Shrestha, who is a third-year industrial design student in the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program, is showcasing a piece called "Arclite." He describes his piece as follows:��

"Arclite"��by Shreejan Shrestha

“Arclite��is a light source and a power bank designed for electrical outages. The project rethinks the idea of disaster preparedness. It responds to the urgent need for light and mobile connectivity seamlessly in the hours and days after a natural disaster. Typically, Arclite��functions as a hub for electrical devices. In times of emergency, the device’s function triples. Its stem detaches to provide a flashlight, while its base gives off ambient light and power for mobile devices — an urgent need for many during the upheaval and uncertainty of an extended loss of power. Arclite��empowers families to secure and light their homes and connect to emergency services and loved ones during times of disaster.”��

Shrestha’s��design has widespread applications, but it was inspired by conditions Shrestha experienced firsthand��both in the United States and in his home country of Nepal.

“The idea for Arclite��was conceived last fall when I saw the suffering American cities went through because of hurricanes,” Shrestha explained.��“After experiencing the terror and aftermath of a series of major earthquakes back home in Nepal, it was startling for me to realize the chaos and confusion created because of disasters is not limited to developing countries. For my ethnographic research I connected with a number of people directly impacted by these hurricanes in the Florida region and interviewed them remotely and got the firsthand insights.”

Shrestha’s vision aligns with the goals of the show’s curator, designer and writer Brendan McGetrick, who sees the Global Grad Show as an opportunity to promote the fusion of artistic creativity with social engagement and leadership.

“Global Grad Show is not only a showcase of ideas from the brightest young minds around the world, it is a celebration of creativity and optimism,” McGetrick explained. “Graduates today are faced with daunting truths such as climate change, automation��and mass migration. Each of these projects offers a restorative solution,��an idea of how to make human-scale changes with the hope of bettering humankind as a whole.”��

Originally published by Nora Kenney at on Nov. 12.

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In her remarks, Carlson, who is dean of the Graduate 91��Ƶ, associate provost, vice president, and professor of psychology, emphasized Notre Dame’s commitment to fostering an environment of well-being for graduate students.��

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“One of the themes I really wanted to communicate to new students this year is that��, and��you��matter,” Carlson said. “We are committed to helping students thrive — not just academically but holistically. I wanted to let students know of our commitment to their well-being from the first day of their graduate training.”

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Carlson’s theme aligned with statistics about the incoming students, who overwhelmingly identified Notre Dame’s community as a factor that was either “very important” or “most important” to their decision to attend Notre Dame over other institutions. Other popular reasons for choosing Notre Dame included the school’s reputation and commitment to financial support.

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During her address to the students, Carlson also shared other statistics about the incoming class: out of 5,261 applicants, only 1,015 were admitted, yielding a selectivity rate of 19 percent, which is on par with Notre Dame’s undergraduate admissions rate. Of the matriculants, 42 percent��are women and 33 percent��are international. Students come from 56 different countries and from 43 of the 50 states. And the incoming class represents one of the highest yields of underrepresented minorities, too.

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Nyrée McDonald, associate dean of graduate enrollment management, shared Carlson’s enthusiasm about the incoming class: “This year marked one of our largest applicant pools ever, and the quality of applications was consistently high. This is a talented group of incoming students and we’ve been looking forward to embracing them in the Notre Dame family.”

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The Graduate 91��Ƶ’s emphasis on building community perhaps accounts for its recent success conducting a large-scale federally funded study. The Graduate 91��Ƶ is part of the Council of Graduate 91��Ƶ’s Ph.D. Career Pathways Project, which includes canvassing alumni to track the career paths of STEM and humanities Ph.D. alumni. Out of the 28 other institutions participating in the study, Notre Dame’s alumni yielded some of the highest survey response rates compared to the other institutions.��

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“I was thrilled to attend the CGS conference this summer and discover that Notre Dame had one of the highest alumni response rates,” Carlson said.

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“We’ve been putting forth so much effort to foster community, and these results suggest our alumni still feel connected to our community. I think that’s a testament to the positive and welcoming environment we’re creating here, where student research��matters��— both now, while students are on campus, and beyond, when they go into the world and mobilize their passions and expertise to be a force for good.”

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Originally published by Nora Kenney at on Sept.��4.

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During the ceremony, the University will confer 286 doctoral degrees and 500 master’s degrees, as well as present several awards to distinguished members of the Graduate 91��Ƶ community.

