Samantha Berlan
Duke Affiliation: Undergraduate, Senior
Graduation Year: 2025
Major: Earth and Climate Sciences & Environmental Sciences and Policy
Hometown: Miami, FL
Sam is a senior working towards Graduation with Distinction by conducting her senior thesis project through the PlanetLab. Her research focuses on analyzing changes in extreme temperatures across North Carolina counties over the past 50 years, using data to identify trends in maximum daytime and minimum nighttime temperatures.
Her work aims to inform localized governance strategies for extreme heat adaptation and mitigation. She’s passionate about environmental justice and her broader research interests lie at the intersection of climate policy and equity. After graduation, she plans to attend law school, and advocate for equitable environmental policies.