Exploring North Carolina’s Crystal Coast

While most Duke students spent their spring break catching up on sleep on campus, traveling, or visiting family, twenty undergraduates chose to expand their intellectual horizons at the Duke Marine Lab. Their trip to Duke’s coastal campus at Beaufort, N.C. was part of the 2025 Spring Breakthrough program, Exploring North Carolina’s Crystal Coast led by Jodi Psoter, the Duke Marine Lab librarian.

Over four days, students stayed at Pivers Island, home to the Duke Marine Lab. They enjoyed field trips to marine science and historical points of interest in downtown Beaufort and the surrounding Crystal Coast areas.

First-year Dishita Agarwal appreciated the multi-disciplinary nature of the program, sharing, “Because we did both science and history, there was a lot of intersection between science, policy, and social sciences. I’ve always been interested in doing both humanities and science at the same time, and I learned a lot this week about what actual work is going on in science and how it’s not isolated or in their little dream world. They’re still being affected by the national conversation.”

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Program participants visited the Bonehenge Whale Center, where they experienced hands-on demonstrations about whale anatomy and learned from center director Keith Rittmaster about the current state of whale conservation efforts along the North Carolina coast.

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Students got a behind-the-scenes tour of the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. They met various marine denizens up close, including baby seahorses and cold-shocked sea turtles. They even fed the sharks and fish in the largest display tank and watched the water roil with scales, snapping jaws, and flashing fins.

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Tom Schultz, Associate Professor of the Practice of Marine Molecular Conservation, took the students on the R/V Kirby-Smith skiff to the Duke Aquafarm, where he and student volunteers grow and farm oysters. The Spring Breakthrough students tasted aquaculture both figuratively and literally as they harvested the creatures standing hip-deep in the ocean and shucked and sampled the fresh oysters.

Students did not need to be Marine Science and Conservation majors to find value in the experience. “I think it’s good to get perspective no matter what kind of career path you’re looking at," shared Charlotte Lee, a senior majoring in biomedical engineering. "I didn’t know much about environmental science or marine biology going into the program, but it was good to broaden my knowledge base. I could see connections between what I was learning and things I had learned in my major coursework.”

The program also introduced students to the vibrant past of Crystal Coast cities, and it proved to be an unexpected highlight for many. A local guide recounted tales of the colorful and sometimes tragic lives of the people buried at Beaufort’s old burying grounds, and a park ranger at the Fort Macon State Park illuminated the Fort’s history and strategic importance through the Civil War and World Wars.

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“Fort Macon was probably one of my favorite parts of the trip,” said first-year Garrett Simons. “The history was so interesting, and it was such a nice, beautiful place with a beach and the fort right on the water.”

The natural beauty of Pivers Island and the nearby beaches was a reset in and of itself. The sight of dolphins arcing over the waves sent students running to the shore’s edge, and the promise of spotting wild horses was enough to rouse students before daybreak. Whether it was a quiet moment at the boat dock at dawn or finding a shell while beachcombing, every facet of the experience was savored.

It was the sum of these small moments that had the biggest restorative effect on students. “Just having the time to watch the sunrise, look at the dolphins, and reach a meditative state has been really nice," noted junior Sophia Yang, "I definitely feel the change even after spring break. I feel more refreshed and reset so I can do my homework again.”

This year’s program also united students into a rare and precious community. “You don’t really get to meet upperclassmen, and they’re usually in a mentor role if you do,” shared first-year Skylar Noël. “Since this program mixed all the different classes together, I was able to connect with some upperclassmen and get their perspective from ‘the other side of the road.’ It really put things into perspective for me and reassured me to know that it’s okay, I have time to figure this out.”

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Skylar added, “Additionally, as somebody who kind of struggles to network and socialize on main campus, I feel like I’ve made some connections after coming on this trip. We’re already planning on hanging out on main campus.”

As the program drew to a close, and students began loading up the bus to make the three-hour drive home, Sophia echoed Skylar’s thoughts on the group’s bond. “It’s really hard to find people to play board games with on main campus. But, since we’ve been in an environment here where we’re pulled away from studying and have enough free time, we’ve been able to come together and play with each other. There have been talks about maybe continuing back on main campus,” Sophia said, smiling. “I know there are at least plans to meet up for dinner tonight.”