This episode of NDWorks Podcast was edited by Michael Wiens, with original music by Alex Mansour and additional music provided by Universal Production Music.

Located in newly renovated Bond Hall, CATE brings together academic services and student support that previously existed in separate offices across the Office of Undergraduate Education and serves students from every college and school. As a central hub for learning resources and academic engagement, CATE was created to help students become more active and intentional learners. CATE’s staff guide students throughout their academic journeys through individualized academic accompaniment, scholarly engagement, and learning resources, while also offering communities through peer-facilitated study groups and cohort-based scholars programs.

“CATE allows us to provide integrated academic support to better inform the minds and form the hearts of our undergraduate students,” said the Rev. Daniel Groody, C.S.C., vice president and associate provost for undergraduate education. “It creates a clearer path to discover the academic resources Notre Dame offers and a place where students can find support as their needs and aspirations evolve.”

The center is organized into three pillars: Undergraduate Learning and Academic Engagement Services, which includes the Learning Resource Center, the Academic Discernment and Exploration Office and the Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement; undergraduate scholars programs, cohort-based programs including AnBryce, Balfour-Hesburgh, Corde, Hesburgh-Yusko, Scott, Stamps Scholars and the Transformational Leaders Program; and Academic Services for Student-Athletes, which is housed in the nearby Coleman-Morse Center.

Bringing those services together allows a student to come to CATE with a question about today's coursework or a much bigger question about where their education might take them and access the support they need.

CATE does not replace the academic advising or other learning resources already available within Notre Dame's colleges and schools. Rather, its University-wide programs supplement those resources and make additional forms of academic support and engagement available to undergraduates across disciplines. Funding for the center was made possible by a generous gift from Brian Brady, ‘74, and Jeannelle Brady, ‘74 SMC.

“We want all students to see Bond Hall as a place they can return to throughout their undergraduate experience, whether they need help navigating a course, are discerning their academic direction, or are ready to pursue an ambitious new learning opportunity outside of the classroom,” said Andrew Hoyt, CATE’s newly appointed executive director.

The Office of Undergraduate Education will formally launch CATE with a campus-wide celebration from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9, in Bond Hall and on Bond Quad. Students, faculty, and staff are invited to explore the center, meet the staff, and learn more about CATE’s programs and services.

Originally published by Emily Monacelli Guzman at provost.nd.edu on September 04, 2026.

Kylemore Abbey and the University of Notre Dame at Kylemore Abbey proudly marked 10 years of their partnership during the Threshold Festival, a four-day celebration of literature, music, theatre, visual art, scholarship, and hospitality in the extraordinary setting of Kylemore Abbey.

The anniversary was marked with a special presentation from the Benedictine Community of Kylemore to Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., president of the University of Notre Dame, on Thursday, July 30. The presentation commemorated the first decade of a landmark 30-year agreement between Kylemore Abbey and the University of Notre Dame, which established the University’s global campus within the historic St. Joseph’s Wing of Kylemore Castle.

Since welcoming its first students in 2016, the University of Notre Dame Kylemore has become a vibrant hub for academic study, leadership development, research, retreats, workshops, and international events, developing meaningful connections between Ireland and the Notre Dame community.

This year’s Threshold Festival, themed “The Smiling Public Figure: Wit, Satire and Irony in W.B. Yeats,” brought together leading scholars, artists, performers, and cultural partners to explore Yeats’s work and legacy through performance, conversation, and creative encounters.

Festival highlights included the launch of the visual art exhibition Threading the Threshold: Care, Craft, and Celtic Revival, and an opening banquet celebrating Connemara hospitality. The weekend also featured live music in Kylemore's Gothic Chapel, including a performance by NoCrows and an intimate unplugged set from Steve and Joe Wall of The Stunning.

Academic and cultural programming featured leading voices in Irish studies, including Oxford historian and Yeats biographer Professor Roy Foster, who delivered a lecture on humour and Yeats; Professor Clemens Sedmak, director of the Nanovic Institute for European Studies, who spoke on "Learning from the Benedictines: Dignity, Flourishing, and Integral Human Development"; and Yeats postdoctoral fellow Eilís Smyth, who gave a talk on Shakespeare, Yeats, and the Lyric Theatre.

A major highlight of the weekend was the Abbey Theatre’s contribution to the festival programme. The Abbey Theatre presented a panel discussion, “You Have Disgraced Yourselves Again,” reflecting on Yeats, Lady Gregory, the Irish dramatic movement, and the continuing role of Irish theatre in shaping cultural life. The Abbey Theatre also presented a staged reading of Yeats’s The Green Helmet: An Heroic Farce in the Gothic Chapel, vividly bringing Yeats’s wit, mythic imagination, and theatrical energy to life.

The festival concluded with a special black-tie evening in partnership with Wexford Festival Opera, featuring Wexford Sings: Italy Through the Eyes of Yeats. The performance paired Italian opera by composers including Verdi, Puccini, and Rossini with Yeats’s poetry, creating a distinctive conversation between music, poetry, wit, and place.

Lisa Caulfield, director of Notre Dame Kylemore, said, “It was an amazing weekend in every sense—full of beauty, laughter, conversation, music, theatre, and friendship. I feel so grateful to be surrounded by such good people and such high-calibre artists, scholars, and partners. Their generosity, talent, and spirit made Threshold a very special celebration, and a fitting way to mark 10 years of Notre Dame Kylemore.”

As part of the anniversary celebrations, the Benedictine Community presented Fr. Dowd with a commemorative gift in recognition of the enduring partnership and the shared vision that has shaped the success of the Kylemore campus over the past 10 years. The celebration also included a special anniversary Mass with the Benedictine Community, celebrated by Fr. Dowd, marking 10 years of Notre Dame’s presence at Kylemore Abbey.

Reflecting on the milestone, Kylemore Abbey and the University of Notre Dame reaffirmed their commitment to continuing this unique collaboration, which brings together academic excellence, cultural exchange, and the Benedictine values of hospitality, community, and lifelong learning.

Speaking at the celebration to mark the anniversary, Abbess of Kylemore, Mother Karol O’Connell OSB, said:

“Since the foundation of our Benedictine Community in Ypres, Belgium in 1665, education has been at the heart of our mission. Generations of girls attended our schools, and today, through our Education and Retreat Centre, we continue to make Kylemore a place of learning. Our partnership with the University of Notre Dame is another mark of this commitment to education, and we look forward to the further flourishing of this partnership.”

Fr. Dowd, said:

"We are delighted to mark 10 years of partnership between Notre Dame and the Benedictine Community at Kylemore Abbey. As a global Catholic research university, we are grateful for the ways that the partnership has deepened our connectedness to Ireland and furthered our efforts to educate in ways that build bridges across disciplines, ideas, peoples, and cultures. We are deeply grateful for the vision of Martin and Carmel Naughton and of Mother Máire Hickey OSB who made this unique partnership possible. As we celebrate 10 years, we look forward to the future in a spirit of collaboration and partnership."

