October/November, 2021 Working@Duke

had no problem getting the COV ID-19 vaccine right away at the Walgreens near my house as soon as it was available. When they started giving out the shots, my wife, Sonya, and I made appointments as soon as we could.

Working as a surgical tech at UNC Health, my wife received her shots much sooner than I did.

When it was my turn, I didn’t do it because I had to. I did it because it’s a prevention to take care of my wife, kids and grandson, and the other people around us, including coworkers and people I pass in the grocery store.

At 66 years old, it’s important to me to prioritize my health. I get up in the morning and walk or run laps around my neighborhood in Durham every day, then I go out on our deck and use free weights to bench, curl and squat. I try to take care of myself, and it benefits me to try HYBRID MEETINGS 10 HAPPY 90TH, DUKE FOREST 12 Q&A: DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION 15

NE W S YOU CA N USE • O C T O B E R / N O V E M B E R 2021

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Editor’s Note

CONTENTS

LEANORA MINAI

Make Preventive Screenings a Priority A few months ago, we invited you to share how the pandemic has changed your health since the coronavirus outbreak in March 2020.

Several dozen of you shared the wins – documenting moments of gratitude, becoming more physically active, and losing weight. But there have been challenges, too: staying up too late, starting happy hour earlier, and feeling a lot more stressed.

Melissa Graham, program coordinator for the School of Medicine’s Office of Curricular Affairs, initially gained 10 pounds but lost 36 in the past year by changing her eating habits. “I immersed myself in yoga and meditation to help keep myself centered during the tumultuous year,” she said.

In its March 2021 report, “Stress in America,” the American Psychological Association notes that high stress, unwanted weight changes, sleeping too much or too little, and more alcohol use are leading to long-term issues for Americans, including chronic illnesses. “Physical health may be declining due to an inability to cope in healthy ways with the stresses of the pandemic,” the association reported.

Additionally, 47 percent of Americans have delayed or canceled health care services, according to the association.

On pages 4-9 of this issue, we feature stories by Duke colleagues that underscore the importance of preventive health and how Duke’s medical and wellness benefits can help you improve physical and emotional health.

Coinciding with Open Enrollment for medical benefits, the feature includes information about enhancements, including how Duke plans in 2022 will cover 100 percent of the cost of preventive care such as annual gynecological exams.

Due to my recent relocation to Florida, I had put off making an appointment for a routine mammogram until I read a recent statement by Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar. She delayed her mammogram due to the pandemic and learned during a routine screening earlier this year that she had stage 1A breast cancer.

“There is rarely a good time to go in for a mammogram or routine health screening,” Klobuchar wrote in a September statement on Medium. “So many Americans are still juggling their children on their laps and their laptops on their desks. … It’s easy to put off health screenings, just like I did. But I hope my experience is a reminder for everyone of the value of routine health checkups, exams, and follow-through.”

I made my screening appointment, and I hope you’ll make yours too.

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WORKING@DUKE WORKING@DUKE

4

10

12

4 My Health, My Story

While the pandemic has challenged the health and well-being of many people, everyone’s story is unique. By hearing, in their own words, how some colleagues found their path to better health, you may find inspiration for yours.

10 Hybrid Meeting How-To

As on-site work returns, groups are learning how to run effective meetings with both in-person and remote participants.

11 Front-Line Leadership Path

LaShawnda Harris charts her trajectory in University Environmental Services.

12 Happy 90th, Duke Forest 14

Cyber drills keep Duke safe

15 Q&A: The meaning of diversity, equity, and inclusion Contact us Editor/Executive Director of Communications: Leanora Minai (919) 681-4533 leanora.minai@duke.edu Assistant Vice President: Paul S. Grantham (919) 681-4534 paul.grantham@duke.edu

Graphic Design & Layout: Paul Figuerado (919) 684-2107 paul.figuerado@duke.edu

Jack Frederick Writer (919) 681-9965 jack.frederick@duke.edu

Stephen Schramm Senior Writer (919) 684-4639 stephen.schramm@duke.edu

Working@Duke is published every other month by Duke’s Office of Communication Services. We invite your feedback and story ideas. Send email to working@duke.edu or call (919) 681-4533.

Visit Working@Duke daily on Duke Today: working.duke.edu

2017, 2014 Gold, 2019, 2015, 2013, Silver, 2016, 2009, 2007 Bronze, Print Internal Audience Publications and 2012, 2011, 2009, 2008, 2007 Gold Medal, Internal Periodical Staff Writing

BRIEFLY Flu season during a pandemic: Why you need a flu vaccine Flu season is here, and it’s important to get a flu vaccine so you’re protected while COVID-19 continues to spread. Your body typically takes up to two weeks to develop an immune response from a vaccine, so getting an immunization now is your safest bet to fight the flu.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends the flu vaccine for everyone six months of age and up. Certain populations are more vulnerable – for example, people over 65, young children, those with respiratory illnesses such as asthma, or illnesses that lower your immunity.

