2025 year in review
How Notre Dame pursued breakthroughs for a world in need in 2025.
The University welcomed 2025 with our same steadfast commitment to becoming the Notre Dame the world needs: a leading global, Catholic research university for the 21st century. From research and scholarship that aid in advancing humankind, to the holistic formation taking place in the lives of our students, the year gave new life to the principles that have guided Our Lady's University for more than 180 years.
University
Recognizing a few of the people, programs and events that highlighted 2025.
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Led by the Notre Dame Institute for Ethics and the Common Good (ECG), this grant will fund the further development of a shared, faith-based ethical framework that scholars, religious leaders, tech leaders, teachers, journalists, young people and the broader public can draw upon to discern appropriate uses of artificial intelligence, or AI.
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The $150 million gift represents an unprecedented commitment in the 160-year history of American architectural education. In recognition of this landmark gift, the school will be renamed the Matthew and Joyce Walsh School of Architecture at Notre Dame.
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Over the next decade, both organizations will co-invest in research initiatives that span multiple colleges and disciplines, and allow Notre Dame’s faculty, staff and student researchers to work alongside Under Armour personnel to identify research questions and design solutions for impact on campus and beyond.
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The University of Notre Dame has been ranked as the world’s best theology, divinity, and religious studies program by the influential QS World University Rankings. This is the fourth time since 2020 the Department of Theology has received the No. 1 distinction.
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Two Western state governors known to work across the aisle on policy issues such as water, housing and energy will visit the University of Notre Dame for a fireside chat about how Western state pragmatism can serve as a model for the country to overcome polarization.
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The United States Department of Defense has honored the University of Notre Dame’s Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) as the nation’s top Navy collegiate program for the 2023-24 academic year. This comes after the Department of Defense, also called the Department of War, bestowed the same honor on the University’s Army ROTC program in May.
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The United States Department of Defense honored the University of Notre Dame’s Army ROTC Fightin’ Irish Battalion as the nation’s top Army collegiate program for the 2023-24 academic year. This will be the first time the unit has received the department’s Educational Institution Partnership Excellence Award, which recognizes the program’s achievements in recruiting, educating, training and commissioning leaders of character to be the next generation of military officers.
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Notre Dame Law School is launching a new Veterans Law Clinic, dedicated to providing free legal assistance to U.S. military veterans in matters such as disability claims and appeals.
Research
Discoveries made while seeking knowledge to aid in human flourishing.
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As one of America's leading research institutions, Notre Dame has long been at the forefront of finding answers to the most pressing questions facing our communities.
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A partnership between a Notre Dame engineer and a neurosurgeon at Beacon Health System's Memorial Hospital has led to a novel implant for spinal fusion surgeries. (2 minute watch)
Article
How a child’s simple request led to an extraordinary breakthrough in peanut allergy treatment.
Podcast
13 minutes
How do you improve hurricane forecasts? By studying one of the most powerful and destructive forces on Earth up close—where the ocean meets the atmosphere.
Podcast
14 minutes
In this podcast episode of Notre Dame Stories, discover how researchers are helping farmers detect disease before it spreads using an innovative electronic nose.
Podcast
41 minutes
By collaborating with policymakers, local leaders, and global networks, Notre Dame is bridging the gap between poverty research and real-world impact. Learn how Notre Dame is driving change—and why this work matters.
Podcast
32 minutes
Kathleen Kolberg, associate dean of the College of Science and assistant director of the Center for Health Sciences Advising, shares how Notre Dame helped set the standard for NICU design and care.
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When a reporter with the Sierra Club magazine asked Graham Peaslee, a physicist at the University of Notre Dame, to test several different samples of unused menstrual underwear for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in 2019, the results fueled concern over chemical exposure in feminine hygiene products — which ultimately ended up in a $5 million lawsuit against the period and incontinence underwear brand Thinx. Then in 2023, the New York Times asked Peaslee to test 44 additional period and incontinence products for PFAS, a class of toxic fluorinated compounds inherently repellent to oil, water, soil and stains, and known as “forever chemicals” for their exceptionally strong chemical and thermal stability. Measurable PFAS were found in some layers of many of the products tested — some low enough to suggest the chemicals may have transferred off packaging materials, while others contained higher concentrations, suggesting the chemicals were intentionally used during the manufacturing process. In the meantime, another group of researchers published a study that found PFAS in single-use period products, leading Peaslee and his lab to widen their investigation into all sorts of reusable feminine hygiene products — often viewed as an eco-friendly option by consumers. Now, the results of that study have been published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters.