We remember the late Martin Naughton, whose vision and generosity were instrumental in bringing the campus to life. In May 2026, our Research Programmes Manager, Emma Kirner, interviewed Naughton about the University of Notre Dame Kylemore. Asked to describe it, he offered the following: “Notre Dame Kylemore is a spiritual place.”

Over the next two decades, Kylemore Abbey will continue to welcome generations of Notre Dame students, scholars, faculty, alumni, and visitors to the unique Connemara estate. Through this partnership, Kylemore will continue to strengthen its role as a place of learning, reflection, cultural exchange, and global engagement.

Media Contact: Lily Mansfield, lmansfi4@nd.edu

Originally published by Lily Mansfield at kylemore.nd.edu on August 20, 2026.

Notre Dame’s Center for Environmental Science and Technology (CEST) recently purchased a new x-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy instrument that significantly improves the center’s capabilities in surface chemistry analyses. The new installation builds on the analytical facility’s capabilities across chromatography, elemental analysis, and materials characterization, and supports CEST’s mission to foster interdisciplinary environmental research and education by providing access to and training on cutting-edge analytical technologies.

A non-destructive analytical technique, XRF detection gives researchers the ability to measure the abundance of chemical elements on the surface of solid samples without damaging them. A wide range of solid surfaces can be analyzed, ranging from rocks, soils, quantum dots, and even samples from museum paintings. The newly installed instrument, an Atlas Apex M by IXRF Systems, maps the distribution of elements on a surface or in a cross-section of a sample, and has applications for archeology, environmental engineering and science, and materials engineering and science, as well as nuclear chemistry, biology, and physics.

The Atlas Apex M is more sensitive than the facility’s previous XRF instrument and can analyze larger samples, in addition to being the only benchtop XRF on campus housed in a core facility.

“Our facility’s distinctive XRF capability brings together researchers from across many disciplines to conduct non-destructive elemental analysis, which is an important technique for research across the academy,” said Jeremy Fein, director of CEST and professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences.

CEST is also unique in that Notre Dame faculty, scholars, and students may use the instruments for class work and research without instrument-time charges. Each year, more than 200 Notre Dame researchers use instrumentation at CEST to advance their scholarship as well as to assist with course work, independent studies, and Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs.

“Our facility makes exploratory research more accessible since there’s less of a financial tradeoff in using the instruments,” said Jon Loftus, the center’s laboratory program manager. “We’re also able to spend more time on training, equipping students to tackle pressing research questions.”

At CEST, student researchers have complete control of their samples from sample preparation to data collection to analysis, and are invited to troubleshoot technical difficulties alongside the facility’s technicians.

“Students walk away with a deep knowledge of the instruments—how they work, the importance of troubleshooting and maintenance—not just the data,” Loftus said. “We’re able to train them as leaders in research with deep knowledge of ‘how,’ not just ‘what.’”

The new XRF complements the center’s elemental analysis instrumentation, which includes atomic emission spectroscopy and membrane inlet mass spectrometry; its capabilities in ion chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography; and its materials characterization capacities, including flow cytometry and Fourier-Transformed InfraRed (FTIR) spectroscopy.

CEST also houses a stable isotope laboratory, which includes four isotope ratio mass spectrometers for isotope measurement of organic and inorganic compounds and aqueous samples. The recent addition of sulfur isotope analysis augments the laboratory’s existing capabilities in hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen isotope analysis.

“We’re excited to see how our colleagues across the University find creative ways to employ the center’s instruments in the service of their various research endeavors,” Fein said.

To learn more about the research services available at the center, please visit the CEST website.

Contact

Erin Fennessy Lawlor / Writing Program Manager

Notre Dame Research / University of Notre Dame

erin.lawlor@nd.edu / +1 574-631-8183

research.nd.edu / linkedin.com/company/undresearch

About Notre Dame Research

The University of Notre Dame is a leading global Catholic research university located in South Bend, Indiana (USA). Inspired by its Catholic mission and founder Rev. Edward Sorin, C.S.C.’s vision for the University to be “one of the most powerful means for doing good” in the world, Notre Dame’s faculty and students pursue globally significant research, scholarship, and creative endeavor that advances discovery, fosters innovation, and drives lasting positive impact. For more information, please visit NDR's website or NDR's LinkedIn.

Originally published by Erin Fennessy Lawlor at cest.nd.edu on August 18, 2026.

“Randy is an outstanding teacher, scholar and administrator whose commitment to academic integrity and student development will serve the University well in this role,” Father Dowd said. “I am grateful to Randy for accepting this appointment and delighted that he will have the opportunity to work alongside Tricia in this period of transition. Tricia’s service in this role over the past 17 years has been exemplary. She has led the Faculty Board with her characteristic wisdom, integrity and dedication, and has also been extraordinarily influential on a national level at a time of dramatic change in college athletics, earning the deep respect both of her colleagues at Notre Dame and her peers at other institutions.”

Pete Bevacqua, vice president and James E. Rohr Director of Athletics, offered similar praise.

“We look forward to working with Randy as we pursue our mission to provide the best student-athlete experience in the country,” Bevacqua said. “Randy’s expertise and leadership make him a valued partner to athletics and a worthy successor to Tricia, who worked tirelessly and consistently to help Notre Dame lead in the college athletics space.”

“Randy is the perfect fit for this role,” Bellia said. “At this time of rapid change in intercollegiate athletics, Randy will ensure that our faculty has a voice in critical decisions and will uphold the University’s uncompromising commitment to the academic, athletic and personal growth of our student-athletes. I look forward to working with him in the months to come.”

A member of the Law School faculty since 2011, Kozel teaches and researches in fields including constitutional law, trademark law and contract law. He spent nine years serving as associate dean of the Law School and directs the Program on Constitutional Structure. He served on the Faculty Board on Athletics from 2019 to 2025, including as chair of its academic integrity subcommittee.

Kozel received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his J.D. from Harvard Law School. Before arriving at Notre Dame, he clerked at a federal court of appeals and at the U.S. Supreme Court, worked as a litigator in a law firm, and served as special counsel to the general counsel at General Electric Co.

“I’m honored to serve in this role and grateful to Father Dowd for his trust in me,” Kozel said. “I look forward to working with our outstanding faculty, coaches, athletics staff and University partners to ensure, as Pete Bevacqua recently described it, ‘the holistic success of our students in the classroom, on the field and beyond.’”

He added, “I’m fortunate to benefit from the guidance of Tricia Bellia, whose service as chair has been truly exceptional.”

The Faculty Board on Athletics serves as the principal advisory group to Notre Dame’s president on educational issues related to athletics. The board is composed of 15 members: seven elected from the University’s teaching and research faculty; four appointed by the president (three from the teaching and research faculty and one from the student body); and four ex officio members — the vice president for student affairs, the director of athletics, the director of academic services for student-athletes, and a representative from the president’s office.

