A university is not simply shaped by its faculty; rather, they define it, taking ideas about teaching, research, and mission and putting them into practice on a day-to-day basis with students and colleagues in any number of settings.

Recognizing this, we are always interested in hearing how faculty from diverse disciplines think about Notre Dame as it relates both to them as individuals and their particular lines of scholarship.

Here is what several of them have told us.

Patricia Bellia

Professor of Law, Notre Dame Presidential Fellow

“The Notre Dame Law School’s strengths in public law, constitutional structure, and institutional design provide the ideal environment in which to examine the legal challenges presented by fundamental shifts in how we are communicating.” Read More

Joan Brennecke

Keating-Crawford Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Director of the Center for Sustainable Energy at Notre Dame

“One of the things I like most about Notre Dame is the way I am able to involve our high-quality undergraduates in my research group. There is nothing better than when colleagues at other universities tell me how well one of my former students is doing now in graduate school.” Read More

Steven Buechler

Professor and Department Chair of Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics

“Notre Dame excels in promoting the multidisciplinary collaborations essential to solving complex problems, both at an institutional level and in the attitudes of its faculty.” Read More

Dennis Doordan

Professor of Architecture and Design, Associate Dean of Research in the School of Architecture

“I have long valued the strong sense of place and community that characterizes Notre Dame. Given my field of study, I appreciate that such an ideal is not a glib slogan or facile abstraction but an indelible attitude that pervades the campus.” Read More

Jean Porter

Rev. John A. O’Brien Professor of Theology

“The University supports open, ecumenical theological inquiry … [and] offers many opportunities for interdisciplinary conversations, conferences, and ongoing research projects, drawing on scholars from around the world.” Read More

Mark Roche

Rev. Edmund P. Joyce, C.S.C., Professor of German Language and Literature

“Notre Dame attracted me because of its fascinating identity. At one and the same time, it is a liberal arts college that embraces teaching and learning, a dynamic and ambitious research university, and a Catholic institution of international standing.” Read More

Ann Tenbrunsel

Professor of Management, Rex and Alice A. Martin Director of the Institute for Ethical Business Worldwide

“I believe that understanding and addressing the reasons why individuals sometimes act undesirably when negotiating ethical dilemmas is just as important as identifying what strategies will improve a firm’s bottom line. At Notre Dame, I don't have to ‘sell’ this approach or argue for its legitimacy.” Read More

Huili (Grace) Xing

John Cardinal O’Hara, C.S.C., Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering

“Notre Dame does a great job positioning faculty to acquire the research funding we need. However, what I value most about the University is that I am at a top-tier institution that still manages to foster a friendly, family-like environment.” Read More