The novel process uses intense pulsed light to sinter thermoelectric material in less than a second (conventional sintering in thermal ovens can take hours). The team sped up this method of turning nanoparticle inks into flexible devices by using machine learning to determine the optimum conditions for the ultrafast but complex sintering process.

The achievement was  in the journal Energy and Environmental Science.

Flexible thermoelectric devices offer great opportunities for direct conversion of waste heat into electricity as well as solid-state refrigeration, Zhang said. They have additional benefits as power sources and cooling devices — they don’t emit greenhouse gases, and they are durable and quiet since they don’t have moving parts.

Despite their potential broad impact in energy and environmental sustainability, thermoelectric devices have not achieved large-scale application because of the lack of a method for fast and cost-effective automated manufacturing. Machine-learning-assisted ultrafast flash sintering now will make it possible to produce high-performance, eco-friendly devices much faster and at far lower cost.

“The results can be applied to powering everything from wearable personal devices, to sensors and electronics, to industry Internet of Things,” Zhang said.

“The successful integration of photonic flash processing and machine learning can be generalized to highly scalable and low-cost manufacturing of a broad range of energy and electronic materials.”

Zhang is principal investigator of the  at Notre Dame. Dowling, assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, and Luo, the Dorini Family Professor for Energy 91��Ƶ — both experts in machine learning — contributed to this research, along with doctoral student Mortaza Saeidi-Javash (now assistant professor at California State Long Beach), doctoral student Ke Wang and postdoctoral associate Minxiang Zeng (now assistant professor at Texas Tech University).

The medal is awarded annually for outstanding contributions to teaching, research or practice of geotechnical engineering, ordinarily for an individual’s cumulative distinguished contributions to the designated subject area.

was recognized for "expanding the boundaries of geoenvironmental and sustainability engineering to enhance human health and the environment.” She is the first woman to be awarded the Bolton Seed medal since it was established in 1993.

"It's a great honor to receive this medal,” Culligan said. “I’m delighted to highlight the important role geotechnical engineers play in supporting human health and the environment.”

The Seed Medal is named for H. Bolton Seed (1922-1989), professor and member of the National Academy of Engineering, who is recognized for his contributions to geotechnical engineering.

Culligan became dean of the Notre Dame College of Engineering on Aug. 1. She previously was the chair and Carleton Professor of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at Columbia University, as well as the founding associate director of Columbia’s Data Science Institute. She is internationally recognized for her expertise in water resources and environmental engineering. Her research focuses on sustainable urban infrastructure, social networks and the application of advanced measurement and sensing technologies to improve water, energy, and environmental management.

Culligan is a chartered engineer registered with the U.K. Engineering Council, and she is a fellow of both the American Society of Engineers and the British Institution of Civil Engineers.

She presented the 2021 Seed Lecture, titled “Quantifying the Performance of Urban Green Infrastructure,” virtually on May 13 as part of the International Foundation and Construction Equipment Expo 2021 conference. .

Originally published by the on May 13.

This virtual presentation is free and open to the public.

Turner is a research scientist at the MIT Media Lab in the Space Enabled group, a Research to Policy Engagement fellow at MIT’s Technology and Policy Program and a research associate at the Project on Managing the Atom at the Harvard Kennedy 91��Ƶ’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.

Her research is concerned with the ways in which complex systems and technology often exacerbate social hierarchy and inequity — whether it’s nuclear waste management affecting small communities’ safety and land rights, data and algorithms inappropriately categorizing individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, or innovation practices and products producing racist products and results. She is interested in the design of processes and policies that promote justice and equity, particularly for historically underprivileged groups.

Turner earned her doctoral degree in 2017 from Stanford University’s 91��Ƶ of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences. She is a 2012 graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where she earned a bachelor's degree in chemical and biomolecular engineering. She grew up in the area surrounding South Bend, Indiana, and she attended Penn High 91��Ƶ before heading to Notre Dame.

Complex sociotechnical systems are embedded within the systemic inequities that plague society — for example, racism, classism, sexism and so forth. Unless technology and its norms of use and governance are developed and implemented with the explicit goal of creating and sustaining intersectional equity, the impacts of these systems will continue to be disproportionate; certain groups will systematically benefit from them, while other groups are systematically harmed, regardless of intent.

In this talk, Turner will discuss examples of equity and inequity within broader society, including in the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. and its disparate effects along lines of class, race and infrastructure (focusing on Greater Boston); and the exclusionary cultures and demographics uplifted and amplified in STEM and innovation (focusing on Greater Boston and Detroit Metro). Further, within the nuclear and aerospace fields specifically, she will consider the question of equity through examining technologies and field-specific norms across scale.

