Science and technology

The edge of a 2022 copper penny is magnified, juxtaposed against the complex grid pattern of a computer microchip.

At Notre Dame, we fight at the edge of innovation, where technology shapes the future of our world and beyond. We harness the power of data and AI, probe the influence of social media, and push the limits of hypersonics and space exploration to serve humanity with wisdom and purpose. Notre Dame students and faculty seek to discover not just what's possible, but to ensure that progress is guided by ethics, vision, and the greater good.

A close-up view of the moon's cratered surface against the blackness of space.

Space and hypersonics

At Notre Dame, discovery doesn't end at the edge of Earth's atmosphere.

A tangled bundle of yellow and blue ethernet cables is illuminated by the green lights of network equipment.

Data and AI

Notre Dame scholars bring ethical and moral principles to bear on the emerging technology that will shape our future.

A close-up of a perforated, circular beige object in front of a blue, pyramid-shaped foam wall.

Wireless

From conducting the first wireless transmission on the continent to today's cutting-edge research into spectrum allocation, Notre Dame continues to be a leader in the future of wireless technology.

A female instructor in a green shirt gestures while speaking to four students with laptops and papers at a table in a bright classroom.

Social sciences

Guided by a commitment to human dignity, Notre Dame seeks to enrich the ways we live, work, and engage with one another through research and scholarship.

Discover and engage
  1. 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.

  2. 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

  3. 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.

  4. 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

  5. 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.

  6. 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

  7. 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.

  8. 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

  9. 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.