The Office of the Provost oversees a suite of professorships and awards honoring exceptional scholars, as well as awards recognizing students, faculty and staff members who have demonstrated outstanding commitments to service. 

Distinguished Professors

Appointment to a named chair is the highest honor the university can bestow upon a member of its faculty. Distinguished professorships honor faculty who are well-established members of the Duke academic community, who have also achieved distinction as creative scholars in their field or in their ability to transcend disciplines. 

Bass Fellows

The Bass Society of Fellows recognizes faculty members who have been honored for their excellent research and commitment to teaching and mentoring undergraduates.

Langford Lectureship Award

The Langford Lectureship Award was established by the Office of the Provost in 2000 as a tribute Thomas Langford, former Divinity School faculty member, Dean, and Provost. Awardees are selected based on the appeal of their research to an interdisciplinary faculty audience, as well as their embodiment of Langford’s dedication to teaching, research, and service.

Nannerl Keohane Visiting Professorship

The Keohane Professorship brings prominent faculty to serve as visiting professors at UNC and Duke for a one-year period, during which they deliver a lecture series and engage students and faculty around areas of shared interest to both institutions. 

Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award

This award program, sponsored by the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation, recognizes members of the Duke community for their outstanding commitment to service.