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Sustainability Research Fellows present findings on sustainable practices from Europe

Author: Morgan Engates

On October 30, 2025, the Nanovic Sustainability Research Fellows came together to share their findings from their semester-long research projects conducted across Europe. This session was chaired by Eamon Ryan, Ireland’s former Minister for the Environment, Climate, and Communications (2020–2025), who was visiting the University of Notre Dame over several days visiting classes, meeting students and faculty, and presenting a public lecture on Monday, November 3. The students brought perspectives on sustainability from Ireland, London, and Rome back to the United States and the Notre Dame campus.

Student presentations were evaluated by a panel of judges, which included Eamon Ryan, Brigitta Richmond (Notre Dame Global), and John Kalemkerian (Office of Sustainability). Of the ten total presentations, the judges named both the Green Globe Award recipient for best presentation and an honorable mention.

Winner: Isabelle Wilson

Isabelle Wilson, a woman in a dark blazer with shoulder-length brown hair smiles while speaking into a microphone. On the podium, a laptop with Notre Dame stickers sits above "Hafner Institute for Peacebuilding."

Isabelle Wilson received the Green Globe Award for her presentation, "Urban Agriculture & Carbon Neutrality: From Ancient Rome to Modern Lazio."

Wilson is a senior at the University of Notre Dame studying global Affairs and philosophy. She spent the spring at John Cabot in Rome, Italy, with the help of the Nanovic Institute, researching how urban farming initiatives can simultaneously address environmental sustainability challenges and empower local communities.

 

Honorable Mention: Gracie Speicher

Gracie Speicher, a woman with dark, curly hair gestures with both hands while speaking into a microphone at a dark podium. The podium features a "Nanovic Institute for European Studies" sign and a laptop with Notre Dame stickers.

Gracie Speicher received an honorable mention for her presentation, "Public Spaces and the Tiber River, Rome."

Speicher is a senior environmental science and Italian student at the University of Notre Dame. This past spring, she conducted research on water quality and public spaces along the Tiber River in Italy with the help of the Nanovic Institute Notre Dame Rome. Since then, she has also worked with the Geography Department at Trinity College Dublin conducting water quality analyses of streams entering South Dublin Bay.

 

Presenters:

Christine Hruby, a young woman with light brown hair smiles brightly, wearing a vibrant pink top and black cardigan.

Christine Hruby presented “Clear Water, Clear Future: Evaluating Water Quality Across Ireland," following her work during her spring abroad in Dublin, Ireland.

 

 

 

 

 

Jack MapelLentz, a young man with curly brown hair, smiling in a light blue quarter-zip sweater, speaks into a microphone, holding a phone. A laptop with stickers is on the dark podium.
Jack MapelLentz presented his findings on “Water Quality in Cavan & Monaghan: a monitoring program implemented by citizen science,” after his spring abroad in Dublin, Ireland.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rika Felten, a young woman with long dark hair in a dark blue shirt speaks at a podium with a microphone, gesturing with her hands. An open laptop with a Notre Dame Research sticker is on the podium.
Rika Felten presented “Ireland’s Offshore Wind Journey and What the US Can Learn,” sharing what she learned during her spring abroad in Dublin, Ireland.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sara Wheeler, a woman with light brown hair in a black blazer speaks into a microphone at a podium, gesturing with her hands. An open silver laptop with a Notre Dame logo sticker is on the podium.
Sara Wheeler presented her discoveries on “Dereliction and Decline: The Economic and Social Costs of Ireland’s Dereliction Crisis,” after spending her spring in Dublin, Ireland.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Three students present at a Nanovic Institute for European Studies event. A young man speaks into a microphone at a podium with a laptop. To his left, another man in a colorful plaid shirt stands with arms crossed. To his right, a woman in a navy Notre Dame top smiles slightly.
Sean Bocan, Isabelle Donofrio, and Greg Gehring presented “Sustainable Development and Leadership Goals: Working to reduce coffee-cup waste & consumption at ND London,” sharing their findings from their spring abroad in London, England.
 
 
 
 
 
 
India Byrne, young woman with long dark hair smiles while speaking into a microphone at a black podium. A laptop with a Notre Dame sticker is on the podium, which also displays "NANOVIC INSTITUTE".
India Byrne presented what she discovered about “Investing in Our Future: ESG Investing in the EU,” during her spring abroad in Rome, Italy.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Josh Williams, a uoung man with light brown hair wearing a light pink shirt speaks into a microphone at a dark podium. An open laptop with a Notre Dame sticker is on the podium.
Josh Williams presented his insights on “The Case for Regulatory Intervention in the Plastics Industry,” based on what he learned from spending the spring abroad in Galway, Ireland.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Elise Wollemborg, a young woman with brunette hair, wearing a black blazer, speaks into a microphone at a podium. Her hands are gesturing as she speaks. The podium displays the logo for the Nanovic Institute for European Studies, and a laptop with a Notre Dame sticker rests on it.
Elise Wollemborg presented her findings on “Sustainable Healthcare in Ireland: The Environmental Impacts of the Shift towards Community Based Care,” after spending her spring abroad in Galway, Ireland.

The Nanovic Institute congratulates all the Sustainability Fellows on their successful research. Each presentation reflected impressive dedication and initiative, making the judges’ decisions especially challenging. Even the catering for the event played a role in building sustainability, with measures such as asking participants to bring their own cups and forgoing plasticware to reduce waste.

We thank each student for their efforts, and we hope this was an impactful and eye-opening experience for all its participants. In the future, the institute plans to post the students' findings in an online forum currently being designed.

Applications for the 2026 Study Abroad Sustainability Fellows program have already been collected and are under consideration. The institute looks forward to a second year of collaboration, excellent research, and a shared interest in building a more sustainable future. It also thanks its partners at Notre Dame Global, including Notre Dame London, Notre Dame Dublin, Notre Dame Galway, Notre Dame Rome, and others, as well as partners at Notre Dame Sustainability.

Originally published by Morgan Engates at nanovic.nd.edu on November 10, 2025.