This event will be moderated by , the Massman Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences and director of ND Energy. It will include a welcome from , the Matthew H. McCloskey Dean of the Notre Dame College of Engineering.

The Edison Lecture Series was established in 1989 by the Charles Edison Fund with the goal of stimulating interest in and encouraging participation in science and technology.

This virtual presentation is free and open to the public. .

Higgs is the John and Ann Doerr Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Rice University, where he is also the vice provost for academic affairs. He is also a joint professor with the bioengineering department and the faculty director of the Rice Center for Engineering Leadership.

Higgs is a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. His Particle Flow and Tribology Laboratory conducts coordinated high-performance computing and high-fidelity experimentation to predict the behavior of applications with particle media in sliding contacts, such as additive manufacturing, e.g., 3D printing.

As described by the World Economic Forum, the first Industrial Revolution used water and steam power to mechanize production. The second created electrical mass production. The third used electronics and IT to automate production systems.

A fourth Industrial Revolution blurs the lines among the physical, digital and biological spheres. This new era is ushering in Industry 4.0 and the next-generation factory, with internet-connected autonomous systems that are completely digitalized to produce data-driven personalized products. Among the key engineering applications that form the technological foundation of Industry 4.0 are big data, the Internet of Things and additive manufacturing.

Higgs will describe, through an Industry 4.0 lens, the work his engineering lab is doing to advance additive manufacturing technologies.

This event will be moderated by , the Rooney Family Collegiate Professor and Chair of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, and will include a welcome from , the Matthew H. McCloskey Dean of the Notre Dame College of Engineering.

The Edison Lecture Series was established in 1989 by the Charles Edison Fund with the goal of stimulating interest in and encouraging participation in science and technology.

The Engineering Innovation Hub (EIH) is a new 10,000-square-foot facility under construction on the first floor of Cushing-Fitzpatrick Halls of Engineering at Notre Dame. It is anticipated to be operational in summer 2021.

Designed to integrate research, coursework and project-based collaboration, the EIH will prepare Notre Dame engineering students to devise novel solutions to meaningful problems and take products from creative concept to realization. It also will serve as a fabrication and test facility for undergraduate and graduate research and provide a unique resource for local and regional manufacturing industry partners and new startup businesses.

 will oversee the coordination and operational management of the Engineering Innovation Hub’s technology, programs and outreach in support of its dual mission of academic and industry engagement.

He has deep experience in operations, project management and process improvement, having led programs for Deere’s global product lines, managing cross-functional teams charged with improving business processes and reducing product complexity.

Notably, he led the creation of Deere’s Enterprise Digital Capability Lab, aimed at developing engineers as they worked with new technologies in artificial intelligence, additive manufacturing, collaborative robotics, autonomous robotics and lightweight materials. He also created a manufacturing leadership program within the company to further develop the next generation of manufacturing leaders.

“We are delighted to have Daryl join us as managing director of the Engineering Innovation Hub,” said , the Matthew H. McCloskey Dean of the College of Engineering. “This facility, and the experiential learning it will support, represents a critical step forward for engineering and industry engagement at Notre Dame. Daryl’s impressive experience in industry and his commitment to the development of both people and products is a great fit for this role.”

“The business of manufacturing is changing at a rapid pace due to the automation of traditional manufacturing and industrial practices using modern smart technology,” Peterson said. “I am pleased to join the University at such a pivotal time in the field’s evolution. I was particularly attracted to Notre Dame’s commitment to developing the engineering leaders of tomorrow, its support of faculty conducting groundbreaking research, and the opportunity to partner with the region’s considerable manufacturing community. I look forward to working with all committed stakeholders to realize the immense potential of this facility.”

The Engineering Innovation Hub is supported by , Notre Dame’s dedicated platform for collaboration with regional industry partners, providing strategic insight, expertise and technical resources to regional businesses seeking to thrive in the digital age of manufacturing. iNDustry Labs is an anchor of the , a set of programs, facilities and expertise poised to unite two of the region’s main economic drivers — its powerful manufacturing base and Notre Dame, a global tier-one research university. Powered by a $42.4 million Lilly Endowment grant awarded in 2019, the effort aims to unlock transformative potential for the regional economy.

“Daryl’s appointment is a major step forward for the mission of iNDustry Labs,” said , faculty director of iNDustry Labs.

“Having someone with his experience and insights on the team will be a tremendous resource for our regional industry partners. I know I speak for all of the iNDustry Labs when I say we are looking forward to working with him.”