The board ensures that the University’s athletics program operates in consonance with Notre Dame’s educational mission, gathers faculty input on critical decisions about Notre Dame’s athletics program, nurtures Notre Dame’s commitment to academic integrity within the athletics program, and promotes student-athletes’ welfare and educational success. Among its activities, the board monitors data on the admission of student-athletes and their academic performance, progress toward degrees and graduation rates. It also assesses the effectiveness of institutional support for student-athletes.

The board’s activities closely match the responsibilities of the NCAA faculty athletics representative, who also is expected to advise the president, to help shape University policies affecting student-athletes and to work with other University leaders to address matters of mutual concern regarding the academic opportunities, challenges and performance of student-athletes. The faculty athletics representative also functions as a principal link between the institution and the NCAA and the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Originally published by Erin Blasko at news.nd.edu on August 27, 2026.

According to Tony Polotto, senior director of construction and quality assurance in the Office of Facilities Design and Operations, the work was done by approximately 10 people from June through August. The goal? Support a healthier, more resilient, and more attractive campus landscape.

“Our director of landscaping brought the issue of invasive species overtaking the native plantings along the lake to our attention,” Polotto said. “This conversation led to a study and master plan to restore and provide ongoing upkeep to the shoreline.”

Removal of woody invasive species

Staff removed plants including white mulberry, as well as dead or dying willows, cottonwood, and white ash. Dead limbs in the canopy of the many black walnut trees along the southern shoreline were also removed. Invasive shrubs removed included Asian bush honeysuckle, autumn olive, privet, and Oriental bittersweet. During this process, workers carefully protected selected native shrubs—elderberry, redbud, willow, red-osier dogwood, and silky dogwood.

Next, five shallow aquatic shorelines were selected for enhancement following a detailed assessment of site conditions and long-term planting feasibility. Landscapers considered soil conditions, available planting shelves for saturated and shallow-water species, shoreline width and slope, aesthetic value, and existing tree and shrub canopy cover.

Plantings

Nearly 3,750 plants, consisting of 31 different species, were planted along the water’s edge. An additional 1,250 plants, comprising 15 species, were placed in select upland buffer areas. Establishing this emergent native vegetation—such as swamp milkweed, cup plant, swamp rose mallow, and joe-pye weed—along the shoreline of St. Mary’s Lake provides important ecological and shoreline stabilization benefits. These deep-rooted, moisture-tolerant species help bind shoreline soils, reduce erosion from wave action and runoff, slow and filter stormwater before it reaches the lake, and improve nearshore water quality.

“Their upright growth along the water’s edge also creates valuable habitat and cover for insects, birds, amphibians, and other wildlife, while their showy, nectar-rich flowers support monarch butterflies, native bees, hummingbirds, and other pollinators throughout the growing season,” Polotto explained. “Together, these plants create a resilient, biodiverse lakeshore buffer that enhances habitat value, improves aesthetics, and supports the long-term health of the aquatic ecosystem.”

Protecting the plants 

To help the newly planted vegetation become established, workers installed visible fencing and bright flagging, designed to discourage geese and other wildlife from consuming or uprooting the vulnerable plants during this early growth period. While these temporary protection measures may appear unsightly, they are purposeful and important to the success of the restoration. Look for the fences and flags to be removed in late summer or early fall, when the plants have had a chance to take hold along the shoreline.

“After the new plantings mature through the remainder of this year, the project will draw attention throughout the next growing season with colors that enhance the natural ecosystem of the lakes,” Polotto said. 

On Tuesday (Aug. 18), Pope Leo XIV appointed two University of Notre Dame faculty members, Emmanuel Katongole and Clemens Sedmak, as consultors to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. University Trustee Kathryn “Katie” Koch, president and CEO of TCW, a global investment management firm, was also named a consultor.

Katongole, a professor of theology and peace studies and director of the Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion; Sedmak, a professor of social ethics and director of the Nanovic Institute for European Studies; and Koch are among 12 new consultors from around the globe—and the only three selected from within the United States. They have been appointed for a five-year term.

Consultors may be religious or laypeople and are chosen “from among the faithful who are distinguished by their expertise, proven ability, and prudence,” according to the Vatican’s announcement.

“These appointments are a tremendous honor not only for Emmanuel, Clemens, and Katie, but for the University as a whole,” said Notre Dame President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C. “We congratulate them on their selection, and we are deeply grateful for the Holy Father’s recognition of their expertise and abiding commitment to the Church. We look forward to the ways their leadership and wisdom will guide the important work of the dicastery.”

Established by the late Pope Francis in 2016, the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development supports the Church’s worldwide efforts in the areas of human dignity and human rights, economic justice, care for creation, migration, and displacement, as well as peace, conflict, and humanitarian crises.

Katongole, who came to Notre Dame in 2013, holds a joint appointment in the University’s College of Arts and Letters and Keough School of Global Affairs. A native of Kampala, Uganda, and a priest of the Kampala Archdiocese, he is the founder and president of Bethany Land Institute, a residential agricultural institute that works with young people to realize the vision, spirituality, and practice of Laudato si’ in Uganda. Before joining the Notre Dame faculty, he served as an associate professor of theology and world Christianity at Duke University and was a founding co-director of the Duke Center for Reconciliation. He earned a Bachelor of Divinity at the Pontifical University Urbaniana in Rome, as well as a master’s in religious studies and a doctoral degree in philosophy from the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium.

Sedmak, a concurrent professor of theology, holds a joint appointment in Notre Dame’s Institute for Social Concerns and the Keough School. His research focuses on issues of poverty, justice, and the Catholic social tradition, as well as a collaboration with Notre Dame colleagues on the Church’s role in acclimating refugees into Italian society. A native Austrian, Sedmak holds a doctoral degree in theology from the Catholic Private University of Linz and doctoral degrees in philosophy and social theory from the University of Innsbruck. Prior to joining Notre Dame, Sedmak served as the F.D. Maurice Professor for Moral Theology and Social Theology at King’s College London. He also held multiple positions at the University of Salzburg and was president of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Social Ethics in Salzburg.

Koch, a Notre Dame alumna, was named a University Trustee in 2023. Prior to moving to TCW, she spent 20 years at Goldman Sachs in a variety of leadership positions, including chief investment officer of public equity. She graduated from Notre Dame in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts in economics and English.

Originally published by Carrie Gates at news.nd.edu on August 20, 2026.

The inaugural Notre Dame Arts Biennial, which runs January through June 2027, will feature more than 100 public events, including exhibitions, performances, community workshops, and guest artists slated to visit the South Bend area for a six-month festival of visual, literary, spatial, and performing arts. Most events are free to attend.

The biennial—thematically focused on the concept of symbiosis—is produced by the Notre Dame Arts Initiative and curated by Initiative Director Michael Schreffler and Managing Director Rebecca Struch.

“Notre Dame’s flourishing is deeply connected to the vitality of South Bend and its surrounding communities,” said University President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C. “The Arts Biennial exemplifies how the University’s commitment to the arts advances our Catholic mission by using creative expression to foster meaningful cultural exchanges and contribute to a thriving shared home.”

