Nothing says Christmas like an exothermic reaction! 🔥
@katethechemist brought the fire—and the liquid nitrogen—to the third annual Christmas Lecture, a gift to the community from the College of Science.
One thing is for sure: @katethechemist knows how to unwrap the magic of science, with kids and adults alike!
A warm thank you to everyone who joined us on the @notredame campus to pack the house at Jordan Hall and witness how Reindeer toothpaste is created! 🎄
#notredamescience #katethechemist
Tara Quinn will graduate on Sunday with a bachelor’s in Biological Sciences and a minor in Chemistry. During her undergraduate career, she conducted research in the Kevin Vaughan Lab and was involved in Irish Equestrian, UPLIFT, and served as a teaching assistant for Organic Chemistry Labs and Biology II. She lived in @mcglinnhall .
Q: What has been your most valuable experience in the College of Science?
A: My experiences in the biology teaching laboratory courses have been invaluable. With hands-on projects driven by fascinating research questions, I discovered my love of research and motivation to pursue it as a career.
Q: Which faculty and/or courses have stood out to you?
A: The most memorable course I have taken was The Chemistry of Fermentation and Distillation. In groups, we brewed two types of beer, two types of wine, and a cider!
Q: What are your next steps after graduation?
A: I will be starting my Ph.D. program in Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences at Northwestern University in the fall.
Q: Any memorable experiences or reflections from your Notre Dame journey you’d like to share?
A: My time studying Niemann-Pick type C disease through undergraduate research has been incredible! I’ve had the opportunity to spend summers in South Bend fully funded, attend conferences, and contribute novel information to the rare disease community.
☘️ Congratulations, Tara! Best of luck as you begin your Ph.D. program!
#ND2026 #notredame
🎓 Leah Ulbrich is a Science-Business major with minors in Compassionate Care in Medicine and Health, Humanities, and Society. During her Notre Dame undergraduate career, she conducted research in the SPQR Memory Lab with Dr. G.A. Radvansky, served as Public Relations Commissioner for the Notre Dame Dance Company, was involved in Student Government through the Department of Disability Advocacy and Department of Title IX & Women’s Initiatives, and served as Vice President of the Pre-PA Club.
Q: Your most valuable experience in the College of Science?
A: My most valuable experience in the College of Science was the opportunity to be a Teaching Assistant for the Introductory Biology I & II Labs with Dr. Mark Olsen for 4 semesters. I enjoyed mentoring students through their first lab experience and building relationships with younger students! I learned so many lessons through this experience, most importantly, learning to explain concepts in a digestible way.
Q: Which faculty and/or courses have stood out to you?
A: This semester, my Anatomy course was the most memorable and interesting. I took the lecture and lab section, so each week I participated in a human cadaver lab session at IUSB! It was so incredibly amazing to get to apply the concepts learned in class in a different way using human cadavers.
Q: What’s next after graduation?
A: I will be working at Rush University Medical Center as a Clinical Research Coordinator in Pediatric Neurology for two years! I will be working under Dr. Elizabeth Berry-Kravis through the Rev. John Jenkins, C.S.C. Pathway Program in Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Rare Diseases. I will then apply to Physician Assistant (PA) schools.
Q: Any memorable experiences or reflections from your Notre Dame journey?
A: This year, I had the privilege of working at A Rosie Place for Children in South Bend as Clinical Support Staff. A Rosie Place is a pediatric respite care facility for children who are medically complex. This experience taught me the importance of compassion in caring for children with disabilities and ultimately altered my perspective on life.
☘️ We’re celebrating you, Leah! 🎓
#SeniorSpotlight #ND2026 #notredame
Celebrating the outstanding students in the Class of 2026 at the Dean’s Awards Lunch! 🎓
🥲 We love a proud parent with a camera
Congratulations, graduates! ☘️
#ND2026 #notredame
🎓 #SeniorSpotlight Meet Sarah Garas!
Sarah is a Biological Sciences major with a concentration in Biomedical Sciences and a minor in Compassionate Care in Medicine. During her time at Notre Dame, she was involved in the Bio Senior Leadership Committee @nd_bio , Compassionate Care in Medicine Club @ccim.nd , and the Notre Dame Student Union Board @subnd . Sarah is also a member of the TriBeta Honors Society.
Q: What has been your most valuable experience in the College of Science?
A: My most valuable experience was probably taking organic chemistry. Although traumatizing, it taught me how to be resilient and push through what seemed like the impossible. I have also TA’d for Professor West’s Organic Chemistry Lab every semester since then!
Q: Which faculty and/or courses have stood out to you as the most interesting, memorable, or challenging?
A: Taking Dr. Hyde’s genetics course sophomore fall was one of the most challenging, yet fulfilling tasks I encountered at Notre Dame! I learned a lot, had tons of fun, and made great friends and memories with my peers!
Q: What are your next steps after graduation?
A: After graduation, I am taking a growth year working as a medical assistant at Clear Dermatology in Long Beach, California!
Q: Any memorable experiences or reflections from your Notre Dame journey you’d like to share?
