Awards given for the Undergraduate Research Conference in European Studies
On March 28, 2025, the Nanovic Institute for European Studies hosted the second Undergraduate Research Conference in European Studies. This event, organized around four unique panels throughout the day, allowed students studying Europe to share their research with peers and the Notre Dame community, including faculty moderators. Two student research projects, originally announced in the fall of 2024, also presented their findings: “Lessons Learned from Agrivoltaics Implementation in Europe” and “Presenting the Climate Apocalypse.” These projects' outputs will be presented more publicly soon.
Today, the institute announces the prize winners from the conference. Student presentations from across the day were evaluated and four students were recognized with a gold award, a silver award, and two honorable mentions.
Gold award: Clodagh McEvoy-Johnston
Clodagh McEvoy-Johnston received a gold award for her paper and presentation: “Simple Terms: Understanding Disparate Narratives Surrounding Amnesty in Post-Conflict Northern Ireland.”
Clodagh is a senior at the University of Notre Dame studying global affairs and peace studies with a minor in civil and human rights. Her primary areas of interest and research are transitional justice mechanisms and justice-seeking measures of victim-survivors in post-conflict areas, particularly Northern Ireland and Uganda. Clodagh hopes to hold the voice of the victim-survivor at the heart of all heart research endeavors. After university, Clodagh plans to pursue a Master’s degree and a juris doctorate. Clodagh is also a member of the Women’s Rowing team at Notre Dame.
Silver award: Bennett Schmitt
Bennett Schmitt received the silver award for his paper and policy recommendations on agrivoltaics implementation in the Netherlands and Indiana as part of the Agrivoltaics student research project.
Bennett is a senior with a double major in environmental sciences and applied mathematics and a minor in energy studies. On campus, Bennett conducts research on carbon cycling dynamics in grassland ecosystems, works as a teaching assistant in the Department of Biological Sciences, serves as a peer tutor for students in calculus and linear algebra, and acts as the director of Sustainability for Notre Dame Student Government.
Honorable mentions: Dani Fielding and Jane Palmer
Dani Fielding is a second-year aerospace engineering and gender studies major from Northern Virginia. She is currently the strategic communications intern for Notre Dame Sustainability, and her primary interests are in sustainable aviation technology and climate change.
Jane Palmer, a junior at the University of Notre Dame, is pursuing a double major in political science and global affairs, along with a minor in French and Francophone studies. An international student from County Cork, Ireland, Jane spent the fall of 2024 studying abroad at Sciences Po in Paris. On campus, she is actively involved with the Kellogg Institute for International Studies through their Developing Researchers Program, which includes her field experience in Zambia as part of the Pre-Experiencing the World Fellowship. Currently, Jane works as a research assistant at Kellogg, supporting Jaimie Bleck on a project examining the political determinants of agricultural policy in Sahelian states in Africa. Jane’s passion for her Irish heritage and human rights informs her research here, which is rooted in the work of Ireland’s first female president, Mary Robinson. Her deep connection to her roots and commitment to global change drive her mission to transform research into meaningful real-world impact.
While these four students are officially recognized, the Nanovic Institute offfers its sincere congratulations to all the students who participated. Choosing just a few presenters to receive awards was a significant challenge, as the quality of all the presentations was superb. We thank all the students for participating and hope it was an impactful part of your Notre Dame journey.
We look forward to next year's conference. If you are doing research in or about Europe over the next year, watch for a call for proposals in the next academic year.
Originally published by at nanovic.nd.edu on April 11, 2025.
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