“There is a real community need to be unified with flu vaccination because of COVID,” said Cameron Wolfe, MBBS, an infectious diseases specialist with Duke Health. “Hospitals and clinics get surges in patient volume every winter because of the flu, and the threat of strain on hospitals and clinics because of both the flu and COVID is quite real.”

All faculty and staff in the School of Medicine, School of Nursing and Duke University Health System are required to get the annual vaccination against the influenza virus each year. The vaccination is also required for Duke University staff and faculty working on-site to better protect the community from influenza due to COVID-19.

Find where to get your free vaccine at flu.duke.edu.

Support worthy causes with Doing Good Help bring positive change to the community by contributing to Doing Good, Duke’s annual employee giving campaign.

The campaign, which encourages Duke University and Duke University Health System staff and faculty to donate to a variety of community-identified needs including the United Way of the Greater Triangle, runs through May 31, 2022.

Staff and faculty can choose where they’d like their tax-deductible donation to go in the 2021-22 campaign, which has a $650,000 target.

Choose among six categories: neighborhoods and housing, health, education, employment, communities, or the United Way of the Greater Triangle.

Employees can participate through the Duke@Work portal by making a one-time or recurring donation through payroll deduction, among other options.

Recently, funds from Doing Good have helped Book Harvest ensure abundant access to children’s books with the installation of book boxes at two locations in the community, supported PORCH Chapel Hill-Carrboro’s efforts to address food insecurity with the distribution of locally grown produce, and helped the Durham Rescue Mission renovate and redesign its childcare facility.

“Together we can make a big impact in Durham and the region,” said Domonique Redmond, assistant director of strategic initiatives and planning for the Duke Office of Durham and Community Affairs.

For more information on Doing Good, visit doinggood.duke.edu.

Get a boost with wellness programming This fall, select from a variety of programs to improve your health and well-being during the pandemic.  “Bite-Sized Resources” from the Duke Center for Healthcare Safety and Quality offer tools that help employees boost wellness.

Including short videos, meditation podcasts and other resources, the free content covers topics like coping with stress, strategies for happiness, resilience, and other tips for wellness in only a few minutes. Find out more at hsq.dukehealth.org/bite-sized-resources.  “Food Matters,” free live webinars led by dieticians with LIVE FOR LIFE, the Duke employee wellness program, continue through December, with opportunities to learn more about eating healthy.

Upcoming topics include fiber on Oct. 27; healthy snacks on Nov. 17; and mindfulness and hunger cues on Dec. 22. Sign up for calendar invitations at bit.ly/FoodMatters2021.  Duke Recreation & Physical Education memberships are available for purchase online at myrec.recreation.duke.edu. Purchase a digital library access membership for $15 to gain access to pre-recorded fitness videos and the option to purchase Virtual Personal Training sessions. Digital memberships do not grant access to physical facilities. Duke Faculty and Staff can buy in-person memberships by month, semester, or the year. Rates are $35 per month, $105 per semester, or $325.50 for a year, which may be prorated based on date of enrollment. In-person memberships for Duke Recreation & Physical Education include access to the digital library.

“The pandemic has taken a toll on many of us mentally,” said Felicia Tittle, executive director of Duke Recreation & Physical Education and physical activity and movement co-convener for Healthy Duke.

“Staying physically active not only improves physical health but also one’s mental health.”

Find more resources at hr.duke.edu/liveforlife.

working.duke.edu

3

A

fter the COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020, Faye Goodwin knew the months ahead would be challenging, but she thought she had a good approach for handling the pandemic.

With more time at home, she planned on increasing daily exercise and refining her diet. And social media channels helped her stay current on virus trends and conversations about racial injustice and political turmoil.

But as 2020 wore on, Goodwin, the Duke Lemur Center’s lead education specialist, felt increasingly stressed. She started most days drained from her fitness routine and morning scrolls through news on her smartphone. She didn’t feel healthy.

While she received free counseling from Duke Personal Assistance Service, Goodwin found that social media breaks and a gentler fitness plan left her feeling healthier and more in balance.

“A year later, my mental health is better than it has been in a long time, and my body is happier as well,” Goodwin said.

The upheaval created by the pandemic left many Americans, including Duke staff and faculty, struggling to maintain physical health and well-being. “Stress in America,” an American Psychological Association survey, reported that, during the pandemic, 61 percent of adults had undesired weight changes; nearly half delayed or canceled health care services; and roughly one in four were drinking more alcohol to cope.

These effects pose long-term health risks such as Type II diabetes and heart disease, and a higher risk of stroke, liver disease and cancer.

Dr. Satish Subramaniam of Duke Employee Occupational Health and Wellness said disrupted routines, increased stress and limited access to coping resources such as friends or exercise have left members of the Duke workforce with health struggles. But he noted that many of the concerns can be addressed through small changes or programs available through Duke.

“The biggest issue we see is that people know they’re struggling, but they’re not sure how to help themselves either with the available resources or by connecting with other people who may be able to help,” Subramaniam said.

