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���Ĵ�ý is launching an immersive fall semester program for first-year undergraduate students at the Duke Marine Lab in Beaufort, North Carolina. Called Duke Embark, the program will be available to incoming students in the Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, beginning in fall 2027. ���Ĵ�ýs can indicate their interest in the program during the upcoming application cycle, which opens Aug. 1.

Duke Embark will deliver place-based, interdisciplinary learning opportunities, aligned with the goals and vision of Trinity College’s . ���Ĵ�ýs will live and learn on the Marine Lab campus through fall, then transition to the Durham campus for the spring semester.

“We anticipate that Duke Embark will hold particular appeal for students interested in environment-, ocean- and climate-related topics, early research exposure, and small class sizes,” said Lori Bennear, Stanback Dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment, which encompasses the Duke Marine Lab.

Established in 1938 as a summer research and teaching facility, the Duke Marine Lab has since grown into a year-round residential campus and center for interdisciplinary education and research in marine science and conservation.

Duke Embark features a First-Year Experience focused on environmental change and human well-being in coastal and marine systems. ���Ĵ�ýs will take two core courses — one in natural sciences and one in social sciences — and can choose among electives in chemistry, biology, and marine science and conservation that each blend classroom learning in small-group settings with field immersion.

Duke Embark also emphasizes research preparation and exposure through core classes and co-curricular activities, including a fall travel opportunity.

“We know students are interested in research, and we can take advantage of our location, facilities and size to provide early research exposure, and to help prepare students for future independent research,” said Lisa Campbell, Rachel Carson Distinguished Professor of Marine Affairs and Policy. “The ease of interaction between students and faculty helps students ask questions. Research becomes more accessible and less intimidating when it’s visible and happening all around you.”

Beyond coursework, Duke Embark students will become part of the Marine Lab’s close-knit community of upper-year undergraduates, graduate students, faculty and staff. First-semester students will reside in the Marine Lab campus dorms, with access to traditional campus amenities for learning and recreation, including a dining hall, student kitchen, mini-gym, library, multiple common spaces, and kayaks and canoes.

The Duke Marine Lab maintains strong ties with the surrounding Beaufort community. Through Duke Embark, interested students can take advantage of the , which fosters connections between communities and scientific research across diverse areas of interest.

Although Duke Embark starts at the Marine Lab, participating students will be connected to main campus from the outset. For example, to prepare for their spring semester in Durham, Duke Embark students will take organized trips to the Durham campus, where they will get to know the campus and build relationships with peers.

When applying to Duke, prospective students should indicate their interest in Duke Embark in the Common Application supplement. ���Ĵ�ýs will be able to apply to Duke Embark after they are admitted to Duke, at both Early and Regular Decision, while spaces are available.

The Duke Embark page will be updated with additional details regarding the program, decision timelines and information sessions as they become available. 

“The Marine Lab excels in undergraduate education, and many upper-year students describe their experience with us as among their best at Duke,” Campbell said. “With Duke Embark, we are building on our strengths to welcome first-year students to the Marine Lab for the fall semester, in a program that will be unique in the country.”