Mission-driven research and scholarship

Fighting for nonverbal communication. Championing a human-centered approach to AI. Notre Dame is compelled by its faith mission to pursue breakthroughs for a world in need.

A close-up of the top of the University of Notre Dame's Golden Dome, featuring a dark cross with Celtic knot details above the letters 'N.D.'

Faith at Notre Dame serves as a bridge to understanding, connection and hope. It informs the questions we ask, and how we pursue the answers. And it is evident in many places, from the campus chapels and residence hall Masses to the discoveries we make that aid in human flourishing.

Article

Fighting for nonverbal communication

Notre Dame researchers are developing AI technology designed to help caregivers interpret the nonverbal communication of people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities.

A grandfather kisses the forehead of his granddaughter in a wheelchair wearing sunglasses as they share a quiet, affectionate moment outdoors.

News

Assisting caregivers using social robots

Notre Dame’s Human-Centered Analytics Lab to show how robots might assist caregivers during a Shamrock Series presentation.

Close-up of an elderly person's hands holding a small, vintage black-and-white portrait photograph of a young man in uniform, with an open photo album in the background.

Video

Uncovering the Aramaic Dead Sea Scrolls

A Notre Dame theology professor explores the significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
A close-up, shallow depth-of-field shot of an ancient parchment of the dead sea scrolls covered in dense lines of dark, handwritten text.

Article

A deeper river

Father Dan Groody's woodworking is a metaphor for spirituality in both his day-to-day work and his pastime.

A close up of hands on a piece of wood with really defined wood grain.

The Laetare Medal

Established at Notre Dame in 1883, the Laetare Medal was conceived as an American counterpart of the Golden Rose, a papal honor that is at least 1,000 years old. The medal has been awarded annually at Notre Dame to a Catholic “whose genius has ennobled the arts and sciences, illustrated the ideals of the Church and enriched the heritage of humanity.”

The Laetare Medal

  4. Statue of Sacred Heart of Jesus, two lit candles, surrounded by worn black and brown shoes and scattered red tokens on wood.

    Article

    A saint of our own?

    The humble piety of Notre Dame cobbler Brother Columba inspires a canonization push.

  9. University President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C., in black clerical attire, broadly smiles while shaking hands with Pope Leo XIV, a smiling man in white papal robes and a white zucchetto.

    News

    Pope Leo XIV receives Notre Dame leadership in private audience

    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...

  11. A silhouette of a women in front of a window holding a violin

    Video

    Coda | Chants for the end of life

    Students from the Sacred Music Program and the Notre Dame Basilica Schola, under the direction of Jonathan Hehn, came together to record the chants from the book “Music in Medieval Rituals for the End of Life,” written by musicologist Elaine Stratton Hild.

  12. A female with dark hair gazes at the Angels Unawares sculpture, a bronze sculpture of migrants and refugees from various lands crowded on a 20-foot boat at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

    Article

    A place in history

    Spanish immersion teachers travel to DC for a firsthand look into American history and government.

  14. Four smiling graduates wearing black graduation gowns and colorful stoles pose for a photo. They wear mortarboards with white tassels.

    Article

    A leap of faith

    How two Christian and two Muslim young women went from Nigeria to Notre Dame, overcoming tragedy and trauma to show the world-changing power of knowledge.

  15. A richly carved wooden altar displays a golden monstrance with spiky rays, surrounded by numerous lit taper candles and two large pillar candles.

    Photo essay

    Sacred places

    Every residence hall on campus has its own chapel.

  16. A large, vintage-style globe is shown, with a close-up of the continents of North and South America.

    Article

    Origin story

    The Peace Corps began in part on the campus of Notre Dame.

  17. A religious mural depicts Jesus Christ holding a red book while an angel holds a banner above him and two priests look up from below.

    Article

    A meeting — and healing — of worlds

    Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew visits Notre Dame

  18. Several old Liebig trade cards featuring colorful religious and mythical illustrations are arranged on a gray background.