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Louise Richardson, vice-chancellor of Oxford since 2016, who is receiving an honorary degree from the University, will deliver the ceremony’s commencement address. The first woman to lead Oxford, Richardson is an Irish political scientist specializing in international terrorist movements. She previously served as the University of St. Andrews’ first female principal and vice-chancellor, following a tenure as the dean of Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, and several professorships at Harvard from which she holds her doctoral degree.

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“Dr. Richardson embodies the Graduate 91��Ƶ’s core conviction, ‘,’ as her zeal and curiosity for international studies have positioned her to offer concrete steps against terrorism and toward peacebuilding. Moreover, she is a role model for female leadership in academia,” said Laura Carlson, vice president, associate provost and dean of the Graduate 91��Ƶ. “I am delighted that her example, in concert with those of our admirable awardees, will launch our graduate students from the University into the world, where they’ll have their own opportunities to propel research that matters in powerful and unique ways.”

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The Graduate 91��Ƶ awards recipients are as follows:

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• Mimi Beck is the winner of the second-ever . The founding director of Notre Dame’s Office of Graduate Student Life, Beck has demonstrated tireless devotion to graduate students in the process of creating and implementing a broad and strategic vision that promotes their success and well-being. Beck’s efforts support the Graduate 91��Ƶ’s commitment to fostering a holistic research environment.
• Steven��Walker is the winner of the . Walker was named the 21st director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in November 2017. An undergraduate and doctoral graduate of Notre Dame’s Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, Walker is recognized for his public service career dedicated to advancing U.S. hypersonic flight and space access.
• Edward Maginn is the winner of . The Dorini Family Professor of Energy 91��Ƶ and Chair of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Maginn is recognized for a sterling reputation as a leading scholar in the field of molecular simulation, and his deep dedication to advising and classroom instruction.
• Curtis Franks is the winner of this year’s . An associate professor in the Department of Philosophy specializing in philosophies of logic and mathematics, Franks is recognized for innovative restructuring of the doctoral program and for fostering a welcoming departmental environment for graduate students.

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In addition, the ceremony will honor the recipients of the , which recognize the top graduating doctoral students in the divisions of engineering, the humanities, social sciences and science.

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• Paige Rodeghero, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, is the recipient of the Shaheen Award in engineering. A scholar of software engineering, Rodeghero is recognized for her excellent research on content extraction and program comprehension, as well as for her caring approach to teaching and mentoring. Rodeghero will assume a tenure-track position at Clemson University in the fall.
• Joshua Noble, Department of Theology, is the Shaheen Awardee in the humanities. A specialist of Christianity and Judaism in antiquity and a gifted linguist, Noble is recognized for his exceptional scholarship, which argues for the reliance of the Acts of the Apostles on the Greco-Roman Golden Age myth. Noble currently serves as a tutor at Thomas Aquinas College.
• Samantha Anderson, Department of Psychology, is the social sciences’ Shaheen Awardee. Anderson is a widely published quantitative psychologist whose work addresses replication methodology and data analysis. Anderson is recognized for her excellent academic record, brilliant scholarship and effective teaching, for which she previously received a Kaneb Center Outstanding Student Teacher Award. Anderson will begin a tenure-track position at Arizona State University this fall.
• Leandro Lichtenfelz, Department of Mathematics, is the Shaheen Awardee in science. A specialist of the Euler and Navier-Stokes equations, Lichtenfelz is an accomplished researcher with a strong publication record. He is also an outstanding instructor, and a favorite among his department’s honors undergraduates. In the fall, Lichtenfelz will begin a highly coveted postdoctoral appointment at the University of Pennsylvania.

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Inaugurated in 1952, the NSF GRFP funds graduate studies for scientists and engineers who represent high potential in their fields, focusing on the students’ development in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Specifically, the fellowship provides three years of financial support in the form of $34,000 annual stipends and $12,000 cost-of-education allowances to the fellows’ graduate institutions. It also promotes professional development and provides opportunities for international research.

The application process for the NSF GRFP is extensive. Applicants work in conjunction with their advisers to create compelling personal statements and research plans. In addition, applicants from Notre Dame have the added opportunity to receive strategic expert advice. Notre Dame’s undergraduate students and alumni work with the , and its graduate students work with the fellowship advising team at the , one of the only full-time fellowship advising offices in the country dedicated exclusively to graduate students. In correspondence to efforts from CUSE and the Office of Grants and Fellowships, the number of awards won by Notre Dame students in recent years has been significant.

