Duke on Demand

Professor Sattar Jawad reads his original poem, A Dirge to the River Tigris.
Professor Sattar Jawad came to Duke University in 2005 through the scholars at risk program after leaving Iraq following several attempts on his life.
Read more about reflections on the Iraq War at ISAMiCommentary : http://islamicommentary.org

Duke junior Tyler Thornton takes fans behind the scenes for a look at the Blue Devils' collection of 2012-13 kicks.

It's Spring Break! Students are away relaxing, catching up on sleep ... and exploring the world. One group of Duke students is learning about local farms, another is touring sites of the Civil Rights Movement and still another has traveled to Peru where they will assist people with disabilities.

In research news, bullying may be even more harmful than we thought. A recent study by Duke researchers shows bullied children have an increased risk of developing anxiety disorders, depression, and suicidal thoughts as adults.

In Washington, Law School professor Neil Vidmar testified recently before a congressional subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice. He spoke about the effect of litigation on America's global competitiveness.

Getting linked in. Entrepreneurial-minded alumni gathered in cities across the country recently to meet and make connections. Look for more business networking opportunities on the Duke GEN website.

Look mom, I'm famous! In time for March Madness, ESPNU came to campus to film a zombie-themed skit featuring yours truly and a group of fellow Cameron Crazies.

Stanley Hauerwas is the Gilbert T. Rowe Professor of Theological Ethics at Duke Divinity School and holds a joint appointment in the Duke Law School. In response to the election of Pope Francis, he says,"It's remarkable that they've chosen a Jesuit. That's even more remarkable than choosing a non-European. "That he's a Jesuit says so much about his commitment to the poor, and that he's taken the name of Francis [in recollection of Saint Francis of Assisi] clearly gestures that the Roman Catholic Church not only serves the poor, the Roman Catholic Church is the church of the poor." "My sense is that many of the agendas associated with American Catholicism will not exactly be his agendas."

Talk about a meeting of the minds -- Duke scientists have electronically linked the brains of pairs of rats, so they can communicate directly to solve simple behavioral puzzles. The research is part of an effort to restore motor control to paralyzed people.

Freshman filmmakers: The Froshlife film competition challenges first-year students to capture their college experience in a short video. This year's winner: "Greater Than Oneself" by the Jarvis residence hall. 

And speaking of best picture ... a recent PhotoWalk on campus allowed photographers to capture the sights of campus research facilities. Tweet and Instagram us your Duke photos with the tag #PictureDuke.

Congratulations to seventh-grader Brian Werden. Last weekend the local middle school student won the regional Scripps Spelling Bee hosted here at Duke.

Finally, it's election day ... for Duke Student Government. Juniors Stefani Jones and Patrick Oathout are competing to be the next DSG president. Good luck guys.

Duke Law School welcomes Cary Sherman, Chairman & CEO of Recording Industry Assoc. of America as the 2013 Frey Lecture in Intellectual Property speaker

The story of Ryan Kelly's unforgettable return to the lineup with a career-high 36 points in a win over #5 Miami in Cameron.

Three Freshman Duke students face challenges during a "day in the life" but come together and ocvercome that challenge through companionship, music, and hard work. Winner of Best Score by Serges Himbaza and Yoon Choi People's Choice Winner