Duke GradCast: Stories from The Graduate School

A Conversation with 2026 Distinguished Alum Stacey Adam

Join a conversation with 2026 Centennial Distinguished Alum Stacey Adam (Ph.D. '07, Pharmacology), Vice President in Science Partnerships at the Foundation for the National Institute of Health. Dr. Adam played a pivotal role in the ACTIV Initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic, which harmonized the many clinical trials underway in the race to find a vaccine.  Dr. Adam received her PhD in Pharmacology with a Mammalian Toxicology certificate from Duke University in 2007. In this episode, Dr. Adam is joined by her former Ph.D. advisor and mentor Christopher Counter [https://medschool.duke.edu/profile/christopher-m-counter], Professor of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Assistant Professor in Radiation Oncology, and Professor of Cell Biology. After two decades of following Dr. Adam’s career, Dr. Counter nominated her for the distinguished alum award.  In their conversation, Drs. Adam and Counter share stories of their work together at Duke, discuss the importance of team science, consider the impact of public support on academic research, and suggest what to do when science doesn't have all the answers.

On Mentoring: What Is It, Really?

Join three of the 2026 Dean's Awards for Excellence in Mentoring winners; Jean-Philippe Gibert, Brandon Knettel, and Caroline Shearer; as they attempt to demystify what good mentoring actually entails. The episode is hosted by Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement Maria Wisdom, and Senior Assistant Dean of Professional Development Melissa Bostrom.

Co-Charting the Course: The History of Duke GBOV

In this episode of Duke GradCast, Suzanne Barbour, dean of The Graduate School, sits down with Bill Hunt, the inaugural chair of the Graduate Board of Visitors (GBOV). Established in 2010, the Graduate Board of Visitors serves an important advisory function for the dean of The Graduate School. Comprising alumni from a broad geographic area and representing the comprehensive nature of The Graduate School, the board helps to support and promote The Graduate School's mission. The board considers and provides information and makes recommendations on matters relating to the graduate experience at Duke. It gives informal advice and assistance about programs and projects and enhances communication among the constituencies of The Graduate School. Together, Suzanne and Bill explore the board's history and its lasting impact on graduate education. Against the backdrop of Duke’s centennial, the two reflect on the origins of the board and how its collaborative spirit has helped navigate over a decade of shifts in higher education.

Life as a Grad Student in 2026

Join three Duke Graduate students in a conversation about the ups and downs, ebbs and flows, and ins about outs of being a grad student in 2026. You'll join Ariana de Souza, Ph.D. student in Earth & and Climate Sciences; Anvita Budhraja, Ph.D. candidate in English; and Ian Redmond, third year student in the School of Law.  What drives them as scholars and professionals? How are they finding and building community at Duke? And how do they see graduate education evolving for the next generation?   These three students share very different perspectives on graduate school, representing the different lives of professional students as well as Ph.D. students in the humanities and STEM. Despite coming from these different worlds, they’ll discover they have much in common, bringing curiosity, insight, and a genuine enthusiasm for their work and for Duke.

A Discussion on Graduate Student Wellness

Join three Duke experts on student mental health and wellness: Mike Boyce, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Cell Biology; Yan Li, Psy.D., licensed psychologist and Associate Dean of Graduate Programs; and Nancy Zucker, Ph.D., Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, as they discuss the unique stressors that graduate students face today, the psychosocial components of stress and cultural pressures, and how graduate students can support their own well-being through resilience building and community resources at Duke.