Highlights of the biennial will include a fireside chat with Maya Lin, a visionary artist and architect well-known for designing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC. Zadie Smith, author of the acclaimed novel White Teeth, and Sougwen Chung, widely regarded as a pioneer of artistic human-machine collaboration and one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in AI, are two featured speakers at the Franco Family Institute for Liberal Arts and the Public Good’s Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton Culture and the Public Good Symposium. Writer and photographer Cig Harvey will deliver the John J. Reilly Center for Science, Technology, and Values’s annual Ruskin Lecture. Claudia Bernardi, internationally known for her work in the fields of visual art, human rights, and social justice, will join for a weeklong residency bridging Notre Dame and South Bend.

“The Arts Initiative is a powerful catalyst that energizes creative inquiry and practice across the University,” said Schreffler, a professor of art history and associate dean for the arts in the College of Arts & Letters. “A massive undertaking like a biennial festival is made possible only through sustained partnerships with the many faculty and staff who bring research and teaching expertise to our public arts programming.”

The DeBartolo Performing Arts Center and Raclin Murphy Museum of Art also announced some of their signature biennial programming in partnership with the Arts Initiative. The 96-member National Symphony Orchestra will perform, led by esteemed music director and conductor Gianandrea Noseda, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago will perform at Notre Dame for the first time in nearly 20 years. The Raclin Murphy Museum of Art will unveil an expansive group exhibition of contemporary art, More Than: Artists in Collaboration for a Greater Good, which will remain on view to the public throughout the biennial.

Additional signature programming will be announced throughout the fall before the biennial’s opening in January.

“In our era of cultural fragmentation, the biennial’s inaugural theme of symbiosis is a radical invitation to re-examine our interconnectedness,” Struch said. “Together with more than 85 collaborating campus units and external organizations, we are actively cultivating an arts ecosystem rooted in accessible programming that brings people together.”

Alongside a roster of distinguished visiting artists, the biennial also features public arts programming connected to nearly 40 community and campus-led projects sponsored by the Arts Initiative. For some, this support helps enhance established contributions to the regional arts scene. Fischoff National Chamber Music Association, Notre Dame’s Department of Film, Television, and Theatre and Department of Music, New Industry Dance Company, Performing Media Festival, Sacred Music at Notre Dame, Shakespeare at Notre Dame, South Bend Civic Theatre, and South Bend Symphony Orchestra are all participating to continue bringing live music, dance, theater, and experimental performance to the region.

For others, Arts Initiative support provides critical resources to help launch new partnerships or new programs. The Robinson Community Learning Center and Notre Dame’s Department of Art, Art History, and Design have teamed up to design and install public art at Eddy Street Commons, which will be unveiled during the biennial. The Acting Ensemble; Equity in the Arts, an initiative of South Bend Venues Parks & Arts; Merrimans’ Playhouse; South Bend Community School Corporation; and South Bend Museum of Art are each launching arts education programs focused on cultivating the next generation of artists and audiences. The biennial also features regional collaborations beyond South Bend, including with Elkhart County’s Goshen College Music Center and Michigan City’s Lubeznik Center for the Arts.

Supported projects also reflect the biennial’s commitment to global artistic exchange. A guest artist residency with internationally prolific Chinese theater director Wang Chong will culminate in the English-language premiere of his acclaimed Lying Flat 2.0, an immersive, participatory theater work that integrates live-feed video projection and real-time use of AI. Qhapaq Qolla, one of the most influential dance troupes in the Peruvian Andes, will make its US debut in a weeklong residency at Notre Dame. A collaboration with Ukrainian Catholic University and ICONART Gallery in Lviv, Ukraine, brings an exhibition of contemporary Ukrainian sacred art and iconography to campus, and a collaboration with Notre Dame Global launches a new artist exchange program between Mexico City, Dublin, and South Bend.

For more information about the artists and events featured in the inaugural biennial, visit artsbiennial.nd.edu. Subscribe to the biennial newsletter and follow the Arts Initiative on Instagram and Facebook (@artsnotredame) for additional program announcements.

Contact: Erin Blasko, director of media engagement, 574-631-4127, eblasko@nd.edu

Originally published by Notre Dame News at news.nd.edu on August 18, 2026.

More than 100,000 people are awaiting an organ transplant in the United States, with a new candidate added to the list every 10 minutes. Even if the transplant is carried out successfully, recipients must take immunosuppressive medications, elevating their risk of broader infections, and adhere to a strict lifestyle for the rest of their lives—all while facing the possibility that their body could reject the donated organ at any time.

Scientists have been aiming to bioprint tissues and organs from a patient’s own cells for decades in an attempt to solve this problem. But a major obstacle to realizing lab-grown organs is replicating the scale and complexity of the body’s vascular networks, especially capillaries. These microvessels crisscross each organ to deliver oxygen and other nutrients to every living cell, making them an essential component of any useful bioengineered tissue model.

To overcome this central challenge, Yanliang Zhang, the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Collegiate Professor in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame, and colleagues have created a novel hybrid bioprinting technique that produces vascular networks containing capillaries fewer than 10 micrometers in diameter—smaller than that of the finest human hair. The work is detailed in a study that was featured on a recent cover of Nature Chemical Engineering.

“Printing blood vessels that mimic natural living systems is very difficult since the vessels vary in size,” Zhang said. “Getting the smallest vessels right, without losing scalability and structural integrity, has remained one of the greatest challenges to current state-of-the-art bioprinting.”

Zhang’s new approach integrates two distinctive 3D printing techniques and incorporates machine learning to autonomously optimize printing parameters for each desired vascular configuration. The hybrid method, developed in collaboration with Y. Shrike Zhang, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, produced stable one-, two- and three-dimensional vascular structures, which were then successfully lined with living cells.

“We’ve reached a major breakthrough in the field of bioprinting,” said Zhang, an affiliate of Notre Dame’s Berthiaume Institute for Precision Health and NDnano. “Achieving capillary-scale resolution in bioprinting is an important step towards engineering fully functional tissues and complete organs.”

Attaining such fine resolution required the harmonious integration of two complementary printing technologies. The matrix—a soft, gel-like scaffold that mimics real tissue—is printed by extrusion, a widely used method that uses pressure to dispense biomaterials one layer at a time. Once a section of the matrix is printed, thin threads of gelatin are deposited within by aerosol jet printing (AJP), which will eventually be removed to leave behind channels embedded inside the matrix.

Aerodynamic focusing using a sheath flow, a unique feature of AJP, enables dynamic adjustments and the printing of the channel sizes from hundreds of micrometers down to several micrometers, which mimic the varied architecture of natural vessels. Since small changes to the ink flow rate and sheath gas flow rate affect the ultimate size of the printed channel, the researchers developed and integrated a machine learning framework to efficiently determine the ideal combination of printing parameters for a given channel size.

