The Duke Forest is pleased to welcome Lige Nie as the 2026 Bruce and Ginny Roberts Duke Forest Intern!
Lige is pursuing a Master of Forestry and a Master of Business Administration at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment and Fuqua School of Business. Her forestry coursework includes Forest Measurements, Dendrology, Silviculture, Forest Ecosystems, GIS, and the Duke Forest Practicum, where she has worked closely with Duke Forest leadership to deepen her understanding of the Forest’s multifaceted mission of teaching, research, stewardship, and community engagement.
Before coming to Duke, Lige worked at McKinsey & Company, advising clients on sustainability and climate transition strategies across industries, including energy, insurance, and carbon capture technology. She has also contributed to biodiversity and sustainability initiatives through internship and consulting roles at JLL, Shell, and Verenovo Energy.
In addition to her professional experience, Lige has engaged in hands-on agricultural and land management work, including soil surveys, produce harvesting, tree seed harvesting at Duke Campus Farm and Duke East Campus, and volunteer work at organic farms in Europe. She currently serves as the Career Development Chair with Duke’s Society of American Foresters chapter.
Lige shared that her interest in forestry grew from a desire to pair sustainability strategy with practical, field-based land management experience. She was drawn to the Roberts Internship opportunity for its immersive experience with forestry operations and mentorship opportunities with Duke Forest staff.
“This internship is an ideal opportunity to develop well-rounded forestry skills while understanding how ecological, operational, and community considerations intersect in practice,” Lige said.
As the Roberts Intern, Lige will support a wide range of forest management activities throughout the summer, including field operations, inventory work, infrastructure and boundary maintenance, and stewardship initiatives across the Duke Forest. We are excited to have Lige on the team this summer and to support her continued growth as an emerging forestry professional.