressive vision loss. Approximately 100,000 people in the United States are affected by this condition, creating an urgent need for treatments that can correct rhodopsin misfolding. Existing experimental therapies often rely on retinoid compounds, such as synthetic vitamin A derivatives. However, these treatments are highly sensitive to light and can be toxic, limiting their effectiveness and safety.
Fri, Jan 10
TikTok ban at the Supreme Court
WASHINGTON − The Supreme Court heard arguments over whether TikTok can be banned in the U.S. later this month in a case that pits two major issues − freedom of speech versus national security − against each other.
Some of the 170 million Americans who use TikTok say the court has never confronted a free speech case that matters to so many people.
The Biden administration, which is defending a law requiring TikTok cut ties with the Chinese government or be banned, said the wildly popular short-form video app is a grave threat because China can use it to gather data on Americans or manipulate content to shape U.S. opinion.
Lawyers for TikTok and for a group of TikTok creators argued Friday the law will deprive users of their preferred digital publisher, infringing on the right to free expression. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar said that as long as TikTok is owned by China-based ByteDance, U.S. national security is at risk.