“Machine learning is a very powerful tool that helps us to identify the optimal parameters much more quickly compared with the conventional trial-and-error method,” Zhang said. “Incorporating autonomous optimization has yielded a large boost in efficiency for realizing the desired quality and precision of the printed channels.”

Applied together, the hybrid printing approach successfully fabricated hierarchical vascular networks in one, two and three dimensions. Select channels were then seeded with endothelial cells, which line the body’s blood and lymphatic vessels, and yielded the formation of single-cell layers akin to those seen within living human tissues.

“We are very pleased to see living cells rapidly attach and spread along the inner walls of the channels, ultimately replicating the barrier function of real human capillaries,” Zhang said. “It’s a big step forward in showing that our hybrid-printed networks are capable of supporting living tissue structures without leakage."

Biomimetic tissue models such as Zhang’s offer a promising route for therapeutic discovery, in addition to regenerative medicine and organ engineering. By accurately mimicking human vascular networks down to the smallest capillaries, such platforms can serve as new “organ-on-a-chip” models to test drugs for safety and efficacy. Further, the use of patient-specific cells to form these models offers a potential path for personalized medicine, where therapeutic responses could be evaluated within the model system prior to full-scale treatment.

Zhang’s ultimate aim is to develop an autonomous, intelligent bioprinter to produce fully functional tissues and organs such as the heart, kidney and liver. In the near term, his research group and their collaborators at Harvard have secured new funding from the National Institutes of Health to design and build an even more powerful version of Zhang’s hybrid bioprinter and pursue the fabrication of lab-grown organs.

“There are so many people waiting for an organ transplant, and the ability to print organs in the lab has the potential to transform lives by helping humans to live longer and live healthier,” Zhang said. “We are not simply developing better technology, but shining light on a new future for organ transplantation and human health.”

This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health. The instrumentation and staff of several Notre Dame core facilities supported this work: the Analytical Science and Engineering core facility, the Center for Environmental Science and Technology, the Notre Dame Integrated Imaging Facility and the Materials Characterization Facility.

Contact: Brandi Wampler, associate director of media relations, 574-631-2632, brandiwampler@nd.edu

Originally published by Erin Fennessy Lawlor at news.nd.edu on August 11, 2026.

This episode of NDWorks Podcast was edited by Michael Wiens, with original music by Alex Mansour and additional music provided by Universal Production Music.

Scholars gathered in Rome to consider the intersection of religion and global politics, and a conversation in Jerusalem explored philosophy’s place in confronting complex societal issues. New undergraduate research students arrived in South Bend, Notre Dame families and alumni in Mumbai celebrated students preparing for a new chapter, and researchers in Brazil came together around shared scientific questions. Scroll on for a glimpse of the people, ideas, and unexpected moments that made July memorable across Notre Dame's global network.

DUBLIN

Notre Dame Dublin held its annual end-of-summer celebration for the Irish Internship Program at O’Connell House. The team was joined by the most recent cohort of interns, respective partners, and benefactors, bringing the 8-week program to a close. Across the two months, students were immersed in the work of their host organizations, working alongside Irish employees and gaining valuable, pragmatic experience, as one step in kick-starting their career trajectory.

ROME

Participants of the 2026 Rome Summer Seminars on Religion and Global Politics pose with Michael Driessen (pictured center), professor of political science and international affairs and director of the MA in international affairs at John Cabot University, who organized the program in collaboration with Notre Dame Rome. Drawing on Rome’s distinctive religious and geopolitical landscape, the two-week program brought together graduate students from around the world working at the crossroads of religion and global politics through public panels, expert lectures, seminars with leading international scholars and members of the diplomatic community, as well as site visits, writing workshops, and a policy dialogue. Photo credit: Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion, a valued partner of the Rome Summer Seminars on Religion and Global Politics.

MEXICO

Notre Dame Mexico concluded the 2026 Global Professional Experience (GPE) and Global Research Experience (GRE) programs in Mexico City. Over seven weeks, students took part in a wide variety of professional and research placements at places like AmCham/Mexico, the Mexico-United States Commission for Educational and Cultural Exchange (COMEXUS), and Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, among others—while immersing themselves in Mexico's culture and building connections with local partners and communities.

GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS

The second cohort of the International Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (iSURE) program arrived in July, kicking off eight weeks of research, professional development, and community building. The group of 44 students will gain hands-on research experience, working closely with Notre Dame faculty and graduate students on a variety of projects. Through a personalized and interdisciplinary approach to mentoring and academic immersion, the iSURE program aims to nurture each student’s personal, academic, and intercultural growth throughout their time on campus. 

JERUSALEM

Notre Dame Jerusalem hosted a conversation featuring Prof. Sari Nusseibeh and other distinguished panelists during the launch of The Scout: Philosophy and Us, which explores the practical application of philosophical thinking and methods to address deep societal challenges. 

MUMBAI

Notre Dame alumni, students, and parents gathered at the Novotel Hotel, Juhu, Mumbai for the annual Notre Dame Mumbai student sendoff. This year's incoming Indian students represent various parts of the country, including Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Mumbai—and will pursue majors in a wide range of disciplines, including architecture, biological sciences, business, economics, environmental sciences, and physics.

BEIJING

Beijing Summer students visited the American Chamber of Commerce in China (AmCham China) to learn about the US-China business environment and the Chamber’s work supporting the American business community in China. Through presentations and an interactive Q&A with Chamber leadership, students gained firsthand insights into business, communications, and cross-cultural engagement.

SÃO PAULO

Notre Dame faculty and researchers joined colleagues from Brazilian universities for a collaborative workshop on energy and chemical conversion at IQ-UNESP in Araraquara, Brazil. The gathering brought together Notre Dame’s David Go and Edward Maginn, visiting researcher José Balena Gabriel Filho, Notre Dame São Paulo Director Thais Burmeister Pires, and fellow researchers to exchange ideas and advance scientific collaboration.

SANTIAGO

Students in Notre Dame Santiago’s summer programs traveled to the Elqui Valley for an evening of stargazing. Known for its exceptionally clear skies and role in astronomical research, the valley offered students a chance to experience one of northern Chile’s most distinctive landscapes while learning more about the region’s connection to the night sky.

This photo gallery highlights some of the valuable interactions and experiences Notre Dame faculty, staff, students, and alumni have taken part in over the past month. The selection was curated by Notre Dame Global staff working on campus and in the University's 12 global locations. View past photo essays.

Originally published by Cory Hankins at global.nd.edu on August 07, 2026.

Notre Dame’s Data, AI, and Computing (DAC) Initiative outlines a multi-year, campus-wide effort to position the University as a trusted leader in emerging technologies. The Initiative convenes discussions and action for research, education and impact across colleges, schools, centers, and disciplines in support of Notre Dame’s broader strategic framework.

Directed by Nitesh Chawla, the Frank M. Freimann Professor of Computer Science and Engineering and the Lucy Family Director for Data & AI Academic Strategy, the DAC Initiative brings together several existing University strengths under a unified institutional structure. This new framework includes the Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society, the Scientific AI Initiative, and specialized labs in residence spanning fundamental research and interdisciplinary applications, also guided by the dimensions of responsible, inclusive, safe, and empowering (RISE).

