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On a recent visit to Notre Dame’s campus, Thaïs Burmeister Pires, director for initiatives in Brazil at Notre Dame São Paulo, sat down with Natalie Davis Miller, host of the NDWorks Podcast. Pires talked about the programs and partnerships that make Notre Dame São Paulo special.This episode of the NDWorks Podcast was edited by Michael Wiens, with original music by Alex Mansour and additional music provided by Universal Production Music.

How can an infection-resistant coating transform patient safety?Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) cause over 1 million hospital complications in the U.S. each year. University of Notre Dame researchers Prof. Ana Flores-Mireles, Prof. Felipe Santiago-Tirado, and graduate student Alyssa La Bella developed a simple, low-cost liquid silicone coating that prevents proteins and pathogens from attaching to medical devices, stopping infections before they start.📍 Learn more about Notre Dame research: https://go.nd.edu/PreventingInfections#InfectionResistantCoatings #NotreDame #Shorts #InfectionPrevention #HealthTech #MedicalDevices

Hospital-acquired infections from catheters are one of the leading causes of deadly sepsis. When catheters are inserted, the body's natural defense mechanism can trigger inflammation, releasing proteins that trap bacteria and fungi onto the device.To solve this crisis, researchers at the University of Notre Dame have engineered a groundbreaking liquid silicone coating that creates a slippery barrier, preventing pathogen buildup and allowing harmful bacteria to wash away naturally.Watch how Prof. Ana Flores-Mireles, Prof. Felipe Santiago-Tirado, and Alyssa La Bella are revolutionizing medical device safety to protect vulnerable patients from preventable infections.00:00 The Personal Cost of Hospital-Acquired Infections 00:20 Why Catheters Trigger Deadly Sepsis 00:38 A Breakthrough from Notre Dame Researchers 00:51 How the Body Unintentionally Fuels Bacterial Growth 01:11 The Liquid Silicone Solution: How It Works 01:34 Transforming the Future of Patient Safety 01:46 What Would You Fight For? | Fighting to Prevent InfectionsLearn more about Notre Dame's work fighting to prevent re-infections

Soft robotics offers an innovative approach to navigating complex, unstructured environments during disaster relief efforts. Margaret McGuinness, a researcher in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame, explores how her Catholic faith and passion for engineering converge in developing flexible vine robots designed for urban search and rescue.By creating adaptable, soft-bodied robots that can navigate tight spaces and concrete debris, Notre Dame researchers aim to reach trapped victims faster and support first responders when seconds count.#Shorts #NotreDame #Robotics #Engineering #STEM #SearchAndRescue

How can data science protect clean water access?Over 50,000 communal water pumps across Sub-Saharan Africa are out of service. University of Notre Dame professors Chengcheng Zhai and Alfonso Pedraza Martinez use mathematical optimization and predictive data modeling to manage water pump networks, schedule maintenance, and prevent system downtime before it happens.🔗 Learn more about Notre Dame research: https://go.nd.edu/FFWaterAccess#CleanWater #DataScience #NotreDame #Shorts #TechForGood

In Sub-Saharan Africa, nearly 200 million people rely on communal hand pumps for clean drinking water—yet over 100,000 of these pumps are currently broken. When a water system fails, children miss school to fetch water, economic opportunities stall, and entire communities lose access to a basic necessity.Researchers Prof. Chengcheng Zhai and Prof. Alfonso Pedraza Martinez from the University of Notre Dame are collaborating with local engineers, water pump committees, and MBA students in Malawi to solve this crisis. By leveraging historical data and mathematical optimization modeling, their team identifies when and where water points are likely to fail, enabling proactive maintenance, better spare part distribution, and longer-lasting clean water access.00:00 Water infrastructure challenges in sub-Saharan Africa 00:26 Notre Dame's data-driven approach 00:47 Applying mathematical optimization to maintenance 01:08 Local community engagement & capacity building 01:19 The broader social and economic impact of reliable water 01:44 What would you fight for? | Notre DameLearn more about Notre Dame's work fighting for universal access to clean water: https://go.nd.edu/FFWaterAccess

When an earthquake strikes or a building collapses, first responders face a life-or-death challenge: how do they locate trapped victims without putting rescue crews at greater risk?In search and rescue operations, reaching confined void spaces beneath concrete and rubble is often one of the most dangerous parts of the response. Seconds count, but traditional tools cannot always reach narrow gaps or unstable areas safely.Researchers at the University of Notre Dame and MIT Lincoln Laboratory partnered with Massachusetts Task Force 1 first responders to develop SPROUT—a Soft Pathfinding Robotic Observation Unit. The flexible, inflatable “vine robot” combines soft robotics, acoustic sensors, and real-time mapping to maneuver through debris and give rescue teams a safer way to search disaster zones.00:00 The danger first responders face in structural collapses 00:16 The challenge: Locating trapped victims quickly and safely 00:39 How soft robotics navigate hazardous spaces 01:18 Using acoustic sensor technology to map collapse zones 01:28 Why field-testing with first responders matters 01:44 What would you fight for? | Notre DameFor more information on the vine robots and Professor McGuinness' research, visit: https://go.nd.edu/FFRoboticSearchandRescue

How can artificial intelligence bridge the gap for nonverbal individuals and their caregivers?At the University of Notre Dame, Prof. Jarek Nabrzyski and his research team are developing Human-Centered AI technology designed to interpret nonverbal cues—such as facial expressions, body movements, and heart rate. Partnering with family caregivers like Ed Fennell, who has spent 19 years advocating for his granddaughter Haley, this project aims to create affordable, accessible AI tools that empower new caregivers with empathy and dignity.00:00 Ed and Haley’s story: The challenge of nonverbal communication 00:24 19 years of caregiving for someone with PIMD 00:35 Partnering with Notre Dame on AI research 00:54 Voice4PIMD: Augmentative and alternative communication technology 01:25 Supporting caregivers and continuity of care 01:48 Fighting for nonverbal communication | Notre DameLearn more about Prof. Nabrzyski's research: https://go.nd.edu/FFNonverbalCommunications#Notre Dame #AI #Accessibility #ArtificialIntelligence #AssistiveTechnology