Dani Levy

Academic Interests

Chemistry & Psychology

Fun Fact

In July 2025 I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with a group of my closest friends. It was hands down the most difficult thing I have ever done in my life!

Growing up in Zimbabwe ignited my love for science. Being surrounded by nature, I was fascinated by how the world worked, and once I was exposed to STEM in school, I knew from a young age that I’d found my passion. Living in a third world country also meant that I had to make do with the limited resources around me, meaning that problem solving has always been an active part of my life, further fueling my fascination in STEM.

I also love the variety and diversity that STEM offers. I recently entered a TED Talk talk competition where I spoke on the topic why we laugh. My research was fascinating. I read articles on how we are 97% more likely to be employed if we have a sense of humor, and that humor can positively manipulate our opinions of people. I loved discovering how STEM touches so many different aspects of our lives, even in those that we might not expect.

I am going to major in Chemistry, as I am planning on using it to pursue a degree in either patent or environmental law. Living in Zimbabwe I have seen how poverty and corruption has negatively affected my people, so I have always known that I would like to use my love of STEM to help drive positive change and help those who can’t help themselves. I also hope to study psychology too as I believe that by understanding human behavior will only benefit my understanding in law.

At Duke I am actively involved in many clubs such as club tennis, Camp Kesem (which supports children who have a parent fighting cancer), Habitat for Humanity, the True North Program and I am a chair on the First Year Council. I am very excited to keep developing my knowledge of Chemistry at Duke, as well as exploring new fields in STEM. My background has shown me that science can be used for the greater good and can make a difference on a larger scale and in fields that we might not expect.

What do you like about being a SPIRE Fellow?

What I love about SPIRE is the strong sense of community. Being surrounded by some of the kindest and most interesting people fosters a supportive environment where we can all share our passion for STEM. I am not only excited to be exposed to my peers wide variety of knowledge, but I can’t wait to learn from them and capture and interdisciplinary approach to my STEM education at Duke.