Programs and Fellowships
Fellowships
There are many opportunities for students to apply for fellowships prior to and during their time at Notre Dame. Our students have been very successful in securing many of the University Fellowships that are available during the application process. The Graduate School offers a program to help incoming students successfully apply for National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships. This program has been particularly successful and includes support to perform research with a faculty member in the summer prior to official commencement of the graduate program. In addition, a number of centers and institutes on campus, such as ND Energy, the Berthiaum Institute for Precision Health, and the Eck Institute for Global Health, offer fellowships related to specific research topics.
Programs
A large number of our graduate students participate in programs and training opportunities within the department and across campus.
Chemistry-Biochemistry-Biology Interface (CBBI) Program
The NIH-funded Chemistry-Biochemistry-Biology Interface Program trains graduate students in an interdisciplinary environment that provides significant cross-training at the interface of chemistry, biochemistry, and biology. The CBBI Program is open to graduate students conducting research in CBBI associated laboratories across the Departments of Chemistry & Biochemistry and Biology. CBBI Fellowship applications are due March 1 of each year, with awards beginning in the following fall semester. For the 2023-2024 academic year, the CBBI Fellowship provides a stipend of $36,050 per year plus health benefits in addition to tuition support. Appointments are made for twelve months and are renewable for one additional year based on satisfactory performance, completion of CBBI curricula, and availability of funds.
Materials Science & Engineering Program
The Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry is one of six departments at Notre Dame that offer the interdisciplinary Materials Science and Engineering doctoral degree. Incoming students who are interested in the program should follow the department’s admissions process, with details available at graduateschool.nd.edu. Students in this program will have an interdisciplinary mentor in addition to their primary research advisor. To successfully complete the Materials Science and Engineering degree, students will be required to complete their home department's requirements, nine hours of materials science courses, and a materials science-focused doctoral thesis. Students who successfully complete the program will earn either a “Chemistry: Materials Science and Engineering" or "Biochemistry: Materials Science and Engineering" doctoral degree.
Please discuss your interest in the Materials Science and Engineering doctoral program with the departmental Director of Graduate Admissions or Director of Graduate Studies.
Biophysics Graduate Program
The Biophysics Graduate Program enables scientists working at the intersection of physics, biology, chemistry, and applied mathematics and statistics, to collaborate with clinicians, mathematicians and engineers to develop a predictive understanding of biological processes, including cancer, development, infection and the immune system. Novel tools and techniques now permit biophysicists to see and measure what was once invisible. Notre Dame has a long history of biophysics research and education, and a recent gift from the William & Linda Stavropoulos Family Foundation has brought together ND biophysics researchers under the umbrella of the Stavropoulos Center for Complex Quantum Matter. Interested graduate students apply directly to the program to pursue a doctoral degree in biophysics. More information on the biophysics graduate program can be requested from biophys@nd.edu.
International Research Experiences for Students (IRES)
The department is home to an NSF funded International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) program focused on catalysis. It provides financial support for Notre Dame Ph.D. students to spend 16 weeks conducting research at the University of Heidelberg, Germany, on various topics in catalysis. Participants are selected each year from current graduate students with interest. All travel, accommodation, and living expenses are all covered by this award. Interested students should contact Professor Olaf Wiest or Professor Paul Helquist.
Integrated Biomedical Science Program (IBMS)
The Integrated Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program is a cross-departmental Ph.D. program for research and training in a range of fields in the biomedical sciences. Scientists across the campus, representing 59 different research groups, are organized into thematic research and training clusters that offer students the opportunity to engage in cutting-edge biomedical research that transcends traditional departmental and disciplinary boundaries. A key aspect of the IBMS program is that unlike traditional Ph.D. programs, students apply and are admitted to the program, rather than a department (a separate application is required). New students spend their first academic year performing three successive research rotations. After the end of their first academic year, students are able to select an advisor from any of the participating faculty, regardless of the department in which the faculty are appointed. For the 2023-2024 academic year, the IBMS fellowship provides a stipend of $35,805 per year plus health benefits in addition to full tuition support.