About the Film Immerse yourself in the life of Yonezo Okita as he leaves his home in Hiroshima, Japan, to migrate to Canada in 1935. Experience Yonezo’s peaceful life on a strawberry farm and feel the shock of war and racism that affects his family for generations. Filmmaker Randall Okita pays tribute to his grandfather through interactive and deeply personal storytelling in this room-scale virtual reality film.  Register for the VR Experience Audience members will be able to view this short documentary by signing up for timed one-hour slots at two campus locations at Hesburgh Libraries and Jenkins Nanovic Halls. Staff will be present to assist the user of the virtual reality (VR) equipment throughout the entire session.  Make an Appointment: Fall 2025 Book of Distance Virtual Reality ExperienceAvailable between September 29 and October 6, 2025 Attend the Lecture Join director Randall Okita in person for the free public lecture “Bridging Generations: Memory, Virtual Reality, and the Art of Reclaiming Lost Narratives in The Book of Distance” on Monday, October 6, 5:00 p.m. in 1050 Jenkins Nanovic Halls. About the DirectorRandall OkitaRandall Okita is an artist and filmmaker known for his use of rich visual language and innovative storytelling. His films have screened at Sundance, Venice, Tribeca and TIFF, while his art has appeared in galleries and museums worldwide. With over twenty international awards, including two Canadian Screen Awards, a Webby, and a Japan Prize, Okita continues to push boundaries internationally. Recent work includes the IFC feature film See for Me (Tribeca, BFI London), the VR experience The Book of Distance (Sundance, Venice), the solo exhibition A Place Between at the Prince Takamado Gallery in Tokyo, and Transport to Another World at The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul. Of Irish and Japanese descent, Okita was born in Calgary and now splits his time between Toronto and Tokyo. An active mentor and educator, he believes in fostering creative communities. About the Series The film series Voicing Intergenerational Trauma in Postwar Korea and Japan through Contemporary Cinema explores how trauma is experienced intergenerationally in the family within the context of East Asia. Research demonstrates that trauma has lasting effects that reverberate beyond the victims who directly experience it (Cai and Lee 2022; Cho 2006). Families are the primary site where trauma is experienced and transferred across generations. This series sheds light on how these dynamics play out through a gendered lens within the context of East Asia, which has been profoundly shaped by ethnocentric violence during the Japanese imperial period and World War II, as well as social and economic upheaval following the outbreak of civil wars and the spread of Cold War politics in the 20th century. The series is sponsored by the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center, and Hesburgh Libraries with support from the Franco Family Institute for Liberal Arts and the Public Good, College of Arts & Letters. Originally published at asia.nd.edu.

