Engineering in Photos highlights the people, discoveries, and experiences that shaped the College throughout April 2026. This month’s collection features students testing RC aircraft designs, hands-on STEM outreach at the Children’s Museum of South Bend, and celebrations of achievement through student and faculty awards. From Artemis II watch parties and lunar science lectures to undergraduate research showcases, classroom design challenges, and innovative work in robotics, bioprinting, and autonomous systems, these moments reflect the curiosity, collaboration, and community that drive Notre Dame Engineering forward.
Artemis II Launch Party
Students, faculty, and space enthusiasts gathered in DeBartolo Hall to watch history unfold during an Artemis II Launch viewing party. Hosted by Professors Clive Neal and Meenal Datta, the event brought the College community together to witness NASA’s first crewed lunar flyby mission in more than 50 years while learning more about space research in Notre Dame Engineering. Excitement filled the room as attendees followed the launch countdown, celebrated this milestone in human spaceflight, and reflected on a new era of deep space discovery.
Aero Senior Design Test Flights
Aero Senior Design students conducted test flights of their RC planes, evaluating how their designs performed and making adjustments along the way. Teams refined controls, tested aircraft stability, and worked through challenges as they prepared their planes for final demonstrations.
Kaitlyn Stankiewicz, College of Engineering 2026 Catherine F. Pieronek Women in Engineering Impact Award Recipient
Kaitlyn Stankiewicz, undergraduate program coordinator for the College of Engineering, was named the recipient of the 2026 Catherine F. Pieronek Women in Engineering Impact Award. This year’s award carries special significance, marking the 10th anniversary of the honor and a decade of celebrating those who empower women in the field.
College of Engineering Annual Student Awards Luncheon
The College of Engineering recognized outstanding undergraduate students during its annual Student Awards Luncheon, celebrating excellence across academic disciplines and honoring achievements in leadership, scholarship, and service. Recipients of the Reverend Thomas A. Steiner, C.S.C. Award, the Americo Darin Engineering Prize, and the Edward and Jane Prein Family Award were recognized.
Drill Take Down
Students in Introduction to Design Thinking in Engineering (AME 20210) took engineering apart—literally. During this hands-on reverse engineering activity, first-year and sophomore students disassembled power drills down to their core components, documenting everything from ergonomic housings to intricate planetary gear systems. By identifying materials, analyzing how each part contributed to overall performance, and creating detailed disassembly procedures, students gained valuable insight into how everyday products are designed, assembled, and optimized for function. Through deconstructing these tools, students learned that sometimes the best way to learn how to design for the future is to first understand the inner workings of the present.
“Artemis Lunar Science,” Kelsey Young, ND ’09 CEEES, Artemis Lunar Science Lead
Artemis II lasted just 10 days—but preparing astronauts to return to the Moon took years. During an Edison Lecture hosted on Tuesday, April 28, at DeBartolo Hall, Kelsey Young (CEEES ND ’09), Artemis II Lunar Science Lead and Artemis Science Flight Operations Lead, brought that journey to life through her talk, “Artemis Lunar Science: Artemis II and the new era of crewed lunar science operations.”
Young shared how she trained astronauts to identify lunar features and conduct science operations in environments across Hawaii, Iceland, and northern Canada that mirror the Moon’s geology. Through stunning photographs and firsthand insight, she described the intensity of supporting the mission from Mission Control—from lift-off and the crew’s first view of the Moon to their passage into the lunar far side and eventual splashdown back on Earth. Following the lecture, attendees engaged in a lively Q&A, and the next morning, Dr. Young spent additional time with students in a small-group session discussing her career at NASA and the future of lunar exploration.
Mengxue Hou Underwater Drone Research
Electrical engineering professor Mengxue Hou and her research team explored new ways to improve how autonomous underwater vehicles navigate challenging underwater environments. Using AI and probabilistic modeling, the team developed a system that helps underwater robots better recognize uncertainty and make more reliable navigation decisions.
COSE-JAM 2026
Each spring, the College of Science and the College of Engineering host the College of Science–Engineering Joint Annual Meeting (COSE-JAM), an annual showcase of undergraduate research across the sciences and engineering. Held in Jordan Hall of Science, the event features student poster and oral presentations spanning disciplines from biology and chemistry to physics and engineering. COSE-JAM gives students valuable experience communicating their research while celebrating the innovation and curiosity driving undergraduate discovery at Notre Dame.
A Special Four-legged Visitor
The Dean’s Office staff welcomed a special guest to its April meeting: Órla, a red Labrador comfort K9 with the Notre Dame Police Department, and her handler, Paul Foley, NDPD’s outreach, engagement and social media manager. Alongside fellow comfort K9 Finn, Órla supports the Notre Dame community through campus visits, outreach events and responses to students experiencing emotional distress.
Yanliang Zhang, Advancing the Future of Lab-grown Organs
A multidisciplinary team led by Notre Dame Engineering professor Yanliang Zhang has launched a four-year, $2.6 million NIH-funded collaboration with Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital to advance the future of lab-grown organs. The project aims to solve one of bioprinting’s greatest challenges: creating the intricate blood vessel networks needed to keep engineered tissues alive and functioning.
Engineering Explorers at the Children’s Museum of South Bend
Students from the University of Notre Dame College of Engineering brought hands-on learning to life during an April Engineering Explorers event at the Children’s Museum of South Bend. Through interactive STEM activities, Notre Dame students introduced local participants ages 8–13 to engineering concepts in a fun and engaging environment. Organized by Joseph Lyon, assistant teaching professor and coordinator of the First-Year Engineering Program, the event inspired curiosity and encouraged young learners to explore the possibilities of STEM.
College of Engineering 2026 Teaching and Mentoring Awards
The College of Engineering recognized members of its community for excellence in teaching, mentoring, and research support during its 2026 awards announcements. Honorees included: Jing Wang, associate teaching professor in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering and recipient of the Outstanding Teaching Award; Andrew Bartolini, director of the First-Year Engineering Program and associate teaching professor in the College of Engineering, recipient of the Outstanding Mentoring Award; and Jennifer Schaefer, Sheehan Family Collegiate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Longwen (Evan) Li, doctoral student in the Bioengineering Program, recipients of Outstanding Research Mentoring Awards.
This photo collection was produced by the Notre Dame Engineering Communications and Marketing team. Photos by Wes Evard, Notre Dame Engineering, unless otherwise credited.