Additionally, research software engineers and data scientists from the Center for Research Computing and the Applied Analytics & Emerging Technology Lab will form a new Deployment, Operations, Modeling, and Engineering (DOME) unit to support data and AI research across the University.

The effort reflects both the accelerating pace of AI adoption and the growing need for universities to prepare students for an economy and society increasingly shaped by data and computation.

“Data and AI-driven technologies are transforming nearly every sector of society,” said David Go, vice president and associate provost for academic strategy. “Notre Dame’s distinctive strength lies in combining technological fluency in these emerging tools with a Catholic intellectual tradition that integrates faith and reason for the common good.”

At the center of the Initiative’s educational efforts are the DAC curricular activities, which explore how data, AI, and computational approaches could be integrated into curriculum and learning across undergraduate and graduate education. The work includes evaluating new interdisciplinary courses and degree programs that complement existing offerings, as well as ensuring support for faculty innovation and establishing long-term structures that allow curricular growth to scale across departments and colleges.

During an Initiative-hosted Industry Leaders Roundtable, University faculty and industry professionals convened to discuss the urgent need for graduates to have technical fluency combined with durable skills like adaptability and communications to navigate an increasingly AI-driven career pipeline.

“Through our conversations with industry leaders, we’re hearing a consistent message: AI is becoming part of nearly every role and every industry,” said Corey Angst, the Jack and Joan McGraw Family Professor of IT, Analytics, and Operations. “That’s why Notre Dame is expanding opportunities for students to build AI and analytics skills while also strengthening the critical thinking, communication and ethical judgment that employers continue to value most.”

The University's expanding AI curriculum includes a new undergraduate minor in AI Analytics in Business, launching through the Mendoza College of Business in fall 2026.

Signature programs such as the Interdisciplinary Training and Research for Ethical Data Science, Research, Analytics, Data Innovation, and New Technologies, and the AI Leaders of Tomorrow provide students with technical data science training alongside opportunities to examine the ethical and societal dimensions of emerging technologies.

Beyond curriculum development, the Initiative supports a research ecosystem of working groups spanning RISE AI, foundational methods, AI-enabled science and engineering, computational social science, health, and digital humanities. Several of these working groups also contribute to research discussions that work to leverage AI to reduce poverty, improve sustainability, address health access, and promote democracy.

“Data, AI, and computing are already shaping the future,” said Chawla. “Through the DAC Initiative, we’re helping shape that future with purpose by uniting expertise across disciplines to advance discovery that serves society, prepare students for an AI-enabled world, and ensure that technological progress remains responsible and deeply human.”

For more information about the Data, AI, and Computing Initiative, visit data-ai-computing.nd.edu.

Contact: Brandi Wampler, associate director of media relations, 574-631-2632, brandiwampler@nd.edu

Originally published by Christine Grashorn at news.nd.edu on July 29, 2026.

Those who win CAREER Awards have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization, according to the NSF. Each awardee at Notre Dame received more than half a million dollars in funding to support their research.

“We are thrilled to celebrate this latest cohort of CAREER Award recipients. Their forward-thinking research reflects Notre Dame's unwavering commitment to discovery that serves the common good,” said Jeffrey F. Rhoads, the John and Catherine Martin Family Vice President for Research and professor in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. “We appreciate that the National Science Foundation is supporting these high-impact research projects.”

Below are Notre Dame’s 2026 awardees, along with brief descriptions from their abstracts:

Hsing-Ta Chen, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Science, will pioneer approaches to harness the interaction between light and molecules to power the next generation of energy and quantum technologies with his project, “Novel Theoretical Tools for Dynamics of Interacting Light-Matter Systems.” Light and molecules are constantly exchanging energy at the quantum scale across complex environments, such as inside tiny mirrors or near metal surfaces. His research group will develop methods that allow scientists to understand and predict how molecules behave in these complex environments.

Saurja DasGupta, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Science, is seeking to understand the earliest chemical reactions and molecules involved in the first living cells for his project, “Reconstructing Primordial Life of the Lost RNA World.” Early life is thought to have used RNA as its genetic material as well as its enzymes. His research group aims to understand how RNA molecules could have facilitated the emergence of the first self-replicating cells. This project addresses this fundamental question by building simplified models of primitive cells, or protocells, in the laboratory.

Meenal Datta, the Jane Schoelch DeFlorio Collegiate Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering in the College of Engineering, will investigate cancer with her research, “Mechanisms of Tumor Growth-Induced Immunomechanical Dysfunction.” The work is part of a newer area of research called immunomechanics, which lies at the intersection of mechanobiology and immunology. Her project investigates how these physical forces interfere with the ability of immune cells to find and destroy cancer cells, ultimately allowing tumors to grow unchecked. By uncovering how mechanical forces disrupt the immune system, this work addresses a fundamental gap in understanding how biology and physics interact in human health.

Kaiyu Fu, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Science, will develop new chemical measurement tools that seek to help scientists detect and distinguish closely related small molecules in complex environments with his work, “Integrating Nanoconfined Interfaces and Aptamer Switches for Autonomous, Electrochemical Imaging of Chemical Analogs.” Many important molecules in medicine, biology, environmental monitoring, and manufacturing differ only slightly in structure, making them difficult to measure selectively in real time. The project would create electrochemical sensor platforms that use nanoscale materials and molecular recognition switches to identify chemical analogs without relying on large laboratory instruments.

Petr Stepanov, assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Science, will study new types of materials, known as moiré materials, created by stacking extremely thin layers of matter with precise alignment and leading to unusual and potentially useful electronic behavior in his project, “Towards a Unified Optical View of Strong Correlation in Moiré Quantum Matter.” These new types of materials can switch between conducting, insulating, and superconducting states — properties that are important for future technologies but remain poorly understood. The research combines optical and electrical measurements to probe how these materials respond to energy and heat at very small scales, providing insight into how their internal structure governs their macroscopic behavior.

Established in 1995, NSF CAREER Awards currently support 34 active research projects at the University of Notre Dame. To learn more about the program, visit the NSF’s information page.

Originally published by Deanna Csomo Ferrell at research.nd.edu on August 05, 2026.

In 2027, Habitat has opportunities to build homes in South Bend and Mishawaka. Applicants are selected based on their demonstrated need for housing, ability to pay an affordable mortgage, and willingness to partner with Habitat and complete the program requirements.

Participating families work alongside volunteers to build their own homes. They also volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and participate in Habitat-sponsored homeownership classes. In doing so, they qualify for down payment assistance and competitive lending terms through Habitat and a local bank.

Habitat houses are quality, energy-efficient homes that range in size—between 1,200 to 1,400 square feet—and include three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a full basement, and a one-stall garage. Projected mortgage payments will not exceed 30 percent of a family’s gross income.

Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County is an equal housing opportunity lender and nonprofit that offers home ownership opportunities to people of low to moderate income who have been priced out of the housing market due to rising real estate prices and narrow access to lending.