Prior to his tenure at Deere, Peterson was a manufacturing engineer with Ford Motor Co. He holds a master of business administration degree from the University of Chicago, a master of science in operations management and master of science in manufacturing management from Kettering University, and a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.

Originally published by the on Feb. 8.

Michel was a leading expert in the qualitative analysis of dynamical systems with emphasis on stability theory and applications. His work focused on hybrid dynamical systems and discrete-event systems, large scale dynamical systems, robust stability and systems with saturation nonlinearities.

Michel was co-author of 12 books, past editor-in-chief of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Transactions on Circuits and Systems and past president of the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society. He was a life fellow of the IEEE.

Michel joined the Notre Dame faculty in 1984 as chair of the . From 1988 until 1998, he served as the McCloskey Dean of the College of Engineering.

“He had an enormous impact on the college,” said , professor of electrical engineering and interim dean. “His leadership in establishing the and in laying the groundwork for the strength we have today in nanoelectronics helped transform engineering at Notre Dame.

“Tony came to Notre Dame as an internationally regarded scholar at a time when we were a small faculty that focused almost completely on undergraduate education. His leadership helped push us to the next level,” Fuja said.

Even while leading the college, Michel continued to be a prolific scholar, writing textbooks, supervising doctoral students and carrying out a robust research operation.

“Tony was always a scholar pushing the theoretical frontiers of his field,” said , professor of electrical engineering and senior associate dean for education and undergraduate programs.

“He also was a very effective administrator, not afraid to make bold decisions. When he was chairman, he once told me that what kept him awake at night was a single thought: ‘What can I do to make the department even better?’ That was his conviction,” Huang said.

Michel earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Marquette University and spent seven years in the aerospace industry. He received a master’s degree in mathematics and a doctoral degree in electrical engineering from Marquette. In 1973 he received a doctorate of science in applied mathematics from the Technical University of Graz, Austria. He was a Fulbright Scholar in Austria in 1992, was elected a foreign member of the Russian Academy of Engineering in 1992 and was awarded Germany’s Alexander von Humboldt Research Award in 1998.

Prior to joining the Notre Dame faculty, Michel held faculty positions for 16 years at Iowa State University. He also held visiting professorships at the Ruhr University Bochum in Germany and the Vienna University of Technology and the Johannes Kepler University of Linz of Austria.

“Tony was full of energy, a big presence at any gathering, always thoughtful, very kind and generous,” said , the H. Clifford and Evelyn A. Brosey Professor of Electrical Engineering. “He was a dedicated scholar, precise and thorough, and truly dedicated to his family, especially his wife, Leone.”

Michel and Antsaklis wrote a graduate textbook together, and Antsaklis recalls “spending many late evenings on campus working on the book—‘das buch’ as he called it—after having dinner at the South Dining Hall on campus and enthusiastically discussing the finer points of what should and should not be included in the book.” 

“I will miss his friendship," he said, "and we will all miss his advice. Farewell.”

A funeral service will be held at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14, at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart on the Notre Dame campus, with a reception immediately following at the Morris Inn. There will be a visitation from 2 to 3 p.m. at McGann Hay, University Chapel, 2313 E. Edison Rd.

Contact: Jessica Sieff, assistant director of media relations, 574-631-3933, jsieff@nd.edu

The will welcome 38 Master of Global Affairs students to the University of Notre Dame in August. The inaugural class — recently selected from more than 300 applicants — includes students from Afghanistan, Chile, China, Colombia, Egypt, Iran, Kenya, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, the Philippines, Tajikistan, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Ukraine, the United States, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Zimbabwe.

All students in the inaugural class will receive fellowships thanks to a number of generous families, as well as foundation support and funding from institutes and the University more widely, said , the Marilyn Keough Dean of the Keough 91��Ƶ.

“We could not be more thrilled to meet the incoming students,” Appleby said, “or more grateful to all those who are making it possible to attract, support and send out into the world the next generation of high-impact global leaders and agents of change.”

Fellowship support for the MGA Class of 2019 is provided by the family of Donald R. Keough, Chuck and Andrea Katter, Sam and Kathy Awad and the Coca-Cola Foundation.

Institute support for student fellowships is provided by the , the , the and the Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion.

Three of the students are recipients of grants.

The is a two-year degree designed to prepare highly skilled, effective and ethical professionals for careers in government, nongovernmental and civil society organizations, and the private sector.

“We are tremendously excited to welcome a talented, diverse and truly global group of students,” said , associate dean for academic affairs.

