Dean Greg Crawford’s Blog

This summer I will be getting back on my bike for my fourth bike ride to raise awareness and research funds for Niemann-Pick Type C (NPC) disease. I will be traveling from Los Angeles to Baltimore, arriving in time for the National Niemann-Pick Disease Foundation 21st Annual Family Support and Medical Conference. My journey will bring me to San Diego, Phoenix, Tucson, Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, Mobile, Atlanta, Charleston, Raleigh and Washington D.C. and will be meeting with Notre Dame family and friends along the way. If I come through your area, please stop and say hello. Read more…

I had the opportunity to visit some fantastic Notre Dame alumni in Florida this past month.

I started off in Naples and met with some Notre Dame alumni and science advisory council members.  Then, I was able to stop and see Katie and Coach Parseghian in Marco Island to give them an update on our Niemann Pick Type C disease research efforts.  It is also Coach’s 90th birthday this year. I presented him with one of my favorite photographs when my wife, Renate, and I came back from our first ride in 2010—Desert to Dome. The photograph shows us with Cindy Parseghian, Coach Parseghian, Fr. Hesburgh, and Fr. Jenkins. Read more…

One of the things I love most about working in the College of Science is that we work hard to develop our students to become innovative scientists who will apply their scientific knowledge to solve some of the most challenging problems in our world.  I want to share a few examples of some of the exciting things our students are doing this semester.  There are many accomplished students in the College of Science. Here are just a few.

Read more…

Last Saturday, our juniors and their parents braved the cold weather and came to the Jordan Hall of Science for our JPW Collegiate Workshop. All of the seats in room 101 quickly disappeared and the lecture hall became standing room only. It was great to see the room filled with over 400 students and parents and I really enjoyed sharing all of the wonderful things we are doing in the College and was excited to talk about our vision for the future.

Read more…

The temperature in South Bend today is in the single digits and it is snowing.  This is a stark contrast to the mid-90s that I experienced last week during my time in Leogane, Haiti, while I visited the Notre Dame Haiti Program.  I have traveled to Haiti several times during the past few years, and each time I am struck by the beauty of the country, as well as the need that permeates Haitian society.  The Notre Dame Haiti Program, led by Notre Dame graduate and professor Fr. Tom Streit, C.S.C, Ph.D, has been working to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF) in Haiti for the past 20 years.

Read more…

During a time when we are giving thanks for the blessings in our life, I would like to share how grateful I am to be a part of the Notre Dame family.

My mantle at home is filled with Notre Dame memories

Over the last four years, I have experienced things I would have never imagined were possible.  I have partnered with sports teams to fight cancer.  I have biked over 7,700 miles to help raise awareness and research funds for Niemann-Pick Type C, a devastating disease that took the lives of three of Coach Ara Parseghian’s young grandchildren.  I have collaborated with applied mathematicians, stood on the sidelines with Coach Lou Holtz in Japan, and even gone fishing with Father Hesburgh. Read more…

Earlier this week, I traveled to Haiti to visit the University of Notre Dame Haiti Program.  After arriving early Monday morning, we navigated through the streets during the height of Port-au-Prince’s rush hour traffic and visited the Haiti Program’s salt factory.  Since 2003, the Haiti Program has been producing Bon Sel+ Dayiti, a salt that is co-fortified with diethylcarbamazine (DEC), a drug used to fight Lymphatic Filariasis (LF), and iodine to tackle Iodine Deficiency Disorder, which is prevalent in Haiti.

Read more…

For our undergraduate students in the College of Science, studies go far beyond coursework, thanks to a thriving undergraduate research program.  I am so proud to see that undergraduate involvement in research continues to grow every year.

Our students find research opportunities both during the academic year and during the summer. They work with faculty, graduate students and other undergraduates on real research projects that have the potential to make a lasting impact. Through research, students deepen their understanding of a topic of interest and experience first-hand what it truly means to be a scientist. Read more…

We’re thrilled to welcome eight new faculty members to the College of Science. They are all talented researchers and teachers and enthusiastic about being part of the Notre Dame community, and we’re excited to have them on board. Read more…

The Parseghian Golf Classic was a fantastic event.  Held at Pebble Beach for the first time, forty golfers, plus spouses and guests, enjoyed the spectacular beauty of Pebble Beach, 17-Mile Drive, and the  picturesque surroundings – all for a great cause.  On Friday night, we started off with the tire dip.

As I pulled in on my bike to wrap up the 3,300 mile ride, it was so nice to see everyone waiting for me by the water. Cindy and Mike were able to also dunk the bike that their son Ara rode on the first leg. What a great ending to this year’s ride.

Greg with Cindy and Mike Parseghian

Read more…