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At 10 one-millionths of a meter wide, a single human cell is tiny. But something even smaller exerts an enormous influence on everything a cell does: proton concentration, or pH. On the microscopic level, pH-dependent structures regulate cell movement and division. Altered pH response can accelerate…
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A study in Science Translational Medicine found when patients take the drug nitisinone, their blood becomes deadly to mosquitoes.
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In partnership with the University of Notre Dame’s Poverty Initiative, the College of Arts & Letters has launched an interdisciplinary research endeavor aimed at building and disseminating evidence that will inform policy to strengthen families, support parents and improve child well-being. Led by Melissa Kearney, the Strengthening Families Research Initiative has developed an ambitious research agenda that will foster policy-relevant work by scholars in economics, psychology, anthropology and other disciplines.
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The world's largest polluters are also the safest from the environmental damage they help create — while the countries least to blame face the greatest threats, including the increased possibility of violent conflict. These findings, from a new study co-authored by a University of Notre Dame researcher, highlight inequalities that harm the Global South.
Global
Highlighting where Notre Dame met the world and where Notre Dame met the world.
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The Coca-Cola Company in North America has awarded a $2.5 million gift to the University of Notre Dame’s Urban Poverty and Business Initiative (UPBI). The initiative brings together universities and nonprofit organizations committed to alleviating poverty and helping low-income and underprivileged individuals launch and grow sustainable businesses. The gift will enable UPBI, housed within the University’s Keough School of Global Affairs, to expand its network of partner organizations across the United States and into Canada, including cities that will host the FIFA World Cup 26.
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When Emmanuel Katongole was growing up in rural Uganda, his family’s life centered on a three-acre plot of land where they grew coffee, beans, maize, bananas and other food crops. A nearby spring, accessible by a short trek down a forest path, provided ample water. Their parcel of land was small,…
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A recent intercultural encounter in Rome enabled Notre Dame students to learn about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by meeting and talking with people who have lived through it. The trip, which built upon a Notre Dame class and a related Notre Dame Forum Series, reflects the University's larger focus on civil dialogue and the empathetic, people-first approach it has taken to teaching and learning about the conflict.
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When Anaya was in third grade in a primary school outside Hyderabad, India, she was told she would have to arrive an hour before the other students each day to clean the classrooms and toilets. Once she reached her class, she was often isolated, bullied, and overlooked. Because she was born…
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The University of Notre Dame has joined the Global Coalition of Ukrainian Studies after signing a memorandum of cooperation, formalized Sept. 24, at the Ukrainian Institute of America in New York City. Notre Dame joined four other American institutions that were also publicly welcomed to the coalition at this event: Arizona State University, Columbia University, Manor College and the Shevchenko Scientific Society.
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Nearly half of the commitments outlined in Colombia's historic peace accord face significant challenges and may not happen in time unless policymakers make several key interventions, warns a new report from Notre Dame's Peace Accords Matrix. The report offers a blueprint to salvage an accord that has lagged behind its implementation deadlines, putting its legacy at risk. It highlights timely fixes that can strengthen the agreement.
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In recognition of its outstanding commitment to internationalization both on campus and across the globe, the University of Notre Dame has been selected to receive the 2025 Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization. Named for the late Sen. Paul Simon, a longtime proponent of international education, the award is given by NAFSA: Association of International Educators to honor excellence in integrating international education throughout all facets of university and college campuses.
Faith and service
Building bridges to understanding, connection and hope.
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In February 2024, Pope Francis met with the University of Notre Dame’s Board of Trustees at the Vatican for the final time.
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Laetare Medal winner Kerry Alys Robinson builds trust in the Church by meeting human needs.
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80 years after Hiroshima and Nagasaki: Notre Dame student reflections. (5 minute watch)
Podcast
20 minutes
G. Marcus Cole, Professor of Law at Notre Dame Law School, shares why protecting religious freedom—especially for minority and land-based faiths—is essential to safeguarding all human rights. Learn how Notre Dame is fighting for religious freedom in all its forms—and how future lawyers are learning to do the same.