“We see in their applications a depth and range of experience and a real passion for working on global challenges — from conflict and peace to development, migration and human rights, from international education to good governance and global issues more broadly — that is both impressive and humbling.”

Founded in 2014, the Keough 91��Ƶ is the first new college or school at Notre Dame in nearly a century.

Contact: Michael Talbot, associate director, Master of Global Affairs, talbot.10@nd.edu

Maura Policelli has joined the as executive director of the new Global Policy Initiative in Washington, D.C. She will provide strategic direction for the initiative, which aims to strengthen engagement with and influence in the nation’s capital and to provide new opportunities for students, faculty and alumni to further the university’s global mission and impact.

Policelli holds a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University and a bachelor’s degree from the College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts. She has spent nearly 20 years working in Washington, D.C., in senior positions on Capitol Hill, at policy organizations and in the executive branch. Most recently, she served as chief of staff for Oxfam America, a global anti-poverty organization with affiliates in 90 countries.

The — which is based at the Keough 91��Ƶ but also aims to engage faculty, programs, alumni and students throughout the University — is an important step toward deepening Notre Dame’s profile in Washington and around the world, said , the Marilyn Keough Dean of the Keough 91��Ƶ.

“Washington is a center of global influence, where Notre Dame has a rich presence — with alumni working at every level of policymaking and with faculty and students learning and conducting research,” he said.

“The opening of the Keough 91��Ƶ — with its imperative to produce students who are leaders and agents of change working toward — gives us an unprecedented opportunity to leverage our points of strength in Washington and create transformational new possibilities for students and the extended Notre Dame family and community.

“We’re grateful that , with her extensive experience and understanding of the role of policy in working toward the greater good, will be our Washington-based partner in this effort.”

Before joining Oxfam America, Policelli worked for Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt and for Congresswoman Jane Harman, who — as the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee — led efforts on Capitol Hill to respond to the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Prior to that, Policelli worked for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, developing strategies for solar energy and immigration reform. In the Obama administration, she was first appointed to the U.S. Department of Education as senior adviser to the deputy secretary. She later served as the senior vice president of communications at the Export-Import Bank of the United States.

The University of Notre Dame’s is partnering with the Peace Corps to establish a new Paul D. Coverdell Fellows program for returned volunteers pursuing the Keough 91��Ƶ’s new degree.

Peace Corps volunteers selected as will receive a full-tuition scholarship, health insurance and a living stipend each year of the two-year MGA program.

The Keough 91��Ƶ joins the and the as Coverdell Fellows partner programs at Notre Dame.

Coverdell Fellows complete internships in underserved American communities, bringing home and expanding skills they learned as Peace Corps volunteers — as well as applying their classroom learning in a professional setting. They gain valuable, hands-on experience that makes them more competitive in the job market while furthering the Peace Corps mission, especially its commitment to strengthening Americans’ understanding of the world and its people.

The University of Notre Dame and the Peace Corps have a strong and historic relationship. In the 1960s, Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., then University president, played an integral role in the development of the Peace Corps, providing advice and support to President John F. Kennedy and Sargent Shriver, the first Peace Corps director. Since then, the University has become one of the country’s top Peace Corps volunteer-producing schools, with 886 Peace Corps volunteers from Notre Dame since 1961 and 12 serving today.

Contact: Michael Talbot, associate director, Master of Global Affairs, 574-631-7667, mtalbot@nd.edu

In a stirring and evocative in Oslo, Norway, on Saturday (Dec. 10), Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos mentioned scholars, poets, negotiators, researchers, NGOs, activists and other Nobel Laureates who contributed — by inspiration or dedicated action — to the end of the western hemisphere’s oldest and largest armed conflict.

Santos directly acknowledged the University of Notre Dame’s , which has served as an academic partner in the Colombian peace process for many years and is now engaged with the commission charged with implementing the peace agreement in Colombia through the (PAM) project.

“The Kroc Institute for International Peace 91��Ƶ at the University of Notre Dame in the United States has concluded, based on careful studies of the 34 agreements signed in the world to end armed conflicts in the past three decades, that this peace agreement in Colombia is the most complete and comprehensive ever reached,” Santos said in his speech.

“As such, the Colombian peace agreement is a ray of hope in a world troubled by so many conflicts and so much intolerance.”

“It was a strong and emotional speech, and very rewarding to see its mentioning of the Kroc Institute,” said , a prominent international peace researcher from Sweden’s Uppsala University and the Richard G. Starmann Sr. Research Professor of Peace 91��Ƶ at Notre Dame, who has been involved with PAM since its inception.