With annual Open Enrollment for medical, dental and vision coverage from October 18 through October 29, staff and faculty have an opportunity to put their physical and mental health first by reviewing benefits available through Duke, making plan adjustments or enrolling in voluntary programs such as the health care reimbursement account.

While the pandemic has challenged the health and well-being of many, everyone’s story is unique.

By hearing, in their own words, how some colleagues found their path to better health, you may find inspiration for yours.

4

WORKING@DUKE

My Health, My Story Faye Duke Lemur Center’s Faye Goodwin found the right approach for her health and wellness during the pandemic.

Photo by Justin Cook.

Doug

Duke bus driver Doug Pratt received his first COVID-19 vaccination in early February. Photo by Justin Cook.

Sept. 7, 2021 t he r ight away at ed giving e in c c a v 9 1

t ID t ing t he C O V as available. W hen t hey star c ould. et g m le ob r p o e w I had n e as soon as it de appointments as soon as w s ou h y m r a e n Walgreens y wife, Sonya, and I ma ed her shots iv e c re e if w m , y s m h, out t he shot t UNC Healt idn’t do it because I had t o. a h c e t l a ic rg u W or king as a s id. W hen it was my t ur n, I d y wife, kids and grandson, of m he an I d much sooner t h it’s a prevent ion t o take care or kers and peo ple I pass in t e w I did it becaus eo ple ar ound us, including c o p and t he ot her alt h. I get up in e h y m e z i . t e i r or io o pr er y gr ocer y st ortant t o me t neighbor hood in Dur ham ev . p im ’s t i , ld o At 66 years lk or run laps ar ound my t o bench, cur l and squat d I wa I can, eights t he mor ning an t on our deck and use free w e t o tr y t o be t he best me re ca m ou day, t hen I go re of myself, and it benef its just anot her part of taking e is m I tr y t o take ca ve. The C O V ID-19 vaccine so it was c ommon sense f or k, ali as long as I’m seen so many peo ple get sic e of myself. We’v t . i t o take care of

Doug Pratt, 66, has been a bus driver at Duke since 2018, filling in where needed to drive any of the 10 routes across campus. When COVID-19 vaccines became available, Doug got his first dose as soon as he could in early February. In the time since, Duke revised its COVID-19 vaccination policy to require all Duke University faculty and staff to be vaccinated as a condition of employment. Since then, nearly 99 percent of faculty and staff are fully compliant.

For more information about the vaccine and Duke’s coronavirus response, visit covidvaccine. duke.edu. >>> continued on page 6

working.duke.edu

5

Fel icia

While the pandemic caused upheaval, Duke Regional Hospital’s Felicia Street never strayed from her wellness routine. Photo by Justin Cook.

Duke Regional Hospital Wound Nurse Consultant Felicia Street maintained her mental health by finishing a book about healing racial division and developing a podcast about race and mental health titled “How Did We Get Here?” with Duke Psychiatrist Dr. Leslie Bronner.

While the American Psychological Association reported that 47 percent of Americans delayed or canceled health care services during the pandemic, Felicia, 60, kept her acupuncture and chiropractic sessions, paying with her Duke Health Care Reimbursement Account [hr.duke.edu/reimbursement].

6

WORKING@DUKE

W hen t he p Aug. 31, 2021 and emot ionall andemic started, it was a hard t ime, just y exhaust ing.

I depressed. I t hought , ‘O K, I’ realized I did not feel healt mentall y, physicall y, ve got t o do s hy physicall y, omet hing.’

I love c ooking, I felt steamed veget so I started making hea lt a acupunct ure a bles, and fruit. And I made hier meals wit h nice salads, s s emot ional boos stress relief. Acupunct ure ure t o add in chir o pract ic c t w hen I feel d are and relaxes my mu epressed. s c le s a n d g iv e If I c ome t s me an take care of m o wor k stressed out or depre y s f or healing f or self so I can keep taking ca sed, I can’t do my best. I n re ee myself and t h e wor ld as well of pat ients. O verall , my des d t o . ire is

Sarah& Matt

Aug. 30, 2021 , ing of t he day t here et e m m oo Z t s

e. I st ood hed my la ok is r b in f r e t t s a ju w d y a m h ,I hen ’s It was a Fr iday int o my pregnancy. That’s w ontract ions, and t hinking “It any c weeks and I was 33 ater on t he f loor, not having w looking at t he e immediately w d n a r, e t la e t inu e t oo ear ly!” in t he door a m f or hospital bed rest wit h t h r d e lk a w , t t a e My husband, Mersit y Hospital. I nest led up preeclampsia and a few ot h Univ e, but ies raced t o Duke he t wins c ooking a week mor ion a few days later, our bab t ct goal of keeping , so after an emergency c-se d h issues appeare Eila Rae were bor n. ext day—w hic n e h t d a h d I n a t a il Ter ran Ray omplicat ions t h nd let’s say I never knew unt c g in g a h r or m e a Thr ow in some h t of t he ent ire exper ience— an amazing hospital, but t o r be at st pa was t he scar ie ort unate we were not on ly t o f t hat week how healt h insurance. att c ould M d n a b s u h y t a m also have gre emic meant on ly r of ound ly grateful f or t he d n a p e h t g in r u op G iving birt h d oughout my stay, so I was s ek-long stay in t he N ICU/ .5 we urses me t hr be t here wit h received. O ur babies had a 5 l and Duke Regional. The n , I ed ta wonder ful care urser y at bot h Duke Hospi on how t o change diapers, fe s Special C are N em how t o eat and trained u h helped teach t wins! wasn’t over! k or w ’s e g t la r il ou ev and bat he ll home, but t h of fset t he c osts t o pay f or a s u et g o t e It t ook a vil lag healt h savings acc ount , we eded sleep, but more lexi ble p on ne Thanks t o our f um, w hich helped us catch u o our new r o les as parents. rt nsit ion int doulas post pa important ly tra

