Research and scholarship for a safer society

Notre Dame research is equipping the people and institutions that build a strong nation.

Military color guard members in dress uniforms carry U.S. and military branch flags outdoors in a ceremonial procession on campus

The inscription on the east door of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart (“God, Country, Notre Dame”) symbolizes the University’s long, close relationship with the military. But there’s much more to the story. From disaster response to providing tools to first responders, Notre Dame researchers are equipping the people and institutions that protect us.

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Fighting for robotic search and rescue

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

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.
  • Notre Dame Vice President for Research Jeffrey Rhoads shakes hands with Captain Rex Boonyobhas of NSWC Crane.

    News

    Notre Dame and NSWC Crane announce new educational partnership

    Notre Dame Vice President for Research Jeffrey Rhoads (left) with Captain Rex Boonyobhas of NSWC Crane (right). Photo by Angelic Rose Hubert. The University of Notre Dame and the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane), based in Crane, Indiana, have formalized an Education Partnership Agreement (EPA) designed to...

  • A hand holds a small, circular, white object with a textured, woven pattern. The backdrop is a dark blue surface with a repeating, geometric pattern of concave shapes.

    News

    Notre Dame researchers develop new, ultra-power-efficient 5G antenna

    Benjamin Davis, a doctoral student in the Department of Electrical Engineering at Notre Dame, holds a 3D-printed antenna component in the Microwave & Millimeter-wave Circuits and Systems lab in the College of Engineering. Photo by Angelic Rose Hubert. Globally, two billion people use fifth-generation (5G) wireless networks. These users have...

  • A person in blue gloves carefully pipettes liquid into a clear round culture dish containing a square and circular well, on a dark lab bench.

    News

    Notre Dame researchers to advance biothreat surveillance, containment, and operational preparedness

    Three faculty teams have been selected as the first recipients of awards from the Notre Dame Biothreat Surveillance, Containment, & Operational Preparedness Engine (ND-BIOSCOPE) Accelerator Fund, which fosters and further develops Notre Dame’s expertise in biothreat detection, surveillance, and countermeasure development. A cross-disciplinary initiative of the Berthiaume Institute for Precision...

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Fighting to protect the brave

New research shows firefighters face additional risk just by gearing up

Firefighter in full gear standing next to a red Notre Dame Fire Department truck.
  • A man wearing an NYPD vest stands with his back to the camera, facing a helicopter on a landing pad near the water.

    Article

    Fighting to protect our country

    Learn how Notre Dame is advancing nuclear forensic science to deter terrorism. Professor Antonio Simonetti's laser technology identifies the global origin of uranium to protect national security.

  • A person is silhouetted as they walk down a dark hallway between computer servers with blinking lights.

    Article

    Fighting the spread of misinformation

    As misinformation spreads rapidly across social media, Notre Dame computer scientist Tim Weninger is uncovering how small groups of accounts can manipulate social media algorithms to shape what millions of people see and believe. His research is helping develop tools that could make social networks more resilient to propaganda and misinformation.

  • A woman in a blue shirt and black skirt gestures as she presents to a classroom of students.

    Article

    Fighting to combat the opioid crisis

    Computer Science professor Fanny Ye is utilizing AI to dismantle the digital networks used by drug traffickers to distribute lethal synthetic substances. By identifying unique digital signatures across social media and the dark web, her research provides law enforcement with tools to combat the national drug crisis.

  • Satellite image of a hurricane with a clearly defined eye over a blue gridded map.

    Article

    Fighting to improve hurricane forecasts

    Researchers at Notre Dame are improving hurricane forecast accuracy, giving officials time to evacuate and protect residents.

  • Two astronauts in white space suits and helmets work outside a spacecraft in Earth's orbit.

    Article

    Fighting to reach the next frontier in space

    Discover how Notre Dame physics professor Jay LaVerne and his team are developing next-generation materials and radiation-resistant spacesuits to help NASA astronauts safely explore the moon, Mars, and beyond.

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Fighting for our Military Community

A traumatic brain injury prompted an Army veteran to research the prevention of TBIs in others.

A close-up shows a hand adjusting ribbon racks and badges on a dark green military dress uniform jacket lying on a wooden surface next to a maroon beret.
  1. A Notre Dame lacrosse player in a gold helmet and navy uniform with gold numbers holds a white lacrosse stick.

    News

    Leading through uncertainty

    Notre Dame MSBA grad student and Air Force 2nd lieutenant Josh Yago piloted a path to play lacrosse.

  2. Specialized vehicles with rooftop red/green lights and other trucks are parked in a dark field at night. A person wears orange.