    Article

    Sommo poeta

    Dante at Notre Dame

  19. An old stone chapel with a cross on the roof stands on a green hill overlooking the blue ocean with small islands.

    Article

    Resurrecting Irish monks

    Notre Dame archaeologists trace the history of island Catholicism

  20. An illustrated cross on the top of a building against a cloudy grey sky.

    Article

    A test of faith

    Iraqi priest publishes story of his abduction

  21. A woman sits at a desk with a laptop, looking through an archival document in a folder.

    Article

    Coda

    Medieval music at the end of life

  22. A smiling man wearing dark blue academic regalia with gold accents and distinctive red-rimmed glasses walks past clapping attendees at a commencement ceremony.

    Video

    Arturo Sandoval Records Christmas Album at Notre Dame

    Sandoval headlines Notre Dame's festive Christmas in September event featuring the Notre Dame Children's Choir, Notre Dame Symphonic Winds, and the Notre Dame Jazz Ensemble.

  23. A collage of black and white images featuring New York City landmarks, people on horses, a smiling man, and the Golden Dome.

    Article

    Epic connection

    Family, religious and immigrant history bind subway alumni to Notre Dame

  24. Sunlight shines behind a brick and concrete bell tower with two bells hanging beneath a cross.

    Article

    A new movement for sacred music

    Graduates bring enthusiasm and expertise to community worship.

  25. A smiling woman looks down at a laughing toddler with messy hair, who is sitting on a colorful foam mat.

    Article

    Small acts of great love

    Caring for the abandoned children of China

  26. A man holds up a document with handwritten cursive text, partially obscuring his face.

    Article

    Found in translation

    In 50 years of overlooked letters, French class discovers new insights into Father Sorin and the early days of Notre Dame

Discover and engage
  1. Two researchers in red helmets operate search-and-rescue equipment among concrete rubble. One stands holding a controller while another kneels with a yellow tank backpack near a portable console display.

    Article

    Fighting for robotic search and rescue

    Notre Dame engineer develops vine robot to help first responders after disasters

  2. A grandfather kisses the forehead of his granddaughter in a wheelchair wearing sunglasses as they share a quiet, affectionate moment outdoors.

    Article

    Fighting for nonverbal communication

    Notre Dame researchers are developing AI technology designed to help caregivers interpret the nonverbal communication of people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities.

  3. A person wearing green leggings and white sneakers lying in a teal hammock and reading a book on campus.

    Photo Essay

    How was your summer?

    The month in photos, summer break edition

  4. A close-up portrait of an older woman with grey hair and black-rimmed glasses wearing a red shirt, looking thoughtfully past the camera with a neutral expression.

    Article

    Protecting renters from predatory landlords

    At Notre Dame Law School, the Eviction Clinic gives students real-world experience.

  5. Golden statue of Mary with an outstretched arm atop Notre Dame's Main Building dome under a crescent moon and star.

    Photo Essay

    Hey, May

    The month in photos, May 2026

  6. Focused woman in beige jacket, glasses, and headset, looking up while using a computer mouse. Man works at nearby station.

    Podcast

    Inside Artemis II mission control

    For seven hours, Notre Dame alumna Kelsey Young ’09 sat in NASA mission control, listening as astronauts described the Moon in real time from a vantage point no human had ever experienced before.

  7. Hesburgh Library's Word of Life mosaic under a blue sky, framed by vibrant purple tulips and a blossoming yellow tree.

    Photo Essay

    Spring at last!

    The month in photos, April 2026

  8. A woman in a navy blue shirt helps a young girl wearing glasses assemble wooden craft pieces.

    Article

    25 years of impact in South Bend

    The Robinson Community Learning Center stands as a lasting symbol of trust, partnership, and shared purpose between Notre Dame and its closest neighbors.

  9. The bronze sculpture Desert Rose by Arnaldo Pomodoro is placed at the center of the ecological greenhouse at the Gardens of Castel Gandolfo. The curved glass structure—covered with solar panels—frames the work within a light-filled, sustainable environment. Stone pathways and carefully trimmed hedges unfold beneath a canopy of Mediterranean pines.

    Article

    Sowing seeds of hope: Vatican partnership advances global sustainability

    The collaboration supports research, education, and action to build a more just, sustainable future.