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Student Organizations

Nicholas School Chartered Groups

Nicholas School Student Council (NSSC) of the Nicholas School of the Environment is an advocate on behalf of professional students, representing the interests and concerns of these students to the Duke University and Nicholas School community. The NSSC is a group of elected and volunteer-appointed Masters of Environmental Management (MEM) and Masters of Forestry (MF) students that serves as an advisory body to the faculty and administration and provides a conduit between the student body, faculty, and administration. NSSC also coordinates the annual Earth Day and Field Day activities.

Nicholas PhD Advocacy Council (NPAC) is a group composed of peer-elected students from the Nicholas School-affiliated PhD programs (ENV, UPE, UPEP, MSC, TOX, ECS) which aims to represent and support the academic and professional interests of all Nicholas School-affiliated PhD students, while fostering a sense of community within the Nicholas School. NPAC aims to:

  1. Strengthen professional and social relationships among students in Nicholas School-affiliated PhD programs (e.g., through professional development activities such as the Graduate Afternoon Seminar).

  2. Advocate for the academic and professional interests of Nicholas School-affiliated PhD students.

  3. Provide support to program administrators for PhD student needs (e.g., Nicholas School PhD student orientation).

  4. Provide representation for Nicholas School-affiliated PhD students to other administrative and advocacy groups (e.g., Nicholas School faculty meetings, Duke Graduate and Professional Student Council).

Professional Groups

Duke Conservation Society (DCS) focuses on contemporary conservation issues and solutions covering a variety of fields and exploring multiple forms of conservation including wildlife, land trusts, market-based, community-based, and policy-based among others. The society's vision is to provide a resource for students and future conservationists in finding solutions to the natural world’s most pressing problems.

Duke Water Network (DWN) is a student organization dedicated to connecting Duke students interested in water with each other, community members, and professionals in the fields of water management, science, policy, and business. DWN may organize employer and alumni networking events, trips to explore innovative water management approaches, talks and panels, and other events that fulfill its mission.

Eno Literary Magazine (Eno) has a mission to encourage, promote, and publish artistic forms of expression that inspire a deeper understanding and appreciation for the environment. The magazine aims to inspire artists to create work celebrating nature and to encourage consumers to reflect and act in service of the environment.

Green Roof and Orchard Workforce (GROW) is an inclusive, member-driven organization within NSOE that manages the rooftop garden space and orchard. The purpose of the group is to promote awareness and understanding of the functions and benefits of building-integrated green space, facilitate the proper and productive use of the Nicholas School’s green roof and orchard for communal enjoyment and benefit, support the Nicholas School’s spirit of community outreach and education, and promote community development and build social capital through shared stewardship and events.

Nicholas School Energy Club (NSEC) has a mission to educate Nicholas School students and the broader Duke community about energy issues and provide professional development opportunities in energy through networking events, field trips, socials, and conferences. NSEC coordinates activities with the Duke University Energy Initiative and partner energy clubs at the Fuqua School of Business and the Sanford School of Public Policy.

Ocean Policy Working Group (OPWG) focuses on the political, economic, and cultural dimensions of human interactions with the ocean. The group brings together graduate and professional students from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds to consider how their areas of study influence perceptions of the ocean. In addition, the group’s biannual publication, Upwelling, is a great way for members, faculty, and alumni to showcase their policy work with the greater Duke community.

Student Association for Geospatial Analysis (SAGA) is a graduate student organization for students interested in developing and sharing skills related to geospatial analysis. The mission of SAGA is to provide the graduate students of Duke University with a resource to expand, explore, and build professional skills in the field of Geospatial Analysis. SAGA serves as an organization to inform students about emerging trends and techniques, as well as to develop skills not taught through Nicholas School curriculum.

Social Groups

Diverse & Inclusive Community for the Environment (DICE) fosters a welcoming community within the Nicholas School so that members of disenfranchised groups/communities will feel that they belong in the community. This means bridging gaps between peoples of various identities by both acknowledging their differences and also learning to recognize shared interests and experiences. DICE seeks to empower members of disenfranchised groups/communities to join the Nicholas School community. This means working with the Nicholas School administration and staff to increase the recruitment rates for students of different races, cultures, gender and sexual identities, levels of ability/disability, socioeconomic classes, countries of origin, religions, and ethnicities.

Nicholas School Golf Club provides an inclusive community building environment for members of the Nicholas School to meet up and enjoy golf-related activities together. It facilitates across concentration/degree friendships. It is open to people of all skill levels and allows people to freely learn a game that is a lifelong skill and highly useful in the business world. Many people across the Nicholas School cite the Golf Club as being one of their favorite social groups to participate in and a meaningful component of the School's culture. 

Nicholas School’s Black & Latinx Club (BLC) is a student group providing a space to celebrate and educate the Nicholas School community on Black and Latino culture. It serves the needs of not only Black and Latino students but also any student, faculty, or staff member who wishes to engage in meaningful activities that build cultural, academic, and environmental awareness.

Nic Queer Network (NQN) represents the needs and concerns of students, staff, faculty, and other Nicholas School community members who identify as LGBTQIA+ or allies.