Note: Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County will select program participants based on its qualifying criteria. The opportunity to build with Habitat is not reserved for University of Notre Dame employees, and the University is not offering loan or other home ownership assistance to its employees.

The annual ceremony recognizes those who go above and beyond to protect Our Lady’s University, from split-second lifesaving actions in high-stress emergencies to quiet, daily moments of mentorship across campus.

Emceed by Angelo Di Carlo of Sports Michiana, the evening brought together safety personnel and university leaders to celebrate a year of dedicated service and deep community partnerships. Key leaders including Mike Seamon, Vice President for University Events, Operations and Safety, and Tim Sexton, Associate Vice President of Public Affairs, highlighted the vital connection between campus safety and the broader Notre Dame family.

Associate Vice President for Campus Safety and Chief of Police Keri Kei Shibata reflected on the quiet dedication that drives the Police and Fire teams every single day:

"The annual awards are about celebrating major, historic accomplishments... but I also want to shine a light on the vast amount of incredible work that goes unseen, the daily, quiet acts of vigilance and kindness that happen in the middle of the night. It's the small anomalies you notice that keep all our systems working to keep our people safe," said Chief Shibata.

Here are the honorees of the 2026 Notre Dame Police and Fire Department Awards:

Higher Learning Award

• Darrian Holloway

Student Choice Award

• Wesley Ritchie

• Kelly Lamberson

• Anne Schnura

Irish Spirit Award

• Gregory Miller

• Wesley Ritchie

The Golden Dome Award

• Jennifer Rice

• Morris Inn Team: Brandan Lee, Analyn Nail, Nicole Young, Kim Shelton, Milo Secrest, Janet Cervera, Yesenia Cruz, and Nicole Rouhselang

National Defense Award

• Ashleigh Newland

The Emergency Operations Award

• Alexis Schleer

• Diana Scott

• Rebecca Kruzel

• Jacob Hosler

Operational Excellence Award

• Cody Conwell

• Michele Kirk

• Josh Gobel

• Augie Freda

• Kory Ingole

• Tammy Ludwig

Lifesaving Award

• Jill Schmidt

• Tamera Schelle

• Stephanie Palmer

• Nicholas Bailey

• Sean Killelea

• Jason Fischer

• Benjamin Mecyssine

• Cole Huth

• Mike Holdeman

• Anne Schnura

• Brennen Snedeker

• Matthew Stantz

• Richard Franco

• Corey Cole

• Kristen Ortega

• Austin Centers

• Wesley Ritchie

Excellence in Leadership Award

• Steven Stouder

• Matt Barr

Chief's Achievement Award

• Detective Sergeant Kris Hinton

• Stephanie Katzelis

• Scott Combs

Community Service Award

• Tamera Schelle

Communications Dispatcher of the Year

• Abigail Chupp

The AVP Pillar of Service Award

• Ashley Kauble

Notre Dame Police Department Civilian Employee of the Year

• Brady Ruffing

Notre Dame Police Officer of the Year

• Officer Nicholas Bailey

On-Call Firefighter of the Year

• Cole Huth

Firefighter of the Year

• Carly Hattery

Fire Employee of the Year

• Ashley Kauble

Originally published by Molly Di Carlo at police.nd.edu on July 29, 2026.

A summer evening filled with tacos, ice cream, live performances, and games became something much bigger at the Robinson Community Learning Center (RCLC).

Held July 17, the annual Cops and Community event brought together more than 250 community members, including 14 South Bend police officers. Understanding the value of positive interactions, officers spent the evening playing games with local families, while building relationships with neighbors.

"My two officers that learned to play gaga ball ended up having more fun than the kids," joked South Bend Police Chief Scott Ruszkowski. "And they didn't need worker's comp when they were done!"

Ruszkowski said the event gives officers an opportunity to interact with residents outside of their everyday roles.

"Just like police, we know the Robinson Center works on behalf of the community all the time," he said. “It's such a great, stress-free environment for our officers to interact with the community. It's an opportunity to get to know the community, and our cops love it."

Twenty-four AmeriCorps members helped lead activities throughout the evening, while campers in RCLC's summer theater program entertained the crowd with a preview of their upcoming production of Señorita Mariposa.

For parents, the event reflected what makes the RCLC a special place.

"The event at the Robinson Center was really just what community is all about," said Michael Griffin, whose daughter attends camp. "To see the kids from the camps singing, local nonprofits and the police all enjoying a great evening—even in the heat—was what makes this community great."

Elisa Campos Duarte, whose two sons attended camp this summer, said the evening mirrored the positive experience her family has enjoyed the past few months.

“The sports are great and the teachers are amazing," she said. "I love seeing all these families out supporting our kids. My boys want to come back next summer!"

For Clare Roach, associate director of the Robinson Community Learning Center, events like Cops and Community embody the center's mission of bringing people together.

"These kinds of events are exactly what the Robinson Center does best—building bridges throughout our community," Roach said. "Positive interactions between our South Bend police officers and our families help strengthen relationships that last long after the evening ends."

The event was made possible through the generous support of Notre Dame Federal Credit Union, which underwrote the evening as part of its ongoing partnership with RCLC. Red Ball Tennis and USTA also provided nets, balls, and rackets for the event, as well as the training for staff. Families enjoyed tacos from Frankie's Tacos, ice cream from The Paddy Shack, and shade provided by Notre Dame Gameday Events—all local NDFCU members who helped bring the community celebration to life.

Photos provided by Matt Cashore, University Photographer

Originally published by Colleen Wilcox at publicaffairs.nd.edu on July 22, 2026.

As the University of Notre Dame’s Democracy Initiative approaches its fourth year, Inaugural Director David Campbell, the Packey J. Dee Professor of American Democracy, is preparing to transition leadership of the initiative to renowned political scientist Ken Kollman, the Dr. William M. Scholl Professor of Politics in the Department of Political Science and the Keough School of Global Affairs. Kollman began a six-month term as director-designate on July 1 and will formally take over as Democracy Initiative director on Jan. 1.

“David Campbell has done a superb job as founding director — developing a vision, building partnerships and turning an early idea into a thriving, University-wide endeavor,” said John T. McGreevy, the Charles and Jill Fischer Provost. “Under his leadership, the Democracy Initiative has advanced cutting-edge research, supported the recruitment of excellent scholar-teachers, expanded opportunities for students, helped realize a transformative $55 million gift for the Rooney Democracy Institute, and convened thought leaders to tackle urgent and complex challenges to democracy around the world.”

The Library of Congress recently named Campbell to the Kluge Chair in American Law and Governance, a prestigious research appointment focused on legal, constitutional and political issues related to the institutions of American government. During the spring 2027 residential appointment, he will make use of the world’s largest law library and the Library of Congress’ unique collection of manuscripts on the formation and development of the American Republic, and take advantage of opportunities to participate in ongoing dialogue with political leaders on matters of importance to civic life.

