Five University of Notre Dame students, representing the Colleges of Arts and Letters, Engineering, and Science, have been selected for a Naughton Fellowship Award for 2021-2022. Offered annually, the Naughton Fellowships provide opportunities for students from some of Ireland's leading research universities and the University of Notre Dame to experience international education in the STEM disciplines. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the only opportunity offered for the 2021-2022 academic year was the master’s in Ireland program.
The awardees are as follows:
- Matthew Donahue, a biological sciences and theology major, as well as a member of the Glynn Family Honors Program, will complete a master of science in environmental science at University College Dublin (UCD).
- Gwenyth Gasper, a neuroscience and behavior major, will complete a master of science in diagnostics and precision medicine at Dublin City University.
- Theresa Rogers, a mechanical engineering major with a minor in philosophy, will complete a master of science in biomedical engineering at Trinity College Dublin (TCD).
- Mariana Silva, an environmental engineering major with a theology minor, as well as a Brennan Family Merit Scholar, will complete a master’s of engineering in environmental engineering at TCD.
- Abigail White, an environmental sciences major with a minor in theology, will complete a master of science in environmental science at TCD.
The students will be joined by Gemma Stanton, ‘19, who was awarded the Fellowship in 2020 but deferred due to the pandemic. She will complete a master of engineering science in water, waste, and environmental engineering at UCD.
Additionally, four students from Ireland joined the ESTEEM program: Aisling Cahill, Ali Hill, and Shay O'Malley.
“In these challenging times, we are even more grateful to the Naughtons for supporting the University’s ability to offer this transformative opportunity to our students,” said Brian Baker, Rev. John A. Zahm Professor, Chair of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Naughton Fellowship Committee Chair. “It is heartening to witness the passions these students have for their respective and important fields. I am confident this will be a life-changing experience for them and, in turn, their research will lead to learning and growth in their chosen fields of study.”
The fellowships, which were created with a generous gift from the Naughton family of Ireland in 2008, facilitate cross-cultural training for exceptional students with leadership potential in STEM fields, stimulate collaborative research among the engineers and scientists who train these students, and forge deeper and stronger ties between Ireland and the U.S. Typically offered at undergraduate, master’s, and faculty level, more information can be found at naughton.nd.edu.