Naflah Mohammed

Academic Interests

Evolutionary Biology & Public Policy, and Earth & Climate Sciences

Fun Fact

I pen-pal letters with my friends!

Whether it’s ice caps melting in the Arctic, swaths of tree stumps in the Amazons, or trash vortexes in the Pacific, when we think about the words “climate change”, it often seems beyond our control—too big, too far, too disparate from our day-to-day lives to affect us personally. Growing up in upstate New York, it was difficult to imagine that climate change could reach our little community, and it was even more challenging to believe that our actions could help mitigate its impact. Despite the ever-expanding flood zones, the snow-bare winters, and the rising pollution levels, the education needed to inspire change wasn’t readily accessible.

My interests lie in the ways communities approach broad environmental crises like climate change. I’m especially interested in supporting historically underrepresented groups, who are often at the forefront of these issues. Over the past year, I’ve researched some of these perspectives in the Global South with Duke Gardens’ Equity Through Stories program. My current project, Common Thread, explores the cultural links between communities and their environments in Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa.

Focusing on the symbolism of hospitality and sustainability through tea and banana plants, I collected cultural narratives from members across the Duke and Durham community. From making Moroccan mint tea with my Arabic professor to observing practice tea ceremonies with the Japanese Tea Practitioners of Durham, I’ve compiled stories from diverse cultural, social, and spiritual traditions.

Learning in and with communities in college has fundamentally changed my approach to environmentalism. Western scientists, activists, and policymakers, who have long dominated the discourse around such issues, tend to perceive communities and their environments as disparate from one another. This view, however, discredits generations of knowledge about sustainable land use from indigenous and local traditions. Looking at these issues and their stakeholders through a more multifaceted lens, I’ve come to realize the importance of equitable representation in ensuring solutions are beneficial and effective long-term.

Beyond my work at the Gardens, I am Events Co-chair for Duke’s Asian Students Association, a research assistant at the Sanford School under Dr. Scott-Buechler, and a Laidlaw Scholar. On campus, you’ll usually find me taking photos outside, recipe testing in the LLC commons, or side questing with my friends!

What do you like about being a SPIRE Fellow?

SPIRE truly is a reflection of its community — each person brings their unique stories, passions, and perspectives to the program, and we’re all encouraged to express them as we figure out our paths at Duke, and beyond. I love how close-knit the students, faculty, and advisors are, and it’s so exciting to be a part of such a welcoming, collaborative community here on campus!