What does storm-driven coastal erosion in Ireland have in common with protein quantification, social behavior in prairie voles, and next-generation membrane technologies? On December 11, 2025, the answer was on full display at the annual Colleges of Science and Engineering (COSE) Research Horizons Symposium at the University of Notre Dame.
Throughout the day, 16 oral presentations and 70 poster presentations transformed Jordan Hall of Science into a forum for curiosity, debate, and discovery. Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers from across the Colleges of Science and Engineering presented work spanning molecules to coastlines and biology to infrastructure—offering a vivid snapshot of research shaping the future of science and engineering at Our Lady’s University.
The symposium’s top honors, the Excellence in Research Awards, recognized projects pushing disciplinary boundaries. Postdoctoral Research Associate Simon Dyck Weaver, from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, received the Science Award for his project “OnePotNαta,” a streamlined method for N-terminal acetylation and protein quantification in complex biological samples. The Engineering Award was presented to Ph.D. candidate Hannah Rose Spero, from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, whose work combined field observations and modeling to reveal how extreme storms transport massive coastal boulders along Ireland’s Aran Islands.
Poster awards highlighted equally compelling research. Postdoctoral Research Associate Tommy Lee, from the Department of Biological Sciences, earned the Best Poster Award - Science for demonstrating how natural variation in the oxytocin receptor gene influences social observation in female prairie voles. Ph.D. student Ellie Johandes, from the Bioengineering Program, received the Best Poster Award - Engineering for her work targeting lymphatic endothelial glycolysis to regulate vascularization under hypoxic conditions. The People’s Choice Award went to Ph.D. candidate Laurianne Estrada, from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, for her research on designing membranes for critical mineral recovery using high-throughput characterization.
More than a competition, the COSE Research Horizons Symposium served as a celebration of interdisciplinary thinking, intellectual risk-taking, and emerging scientific leadership. By day’s end, one message was clear: The horizon of scientific research at Notre Dame is not only broad—it is bright.
Members of the Notre Dame community with an active NetID may view additional photos from the event via this link. (Image Credits - Wes Evard)
Originally published by at graduateschool.nd.edu on February 06, 2026.