Nicholas School Mission Statement
The Mission of the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences is education, research and service to understand basic earth and environmental processes, to understand human behavior related to the environment and to inform society about the conservation and enhancement of the environment and its natural resources for future generations.
Intrinsic to this mission are a commitment to:
- Interdisciplinary approaches.
- Objective and, where possible, quantitative approaches.
- Principles of ecological integrity.
- The sustainable use of natural resources.
- Environmental education at all levels.
The overall objective is to assist in the definition and resolution of problems confronting society, through excellence in natural resource and environmental education and research.
The school's emphasis is on defining objectives for natural resource science and management, understanding the interrelated constraints -- physical, biological, chemical, ecological, economic, legal and social -- and devising and testing alternative management solutions. This approach to natural resource education is pursued through research, formal courses, field studies and seminars, and informally through interaction with practicing professionals by a variety of means.
Research and problem solving are integral to the school's mission. The faculty is engaged in a dynamic program of research, much of which is focused on contemporary natural resource and environmental issues, both terrestrial and marine, that are regional, national, and global in scope. Students are also encouraged to involve themselves in real world problems. As part of their professional degree requirements, students must complete a master's project requiring independent research and problem analysis.
Teaching and research in the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences are focused within the following curriculums:
- Coastal Environmental Management.
- Environmental Toxicology, Chemistry and Risk Assessment.
- Forest Resource Management.
- Resource Ecology.
- Resource Economics and Policy.
- Water and Air Resources.
- The ocean sciences.
- The earth sciences.
These programs are designed for students drawn from a wide variety of undergraduate backgrounds in the natural and social sciences, forestry, engineering, business and environmental studies. Program requirements enable all students to acquire the basic technical skills, scientific knowledge, insight and methods of analysis for resolving natural resource and environmental problems.
As a professional school within a private university, the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences is able to foster independent consideration of natural resource and environmental issues without the political pressures often brought to bear upon public institutions. As part of a major research university, the school is able to add a significant dimension to teaching and research through cross-campus interdisciplinary degree programs, faculty appointments, and cooperative projects.
Additional enrichment is available through relevant departments at neighboring universities, as well as through agencies and institutions at the Research Triangle Park and in the Beaufort-Morehead City area. These opportunities for study and professional interaction place Duke in an enviable position among schools of resource science and management and greatly enhance the quality of its programs.
Alumni of the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences hold leadership positions in public agencies, environmental and forestry consulting firms, private industry, and not-for-profit organizations throughout the nation and the world.