“I cannot recall a Nobel acceptance speech that has included this type of reference to a research project,” said Wallensteen. “It is a testimony to the importance of the Kroc Institute and of peace research in general — really something to be very proud of.”

The Kroc Institute has been involved in the Colombian peace process for many years, in particular through its Peace Accords Matrix and its team of researchers and analysts. The PAM project measures the progress of peace agreements on a systematic comparative basis. Its database tracks the implementation status of 34 recent comprehensive peace accords by assessing 51 distinct provisions year-by-year for 10 years in quantitative and qualitative form.

The PAM project, formerly directed by , professor of international peacebuilding, and currently directed by and and advised by Wallensteen, includes research faculty member , PAM Latin America representative , and research staff and graduate students in peace studies.

“It is an extraordinary speech — in particular his emphasis on moving from enemy to adversary, humanizing the conflict, and the call to end war globally,” Lederach said. “A bright spot in the many tough days ahead, because, as we know, an agreement is only as good as its implementation.”

As was announced last August, PAM will be formally involved in the ongoing technical verification and monitoring of implementation of the Colombian accord.

“Much difficult work lies ahead, we know,” said Cortright. “But for a moment now we can pause and take great pride and joy in knowing that Notre Dame’s Kroc Institute has contributed meaningfully to a great milestone for peace.”

The Kroc Institute for International Peace 91��Ƶ is an integral part of Notre Dame’s new , now offering a Master of Global Affairs degree with concentrations in global affairs, international peacebuilding and sustainable development.

Contact: David Cortright, dcortrig@nd.edu

Ma Ying-jeou, former president of Taiwan, spent last weekend at University of Notre Dame at the invitation of Notre Dame president The occasion was Notre Dame’s Asia Leadership Forum, sponsored by the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian 91��Ƶ.

In his , Ma highlighted greater China’s history and described his role in Taiwan’s recent progress toward “peaceful, friendly and close” relations with mainland China, Japan and the U.S.

Ma’s tenure as the 12th president of Taiwan was marked by his commitment to easing tensions and improving cross-strait relations. During his eight years in office, he secured 23 substantive agreements — in trade, energy, the environment, education and other areas — with his mainland counterparts. In 2015, at his historic and unprecedented meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping, he became the first-ever Taiwanese leader to meet with a leader from mainland China.

A highlight of the Asia Forum weekend was a gathering, at Ma’s request, with more than 50 Notre Dame students — primarily from mainland China as well as some from Taiwan and some non-Asian students who have studied and are proficient in Chinese.

, professor of Chinese literature and director of the , noted the high level of courtesy and intellectual curiosity of the students who engaged with each other and with Ma — a kind of cross-straits student interaction that Hockx said would be highly unusual at many institutions.

“The Asia Leadership Forum is designed to explore and showcase the values of leadership we want to instill in our students and to immerse future leaders in deep knowledge and understanding of Asia,” Hockx said. “Mr. Ma’s visit and enthusiastic interaction with students and faculty have moved the whole university toward that goal.”

The Liu Institute for Asia and Asian 91��Ƶ, part of the new , promotes awareness, understanding and knowledge of Asia throughout the Notre Dame community and far beyond. Last year’s Asia Leadership Forum featured Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, former president of Indonesia.

Contact: Catherine Wilson, Notre Dame International, 574-631-1151, cwilson131@nd.edu

Ray Offenheiser, a widely known nonprofit leader and innovator with a broad range of international development experience in Asia, Africa and Latin America, will join the University of Notre Dame faculty as Distinguished Professor of the Practice and as the inaugural director of the (NDIGD) in the new .

Offenheiser has served as CEO and president of for the past 20 years. Under his leadership, Oxfam America has grown eightfold and has positioned itself as an influential voice on international development, human rights and governance, humanitarianism and foreign assistance.

“Ray Offenheiser’s appointment is a game-changer for the Keough 91��Ƶ and Notre Dame,” said , Marilyn Keough Dean of the Keough 91��Ƶ. “He brings to students, faculty and partners more than 35 years of experience working with major foundations, nonprofits, government, the private sector and the media on a wide range of public policy issues.

“He has worked at the local, national and global levels with some of the world’s most pioneering individuals, organizations and policy initiatives. He has the respect of and access to presidents, prime ministers and parliaments seeking to address complex problems with solutions that are cost-effective, human-centered and scalable.”

Prior to joining Oxfam, Offenheiser represented the Ford Foundation in Bangladesh and the Andean and Southern Cone regions of South America. He has directed programs for the Inter-American Foundation in Brazil and Colombia, and he has worked for Save the Children Federation in Mexico.

