Notre Dame Research | News

On May 26, the Heritage and Research Center at Saint Mary’s College (HARC) will mark an important milestone when Bishop Kevin Rhoades of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend visits campus to bless the new collaborative archive before an expected gathering of about 100 guests. Though not yet…

The 181st University Commencement Ceremony will be held May 17 (Sunday) in Notre Dame Stadium for graduates and guests. During the ceremony, Soros will deliver the valedictory address and Elshoff will offer the invocation.

The University of Notre Dame’s 181st Commencement Ceremony will take place on Sunday (May 17) in Notre Dame Stadium.

Charlie Desnoyers is not your typical “legacy” student. Sure, his grandpa, Henry Desnoyers, was a Notre Dame alumnus. But to a young Desnoyers growing up in south suburban Chicago, Henry Thomas Desnoyers — “HT” to his friends — was just “Pop,” second-generation proprietor of Desnoyers Hardware, the oldest family-owned hardware store in South Dakota. “I didn’t realize he went to Notre Dame until I…

Carolyn Dell’s career path was ignited by a fireworks show. As a sophomore in high school, Dell’s father — who worked in theme parks entertainment — gave her the opportunity to program part of a fireworks show at Six Flags. Dell watched as her art lit up the sky and became the backdrop for a couple’s surprise engagement. That’s when she knew that, no matter what, she needed to continue making art…

When Notre Dame students go to access their course materials online, it’s highly likely their instructor is sharing them through the Canvas learning management system. The Canvas Legends Awards, sponsored by the Office of Information Technology’s Teaching & Learning Technologies team, place the spotlight on faculty turning that seemingly routine task into an art.

The University of Notre Dame’s iNDustry Labs continues its mission to establish and grow relationships with regional business leaders, and to find opportunities to collaborate with Notre Dame faculty, students, and Alumni. Industry Labs brings together faculty…

The University of Notre Dame has been recognized as a top producer of Gilman Scholars over the program’s first 25 years, ranking fifth among institutions with between 5,000 and 15,000 students. Notre Dame has had 283 Gilman Scholars since the U.S. Department of State-sponsored program was established in 2001, including 44 this year alone.

University of Notre Dame alumnus Paul Popiel, D.M.A., will return to his alma mater to lead the oldest continuously operating collegiate band in the country as Kenn and Pamela Ricci Director of Bands. In this role, Popiel will oversee the University’s band program through the Division of Student Affairs, and serve as a faculty member in the Department of Music through the College of Arts & Le…

As of Earth Day 2026, McCourtney East became the first building on campus to achieve LEED Platinum certification. Platinum is the highest possible rating that a building can achieve. Led by Senior Director and Associate University Architect Mike Daly with support from the BSA design team and construction…

To better understand what drives resilience, the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN) undertook a two-stage study focused on five countries: Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Colombia, and Haiti. The goal was to identify what strengthens a country’s adaptive capacity, what relevant measurements already exist, and where gaps remain.

Simon Brake, a third-year student at Notre Dame Law School, has been awarded first place in the Religious Liberty Student Writing Competition, sponsored by the J. Reuben Clark Law Society, for his paper, “Are Religious Nondiscrimination Clauses Religion-Neutral?” The competition promotes legal and academic scholarship in the field of religious liberty among second and third year law students. Bra…

The Institute for Social Concerns at the University of Notre Dame was honored to receive the Bridge Builder Award at the 39th annual community celebration and benefit dinner for Dismas House of Indiana(link is external) on May 2, 2026. The award recognizes an organization, group, or institution that has demonstrated a strong commitment to carceral engagement by providing partnership, education, v…

University of Notre Dame junior Veronica Bofah, of Charlotte, North Carolina, is among 20 recipients of a 2026 Key into Public Service Scholarship from Phi Beta Kappa. Bofah is Notre Dame’s sixth Key into Public Service Scholar since the program was established in 2020.

One day a few years ago, Jeff Harden set out to do something different — complete a research project alone. And it hasn’t been pretty. “It has been a very painful process,” Harden said. “It's almost been like using a lawnmower that needs to be oiled really badly.” Although the work has been arduous, it has also been deeply validating to the Andrew J. McKenna Family College Professor of Political …

On Tuesday, May 12, John T. McGreevy, the Charles and Jill Fischer Provost at the University of Notre Dame, announced the winners of the 2026 University faculty awards. “This year’s faculty award recipients represent the very best of Notre Dame through their outstanding achievements in teaching, scholarship, and service,” McGreevy said. “Their work strengthens our academic community and furthers …

What does it look like, as a student employee and leader, to embrace with intention and passion the University’s mission to “be a force for good”? …

Xavier Navarro Aquino, assistant professor of English, unexpectedly passed away Wednesday (May 6). He was 36. An acclaimed novelist and beloved teacher, mentor, and colleague, Navarro Aquino was a member of the Creative Writing Program and a faculty fellow of the Institute for Latino Studies and the Initiative on Race and Resilience. “Xavier's writing and artwork communicate with absolute clarity…

The University of Notre Dame’s Naughton Fellowship program has announced 24 student awardees in its 2026-2027 cohort. The Naughton Fellowship program allows students with a background in, or aptitude for, STEM fields to experience international research…

As an interdisciplinary academic institute, the Institute for Social Concerns leverages research to respond to the complex demands of justice and to serve the common good. This series, ReSearching for the Common Good, highlights some of the scholars in our community.