We invite you to join distinguished leaders for a dynamic discussion on AI research in and for Latin America! This event is part of the R.I.S.E. AI Conference. To ensure comfortable accomodations, we strongly encourage you to RSVP to the event.* If you are already registered for “The Impact of AI In Latin America” as part of your R.I.S.E. AI Conference attendance, please do not RSVP through the following form. RSVP to AttendSession I: 10:00 – 11:00amIn this session, hear engaging presentations from University of Notre Dame faculty and collaborators from institutions across Chile, including:Paula Aguirre Aparicio, Vice President for Digital Intelligence, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile:Paula Aguirre is a Mechanical Civil Engineer, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Astronomy, and a PhD in Astrophysics from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. She is a faculty member at the UC Institute for Mathematical and Computational Engineering, Principal Investigator at the National Center for Artificial Intelligence (CENIA), and Associate Researcher at the Research Center for Integrated Disaster Risk Management (CIGIDEN).Her current research focuses on risk assessment of natural hazards and their impacts on urban environments and critical networks, applying a combination of remote sensing, geospatial analysis, data science, and physics-informed machine learning methods. In June 2025, she was appointed Vice-Rector for Digital Intelligence at UC, whose mission is to design and implement the University’s policy to adapt, understand, and perform in digital environments, including the advancements of AI.Karla Badillo-Urquiola, Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Notre Dame:Karla Badillo-Urquiola is a Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Notre Dame. She earned her Ph.D. from the School of Modeling, Simulation, and Training at the University of Central Florida. Badillo-Urquiola is a Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research expert, investigating technology-driven solutions that empower people and protect the well-being of youth in marginalized communities, drawing on participatory and critical design methods. Her work has won Best Paper (top 1%), Best Paper Honorable Mention (top 5%), Best Poster, and Impact Recognition awards. She also received the Google Academic Research Award to support her research. As an active member of the ACM SIGCHI Latin American HCI community, Dr. Badillo-Urquiola is committed to building a global and interdisciplinary community around ethical technology. She co-founded the 1st International School on Responsible Computing in Guadalajara, Mexico. By integrating her expertise in HCI, psychology, and design, Badillo-Urquiola is at the forefront of shaping a more responsible and equitable digital world.Rodrigo Carrasco, Data Science Initiative Director, Associate Professor, Institute of Mathematical Engineering and Computation, Industrial and Systems Engineering Department, School of Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile:Carrasco is the Data Science Initiative Director and an Associate Professor at the Institute of Mathematical Engineering and Computation and the Industrial and Systems Engineering Department in the School of Engineering at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Since 2021, he has been a member of the Advisory Board of the Columbia Global Center | Santiago and a Board Member of the Chilean Institute of Operational Research. His research focuses on combinatorial problems and addressing uncertainty in these settings. To achieve this, his research team combines predictive and prescriptive analytics tools for uncertainty modeling with combinatorial optimization techniques and stochastic optimization, thereby developing robust decision support tools for applied problems. Rodrigo holds a B.S. in Electrical & Industrial Engineering and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; and a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from Columbia University.Carolina Melo Hurtado, Director of the Library, Associate Professor, Universidad de los Andes in Chile:Carolina Melo Hurtado is a higher education leader and Fulbright alumna with over 20 years of experience in academic innovation, open science, and educational equity. As Director of the Library and Associate Professor at Universidad de los Andes in Chile, she has led a bold transformation of her institution’s library—repositioning it as a strategic academic unit that advances research, student success, and digital transformation. Her leadership spans academic program design, international collaboration, and evidence-based innovation, with a strong focus on Latin America. Recognized among Chile’s 100 Women Leaders, she has co-founded a national literacy network and led award-winning edtech initiatives.Motivated by a deep commitment to educational equity, Carolina combines academic vision, strategic execution, and global engagement to help shape higher education systems that are more inclusive, data-informed, and socially impactful.Session II: 11:00am – 12:00pm In the second session, join us for a panel discussion with leaders in AI and data innovation, who are driving interdisciplinary solutions to real-world challenges in Latin America. Moderator:Diego Gómez-Zará, Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, University of Notre Dame:Professor Gómez-Zará’s research focuses on how social computational systems help people organize and collaborate. His work has been at the forefront of computational social science, human-computer interaction, and network science. His recent publications include work in recommender systems, team formation, team formation, diversity, and virtual reality. This research has won best paper awards at top conferences in human-computer interaction, including CHI, CSCW, and IUI. Panelists:Angélica García Martínez, Assistant Research Professor, Lucy Family Institute for Data & SocietyAngélica García-Martínez is an expert in cancer epidemiology and early childhood development, with extensive experience working with highly vulnerable children in rural and Indigenous communities in Mexico. She coordinated national and international research at Mexico’s National Institute of Public Health in collaboration with leading universities (UCSF, Harvard, Yale). She led real-time child development monitoring innovations as Research Director at the NGO Un Kilo de Ayuda. Her contributions span cancer environmental epidemiology, nutrigenetics, early childhood development, and breastfeeding practices, authoring the Mexican national nurturing care guidelines in partnership with Yale.Lourdes Martínez Villaseñor, Research Professor, Universidad Panamericana:Dr. Lourdes Martínez Villaseñor holds a degree in Computer Systems Engineering and a PhD in Computer Science from Tecnológico de Monterrey, State of Mexico Campus, as well as a Master’s degree in Family Education from the Universidad Panamericana (IPCE). She is a Level D research professor in the area of artificial intelligence at the Universidad Panamericana and a Level II member of the National System of Researchers. Currently, she serves as President of the Mexican Society of Artificial Intelligence and is an IEEE Senior Member. Dr. Martínez Villaseñor has received multiple recognitions for her contributions to the field, including the 2023 Leading Woman in Responsible Artificial Intelligence in North America Award and the 2025 Trailblazer Award – Woman in AI of the Year in North America. Her research focuses on artificial intelligence applied to healthcare, user modeling, and AI ethics. With more than 30 years of teaching experience, she is the author of over 65 international journal and conference publications, as well as books and a patent in the field of artificial intelligence.Rodrigo Roa, Executive Director, Data Observatory:Rodrigo Roa is Executive Director of the Data Observatory, a Chilean non-profit co-founded by the Government of Chile, AWS, and Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez. He drives national and regional initiatives that turn scientific, environmental, and civic data into impact through open data, FAIR stewardship, and trustworthy AI. His portfolio includes SURDATA, a Latin American alliance for data interoperability; LatamGPT, a regional large-language-model initiative with CENIA and AWS; and sector platforms for oceans, environment, consumer protection, and public health. A lawyer by training, Rodrigo works at the intersection of policy, research, and industry and represents Chile in international forums such as CODATA, Research Data Alliance, among others.Anil Sadarangani, Director of Innovation, Universidad de los Andes:Anil Sadarangani, Ph.D., MBA, is a scientist and innovation leader with a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Biological Sciences from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and an MBA from the University of California, San Diego. He currently serves as Director of Innovation at Universidad de los Andes (Chile), where he has been instrumental in shaping the university’s strategy for research engagement, technology transfer, and science-based innovation. At UANDES, he also leads the Technology Task Force, a strategic initiative focused on fostering the adoption and impact of emerging technologies across disciplines. In addition, he is a part-time professor in Strategy and General Management at the ESE Business School. As an entrepreneur, Anil founded a biotechnology company during his MBA studies in the United States in 2010, which has since advanced to clinical development. Beyond his entrepreneurial endeavors, he actively contributes to the governance and growth of science-based startups and initiatives, serving on the boards of spin-offs such as Dia+, Pregnóstica, and the innovation consortium HubTec Chile. His career bridges academia, industry, and entrepreneurship, reflecting his conviction that scientific knowledge, when connected with business and society, can generate transformative solutions for global challenges.