Offenheiser served on the Leadership Council of the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition in Africa. He also has served as honorary president of Wetlands International, and he was a co-founder of the ONE Campaign, the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network and the Food Policy Action Network. He has served on the advisory boards of the World Economic Forum, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Aspen Institute, the World Agricultural Forum, the Gates Foundation, Harvard Business 91��Ƶ, the Kennedy 91��Ƶ of Government at Harvard and Cornell University.

A 1971 graduate of Notre Dame, Offenheiser also holds a master’s degree in development sociology from Cornell University. He is a longstanding member of the Advisory Board of the Kellogg Institute for International 91��Ƶ. Offenheiser has been a frequent commentator with U.S. and international media.

The Notre Dame Initiative for Global Development — an integral part of the new Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs — promotes human development and dignity among people worldwide through applied innovations, impact evaluation, education and training that help build just and equitable societies. serves and will continue to serve as managing director of NDIGD.

The Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs — founded in 2014 as Notre Dame’s first new degree-granting school or college in nearly 100 years — will prepare new generations of students for skilled, effective and ethical global professional leadership.

Offenheiser will join the faculty in August, just as the Keough 91��Ƶ prepares to welcome its first cohort of students in the new . He will teach graduate and undergraduate students and will serve on the Keough 91��Ƶ’s Leadership Council.

Contact: Joan Fallon, director of communications, Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs, jfallon2@nd.edu

Fourteen young professionals from Latin America and the Caribbean who are part of the U.S. Department of State’s Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative () Professional Fellows Program have arrived in South Bend to spend four weeks expanding their leadership and entrepreneurial experience at businesses and nongovernmental organizations in the area.

In a program led by the University of , YLAI Fellows will learn from their U.S. counterparts by job-shadowing and participating in day-to-day operations at host organizations. They will develop business or social venture plans to be implemented in their home countries and will build networks, links and partnerships to attract investments and support for their entrepreneurial ventures.

South Bend area businesses and organizations hosting 2016 YLAI Fellows include , , , , , , , , , , , , and .

The YLAI Professional Fellows Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and implemented by . The program provides entrepreneurs and civil society leaders with training, tools, networks and resources to transform their societies and contribute to economic development and prosperity, security, human rights and good governance in the hemisphere.

At Notre Dame, the program also is supported by the and Notre Dame’s (ESTEEM).

The 2016 YLAI fellows in South Bend come from Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Dominica, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

The Notre Dame Initiative for Global Development — an integral part of the University’s new — promotes human development and dignity among people worldwide through applied innovations, impact evaluation, education and training to help build just and equitable societies.

Contact: Jennifer Krauser, NDIGD, 574-631-5469, jkrauser@nd.edu

The University of Notre Dame’s new announces the opening of applications for its inaugural academic program, the two-year professional . The program is designed to prepare new generations of leaders and agents of change in governments, nongovernmental and civil society organizations, and the private sector.

“The world clearly needs more highly skilled, effective and ethical leaders, and Notre Dame — with its global reach, powerful mission and accomplished teaching and research community — is prepared in a distinctive way to contribute to the education and training of global professionals,” said , Marilyn Keough Dean of the Keough 91��Ƶ.

Appleby said students in the master’s program, while focusing their studies in one or two areas of specialization, “will be challenged to think broadly and imaginatively about the 21st-century world. They will spend extensive time in global settings — forging real-world partnerships and effective and inclusive global solutions.”

All students in the interdisciplinary Master of Global Affairs will receive rigorous training in the broad field of global affairs and skills training to match their career aspirations. They will choose a concentration in or (which builds on the 30-year-old program of the ) or in areas such as economic development, global religion, human rights, international law, environmental sustainability, international politics, governance, conflict analysis and mediation, or regional or national cultures and history, among other areas.

Distinctive features of the master’s curriculum include integration labs organized around real-world problems and extensive field work with Notre Dame partner organizations in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. Students will graduate with two full years of practical experience, positioning them for high-impact careers in a wide range of global fields.

All qualified students will be eligible for a tuition scholarship and stipend.

The deadline for applications is Dec. 15. Classes begin in August 2017.

The Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs — the University of Notre Dame’s first new school or college in nearly a century — is named in honor of Donald R. Keough, one of the most accomplished executives in U.S. history and a life trustee of the University.

Contact: keough-admissions@nd.edu

“Professor Kay is a truly interdisciplinary scholar and teacher whose work spans the political and legal implications of regional economic integration, transnationalism, global health and global governance for labor and environmental movements,” Appleby said. “Much of her research has direct implications for policy formation as well as for practice in nongovernmental organizations.”

