Carolina Connections:
Climate Leadership at Duke and UNC

A steady February rain settled over Durham as students hurried across Duke University’s gothic campus, collars raised against the cold. The gray skies seemed fitting for conversations about the climate crisis—yet inside lecture halls, meeting rooms, and student gatherings, the energy was anything but gloomy. Across two days of dialogue and organizing, the Rachel Carson Council strengthened its connections with students, scholars, and advocates working to shape a more resilient environmental future.

On Wednesday, February 25, Director of Policy and Strategic Development Joy Reeves represented the Rachel Carson Council at Duke University’s third annual “Billions to Trillions” Climate Finance Conference, hosted at the Fuqua School of Business. The conference brought together hundreds of participants—from funders and entrepreneurs to policymakers, academics, bankers, and students—united by a central challenge: how to mobilize the scale of investment needed to address climate change.

Rainy day at Duke University.

Through conversations centered on risk, resilience, and global climate finance, participants explored pathways to move beyond billions of dollars toward the trillions required for meaningful climate solutions. Joining Reeves at the conference were Travis Knoll, a Senior Research Fellow at RCC, and Shraddha Sharma, an RCC 2025 Stanback Fellow, highlighting the strong presence of the RCC community within the broader climate leadership ecosystem.

While on campus, Reeves reconnected with several longtime partners in climate research and policy, including Dr. Jackson Ewing and J.D. Tatjana Vujic of Duke’s Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, as well as Dr. Toddi Steelman, Duke’s Vice President and Vice Provost for Climate and Sustainability. These conversations reinforced Duke’s growing role as a hub for interdisciplinary climate leadership and collaboration.

The day concluded with an evening dinner focused on regional environmental challenges and opportunities. Reeves joined Ann Stewart of the Southern Forests Conservation Coalition, Dr. Connell Fullencamp, Duke University economics professor, and Robert Gerber, former U.S. diplomat and renewable energy consultant, along with his wife. Their discussion ranged from clean energy expansion to the protection of southern forests, two critical pillars of North Carolina’s environmental future.

UNC Leadership. (left) J.D. Donald Thomas Hornstein. (right) Dr. Michael F. Piehler.

The following morning, Thursday, February 26, Diego Tovar, Director of Campus and Civic Engagement for RCC, joined Reeves at Duke for a day focused on student engagement and organizing. The morning began with reconnections with RCC Stanback Fellowship alumni, followed by a meeting with Duke Votes, a student organization dedicated to increasing voter participation and civic awareness across campus. The conversation underscored the powerful role college students play in sustaining democratic engagement which is an essential ingredient for environmental progress.

Evening in Durham.

Later that day, Reeves and Tovar traveled to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to deepen RCC’s growing connections with the university’s environmental leadership community. There, they met with faculty and administrators at the UNC Institute for the Environment, including Dr. Michael F. Piehler, Chief Sustainability Officer and Special Assistant to the Chancellor for Sustainability, and J.D. Donald Thomas Hornstein, the Thomas F. Taft Distinguished Professor and Director of the Center on Climate, Energy, Environment & Economics (CE3).

Together, they discussed the evolving landscape of North Carolina environmental policy, as well as opportunities for long-term collaboration between RCC and UNC community. The conversation explored how partnerships between national environmental organizations and universities can empower students to translate research, advocacy, and community engagement into meaningful policy change.

Tovar & Reeves with Sunrise UNC and Duke Climate Coalition students.

Returning to Durham later that afternoon, Reeves and Tovar concluded their visit by meeting with student organizers from Sunrise UNC and the Duke Climate Coalition. In a lively discussion, they shared insights into the legacy of Rachel Carson, screened RCC’s documentary Wood Pellet Wasteland, talked about the importance of environmental storytelling and advocacy, and the leadership opportunities available through RCC’s fellowship programs.

By the end of the visit, the rainy Carolina skies had given way to something far more hopeful: stronger connections between students, faculty, and advocates committed to environmental justice and climate action. With Duke and UNC students increasingly engaged in RCC’s programs and partnerships, the Rachel Carson Council continues to expand its Campus Network of changemakers, helping to cultivate the next generation of environmental leaders.