On March 27, 2026, the Nanovic Institute for European Studies hosted the third Undergraduate Research Conference in European Studies. This event, organized around three unique panels throughout the day, allowed students studying Europe to share their research with peers and the Notre Dame community, including faculty moderators. These panel topics included “Europe Confronts the Refugee Challenge,” “Art and Identity in Contemporary Europe,” and “Belonging and Exclusion at Europe’s Peripheries.”
Today, the institute announces the prize winners from the conference. Student presentations throughout the day were evaluated, and two students were recognized with gold and silver awards.
Gold Award: Abby O’Connor ’26
Abby O'Connor received the gold award for her paper and presentation: “The Flight of Picasso’s ‘Guernica’: Spain’s Transition to Democracy, Historical Memory, and Integration into the European Community.”
Originally from Toledo, Ohio, Abby is a senior majoring in Art History and Anthropology with a European Studies minor. She has contributed to two Nanovic Institute Research Projects, Fighting for Democracy and Human Rights through the Arts and Sites of Memory in Contemporary Europe, the former involving research in Spain. Abby is currently writing an Honors Art History Senior Thesis focused on contemporary Spanish Basque site-specific sculpture's engagement with local politics, regional identity, and ecology. Beyond her research, she has worked as a student tutor and served as the president of the Art History Club and secretary of FeministND.
Silver Award: Ignatius Caro ’29
Ignatius Caro received a silver award for his paper and presentation: “Warsaw and the World: An Ethnographic Analysis of the Globalized Stage of the International Chopin Piano Competition.”
Ignatius Caro is a first-year student studying Chemistry and Piano Performance. He is currently studying catalysis by characterizing novel organometallic structures and reactions while also exploring the various ways in which classical music manifests itself in contemporary Europe and the world. This October, he traveled to Warsaw on his first-ever international flight to research how the global perspectives of the audience and the competitors intersect on the stage of the world's oldest and largest piano competition. He extends his thanks to the Nanovic Institute for European Studies, the Glynn Family Honors Program, and the Notre Dame Arts Initiative for their generous support of his fine arts research.
While these two students are officially recognized, the Nanovic Institute offers its sincere congratulations to all the students who participated. We thank all the students for participating and hope it was an impactful part of your Notre Dame journey.
We also look forward to next year's conference. If you are doing research in or about Europe over the next year, watch for a call for proposals or contact Dr. Roy Kimmey, senior program manager for student research and academic affairs at the Nanovic Institute.