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University of Notre Dame President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C. — accompanied by John Veihmeyer, Chair of the Board of Trustees, and his wife, Beth; Rev. Austin I. Collins, C.S.C., vice president for mission engagement and Church affairs; and Ann M. Firth, vice president and chief of staff — was received in a private audience by Pope Leo XIV on Friday (Nov. 14) in the Apostolic Palace.
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Notre Dame Law School students had a rare opportunity on Wednesday (April 30) to witness oral arguments before the Supreme Court of the United States for a high-profile case they have worked on through the Law School's Religious Liberty Clinic.
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On Monday evening (Dec. 1), Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., president of the University of Notre Dame, presided and preached at a Mass for immigrants and immigration reform at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. The Mass was held in response to a special message published Nov. 12 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, in which the bishops expressed opposition to “the indiscriminate mass deportation of people” from the U.S., as well as to recent comments by Pope Leo XIV.
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As the University of Notre Dame joins the Church and the world in mourning Pope Francis’ death, the University’s faculty experts reflect on his papacy, life and legacy.
Community/Region
Partnering with our neighbors to achieve mutual success.
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Joel Gibbs was about five years into his job as a maintenance technician at the University of Notre Dame when the message arrived in his inbox.
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Scott Jackson’s Acting Shakespeare class is a transformative experience.
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Today, the City of South Bend’s Redevelopment Commission pledged financial support for the development of Colfax Corner, a new 202,000-square-foot research and innovation hub led by Ancora in collaboration with the University of Notre Dame. Colfax Corner represents the first phase of the DTSB Tech and Talent District, and was envisioned by the Downtown 2045 Plan to serve as a catalyst for broader revitalization activities.
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The University of Notre Dame and Beacon Health System have announced a new, multiyear research collaboration. Through this agreement, Notre Dame and Beacon will jointly develop collaborative, health-focused research projects that are of interest to both organizations, particularly in the areas of oncology and health data.
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To help identify — and ultimately mitigate — heat islands in South Bend, a team of University of Notre Dame researchers has partnered with the city to collect data using a novel method: garbage trucks. Ming Hu, the associate dean for research, scholarship and creative work in Notre Dame’s School of Architecture; Jason Carley, an assistant professor of industrial design; and Siavash Ghorbany, a doctoral student in civil and environmental engineering, have designed and deployed sensors on the city’s fleet of garbage trucks that can continuously monitor and record data on temperature and humidity as the trucks complete their normal routes.
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B.A.B.E. store “shoppers” now have something new to help their families: free lead screening kits offered by the University of Notre Dame’s Lead Innovation Team.
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The University of Notre Dame has received a $3.7 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. in support of the Robinson Community Learning Center (RCLC) and its Talk With Your Baby program.
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The City of Gary and the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture’s Housing and Community Regeneration Initiative announced a “Vision and Action Plan” for downtown Gary during a news conference Tuesday (May 27). The final report serves as a roadmap for Gary’s leadership to follow to reestablish the city’s building culture.
What would you fight for?
A look at the stories featured this year in the University's award-winning campaign.
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Researchers at Notre Dame are improving hurricane forecast accuracy, giving officials time to evacuate and protect residents.
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An electronic nose developed by Notre Dame researchers is helping sniff out bird flu biomarkers for faster detection and fewer sick birds.
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The US has the highest maternal mortality rate of developed nations. An innovative postpartum care model from Notre Dame can save mothers around the globe.
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To better understand glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer, a Notre Dame researcher thought outside the box—and off planet Earth.
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Soccer opened doors for student-athlete Daniel Boateng, so he’s leveraging the sport to offer opportunities for kids in his native Ghana.
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Gary, Indiana, has been a song lyric, a cultural hub, a stigma, a city to rush past, but now it is poised to revitalize, thanks in part to Notre Dame's School of Architecture.
Year in photos
From the changing built environment to the changing seasons, every one of the 365 days of 2025 looked different. Notre Dame photographers have to be ready when the lightning strikes—sometimes literally!