Sarah Gaither, right, and Matt Johnson, left, became parents to twins in 2021. Sarah holds Eila Rae, and Matt holds Terran Ray. Photo courtesy of Sarah Gaither.

Sarah Gaither, assistant professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, and her husband, Matt Johnson, assistant professor in the Sanford School of Public Policy, became parents to twins earlier this year. The couple, who are on the Duke Select medical plan, paid only $600 out of pocket for the delivery, far less than the average cost to deliver a baby. And with a letter of medical necessity, Sarah and Matt have used their Duke Health Care Reimbursement Account for doula care, and they’ve used parental leave to spend time with their babies. >>> continued on page 8

working.duke.edu

7

Paul & Mel issa Aug. 31, 2021 r checkups la u g re or f or t doc t

t going t o t he a big shock w hen I f ound ou y ou b a ic t a n fa na ,m was I’ve always bee of cancer in my famil y, so it ic. At t he t ime of diagnosis t or y andem els f or and have no his ncer in t he midd le of t he p han six t imes t he nor mal lev her ot ca t I had pr ostate ic Ant igen levels were more tment , hor mone t herap y and in a e cif Pr ostate-Spe an undergoing radiat ion tre ich has made a big dif ferenc h beg men my age. I ions t o attack t he cancer, w reading. p at onc o logy medic cer and prevent ing it fr om s r, I haven’t had t e t s oa rc e ll o n r l ca c na reducing t he been an emot io t ing it. Using our Duke Sele out s a h r e c n ca h a ab wit W hile dealing inancial c onsiderat ions of tre I haven’t even had t o t hink t he f I on ly e and t o wor r y about has been great , and my wif rent prescr ipt ions dail y, but ur ing a D ce healt h insuran atment. I now take eight dif fe 90-day supply of all t hree. do llars. a t he c ost f or tre hich c ost $37 c ombined f or ct has saved us t housands of w le ve pay f or t hree, am grateful t hat Duke Se et imes f orget I’ om s I , n io s I , is e m dif f icult t im t hat I am in re nt , I have f ocused my t ime on w o n t u b r, e c n of ca me Nobody wants r ying about c osts f or treat il y, w ho hung paper cut outs y g of m of wor ke fam had it. Instead ort fr om my famil y and Du t he snowf lakes on t he ceil in r owing g pp feeling t he su enc ouraging words. They hun diat ion treatment in July. G f lakes ra h ow snowf lakes wit days bef ore my last day of ing home t o a home full of sn oing g w apartment a fe nd, I love c o ld weat her, so c om hree grand kids have kept me a long e la t up in Rhode Is he support of so many. My watch t hem gr ow up as I liv y wife, o m t helped me feel jour ney. I want t o c ont inue t e my 40t h anniversar y wit h k is t hr oughout t h ward t o ot her milest ones, li f or life, and I look ear. y Melissa, next 8

WORKING@DUKE

Paul Figuerado and his wife, Melissa, stand among the snowflakes hung by family and friends in their home in Raleigh. Photo by Justin Cook.

Paul Figuerado, 62, a graphic designer with the Office of Communication Services who has worked at Duke for 34 years, was diagnosed with metastatic stagefour prostate cancer in January 2021.

Throughout Paul’s experience, his Duke Select medical plan kept him from worrying about the financial costs of treatment. His insurance [hr.duke.edu/ benefits/medical] covered six weeks of radiation treatments and doctors’ visits, and kept prescriptions, blood work and tests affordable. For adults covered by Duke employee medical plans, screenings and preventive medicine visits will be covered in full in 2022. They are important facets of staying on a pathway to better health.

What You Need to Know for Open Enrollment 2021

Lorelei

W

While adjusting to a new city, job and life in a pandemic, Lorelei Evans found aerial yoga. Photo by Justin Cook.

Lorelei Evans started her career at Duke in March 2020 as a data processing specialist in the Duke Graduate School. After moving to Durham from Greenville, N.C., she battled isolation and anxiety. The Pew Research Center found that, a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, 21 percent of American adults experienced psychological distress.

Lorelei, 30, found balance through aerial yoga at Raleigh’s Cirque De Vol. LIVE FOR LIFE, Duke’s staff and faculty wellness program [hr.duke.edu/liveforlife], offers a variety of no-cost wellness options to get you on the right track.

