Karl Ameriks, the McMahon-Hank Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at the University of Notre Dame, died on April 28 from pancreatic cancer. He was 77. Born in post-World War II Germany, Ameriks’ family emigrated to the United States when he was a child, and he grew up in Detroit, Michigan. He received his bachelor’s and doctoral degrees from Yale University. He came to the Department of Philosophy at Notre Dame in 1973 during a formative time for the department, which had transitioned from a predominantly Thomist focus to the more analytical American philosophy in the 1960s.

University of Notre Dame professor of psychology Nicole McNeil recently co-authored a report that examines the best way for children to learn arithmetic — whether that’s by memorizing number values and multiplication tables, or by studying math at a deeper, conceptual level. The report, “What the Science of Learning Teaches Us About Arithmetic Fluency,” was published in the journal Psychological Science in the Public Interest  and shows that children learn most effectively when instruction follows an evidence‑based cycle: grounding facts in conceptual understanding, using brief timed practice to make those facts automatic, and then returning to discussion and reflection to deepen that knowledge.

Notre Dame expert Lee Haines explains the risks mosquitoes and ticks pose to the Midwest and discusses how the public can best protect themselves and family members (including pets) from these bloodthirsty pests.

To make sense of the new administration's recent tariff announcements and policy changes, Robert Johnson, the Brian and Jeannelle Brady Associate Professor of Economics at Notre Dame, explains how tariffs affect global economies and what this means for U.S. engagement in global trade.

W. David Solomon, associate professor of philosophy emeritus and founding director of the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture at the University of Notre Dame, died on February 26, 2025. He was 81.

Larry Cunningham, the John A. O’Brien Professor of Theology Emeritus, died Feb. 20 in South Bend. He was 89.

The University of Notre Dame has appointed Dan Cook as its new University architect and vice president for facilities design and operations.  1996 Notre Dame alumnus, Cook succeeds Doug Marsh, who served as the inaugural University architect and will continue as a key leader of the facilities design and operations team through May.

Laura Fields, an associate professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Notre Dame, received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) for her research studying the properties of fundamental particles called neutrinos.

Three University of Notre Dame faculty members have been named to the 2025 RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings. This prestigious annual list recognizes the 200 scholars whose academic work has most influenced educational practice and policy nationwide.

Ahsan Kareem, the Robert M. Moran Professor of Engineering in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences (CEEES) at the University of Notre Dame, has been elected to the European Academy of Sciences and Arts. He will join the Academy’s division of Technical and Environmental Sciences.

Four faculty members were offered support for projects that will examine the history of Kurdish music and media, rethink Thomas Aquinas’ philosophical approach, unveil how the Catholic Church handled marital violence and separation in the 18th century, and further understand the cultural impact of Hurricane Maria.

The National Academy of Inventors has named Ashley Thrall, the Myron and Rosemary Noble Collegiate Professor of Structural Engineering in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences at the University of Notre Dame, to its 2024 class of fellows. Election as an academy fellow is the highest professional distinction awarded solely to inventors.

The union representing dockworkers at U.S. ports walked away from the negotiating table with port employers this week over automation concerns as the two sides face a mid-January deadline to finalize a deal and prevent the resumption of a strike. Business Analytics Professor Kaitlin Wowak discusses potential supply chain disruptions.

Global public debt may soon collectively catch up to the worldwide gross domestic product (GDP), likely matching it by 2030. New research from a Notre Dame economist suggests that this could happen even sooner, thanks to countries’ hidden debts. This misreported debt can lead to higher interest rates for borrowers and lower recovery rates for lenders, suggesting indirect adverse effects on global financial stability and consumer welfare.

Nationally recognized election law scholar Derek T. Muller, a professor of law at the University of Notre Dame Law School, has joined CNN as a contributor for the 2024 election cycle to provide his perspective and context to the network’s coverage of the presidential race.

Rev. Gustavo Gutiérrez, O.P., professor emeritus of theology at Notre Dame and widely regarded as the “father of liberation theology,” died Tuesday (Oct. 22) in Lima, Peru. He was 96.

Honoring the legacy of legendary University of Notre Dame President Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., the 2024-25 Notre Dame Forum will host “Fr. TED Talks: Ideas from the Catholic Social Tradition That We Find Inspiring,” a two-night festival on Oct. 28 and 29.

In an era of intense polarization, Democrats and Republicans have historically, and mistakenly, believed that members of the other party prioritize protecting certain types or victims of hate speech over others based on stereotypes or their affiliation with those potentially vulnerable groups. New research from the University of Notre Dame, however, revealed that partisans generally agree on what to censor when it comes to the target, source and severity of hate speech.