Engineering // Stories // We Are ND // University of Notre Dame

Nathaniel Hanson, Ph.D., ’19

Innovating Disaster Relief: Call in the Robots

When disaster strikes and buildings collapse, first responders know that every minute matters. Searching for survivors is dangerous, demanding tools that can navigate narrow gaps and unstable debris. Imagine a future where the first rescue option isn’t sending a human into harm’s way—it’s sending a robot.

Annette Hasbrook '85

Unexpected Trajectory

It was never a part of the plan to work for NASA. But when life opens a door to the unknown, Annette Hasbrook ’85 says, give it a chance — after all, it is humanity’s destiny to explore.

Monica Macek '95

Returning Home to Build for the Future

When Monica Macek ’95 left her home on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota to attend Notre Dame, she didn’t think she’d be going back.

Mike Flanigan '15

Innovating to Scout the Sea

Mike Flanigan ’15 is the CEO of SeaSats, a company that provides solar-powered autonomous ocean vehicles. SeaSats launched in October 2020, but the team of four co-founders has been making boats together since their days as kids growing up in coastal Tiverton, Rhode Island.

Meehan Lenzen '11

Creating Opportunities For Young Women In STEM

Lenzen’s hard work and dedication arise from a deep passion for gender equity in STEM.

Dr. Jon Olansen

A Gateway to the Moon

Editor’s Note: Domer Diaries is the newest storytelling…