Kollman, an alumnus of Notre Dame, joined the faculty in January after 32 years at the University of Michigan. His distinguished record of scholarship includes award-winning books and journal articles, more than $47 million in external research funding, and key contributions to the development of major publicly available datasets used by researchers around the world.

“I’m confident that Ken Kollman is the right choice to lead the Democracy Initiative into this next chapter,” McGreevy said. “He is a leading scholar in both American and comparative politics, a gifted teacher, and an experienced administrator who has served in numerous leadership roles at Michigan, including as the director of the International Institute and director of the Center for Political Studies.”

Democracy was one of the first three campus-wide initiatives launched as part of “Notre Dame 2033: A Strategic Framework.” It works to renew the strength of democracy in the U.S. and around the world by advancing rigorous research, preparing students for civic leadership and convening influential voices across political divides.

Together with his team, Campbell, who was recently elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, launched the successful Democracy Talks series, created an undergraduate Democracy Fellows program and created the Democracy Catalyst grant program. To date, the program has funded nearly 70 faculty and graduate student projects that will produce dozens of new books, articles, convenings and courses on the subject of democracy. He also worked to build deeper connections between the Rooney Institute and the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, as well as other democracy-related institutes, centers and programs across campus. Learn more at go.nd.edu/democracy.

Originally published by Kate Garry at news.nd.edu on July 22, 2026.

More than 3.4 million American children, or about 6 percent of the school-age population, now learn at home, and that group has grown at nearly three times the pre-pandemic rate. Homeschooling is also increasingly popular in countries including Canada and the United Kingdom, as more parents look to customize educational options for their children.

A new study co-authored by University of Notre Dame researcher Mohammad Rashidujjaman Rifat shows how artificial intelligence can empower parents to be engaged educators who tailor curriculums and learning plans that meet their children’s needs.

The study was published in the 2026 proceedings of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, the flagship conference for researchers working in human-computer interaction.

“School-centered platforms optimize for classroom control, standardized pacing and scale, but homeschooling families often prioritize adaptable routines, value-aligned materials and community-based support,” said Rifat, assistant professor of tech ethics and global affairs at Notre Dame’s Keough School of Global Affairs. “We wanted to build something that keeps parents in control as reflective partners who shape what their children actually learn.”

Rifat and his colleagues designed a digital platform powered by a large language model. Their goal was to accommodate a diverse cohort of homeschooling families whose needs range from academic flexibility and cultural alignment to school safety concerns. During the study, they worked with Muslim families in the greater Toronto area, evaluating the platform’s usability and overall effectiveness from April to July 2025. Over time, they hope to work with larger groups in multiple communities.

Researchers designed the platform, called Homeroom, around three goals: supporting parents as active participants who shape their children's education; promoting culturally responsive personalization to help families create identity-affirming learning environments; and facilitating parents’ collaboration within a trusted circle of fellow homeschoolers.

The tool’s workflow enabled participants to brainstorm, create and refine stories for their children’s ethics education and to craft curriculums that incorporated family heritage and cultural norms alongside age-appropriate educational standards.

Findings underscore need for agency, representation

Researchers found that parents embraced a trust-but-verify approach, wanting to preview and edit educational materials before sharing them with their children. That desire for control was especially evident around cultural representation.

Some parents used the platform to fill gaps in available materials, generating stories that reflected their children’s cultural identities. One participant said she would use the tool primarily because heritage stories are difficult to find in libraries and too costly to keep buying. Parents appreciated being able to adjust tone, setting and cultural motifs including familiar foods, holidays and everyday customs until a story felt right for their child.

They also identified a need for precision around cultural values. When one participant asked the platform to generate stories emphasizing humility, she received moralizing narration rather than what she had in mind, which was a set of concrete, everyday practices her children already knew, such as sitting on the floor to eat. The experience pointed to a broader finding: Generic value labels are not enough. Families needed tools to define what those values actually look like in their household.

Researchers also found that participants preferred small, intimate groups over broad forums, which they found made it easier to ask sensitive questions and receive practical feedback. Parents wanted to follow trusted peers, adapt shared lessons while providing clear attribution and retain the option to monetize original content.

In addition, parents asked for tools to reduce administrative workload, including reusable rubrics, a portfolio generator and connections to local events that could feed directly into student records.

Addressing a larger challenge in human-AI collaboration

The study is a natural extension of Rifat’s broader research agenda, which examines how AI can move beyond one-size-fits-all design to better serve diverse communities with distinct cultural needs and values.

It also addresses the concern that AI risks being sycophantic and simply reinforcing what the user already believes. While that risk is real, Rifat said, well-designed personalization can create space for communities to encounter difference rather than avoid it. Homeroom included features that exposed children to materials from outside their own background precisely for that reason.

“One of the critiques I hear is that we’re building echo chambers,” Rifat said. “But personalization is already happening whether we like it or not. The question is whether we design it in a way that brings communities together or drives them further apart.”

Rifat co-authored the study with Ayla Khan, a student at the University of Toronto Mississauga; Nouran Yahya, a student at the University of Waterloo and a research assistant at the University of Toronto Mississauga during the study; and Samar Sabie, assistant professor at the University of Toronto. The study received funding from the Urban Challenge Grant program at the University of Toronto’s School of Cities.

In addition to his role at the Keough School, Rifat holds a concurrent appointment in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering within Notre Dame’s College of Engineering. He is also a faculty affiliate of the Keough School’s McKenna Center for Human Development and Global Business, Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion and Pulte Institute for Global Development as well as Notre Dame’s Institute for Ethics and the Common Good and Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society.

Originally published by Josh Stowe at keough.nd.edu on July 20.

Contact: Tracy DeStazio, associate director of media relations, 574-631-9958 or tdestazi@nd.edu

When people hear about Greg Bond’s role at Notre Dame, they often assume it’s mainly about football. It’s not.

Bond is the first formal sports archivist in the University of Notre Dame Archives and also curator of the Joyce Sports Research Collection housed in another Hesburgh Library unit, Rare Books & Special Collections.

His duties include maintaining Notre Dame sports-related materials in the archives and overseeing the Joyce collection, a vast assemblage well known among sports scholars. It’s one of the largest sports-history collections in the world and features books, periodicals, photographs and other items.

The University started acquiring non-Notre Dame sports-related materials in the 1960s, long before many people considered athletics a topic for serious research. “Notre Dame got a really good head start on gathering important sports-historical collections: books, ephemera and manuscripts,” says Bond, who joined the University in 2022. Scholars come from all over to delve into the materials.

The collection includes such rare artifacts as former player and sportswriter Sol White’s 1907 History of Colored Base Ball, a fragile volume documenting early Black baseball and its players; “Going to a Fight,” an 1819 hand-painted British scroll, about 13 feet long, which depicts people heading to watch a boxing match on a town green; and a 1950 Jackie Robinson doll in a Dodgers uniform.

Read more. 

Originally published by Notre Dame Magazine at weareall.nd.edu on July 28, 2026.