James will graduate from Duke University with a degree in civil engineering and a minor in economics. He spent much of his time as an undergraduate involved with Duke Engineers for International Development, helping to design and construct vehicular bridges in Uganda and West Virginia. As a Bass Connections fellow, he has worked on developing a seismic monitoring and notification system to provide early warning for earthquakes in Nepal. James plans to pursue an MSc in Operational Research at the University of Edinburgh followed by an MSc in Transport and City Planning at University College London.