Compiled by Stephen Schramm and Jack Frederick

Aug. 30, 2021 Ar ound Thanksgiving, I was fed area during a pandemic. I missed up. It was hard to start a new job in a new my Greenville. I hadn’t exercised in old friends and my aqua aerobics class in mo excit ing. W hen I saw Cirque D nt hs. B oredom dr ove me to crave somet hing e Vo l was having a B lack Frida y sale, I gave it a shot.

At first , I wasn’t happ y wit h ho strengt h. I had nood le ar ms. So w I did. I didn’t have much upper body on, for balance and gained the stren I learned how to use the strong fabr ic sling gt the first time was scar y. B ut h to lift myself up. Hanging upside down for it’s really excit ing when you ha ve people ar ound you cheer ing.

I am the healt hiest I have ever been in my life.

hile the COVID-19 pandemic has created upheaval, Duke’s medical benefits remain a trusted resource for nearly 75,000 staff, faculty, and family members.

In the past fiscal year, Duke paid $288 million for health concerns for plan participants, up $27 million from the previous year. For 2022, medical, dental and vision plans will continue to provide peace of mind and value.

“Although it’s been a challenging time for the health care system, our health care plans remain incredibly strong,” said Kyle Cavanaugh, Duke’s vice president for Administration. “We know they are one of the highest value benefits for our faculty and staff and their families, so we’re thrilled that 2022 is looking as strong as it is.”

Open enrollment for medical benefits begins at 2 p.m. on Monday, October 18, and ends at 6 p.m. on Friday, October 29. Eligible staff and faculty can adjust medical, dental and vision plans, and enroll or re-enroll in programs such as the health and dependent care reimbursement accounts for coverage effective January 1, 2022.

During this year’s open enrollment period, most employees can also enroll in new or additional coverage with the Supplemental Life Insurance Program without evidence of insurability. Evidence of insurability is required for those previously denied coverage.

In 2022, there are no increases in co-pays, coinsurance, or deductibles for medical, dental or vision plans. Monthly premium increases for the health plans will remain well below the national average. For Duke Select, the most popular plan, the monthly increase is $2 for individuals and $10 for families.

Among Duke’s coverage enhancements in 2022: M edical plans will cover 100 percent of the cost of preventive care services such as well-child visits, adult preventive visits, and annual gynecological exams.  Health Plan members who take certain specialty medications will be contacted

by Duke’s Pharmacy Benefits Manager, Express Scripts, about enrolling in a plan called “SaveOnSP.” The program helps members activate cost-savings options on certain specialty drugs, which, for some medications, can result in no co-pay.  There will be a maximum amount set on annual out-of-pocket costs for individuals and families enrolled in the health plans.

Learn more at hr.duke.edu/enrollment2022. working.duke.edu

9

How to Conduct Hybrid Meetings With teams remote and on-site, meetings experience more change

Zoom-equipped meeting rooms, such as this one in the Powerhouse, keep hybrid teams connected. Photo by Stephen Schramm.

T

his fall, the PRATTically Speaking Toastmasters Club faced a situation familiar to many work teams around Duke.

With some members returning to campus, in-person club meetings at the Pratt School of Engineering became a possibility. But with many members staying remote, the club has been exploring options for hybrid meetings.

“We are still figuring out how we will do it,” said Maggie Gatongi, biomedical engineering senior lab administrator and member of the PRATTically Speaking Toastmasters Club.

The pandemic turned video teleconferences into everyday occurrences, but as on-site work returns, groups are learning how to run effective meetings with both in-person and remote participants. Here’s what some Duke colleagues have learned about hosting hybrid meetings:

Preparation is Crucial

While advance planning is important, hybrid meetings require more pre-meeting steps, such as knowing whether you’ll need a real or virtual whiteboard, sharing login information and providing good audio.

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Duke Credit Union Chief Executive Officer Daniel Berry has held hybrid meetings since last fall with both on-site and remote participants who all log onto meetings on Zoom. He’s found that it’s crucial to double-check to avoid weak wi-fi or malfunctioning microphones, which could derail a gathering.

“You have to think about what kind of challenges you might face and take steps to mitigate them,” Berry said.

Engagement is Everyone’s Responsibility

Martay Smith, director of human resources for the Office of Information Technology (OIT), has seen hybrid meetings from multiple angles, participating remotely and in-person.

She’s found that people on both sides must take steps to stay engaged. In-person participants should solicit input from remote members and make sure they can see presentations and have copies in advance of materials handed out. And everyone should feel comfortable setting up separate conversations through oneon-one video meetings or phone calls if something is unclear.

“You have to be very intentional,” Smith said. “I’ve found it’s actually pretty easy to ask someone to take a conversation offline or follow up later.”

Consider a ‘Zoom Room’

There are 110 conference rooms set up as ‘Zoom Rooms’ for use by individual departments across campus. Featuring large screens, cameras, microphones, and equipment that runs Zoom, these spaces enable in-person and remote participants to interact together in real time. On-site participants see virtual counterparts on a large screen, while remote users see the in-person group through a camera in the meeting room.

