Mary Cunningham Boyce delivered the keynote address Saturday during the鈥檚 annual Commencement Ceremony, encouraging students in this moment of profound change, from rapid advances in science and technology to the increasing threat of global climate disaster, to 鈥渟et aside any sense of there being a well-worn path to 鈥榮uccess.鈥�
鈥淓ven in the face of urgency, you need to be thoughtful, to have guiding principles, and embrace change, recognize opportunity, and do so with integrity,鈥� said Boyce, provost emerita and professor of mechanical engineering at Columbia University.
Boyce, a renowned engineering and scholar, recalled her own winding path to success, marked by false starts, setbacks and pivots but also self-discovery.
鈥淚n high school, I loved mathematics and physics, and so I was advised to study engineering in college even though, frankly, I had no idea what engineering was,鈥� she said, adding, 鈥淎pparently, physics was just too impractical a choice for this Irish-American girl from a large family鈥�
Counseled by her advisor at Virginia Tech to pursue industrial engineering 鈥渂ecause that's what girls do,鈥� she later switched to mechanical engineering after taking a required course in mechanics and learning from the instructor 鈥渢hat I could actually major ... in this field.鈥�
After graduation, she landed a job in the aerospace industry. But realizing she wanted to be on the cutting edge of her field, she decided to go back to school, earning a master鈥檚 and then a doctorate in mechanical engineering from MIT. She later joined the faculty there, rising to head of the Department of Engineering before leaving for Columbia, where she has been a champion of interdisciplinary scholarship to confront global challenges through basic research and real-world implementation.
Over the course of a long and illustrious career, Boyce has distinguished herself as a leading researcher of polymeric materials and soft composites, contributing to groundbreaking new modeling methods for commercial products, transportation vehicles and biomedical devices.
Notably, she led an interdisciplinary team of experts tasked by the governor of New York with devising a practical repair strategy for the 14th Street Tunnel under the East River in New York City, which was badly damaged and faced prolonged closure in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.
鈥淲e toured those gimy subway tunnels at midnight ... to understand their structure and alternate possibilities,鈥� she said, recounting the experience. 鈥淚t was intense and it was amazing, and I鈥檓 happy to say we did find another way. The tunnel was not shut down, and it was repaired in a much more modern way, impacting so many (fewer) lives and businesses."
鈥淣ot so bad for this ordinary girl from New Jersey who once didn't know what engineering was.鈥�
The lesson: 鈥淔ollow your instincts, take the time to find your fit and pursue what you enjoy.鈥�
Introducing Boyce, , the Charles and Jill Fischer Provost of Notre Dame, observed that no matter the discipline, 鈥渟cholarly discovery begins the same way: someone is curious enough to ask a difficult question and determined enough to pursue it 鈥� despite the inevitable challenges.
鈥淭hat same curiosity and determination are reflected throughout Dr. Mary Cunningham Boyce鈥檚 remarkable career 鈥� as a scholar, teacher, mentor and academic leader,鈥� McGreevy said.
Saturday鈥檚 ceremony took place inside the Compton Family Ice Arena, with 548 students receiving their master鈥檚 or doctoral degrees. Another 462 students received their master鈥檚 degrees at the ceremony, and 203 at the ceremony.
鈥淕raduates, we congratulate you, we celebrate you, and we wish you every success,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e look forward to hearing how you improve the world with what you have learned at Notre Dame.鈥�
Following Boyce鈥檚 remarks, , oversaw the conferral of degrees and, afterward, delivered the charge to the class.
鈥淔rom personal experience, I know that the journey of a graduate student can be filled with ups and downs, triumphs and tribulations, periods of clarity and periods of self-doubt. And, as well, moments of insight, but also of murkiness,鈥� Father Dowd said. 鈥淵ou're here though, now. Your persistence and hard work have brought you to this moment.鈥�
Father Dowd thanked the graduates for their contributions to Notre Dame, noting, 鈥淚n your time with us, you have contributed to important breakthroughs, enriched our campus community and, in many cases, built bridges across disciplines, embodying the unity of truth and knowledge in how you live and work together."
鈥淕raduates, we celebrate you, we wish you every success,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e look forward to hearing how you improve the world with what you have learned at Notre Dame.鈥�
Saturday鈥檚 ceremony also featured , associate provost, vice president for graduate studies and dean of the Graduate 91视频, and, the Leo E. and Patti Ruth Linbeck Professor of Engineering in the at Notre Dame. Hildreth opened the convocation, welcoming students, faculty, staff and visitors and introducing the platform party. Hu, one of two winners of this year鈥檚 , delivered the invocation.
Father Dowd delivered the benediction.
Commencement activities conclude Sunday (May 17) with the undergraduate Commencement Ceremony, where Boyce will be recognized as one of seven honorary degree recipients. For more information, visit .