Finalists in the Graduate School's inaugural Notre Dame Postdoc Spotlight are getting ready to compete in a dynamic, fast-paced competition that celebrates their groundbreaking research on November 6 in Jordan Hall on Notre Dame’s campus.
The preliminaries all started in October, when postdocs from the Colleges of Arts & Letters, Science, and Engineering competed against one another in a challenge to present their research in three minutes or less, in a way that anyone can understand. Finalists from all three colleges will now compete against one another for prize money in four different categories totaling $6,000.
Why hold this new competition? “Notre Dame postdoctoral scholars are the engine of discovery, tackling some of the world's most complex problems,” says Mary Ann McDowell, associate dean for professional development at the Graduate School and professor of biological sciences. “Their research creates a ripple effect of innovation that benefits society as a whole. This event offers the public a rare and exciting glimpse into their work.”
The final competition is set to take place on Wednesday, November 6, from 5:00–7:00 p.m. in Jordan Hall. The Notre Dame community, the public, and the press are encouraged to attend. A reception will follow. Please RSVP for food planning purposes.
2025 Competition Finalists
College of Arts & Letters and Keough School of Global Affairs:
Jenna Gibson, Notre Dame International Security Center
"Diplospeak: How Diplomats Communicate with Friends and Enemies Alike."
Xiuxiu Tang, Psychology
"Shorter Tests, Smarter Learning"
Ashley Castelino, Medieval Institute
"Dogs, Death, Disease, and Healthcare in Medieval Iceland"
College of Engineering:
Great Umenweke, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
"The Future Energy is Trash"
Ahilan Anantha Krishnan, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
"From Animal Testing to Virtual Testing"
Joey Wang, Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences
"Will the Next Superstorm Hit Our Cities Harder than We Think?"
College of Science:
Paulo Martins Sobrinho, Biological Sciences
"Move, Adapt, or Go Extinct"
Khushi Batt, Physics and Astronomy
"Recreating Stars in the Lab"
Ravi Dhiman, Biological Sciences
”Recharging Cells: Mitochondrial Replacement Therapy for Friedreich's Ataxia”
The University is home to more than 300 postdoctoral scholars—often called postdocs—who have completed their Ph.D. and are appointed for one to five years. During their time here, postdocs focus on advancing their research, publishing their work, and mentoring students, all while preparing for the next steps in their academic or industry careers.
Contact:
Mary Ann McDowell, Associate Dean for Professional Development, Graduate School; Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame Phone: (574) 631-9771 Email: mmcdowe1@nd.edu
Originally published by at graduateschool.nd.edu on October 23, 2025.