OIT continues to create Zoom Rooms as departments request and purchase them. If interested, contact OIT to evaluate your space and meeting needs.

“The system OIT came up with is very easy to use,” said Steve Palumbo, director of Facility Operations in Facilities Management. “It’s got great audio and visual capabilities. We’re big fans.” 

By Stephen Schramm

For information on virtual meeting platforms, visit oit.duke.edu

A Front-Line Leadership Path LaShawnda Harris charts her trajectory in University Environmental Services

W

hen LaShawnda Harris joined Duke in 2008, a supervisor organized a tour of campus buildings where Harris could choose to work.

They made just one stop. Once Harris, a rabid basketball fan, saw Cameron Indoor Stadium, her decision was made.

“If I turned it down, I’d be an idiot,” Harris said.

That began a long relationship as a University Environmental Services team member in the iconic venue.

Recently, Harris traded locker rooms for labs, becoming senior supervisor for the science precinct, completing a journey from housekeeper to increased leadership.

“It’s a great story when someone comes from a front-line position and ascends into management,” said Dr. Leslye Kornegay, Duke University Environmental Services Senior Director.

“That’s something we like to see.”

Starting at Duke at 23, Harris wasn’t thinking too far in the future. But after befriending people she met at Cameron, and working with supportive supervisors, she saw a path forward.

“I thought I could see myself growing here,” said Harris, whose now-retired father worked for Landscape Services for 33 years and whose mother and sister have since joined the University Environmental Services staff.

Working in Cameron, Harris witnessed fascinating moments large and small. She regularly experienced electric Blue Devils games with star power on and off the court, as actors, NFL players and former presidents George H.W. Bush and Barack Obama came through to watch.

Her late night and early morning shifts allowed LaShawnda Harris of Duke University Environmental Services stands in Cameron Indoor her to see Duke coaches brainstorm strategy and Stadium. Photo by Stephen Schramm. players hold marathon shooting sessions at all hours.

“I wanted them to have a clean place to work,” Harris said. “They work hard to get better, and I wanted to have that same mentality.”

That drive led Harris to invest in herself. In recent years, she earned an associate degree in business and administration with the help from the Duke Employee Tuition Assistance benefit and is working on her bachelor’s degree.

Her hard work was noticed as, in 2017, she left Cameron to become assistant supervisor for the precinct covering the Bryan Center, Brodhead Center and Student Wellness Center. A year later, when a similar spot opened up for Cameron, Harris returned.

“She’s always been super-friendly and easy to work with,” said Director of Athletics Facilities and Projects Jeremy Anderson. “When there was an opportunity to get her back, we jumped at it.”

In August of this year, Harris was promoted to senior supervisor for the section of campus that includes Gross Hall and the French Family Science Center, where she’ll oversee a staff of around 17.

“I’m very excited,” Harris said. “It shows me that your work here doesn’t go unseen.” 

By Stephen Schramm

Got a story idea? Write to us at working@duke.edu

working.duke.edu

11

Happy

90

th, Duke Forest

From its earliest days in the 1930s, Duke Forest offered researchers an opportunity to see how forests grow and evolve. Photo: Duke Forest.

Throughout its history, Duke’s natural resource has welcomed research and recreation

S

everal times a week, Steve Anderson ventures into Duke Forest, puts on waders and steps into the rushing water of New Hope Creek, where he fishes out a sensor-filled pipe that collects vital data for a research project investigating the life cycle of streams.

Since arriving at Duke in 2011, Anderson, an associate in research with Duke Biology, has grown familiar with Duke’s sprawling forest, studying invasive grasses, forest succession and pollution’s effect on wetland organisms.

Away from work, Anderson can often be found hiking the forest’s New Hope Creek South Trail, sporting a backpack-style baby carrier for his 1-year-old son, Eliot.

“I still find time to enjoy the forest because it’s really great,” Anderson said.

Covering roughly 7,100 acres across Durham, Orange and Alamance counties, Duke Forest was created in July 1931 and the Duke School of Forestry, the first graduate school of forestry in the American South, was born in 1938. Whether seen in yellowed photos and research notes or in the experiences of people who visit the forest today, the land has served as one of the nation’s leading research forests and a place to find nourishing time for over 90 years.

“From day one, the mission has always been to be a place for teaching and research, beginning with understanding how managing the land could help restore the health and productivity of the land,” said Duke Forest Director Sara Childs.

Associate in Research Steven Anderson shows off a stonefly in Duke Forest. Photo: Steven Anderson.

A Living Laboratory In the mid-1920s, Duke University began buying parcels of forests and farms. At the time, the land that became Duke Forest didn’t look all that different from the areas that surround it.

Now, Duke Forest’s six divisions are heavily wooded breaks in the suburban development that surrounds them.

The forest’s initial mission was to be a laboratory where the understanding of forests and forestry practices could be advanced through action. That spirit lives on as, during the past academic year, 47 research projects were underway in the forest.