Kay is the author of the award-winning book “” (Cambridge) and co-author of a second book manuscript on trade battles, activism and the politicization of international trade policy. She has conducted intensive ethnographic fieldwork in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Nigeria and India for her third book project, which focuses on transnational relationships among nongovernmental organizations in the U.S. and in developing countries.

“Kay’s work has intriguing connections to a number of transnational research themes we seek to develop not only in the Keough 91��Ƶ but also in collaboration with other units throughout the University,” Appleby said. “A proven mentor, she will be a popular and effective teacher of the global affairs students who will begin enrolling in the new school in August 2017.”

Kay received her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, and she spent two years as a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for U.S.-Mexican 91��Ƶ at the University of California, San Diego. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of New Mexico, she was associate professor of sociology and co-director of Harvard University’s Transnational 91��Ƶ Initiative.

The Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs is the first new school or college at Notre Dame in nearly a century. Founded in 2014 and named in honor of Notre Dame life trustee Donald R. Keough, the Keough 91��Ƶ will offer undergraduate programming and a two-year professional degree to prepare students for skilled, effective and ethical leadership and impact on the world.

Contact: Tamara Kay, tkay@nd.edu

With a $1.2 million grant from the John Templeton Foundation, , professor of Islamic studies at the University of Notre Dame, has launched a three-year project to enrich scientific and theological literacy among recent graduates of Islamic seminaries in India.

Working with scholars and teachers at Notre Dame and in India, Moosa will develop a curriculum and online learning program that integrates modern and classical knowledge traditions for young orthodox seminarians in India.

The teaching team will recruit and train 100 recent madrasa graduates who are eager to acquire scientific knowledge that is indigenous to the Muslim tradition and interested in exposure to comparative theologies and modern humanities and social sciences.

“Equipped with these knowledge resources,” Moosa said, “madrasa graduates can discover new ways to transform their lives and advance human dignity and the public good.”

The project is expected to have a multiplier effect throughout the subcontinent of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. “Graduates of madrasas are very influential in shaping the religious thinking, values and practice of mainstream Muslims,” Moosa said. “They are well-placed to play a transformative role as disseminators of ideas and agents of change.”

Moosa joined the Notre Dame faculty in fall 2014 after spending 13 years in the Department of Religious 91��Ƶ at Duke University. He holds appointments in the and the . He is co-director of , a global research project focused on Catholic, Muslim and secular forces in the modern world. His 2015 book, “” draws on his extensive scholarship on Islamic seminaries in South Asia as well as his own years as a madrasa student in India.

“Professor Moosa’s vision recognizes that reform in the Muslim world — as within many religious communities — begins with the education and formation of local religious leaders,” said , dean of Notre Dame’s . “This innovative project holds tremendous promise as a model for how local and global religious thinkers and scholars can work together as agents of change.”

The serves as a philanthropic catalyst for “discoveries relating to the Big Questions of human purpose and ultimate reality.”

Contact: Ebrahim Moosa, 574-631-1204, emoosa1@nd.edu

, the first major conference organized by the University of Notre Dame’s new , will open with a keynote panel, “A Surprising Convergence, a Moment of Opportunity,” at 6 p.m. on April 4 (Monday) in Jordan Auditorium, Mendoza College of Business.

Keynote speakers will include , Marilyn Keough Dean of the Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs; Most Rev. Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo, chancellor, Pontifical Academy of Sciences and Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, the Holy See; A. Atiq Rahman, executive director, Bangladesh Centre for Advanced 91��Ƶ; Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University; and , Keough 91��Ƶ Associate Dean for Policy and Practice.

The conference will continue April 5-6 (Tuesday-Wednesday) with a in the auditorium of the Hesburgh Center for International 91��Ƶ. These panels will feature more than 30 speakers from the academy and the worlds of development policy and practice, government, the Church and other faith-based organizations. Speakers will address global economic development, sustainability, global health, ecology and faith, quality education, the role of universities, and global partnerships.

According to Appleby, the conference was inspired by the convergence, in 2015, of Pope Francis’ encyclical , with the adoption by the United Nations of the 17 .

“This is a remarkable moment in the history of global efforts to eliminate extreme poverty and preserve the natural environment," said Appleby.

“Never before have international development organizations, governments, the Church and other religious organizations been so closely aligned in a campaign to address some of the most daunting challenges facing humanity and the planet.

“This conference will bring together students and faculty with leading thinkers to reflect on the events of the previous year and chart a way forward.”

For the Planet and the Poor is free and open to the public. All are welcome to attend the whole conference or individual sessions.

