Student Projects
The Hart Leadership Program has a long history of exemplary student work, and we are proud to showcase here a selection of student research projects, internships, and honors theses dating back to 2011. Below, you can explore nearly 400 student projects, filtering by project type, Hart program affiliated with the project, thematic topics, project locations, and project years. The database does not provide the full text of students' projects, but it does provide abstracts of student work wherever available, as well as more information including students' class year and, when applicable, the name of the community partner organization a student worked with to conduct their internship or research. We will continue to expand the database as our students continue conducting phenomenal projects. In the meantime, use the search function below to explore our incredible students' work, and get inspired!
Barriers to Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among United States Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom
Problem Statement Since October 2001, an estimated 16.6% of the 1.64 million veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have returned with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (Shiner). Despite dramatic increases in the availability and quality of mental health services offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), only 58% …
Disparities in Teacher Quality, Recruitment, and Retention in North Carolina’s Public Schools
Problem Statement High quality, experienced teachers are more concentrated in low-poverty, low-minority schools, while less experienced and effective teachers are concentrated in high poverty schools, usually with minority populations (termed “disadvantaged” schools). This inequality in instruction widens the gap of academic achievement between these populations of students. This trend leads …
Exploring Fee-for-Service: How This System of Physician Payments Creates Misaligned Incentives and Harms Patients
The majority of physicians in the United States are paid, or reimbursed by insurance companies, for their medical services on a fee-for-service (FFS) basis. Under this system, each procedure, intervention, prescription, and medical device is billed for separately. This structure of payments harms patients through the creation of misaligned incentives …
Improving Access to Mental Health Care for Adults with Chronic Mental Disorders in Rural Regions of India: The Role of NGOs
Problem Statement Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with a focus on mental health services have sought to address the problem of the rising prevalence of mental illness in rural Indian communities and the inaccessibility of mental health care in these communities for the past few decades. Approximately 10 million people in India …
Pathways to Hope: Preventing Suicide on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
Problem Statement: American Indians between the ages of 15 and 24 have been plagued by suicide for over a decade. In Pine Ridge, the extent of suicidal behavior among youth is particularly concerning. Each year, for the past five years, 250-420 adolescents on the reservation have tried to kill themselves. …
Systematic Racism: Racial Segregation at Higher Education Institutions
Problem Statement Despite the structural diversity, or the numerical representation of diverse groups at Duke, the University has yet to achieve true racial diversity by fostering integration among the spectrum of races. Duke proclaims it has interest in providing opportunity for diverse students, with a 9 to 11 percent of …