    News

    Ultra-efficient 5G antenna developed at Notre Dame performs in Army field tests

    Jonathan Chisum, an associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame, has spent nearly a decade researching the fundamental science of a new, low-power antenna that could change the rules of wireless connectivity. Chisum’s antenna delivers wideband 5G connectivity while consuming a fraction of...

  3. a group of men and a woman, some in suits and some in military uniform, stand on a stage; the woman holds an award.

    News

    Continuing a mission of service

    Ayesha Ahmad is using her MBA as a bridge between military and civilian life.

  4. A smiling man in a U.S. Army OCP uniform stands before an American flag.

    News

    Shared values, shared journey

    Discover how Army veteran Matthew Kaufmann and his wife Melissa found a “home away from home” at Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business, where ethical leadership and family values align with military service.

  5. Professor with glasses leads a discussion with students around a table with laptops and papers

    News

    For second year in a row, Notre Dame ranks among top 100 U.S. universities granted utility patents

    The University of Notre Dame has earned a spot on the Top 100 U.S. Universities Granted Utility Patents in 2024, a list published by the National Academy of Inventors (NAI).

  7. Two smiling pilots in olive flight suits hold a large navy blue Notre Dame flag with a gold ND logo, standing on a tarmac with a gray military jet in the background.

    News

    Piloting a Life of Service

    Air Force Fighter Pilot and Notre Dame MBA student Max “Money” Navarro is on a mission to learn and to serve.

  8. A lighthouse and buildings are built into the side of a cliff overlooking the ocean on a foggy day.

    Article

    Clearing up predictions

    Notre Dame engineer studies coastal fog to improve weather forecasting

  9. A smiling man in a white pilot's helmet and olive green flight suit, wearing an American flag patch, pilots a helicopter. He grins from the cockpit, holding a control stick, with lush green, rocky cliffs visible beyond the window.

    News

    In the Navy, at Notre Dame, and beyond, Andrew Shea seeks to serve

    Andrew Shea first came to Notre Dame rooting against the Irish as a Navy midshipman, but his experiences in South Bend left a lasting impression. Years later, he returned to pursue his MBA at the Mendoza College of Business, where he feels community and values-driven leadership have guided his educational and personal growth.

  10. A U.S. Marine in uniform stands at attention next to a priest in a black coat and collar, who is smiling while accepting a framed Department of Defense certificate from a smiling U.S. Navy service member in camouflage uniform. They are outdoors in a courtyard with campus buildings in the background.

    News

    Notre Dame’s Naval ROTC program named best in nation

    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...

  13. A stone carving above a doorway with the words, ‘God, Country, Notre Dame&rsquoi; flanked by two eagle-like figures.

    Article

    God, country, Notre Dame

    The University’s long, close history with military service

  14. A lone person in a dark military uniform and beret stands at attention in front of a tall, illuminated stone fountain at night.

    Video

    Veterans Day at Notre Dame: ROTC Vigil

    Each Veterans Day, Army, Navy and Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) cadets keep vigil for 24 hours at the Clarke Memorial Fountain. Cadets have 30-minute shifts, rain or shine.

  15. A group of people stand at the top of the Trail of the Fallen near West Point, a steep hike that ends at a large mound of stones that have been carried up and placed in memory of soldiers who have died in military conflicts. In the foreground is the American flag.

    Article

    Reasons to serve

    History, West Point, and 9/11 memorial inspire ND ROTC students in New York.

  16. The United States Navy and Marine Corps flags hang alongside other flags, shown in a close-up view.

    Article

    Welcome aboard

    Prep program offers pathway to Notre Dame for deserving students

  17. Two old black-and-white photos and a small postcard lie on a wooden surface.

    Article

    A temporary tribe

    Vetville memories reveal how communities thrive

  18. A historical painting depicting a priest in black vestments standing on rocks to address a large formation of kneeling and seated soldiers in blue Civil War uniforms.

    Article

    Echoes: Gettysburg, 1863

    William Corby lay dying, stretched out on a bare wooden plank aboard a Union army steamer that was transporting sick and wounded soldiers north up the Chesapeake Bay toward Washington, D.C.

Discover and engage
  1. Fireworks burst over Notre Dame's Golden Dome and Basilica at dusk.

    Photo Essay

    Happy new year!

    The month in photos, September 2026

  2. A Catholic priest wearing a black clerical shirt and collar reaches up to lay a basketball into a hoop in an indoor gymnasium.

    Podcast

    Bookstore Basketball

    Faith, community, and the court.

  3. A young child in a pink shirt and red skirt drinks clean water directly flowing from an outdoor hand-operated water pump.

    Article

    Fighting for universal access to clean water

    More than 700 million people lack access to clean water, but research from the University of Notre Dame is helping organizations optimize how they manage, maintain, and build water pumps to reduce water scarcity.

  4. 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

  5. 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.

  6. 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

  7. 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.

  8. 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

  9. 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.