Register here  Brain and Heart: The Triumphs and Struggles of a Pediatric Neurosurgeon is a medical memoir that explores the thoughts and emotions that accompany the responsibility of making complex choices with life-changing consequences. We look forward to a conversation with Dr. Sandberg on courage, love, compassion, hope and the other virtues that shape his vocation as a pediatric neurosurgeon. Virtues & Vocations is a social movement committed to individual and communal flourishing through the cultivation of character across the professions. This aspirational, cross professional learning community understands thriving professions are the backbone of thriving societies and knows professional excellence requires both competence and character.

CANCELED. About the Speaker Randall Okita is an artist and filmmaker known for his use of rich visual language and innovative storytelling. His films have screened at Sundance, Venice, Tribeca and TIFF, while his art has appeared in galleries and museums worldwide. With more than 20 international awards, including two Canadian Screen Awards, a Webby, and a Japan Prize, Okita continues to push boundaries internationally. Recent work includes the IFC feature film See for Me (Tribeca, BFI London), the VR experience The Book of Distance (Sundance, Venice), the solo exhibition A Place Between at the Prince Takamado Gallery in Tokyo, and Transport to Another World at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul. Of Irish and Japanese descent, Okita was born in Calgary and now splits his time between Toronto and Tokyo. An active mentor and educator, he believes in fostering creative communities. About the DocumentaryIn 1935, Yonezo Okita left his home in Hiroshima, Japan, and began a new life in Canada. Then war and state-sanctioned racism changed everything—he became the enemy. Three generations later, his grandson, artist Randall Okita, leads us on an interactive virtual pilgrimage through an emotional geography of immigration and family to recover what was lost. Register for the VR Experience Audience members will be able to view this short documentary by signing up for timed one-hour slots at two campus locations at Hesburgh Libraries and Jenkins Nanovic Halls. Staff will be present to assist the user of the virtual reality (VR) equipment throughout the entire session.  Make an Appointment: Fall 2025 Book of Distance Virtual Reality ExperienceAvailable between September 29 and October 6, 2025 About the Series The film series Voicing Intergenerational Trauma in Postwar Korea and Japan through Contemporary Cinema explores how trauma is experienced intergenerationally in the family within the context of East Asia. Research demonstrates that trauma has lasting effects that reverberate beyond the victims who directly experience it (Cai and Lee 2022; Cho 2006). Families are the primary site where trauma is experienced and transferred across generations. This series sheds light on how these dynamics play out through a gendered lens within the context of East Asia, which has been profoundly shaped by ethnocentric violence during the Japanese imperial period and World War II, as well as social and economic upheaval following the outbreak of civil wars and the spread of Cold War politics in the 20th century. The series is sponsored by the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies, DeBartolo Performing Arts Center, and Hesburgh Libraries with support from the Franco Family Institute for Liberal Arts and the Public Good, College of Arts & Letters, University of Notre Dame. Originally published at asia.nd.edu.

The Materiality of Medieval Texts working group, sponsored by the Medieval Institute and convened by Laura Banella, CJ Jones, and Johannes Junge Ruhland, invites you to its first meeting of the year. Please import meeting details to your calendar using this link.   We will discuss "(Un)Illustrating the Lyric: Possibilities of an Intermedial Dante," a pre-circulated chapter from Laura Banella's monograph, Rewriting Dante: Lyric Books and Cultural Authority in Medieval and Renaissance Italy (1290-1550), which is in its final stages of revision. Annie Killian will launch us off into discussion with a response, and we will have ample time to share thoughts and questions on the readings. If you are pressed for time and can only skim through the reading, please do come anyway!  Contact information: jjungeru@nd.eduOriginally published at romancelanguages.nd.edu.

Get involved in the South Bend community! All students, faculty, and staff are welcome at the 2025 Community Engagement Fair. Meet with more than 30 local organizations that focus on a range of issues, including early childhood education, youth development, housing and homelessness, reentry support, dementia care, food justice, domestic violence, immigrant services, and community outreach. Free food! Sponsored by the Institute for Social Concerns and Student Government.