A: Meeting my best friends for life in @flaherty_hall ! Also, running Welcome Weekend for Flaherty and being a Dance Chair were two of my favorite experiences at Notre Dame. Going to Jerusalem as my summer study abroad was also a life-changing experience!!!
Congratulations, Sarah! 🥲 Domer for life!
#ND2026 #notredame #biologymajor
🎓 #SeniorSpotlight Meet Molly Hergenrother!
Molly is a Biological Sciences major with a concentration in Cell & Developmental Biology and a minor in Catholic Social Tradition. During her time at Notre Dame, she conducted research in Dr. Patricia Champion’s Lab, served as a Resident Assistant in @breenphillipshall , and was the Career & Outreach Subcommittee Chair for the Biological Sciences Senior Leadership Committee @nd_bio .
Q: What has been your most valuable experience in the College of Science?
A: My most valuable experience in the College of Science has been learning how to choose the opportunities that are the best fit for me. My science courses and research experiences have taught me to seek out my own interests and consider all the possible factors when I’m making a decision. It was difficult to learn that what is best for me may be different than the opportunity other friends and peers are pursuing, but in the end I have to remember my own goals and vision.
Q: Which faculty and/or courses have stood out to you as the most interesting, memorable, or challenging?
A: Two of my favorite courses at Notre Dame have been Genetics Lab with Dr. Whaley and Tumor Cell Biology with Dr. Schafer. Genetics Lab taught me the fundamentals of true laboratory research, and I learned how to analyze results as a scientist. Tumor Cell Biology has brought together topics from all of my courses in the biological sciences major, so I have greatly enjoyed the integrated approach to study cancer cells. Q: What are your next steps after graduation?
A: I will be pursuing a Ph.D. in Microbiology at the University of Iowa starting this fall. (Molly was awarded the Five-Year Graduate College Iowa Recruitment Fellowship!)
Q: Any memorable experiences or reflections from your Notre Dame journey you’d like to share?
A: I have loved being a teaching assistant for the Superbugs Lab in the spring! With three semesters as a TA, I have met incredibly smart and talented students, and they remind me of myself at the very beginning of scientific research.
We are so proud! ☘️ Wishing you all the best in your journey to your Ph.D.!
#ND2026 #notredame #biologymajor
Meet Mason Stocks, a Science-Business major with a minor in marketing. He is a @ndnrotc cadet and volunteer tutor at the Robinson Community Learning Center @rclc_nd #SeniorSpotlight 🎓
Mason will graduate Cum Laude on Sunday; he was named the Outstanding Marketing Minor awardee from @notredamebusiness , as well as the distinguished NROTC graduate of his class.
Q: What has been your most valuable experience in the College of Science?
A: My most valuable experience in the College of Science has been being able to take classes across different fields, which helped me build a strong, well-rounded background and see how different areas of science connect.
Q: Which faculty and/or courses have stood out to you as the most interesting, memorable, or challenging?
A: One of the most memorable courses I have taken at Notre Dame was the Chemistry of Fermentation and Distillation with Masaru Kuno. The class made chemistry feel practical and fun through hands-on labs and brewery tours throughout South Bend.
Q: What are your next steps after graduation?
A: I will be moving to Pensacola, Florida to begin flight training as a Student Naval Aviator.
Q: Any memorable experiences or reflections from your Notre Dame journey you’d like to share?
A: One of the most meaningful parts of my experience at University of Notre Dame has been the opportunity to attend alongside my younger brother, Bo, a member of the class of 2028. Sharing this place with him made everything more special—from everyday moments like meals in the dining hall to supporting each other through classes and campus life.
Congratulations, Mason! Best of luck as you begin your journey as a Student Naval Aviator! ☘️
#ND2026 #notredame
Jerry Rullo ’26 didn’t plan to play football at Notre Dame. Focused on academics and his dream of becoming a physician, the neuroscience major joined @ndarmyrotc , won a Bengal Bouts heavyweight title, and took a chance trying out as a @ndfootball walk-on.
Now, after stepping onto the field for the Fighting Irish as # 46 and earning a near-perfect MCAT score (a 524!), Jerry is headed to Harvard Medical School, a level of achievement accomplished by only about 200 students from around the world each year, with an average of just two each year from Notre Dame.
“He embodies the spirit of God, Country, Notre Dame. He’s the ultimate, humble teammate.”
Read more about Jerry’s inspiring Notre Dame journey — link in bio.
#ND2026 #notredamefootball #harvardmedicalschool #notredame
For Charlie Desnoyers, curiosity led to discovery.
He's spent nearly as much time in the lab as in the classroom since arriving on campus. He's collaborated with faculty members on a testing protocol for fentanyl test strips and a method for isolating extracellular vesicles.
That curiosity earned the chemistry major the Dr. Norbert L. Weich Award for undergraduate research, with Professor Paul Bohn calling him “smart, innately curious and genuinely excited about research.”
This weekend, Charlie will graduate before heading to Northwestern University to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry where he will continue investigating questions regarding light-matter interactions at the nanoscale starting this fall.