“Right from the beginning, this was a forest where you could do experiments,” said James Clark, Nicholas Distinguished Professor of Environmental Science.

“If you go back to the earliest days of the forest, it was viewed as a place to learn about forestry through experiments, rather than just watching trees grow and hoping something happens.”

Massive towers that emitted carbon dioxide were part of a long-term study that yielded important research. Photo: Duke Forest.

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Over the years, Clark has organized or helped with projects to study the effects of hurricanes. He’s used heat-trapping enclosures and ground-warming cables to see how trees react to changing temperatures and used massive towers that released carbon dioxide into the surrounding air to learn more about atmospheric change.

Researchers of today still rely on detailed notes and maps of their predecessors. Those include Clarence Korstian, founding dean of the Duke School of Forestry that would eventually become part of the Nicholas School of the Environment. In 1933, Korstian set up some of the first permanent sample plots, where, for decades to come, trees were individually numbered, mapped and measured regularly. For today’s scientists, these records provide invaluable data on how forests evolve.

A 1932 hike by the Explorers Club included a stop in the Hollow Rock area of Duke “When you can build on the work of past scientists because you Forest. Photo: Duke University Archives. have this resource where people have been measuring things and keeping data for years, it’s a rarity and invaluable,” said Daniel Richter, who worked in the forest as a Duke student in the 1970s and continues to do so as a professor of soils at Duke. “How grateful are you that people were thinking about the long-term a hundred years ago? Duke Forest is nothing if not a time machine!”

Natural Resource for All Each year, Guido Ferrari, a professor of surgery with the Duke University School of Medicine, blocks off a Friday afternoon for the roughly 40 staff members and students who work in his lab. Under one of Duke Forest’s picnic shelters, the lab team and their families enjoy barbecue and coleslaw, games of cornhole and volleyball, and the company of people outside of work.

“These afternoons give us the opportunity play games, let kids run around and be happy,” said Ferrari, who organized a Duke Forest lab gathering in July. “To me there’s so much value in that.”

While vast portions of Duke Forest rarely see visitors, certain areas are approved for limited recreation. Two picnic shelters off Highway 751 and 12 miles of public foot-only dirt trails that lace the woodland draw community members for celebrations, peaceful walks and opportunities to experience nature.

That was true in the forest’s earliest days. For proof, one need only look at the scrapbook of the “Explorers Club,” a Duke student group from the 1920s and 1930s that organized regular hikes throughout the state. A scrapbook documenting the club’s adventures shows hikes on the Rhododendron Trail and to the Hollow Rock and Piney Mountain, all sites likely familiar to regular Duke Forest hikers today.

Even those who wander trails for fun still encounter opportunities to learn. Scattered around the forest are brown, wooden signs featuring bursts of information. Put up by Duke Forest staff and often placed in front of clusters of trees, the signs denote the type trees nearby, when they were planted, and what’s happened to them.

The signs might tell you that the land before you was clear cut decades ago, when the last prescribed burn took place, or that the trees were damaged in an ice storm or by pine beetles.

“These signs tell the story of land since Duke’s ownership,” Childs said.

And while these pieces of the forest may have seen change over the past nine decades, the mission that’s guided Duke Forest, and the reverence the Duke community has for it, have not. 

Top: The lab team of Dr. Guido Ferrari enjoys a retreat in July.

Photo: Guido Ferrari.

At left: A sign offers history and context. Photo: Duke Forest.

Bottom: Peaceful waters of New Hope Creek are a beloved feature of Duke Forest. Photo: Duke Forest.

By Stephen Schramm

Learn more about Duke Forest at dukeforest.duke.edu

working.duke.edu

13

Cyber Drills Keep Duke Safe Sketchy emails test user’s savvy

I

n April, Kevin Wood was checking work email when he saw one from a John Wiles about Microsoft contract details. In a previous role at Duke, Wood dealt with contracts, so he clicked on the email attachment.

He immediately had second thoughts.

“My brain was like ‘Get out of here!’” said Wood, assistant director of facilities for the Pratt School of Engineering.

Sure enough, the attachment told him that the email was part of a phishing drill organized by the Duke Information Security Office.

With October being National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, IT security experts at Duke want users to understand their role in keeping data safe. Experts point to recent ransomware attacks that paralyzed energy and food companies as proof of the dangers hackers pose.

“Our users are capable of being part of our defensive posture against these threats,” said Duke University Health System Director of Security Program Management Shelly Clark Epps, an organizer of the exercises. “This helps us train our users to be that sensor network that we need.”

On average, Duke gets about 110 million inbound emails each month. Layers of security tools and techniques filter out malicious emails, leaving about 40 million emails reaching inboxes. Safeguards can’t catch everything, so users must stay vigilant. And these simulated phishing exercises help do just that.

Managers across the University and Health System can request a simulated attack to train team members to spot hacking. Since starting the campaign in 2019, simulated phishing emails have been sent to users across the Health System and to eight University entities.

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Kevin Wood of the Pratt School of Engineering brings a more critical eye to email following a recent phishing exercise. Photo by Stephen Schramm.