In keeping with Notre Dame’s mission to place scholarship in service to the common good, the new Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs will prepare students for effective and ethical leadership in governments, international organizations and the private sector.

Contact: Michael Talbot, Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs, 574-631-7667, mtalbot@nd.edu

has been appointed director of the University of Notre Dame’s within the new .

Hockx is professor of Chinese and director of the China Institute at SOAS, University of London. He will join the Notre Dame faculty in August 2016.

“Professor Hockx is a leading figure in Chinese studies who brings to the Liu Institute an extraordinary record of scholarship and administrative leadership,” said , Marilyn Keough Dean of the Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs.

“His appointment will be a catalyst across the University for deepening understanding of, and engagement with, the whole Asian continent, and for raising Notre Dame’s profile in Europe, Asia and beyond.”

At the University of London, Hockx oversees a community of 50 China scholars in a dozen disciplinary departments. He has published widely on topics related to modern Chinese poetry and literary culture, especially early 20th-century Chinese magazine literature and print culture and contemporary Internet literature. His latest book, “,” was listed by Choice magazine as one of the “Top 25 Outstanding Academic Titles of 2015.”

Hockx studied Chinese language and literature at Leiden University in the Netherlands, where he earned his Ph.D., and at Liaoning and Peking universities in China.

As director of one of the seven academic units that are now part of the Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs, Hockx also will contribute to the ongoing formation of the school, which opens its doors to students in August 2017. He also will serve as a faculty member and teach in the within the .

“With his depth of experience in interdisciplinary scholarship and teaching across the humanities and the social sciences, Professor Hockx is a model for the type of global thinker the Keough 91��Ƶ is attracting for its inaugural faculty,” according to Appleby.

The Liu Institute, established at Notre Dame with an endowment from the RM Liu Foundation, is dedicated to interdisciplinary research and strengthening of teaching about Asia. The Liu Institute is an integral part of the new Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs, which will prepare students for effective and ethical leadership and service around the world.

Contact: Joan Fallon, director of communications and marketing, Keough 91��Ƶ of Global Affairs, 574-631-8819, jfallon2@nd.edu

David Anderson Hooker has been appointed Professor of the Practice of Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding at the Kroc Institute.

Read more: .

, South Africa’s ambassador to the United States, will deliver the 20th annual at 4 p.m. April 8 (Tuesday) in the Hesburgh Center for International 91��Ƶ Auditorium at the University of Notre Dame.

Rasool’s lecture, “Relic of the Past or Template for the Future: Nelson Mandela’s Impact on Peacemaking and Statecraft in the 21st Century,” is free and open to the public.

Before his appointment as ambassador to the U.S., Rasool held numerous positions in the South African government, including member of parliament in the National Assembly, special adviser to the state president of the Republic of South Africa, and premier (governor) of the Western Cape Province. He has a long history of involvement in the anti-apartheid struggle and has been active in both the Islamic and interfaith movements, including efforts to mobilize Muslims and the broader faith communities for a deeper understanding of Islam and faith.

Among his many awards, he is the recipient of the Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights, presented to him by the Kaiser Family Foundation in 1998.

“I am delighted that Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool has accepted our invitation to deliver the 2014 Hesburgh Lecture,” said , the John M. Regan Jr. Director of the . “Like his mentor and friend, the late Nelson Mandela, Ambassador Rasool was a courageous leader in the anti-apartheid struggle who was imprisoned and also placed under house arrest by the government.

“In addition to his diplomatic and political skills, he comes to us as an Islamic peacebuilder, experienced in mobilizing people of faith in the nonviolent struggle against oppression. We look forward with great anticipation to his presence among us.”

The annual Hesburgh Lectures in Ethics and Public Policy, established by the Kroc Institute in 1995, honor the , president emeritus of Notre Dame, a global champion of peace and justice and the founder of the Kroc Institute. Each year a distinguished scholar, policymaker and/or peace advocate is invited by the Kroc Institute director to deliver a major lecture on an issue related to ethics and public policy in the context of peace and justice.

Past Hesburgh lecturers have included Amartya Sen, the 1998 winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics and Lamont University Professor and professor of economics and philosophy at Harvard University, in 2012; Francis Deng, special adviser to the U.N. Secretary-General on the prevention of genocide and mass atrocities, in 2011; Shirin Ebadi, 2003 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, lawyer and human rights advocate in Iran, in 2009; and Congressman Lee Hamilton, former vice-chair of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks and former chairman/ranking member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, in 2005.

Contact: Joan Fallon, 574-631-8819, jfallon2@nd.edu