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.
Thu, May 29
A Texas Cop Searched License Plate Cameras Nationwide for a Woman Who Got an Abortion
Tue, May 27
Provost Launches AI Initiative and Steering Committee
Duke faculty, students, trainees and staff are engaging with artificial intelligence in a multitude of ways. A new initiative led by Provost Alec D. Gallimore seeks to reflect this diversity of approach, encourage engagement with tools and services, and contribute to a global conversation about the new horizons that AI can open up for us, and how to keep it from exacerbating some of our greatest challenges.
Early last year, Gallimore first envisioned bringing together Duke faculty and academic leadership who are leading work that develops, uses, studies, or otherwise engages with AI. To lead this new initiative, he tapped Yakut Gazi, vice provost for learning innovation and digital education; Michael Pencina, vice dean for data science and chief data scientist at the School of Medicine; and Joseph Salem, Rita DiGiallonardo Holloway University Librarian and vice provost for library affairs.
Tue, May 13
When Data Doesn’t Speak for Itself, What’s a Scientist To Do? We Asked Dr. Misha Angrist.
Students on the Science & Society Emerging Tech Ethics Media Team catch up with Professor Misha Angrist after his participation in the Stand Up for Science demonstration in D.C.
Listen to or read the short interview on Future Unsettled or Instagram.
Tue, May 06
David Hoffman Named Interim Director of Duke Science & Society
Duke University faculty member David Hoffman, Steed Family Professor of the Practice of Cybersecurity Policy at the Sanford School of Public Policy, has been chosen to serve as interim director of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society.
A Duke alumnus, Hoffman earned his J.D. at the Law School and was a member of the Duke Law Journal. Previously, he served as associate general counsel, director of security policy and global privacy officer for Intel Corporation.
Science & Society is among 11 university institutes, initiatives and centers that complement and amplify the widespread interdisciplinarity found in every school at Duke.
Hoffman begins serving as interim director on July 1, 2025, following the founding directorship of Nita Farahany, Robinson O. Everett Distinguished Professor of Law.
“As a former leader at Intel, a seasoned classroom interlocutor, a policy expert and a superlative leader of applied research teams, David Hoffman will bring a remarkable breadth of experience to Science & Society,” said Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Studies Edward Balleisen. He further expressed his gratitude to Farahany for leading the initiative since 2013. “Her keen leadership of Science & Society has helped to make Duke a nationally recognized place for cutting-edge scholarship on bioethics and the increasingly complex policy dilemmas posed by rapid advances in information technology,” Balleisen said.
The author of many papers and articles on cybersecurity and privacy, Hoffman has testified to Congress on these topics. He previously chaired the Civil Liberties and Privacy Panel for the Director’s Advisory Board for the U.S. National Security Agency and chairs the Board of the Center for Cybersecurity Policy and Law.
“It is an honor to have the opportunity to continue Professor Farahany’s incredible work within a structure that capitalizes on Duke’s interdisciplinary education and research strengths,” Hoffman said. “The initiative’s focus on applied ethics in science and technology provides critical tools for students to use to meet the challenges they will face as they enter careers in both the public and private sectors.”
Hoffman also founded and chairs the board for the Triangle Privacy Research Hub, which highlights and fosters cybersecurity and privacy academic research in North Carolina’s Research Triangle.
“I am grateful to Nita Farahany for making Duke Science & Society such a vital part of the university,” said Provost Alec Gallimore. “I’m confident that David Hoffman will build on Nita’s strong foundation to lead the initiative into its next chapter in continued alignment with Duke’s strategic priorities.”
The Duke Initiative for Science & Society’s mission is to advance the responsible use of science and technology for humanity through research, education, communication, democratic deliberation and policy engagement. The initiative runs the Master of Arts in Applied Ethics & Policy program, offers numerous courses and programs for undergraduates, hosts the Duke Center on Risk, and leads a robust series of community engagement activities.
Hoffman has been involved with Science & Society since 2019. He is also an affiliate faculty member of the Duke-Margolis Institute for Health Policy.
Mon, May 05
Spotify is Paying Musicians Poverty Wages. Why are Antitrust Laws Protecting Them?
Imagine you’re a vocalist. Since you were a young child you spent countless nights rehearsing to sing your heart out every Sunday for the church choir. You always knew singing was your passion and now you’re finally at an age where you can make your musical dreams come true.
You want to record your first album but to rent the studio for 5 days, you need to come up with $5000. Not only that, but you need to hire an engineer and producer to synthesize everything. Another $5000 setback. You probably need some background musicians. Perhaps just the basics: a guitarist, bass, and drummer. They each charge $500 per day. And don’t forget you need $1000 to mix each song. All in all, you need to find roughly $27,500 to fully produce your album.