A drill entails the Information Security Office sending several simulated phishing emails and charting how many click on the attachment and how many use the “Report Phish to Duke” button in Outlook email accounts.

Judging by results, areas see major strides in spotting scam emails. For example, when a series of three similar phishing emails were sent to Duke Health Technology Solutions staff, the rate of respondents who engaged with a fake scam email dropped from 20.4 percent to 3.9 percent, and the percentage of respondents who reported the email jumped from 30.4 to 63.4.

After the Pratt School of Engineering requested a drill this year, the school’s Director of Community Engagement and Community Events, Quiana Tyson, quickly caught the fake email, noticing misspelled words, a vague subject line and suspect attachment.

“All of it made me think, ‘This doesn’t look right,’” Tyson said.

After Wood clicked on the fraudulent email, he walked to the office of Pratt’s Director of IT and Facilities Jim Daigle, who helped arrange the exercise.

“I told him, ‘You all got me pretty good,’” Wood said.

“I will definitely pay closer attention from now on.” 

By Stephen Schramm

Request a Drill Duke managers can enroll their teams in monthly or quarterly simulated phishing exercises by contacting the Duke IT Security Office at security@duke.edu. Health System employees are automatically enrolled in the program.

Racial

Q&A

Toward Justice

The Meaning of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Since Kimberly Hewitt arrived at Duke in 2019, she has guided university leadership through the process of addressing systemic racism on campus and becoming a more inclusive institution.

Throughout her efforts, which include support from diversity leaders across campus, words such as “diversity,” “equity,” and “inclusion” pop up.

Usually mentioned together, or used interchangeably, the concepts have important distinctions. By understanding the differences, Kimberly Hewitt the challenges before Duke come into focus.

Working@Duke talked with Hewitt, vice president for Institutional Equity and Chief Diversity Officer in the Office for Institutional Equity, about the meaning of diversity, equity and inclusion.

How are diversity, equity and inclusion defined and related?

Hewitt describes diversity as having a community with people representing a variety of races, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, religious perspectives, and abilities.

Equity is when institutional policies and procedures create conditions where all people can thrive, free from discrimination.

Inclusion, meanwhile, comes when you have a climate where people of all backgrounds and identities are welcomed and supported. Inclusive environments are where all people feel their voices are heard, where they have access to guidance, and where their contributions feel valued.

Hewitt explained that institutions can have diverse communities and equitable structures, but without inclusive environments, they won’t achieve true progress.

“Think of inclusion as having a healthy climate where everyone can participate and thrive,” Hewitt said. “We have to do the work in hiring and admissions to have a diverse community, and we want to dismantle the structures that have made that

difficult. The third piece, inclusion, is about our climate. They’re all related. We need to work on these things simultaneously.”

What can we do to build a more inclusive climate?

While institutional actions can advance diversity and equity, inclusive cultures are built on an individual and team level. And Hewitt said the best thing people can do is reflect on their actions and be open to learning.

She said it’s important to look for opportunities to create a healthier climate in your everyday work environment. Is everyone around you treated with respect? Are everyone’s voices being heard? Are there ways to make your work more accessible to everyone?

“I think there are touchpoints for everyone,” Hewitt said.

“We want people to think, ‘In my role, what can I do to impact the climate of my department so that it’s a more positive place for people to engage?’”

How can the Office for Institutional Equity help?

The office works to prevent and resolve incidents of harassment and discrimination, guiding Duke’s approach toward equitable hiring and enhancing the understanding of the campus community through initiatives such as the recent diversity, equity and inclusion climate survey.

The office also provides virtual workshops on topics such as anti-racism, implicit bias, microaggressions, and harassment prevention, which can be tailored to specific audiences.

“One thing that we’re not always that comfortable with is recognizing that this is an ongoing process,” Hewitt said. “But we need to be committed to continuing to educate ourselves.”

Visit oie.duke.edu to learn more.

Get more information about Duke’s anti-racism efforts at anti-racism.duke.edu

By Stephen Schramm

working.duke.edu

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August 9

Read the Working@Duke story on how the Chapel's carillonneurs have continued to provide regular and resonate music from way up in the Chapel tower.

With many staff and faculty working remotely, Joey Fala continued climbing the 169 steps Duke Chapel’s tower to play the carillon for the past year.

He and the rest of the Duke University Chapel team continued the tradition of keeping Duke University’s bells ringing and playing songs at 5 p.m. every weekday.

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Tech Training Keep developing skills with Learn IT @ Lunch, a series of free, hour-long webinars offered by Duke’s Office of Information Technology (OIT) through early December. bit.ly/LearnITFall2021

“It’s nice to know that my music might bring some joy into someone’s day, especially during the height of the pandemic when peace was so hard to come by,” Fala said.

Program for HR Staff Enrollment in L&OD’s ‘HR Strategic Partner Certificate of Excellence’ program opens in October. bit.ly/ HRStrategicCertificate

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Amidst a Pandemic, the Chapel Bells Keep Ringing

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