News Release

Robertson grants to fund service, research
more by Duke, UNC collaborators

CHAPEL HILL – A fund-raising climb up Mount Mitchell; helping a camp for children whose parents are battling cancer; even ballroom dances on rival campuses.

These projects will be among 24 carried out in 2005-2006 by collaborators from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University.

Besides the students, faculty and staff from both campuses who will lead the projects, others from the two schools will participate in them together.

The projects were funded recently with more than $45,000 from the Robertson Program, which works to strengthen ties between the two universities. The program also funds four-year merit-based scholarships to students who study on both campuses. This marks the fifth year of grants from the program’s Robertson Collaboration Fund.

"As always, the selection committee was impressed with the array of collaborative ideas, ranging from scientific research to academic opportunities to community outreach," said Dr. Eric Mlyn, program director. "We were also glad to see that faculty, staff and students of both universities presented these ideas."

To be eligible for a Robertson grant, a project must have at least one applicant each from Duke and UNC. Priority is given to projects that can make lasting impacts on the two communities and further collaboration between them. The program was founded in 2000 with a $24 million gift from 1955 UNC graduate Julian Robertson and his wife, Josie Robertson, of New York. Their gift supports both the scholarships and the grants. Each year, 15 students from each university’s incoming class are selected as Robertson Scholars.

Projects and grants for 2005-2006, listed with primary contacts first, are as follows:

Dr. John Aldrich, Dr. Wendy Wood (Duke) and Dr. Ken Bollen (UNC). Two joint retreats by the Duke Social Science Research Institute and UNC’s Odum Institute for Research in Social Science ($2,250).

Dr. Marco Alemán (UNC) and Dr. Dennis Clements (Duke). Seminars to train students at the Duke and UNC schools of medicine in key aspects of Latino culture ($2,628).

Nora Anderson (UNC) and Marina Kukso (Duke). Training conference for staff of student-run publications at both universities ($2,000).

Dr. Yaakov Ariel (UNC) and Dr. Malachi Hacohen (Duke). A seminar on Judaic studies in connection with the emerging programs of Judaic studies at Duke and UNC ($1,000).

Beth Burt (UNC) and Maj. Phyllis Cooper (Duke). Safety fairs at both Duke-UNC basketball games in 2005-06 to provide information on sexual assault ($2,500).

Gerald Cecil (UNC) and Lincoln Pratson (Duke). Joint seminar and speaker series on use of energy resources ($2,100).

Dr. Emil Chuck (Duke) and Dr. Donald Stanford (UNC). Two semiformal/formal dances for members of the Duke and UNC communities, sponsored by the Duke and UNC Ballroom Dance Clubs ($3,000).

Dr. William Darity Jr. (UNC) and Dr. Charles Payne (Duke). Support of the second annual "Youth and Race" Colloquium, a two-day event which will address the stigma of "acting white," its influence on racial identity formation, and policy implications ($1,200).

Daniel Freilich (Duke) and Charles Tuggle (UNC). Including Duke students in the UNC-based student-run television program "Carolina Week" ($2,100).

Jessica Gallegos (Duke) and Sarah Denning (UNC). Training and support for students from the Duke and UNC Newman Catholic Centers, who will lead the second year of the eighth-grade service learning component at the Durham Nativity School ($2,500).

Daniel Herman (UNC) and Robin Queen (Duke). A Duke-UNC Human Movement Science Research Day and a collaborative research project in this discipline ($1,000).

Farokh Irani (Duke) and Lotte Tulloch (UNC). A Duke-UNC AIDS Climb, a fund-raiser and climb to the top of Mount Mitchell in North Carolina ($2,150).

Lindsay Johnson (UNC) and Kevin Peng (Duke). Establishment of "Haven" and "Transforming a Rape Culture: for Women and Men," programs at Duke and UNC to address the issue of sexual assault ($2,500).

Daniel Kimberg (Duke) and Kelly Geoghegan (UNC). Continuing support for Carter Community School, a charter school in Durham, expanding on physical education and poetry-arts curricula and conducting a second annual festival ($1,600).

Dr. Donna Lisker (Duke) and Dr. Diane Kjervik (UNC). A visit and speech by Marie C. Wilson, founder of the White House Project and co-creator of Take Our Daughters to Work Day, sponsored by the Women’s Center at Duke and the Carolina Women’s Center ($975).

Sarah List (Duke) and Tiffany Richardson (UNC). A collaborative workshop series on best practices in teaching English as a Second Language, sponsored by the America Reads Programs at Duke and UNC ($595).

Youshaa Patel (Duke) and Peter Wright (UNC). Support for a third annual Duke-UNC graduate student Islamic studies conference ($1,000).

William Pitt (Duke) and Holly Berry (UNC). Support for Camp Kesem, for children whose parents have had cancer, maintained by Duke and UNC students ($4,650).

Paul Quigley (UNC) and Kelly Kennington (Duke). A UNC-Duke Southern studies seminar ($1,000).

Catarina Rivera (Duke) and Ana Cerna (UNC). Creation of Latinos Unidos, a collaborative council between Latino organizations at Duke and UNC ($2,500).

Joel Thomas (UNC) and Carly Knight (Duke). Creation of a Hunger Lunch organization at Duke, modeled on the UNC group ($1,000).

Dr. Helen Tibbo (UNC) and Timothy Pyatt (Duke). "Managing the Digital University Desktop," a state-wide symposium to release results of a three-year study of e-mail and file management at Duke and UNC ($1,000).

Brian Wright (Duke) and Madeline Walter (UNC). A second annual UNC-Duke student documentary festival ($3,315).

Darian Zubia (Duke) and Pablo Durana (UNC). Strengthening resources for English as a Second Language programs at Duke and UNC, including establishment of a program for Duke employees ($500).

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Robertson Program contacts: Dr. Eric Mlyn, (919) 843-7506; Jessalynn Strauss, (919) 843-5119.

Duke News Service contact: Keith Lawrence, (919) 681-8059

UNC News Services contact: L.J. Toler, (919) 962-8589