From a 17th-century castle in Birr, Ireland to the Parc de la Ciutadella in Barcelona, Spain, Notre Dame students pursue projects around the world with the support of the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP).
Sponsored by the Institute for Scholarship in the Liberal Arts, UROP provides financial support to current University of Notre Dame students who are carrying out research or creative projects, writing a senior thesis, or presenting research at a conference.
History major Anastasia Wright received UROP funding to spend three weeks in Ireland studying the 19th-century astronomer William Parsons, the third Earl of Rosse. Lord Rosse is best known for building a 72-inch telescope, the largest in the world until the early 20th century. “Living in Ireland is wonderful,” said Wright. “Being able to go to the library when I need to, visit the archives when I need to, it’s really great to have that sort of freedom that I need to do the research.”
Notre Dame Spanish and pre-health major Nick Nissen also received UROP funding to conduct interviews with medical professionals and residents of Barcelona, Badajoz, and Bilbao, Spain to investigate the cultural and economic factors at play in childbirth decisions. “There would be no way I could do this entire research project without the help of this awesome grant,” said Nissen. “It’s allowed me to immerse myself in a culture, learn so much about it, and dive into a topic I’m really passionate about.”
You can also watch this video on YouTube.
