Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Collaboratives

Interdisciplinary by design, IGECs provide students with applied training and exposure to emerging issues at the intersection of disciplines — preparing them to emerge as leaders and experts in a wide array of careers. In addition to enriching graduate education, the IGECs, which are led by Duke faculty representing two or more divisions of the Duke Graduate School (Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Humanities, Physical Sciences & Engineering, Social Sciences), are designed to foster new faculty collaborations across fields and catalyze innovative research and equitable community engagement.

The Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Collaboratives offer graduate students flexible opportunities to tackle complex societal challenges alongside peers and faculty from across campus.

Opportunities to Engage

The IGECs are open to Duke Graduate and Professional students. Students may engage in the IGECs in several ways:

Join open learning opportunities such as lectures, work-in-progress seminars, journal clubs, and other events.
Earn an academic certificate in an interdisciplinary theme, reflecting a combination of for-credit coursework, seminars, working groups, internships, and collaborative research projects such as Bass Connections teams, which provide certificate students with opportunities to mentor undergraduates.
Undertake deeper research and engagement opportunities through funded fellowships offered by each IGEC (only available to PhD students by a competitive selection process).

Current IGECs

Society-Centered AI

The Society-Centered AI collaborative trains scholars ranging from philosophy and computer science to the social sciences. It focuses on designing AI systems that uphold human values, advance technical efficiency, and take account of societal impacts.

Go to SCAI IGEC

IMPACT: Interdisciplinary Methodological Program for Advancing Climate Training

IMPACT trains doctoral students in advanced methodological skills to understand and address the complex health impacts of climate change. This approach involves integrating expertise in environmental science, population health, engineering, implementation science, and sociology.

Go to IMPACT IGEC

Information Science and Engineering for the Public Sector (ISEPS)

The ISEPS collaborative prepares graduate students to apply techniques from information science and AI to address public-sector challenges. Drawing on statistics, computer science, multiple engineering disciplines, and public policy, it will prepare students to create ethical, data-driven solutions in essential areas like public safety, energy systems, and transportation.

Go to ISEPS IGEC

About the IGEC Initiative

A joint undertaking between the Duke Office of Interdisciplinary Programs and the Duke Graduate School, the IGEC Initiative is made possible by a generous grant from the Duke Endowment. The first three IGECs will launch in fall 2026.

For additional information, please contact Brenda Whiteman, brenda.whiteman@duke.edu