Graduate Research

Graduate students in the College of Science are integral members of research teams, collaborating with faculty, postdoctoral fellows, undergraduates and researchers from institutions around the world.

There are more than 550 graduate students in the college, asking the big questions and making discoveries in a variety of subject areas as well as numerous interdisciplinary fields. Investigators in each department are seeking new understanding and knowledge that could have significant application to the world’s most pressing problems, including energy, health and the environment. Graduate students are vital members of their labs, as well as a multitude of centers and institutes across campus.

Notre Dame graduate students pursue research and are supported in scholarly cultivation through the Graduate School's holistic approach to Graduate Training, which centers on a dual commitment to professional development and student well-being. Science graduate students are also offered a variety of opportunities in their research. 

Colleges of Science and Engineering Research Horizons Symposium

The annual Colleges of Science and Engineering Research Horizons Symposium for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows is held during Reading Days each December in Jordan Hall of Science.

This symposium aims to highlight the achievements of postgraduate trainees, foster interdisciplinary research and interactions, develop presentation and mentoring skills, furnish advice on career development, and provide a forum for extramural scientific and job presentations to diverse audiences. This all-day event consists of morning podium presentations, a lunchtime Q&A session with the Associate Director of the Office of Postdoctoral Scholars as well as multiple directors of graduate studies from both colleges, followed by an afternoon poster session and concurrent social reception.

All graduate students and postdoctoral fellows at the University are invited to participate by sharing their original research with their colleagues in either an oral or poster format. Research may have been conducted on or off campus, and mentored by faculty from the University of Notre Dame and/or at other universities and colleges. Please note that the costs of poster printing will be covered by the COS and COE.