Duke Affiliates—Societies, Chapters, Clubs, and Initiatives

Duke Chapter of American Fisheries Society (DukeFish) is the graduate student chapter of the American Fisheries Society (AFS) at Duke University. AFS is an international organization whose mission is to promote and improve the conservation and sustainability of fishery resources and aquatic ecosystems. It is the oldest and largest fisheries professional society, established in 1870. The group promotes sustainable fisheries and consumer practices by reaching out to our peers, community members, and local industries through education, outreach, and community participation.

Duke Environmental Law and Policy Forum (DELPF) began in 1991 as an interdisciplinary magazine published annually. Since then, the Forum has grown into a traditional environmental law journal. DELPF has retained its interdisciplinary roots and presents scholarship that examines environmental issues by drawing on legal, scientific, economic, and public policy resources. DELPF’s affiliations with the Nicholas School for the Environment, the Sanford School of Public Policy, and the Law School render it uniquely positioned to adapt to the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of environmental law. DELPF is a student-run publication, with staff members from the Law School, the Nicholas School for the Environment, and the Sanford School of Public Policy. New journal members, both JD and non-JD, are selected based on their writing skills, research ability, and interest in both DELPF and environmental policy.

Society of American Foresters (SAF), Duke Chapter, is the national scientific and educational organization representing the forestry profession. The Duke University Student SAF Chapter is a professional organization that facilitates student involvement in forestry at the local, regional, and national levels by promoting the forestry program at the Nicholas School, sustaining Duke’s relationship with other forestry schools, organizing both educational and community service events, and facilitating student attendance at SAF national conferences and meetings.

Duke Student Association of Wetland Scientists (SAWS) is a student-run organization dedicated to wetland ecology, restoration, and conservation at Duke University. The goal is to provide a meeting ground for graduate and non-graduate students interested in all aspects of wetlands. Activities include field trips, seminars, and volunteer events. The club works in coordination with the Duke University Wetlands Center.

Duke RESTORE is a Duke University student organization, based in the Nicholas School of the Environment, focused on advancing the field of ecosystem restoration to enhance resilience of natural and human systems. Our vision for Duke RESTORE is to give students hands on experiences in restoration in North Carolina through our six teams: Seagrass, Living Shorelines, Coral, Eco-Cultural, Forest, and Re-Wilding, with the Forest and Re-Wilding teams being founded in the Fall of 2023. 

MEM/MBA Club is the home for concurrent MEM/MBA students and provides the key link between the Nicholas School and Fuqua School of Business. The club’s mission is to support students’ academic transition between two graduate programs, facilitate social cohesion, and encourage professional development through Duke’s unique hybrid education. The MEM/MBA program—both within Duke and externally through increased visibility and outreach to the Nicholas School of the Environment, The Fuqua School of Business, and the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School—actively works with school administrations to streamline MEM/MBA academics and administrative processes.

Nicholas School Net Impact is the Nicholas School chapter of the national Net Impact organization. It is a networking and professional development club that connects Nicholas School students with environmental professionals in the private sector and provides access to resources for further business related education.

Working Group on the Environment in Latin America (WGELA) is a collaborative effort between Duke University, the University of North Carolina, and North Carolina State University undergraduate and graduate students to promote a rich comprehension of environmental issues in Latin America through interdisciplinary collaboration. WGELA aims to foster a dialogue concerning critical environmental issues affecting Latin America. The group also seeks to improve the understanding of the social, historical, political, and cultural contexts in which these environmental issues are embedded, and build capacity among an interdisciplinary and cross-institutional group of individuals to address and conduct research on Latin American issues.

Duke Society for Ecological Restoration (DESR) is a student group with a mission to foster inclusive and productive conversation about restoration as a solution to many of our environmental issues, and plan activities that help students gain restoration skills and experience. We work to provide field-based experiences for Nicholas School students (and those within the broader Duke community) who might not have as many opportunities to get outside of the classroom. We plan two larger field-based experiences each year, and in between those trips, we aim to have frequent social and educational get-togethers for students to discuss a wide variety of restoration issues and connect and network with like-minded people. 

Duke Environmental Justice Network (DEJN) seeks to connect graduate and professional students committed to understanding and addressing environmental injustices. Our mission is to represent a diverse range of expertise and backgrounds to form a cross-cutting network to bridge the gaps between different schools and disciplines around how environmental justice is discussed and incorporated across big Duke. DEJN has had working groups focused on outreach to local groups, engaging with NSOE leadership, and education and events. This year we hosted local community members and EJ scholars as speakers in events at the intersections of EJ and water, energy, international climate justice, and waste, respectively. We want to continue to focus on topics and areas where EJ can be expanded upon with more context and nuance than is sometimes represented in our courses. Additionally, we aim to send students to the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network Summit during years it is hosted as well as other EJ-focused conferences in order to provide an opportunity for engagement with EJ leaders across North Carolina and the United States.

Oceans@Duke is an interdisciplinary community of undergraduate and professional students at Duke University working at the intersections of science, engineering, and business to promote sustainable ocean solutions. We aim to connect students with professionals that can support ocean related careers, build a cross school community focused on ocean sustainability, and elevate Duke University as a knowledge leader within this space.