“A STEM graduate student at Notre Dame wanting to win a fellowship from the NSF is truly in the right place, as the programming we offer toward application preparation for this award, combined with the students’ work ethics, has proven quite effective,” said Samantha Lee, program director of the Office of Grants and Fellowships. “Students worked tirelessly with faculty and my office for months in advance of the NSF deadline, and it really shows in the quality of their applications.”

Together with her assistant director, Hannah Babbini, and a team of highly trained graduate students who have each won major awards themselves, Lee facilitates a summer grant-writing program, a fall workshop series and an intensive fall break “boot camp,” in addition to one-on-one consultations and group support throughout the year. Similarly, through the efforts of the Paul and Maureen Stefanick Director of CUSE, Jeff Thibert, CUSE provides information sessions and one-on-one application advising for undergraduate and alumni hopefuls.

“CUSE congratulates all of the Domers who received the NSF GRFP this year,” said Thibert. “We encourage all undergraduates who plan to pursue graduate study in science, engineering or social science fields to visit our website and learn more about how we can help you put together a competitive application for this opportunity. We hope to see more undergraduates applying for and receiving the NSF GRFP in the years ahead.”

Laura Carlson, vice president, associate provost and dean of the Graduate 91��Ƶ, was equally enthusiastic. “We already know that our��. It’s exciting to see that a distinguished organization like the National Science Foundation recognizes this, too.��Their financial support directly promotes our STEM students’ research accomplishments, whether these include����of the past or����for our future.”

Undergraduate students interested in applying for the NSF’s graduate research fellowship should visit the on the CUSE website. Graduate students interested in winning this fellowship or other external awards should contact the Office of Grants and Fellowships at gradgrants@nd.edu.

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The 12 NSF GRFP awardees are:

Karen Angeles, civil engineering

Caitlyn Booms, mathematics

Tanner Corrado, chemical engineering

Michael Foley, physics and mathematics

Tesia Janicki, chemistry and physics

Carlisia McCord, anthropology and Arabic

Lillian McGill, environmental sciences and applied and computational mathematics and statistics

Joseph Ong, chemistry and Chinese

Stephanie Prince, biochemistry and French ��

Paul Rudnicki, chemical engineering

Thomas Sherman, civil and environmental engineering and earth sciences

Audrey Taylor, civil and environmental engineering and earth sciences

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The 11 honorable mentions are:

Daniel Barabasi, physics

Brittni Bertolet, biological sciences

Danielle Boley, biochemistry

Taylor Gambon, mechanical engineering

Austin Hickman, electrical engineering

Monica McFadden, civil and environmental engineering and earth sciences

Thomas Parsons, biochemistry and applied and computational mathematics and statistics

Ana Pervan, mechanical engineering

Megan Petti, chemistry

Hari Rau-Murthy, mathematics

Lauren Trichtinger, psychology

The fourth-year doctoral student in the is one of 10 2017 recipients of the high-profile Graduate Research Fellowship in STEM from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ).

The fellowship funds promising graduate students whose research aligns with the mission of NIJ, to advance the U.S. Department of Justice through scientific approaches.

Lum’s project involves developing a novel bioanalytical instrument for the forensic analysis of sexual assault evidence. Specifically, she hopes to address the national sexual assault kit testing backlog that jurisdictions across the country currently face.

Lum’s investigation is somewhat unprecedented at Notre Dame, which does not house a formal forensics department. She has had to rely upon collaboration with external forensic experts and crime laboratories.

Yet she also credits the versatile and specialized support she has received from the Notre Dame community for much of her success.

Lum’s adviser, , the Grace-Rupley Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, has played a pivotal role in furthering Lum’s investigation.

In addition, Lum worked extensively with Ian Gerdon, a fellowship consultant with the Graduate 91��Ƶ’s Office of Grants and Fellowships, to fine-tune her application to the NIJ.

“Our office helps graduate students win support for their research and careers,” Gerdon explained. “In Ms. Lum’s case, this was particularly easy and rewarding: She came to us with a fantastic project and a lot of drive, and we’re thrilled that she has received the recognition and support from the NIJ that she and her research deserve.”

Lum says she was filled with excitement and gratitude upon receiving the award.

If you are a graduate student interested in using the services offered by Grants and Fellowships, please contact gradgrants@nd.edu.

Originally published by Nora Kenney at on October 10, 2017.