Notre Dame Research, Under Armour reach historic partnership to pursue innovations in materials, data analytics and human performance
The University of Notre Dame and Under Armour announced a new, long-term and unprecedented partnership to pursue innovation through joint research. Over the next decade, both organizations will co-invest in research initiatives that span multiple colleges and disciplines, and allow Notre Dame’s faculty, staff and student researchers to work alongside Under Armour personnel to identify research questions and design solutions for impact on campus and beyond.
“Notre Dame and Under Armour already have a long-standing partnership focused on driving excellence on the playing field and shaping elite student-athletes,” said Jeffrey F. Rhoads, the John and Catherine Martin Family Vice President for Research and professor in the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. “We are thrilled by this evolution in our relationship, which will similarly drive excellence in the research lab and shape the next generation of elite scientific, engineering and business innovators.”
A key focus of the research collaborations will build upon the University’s long-standing expertise in materials and environmental science. This will include testing recyclable, biodegradable or low-impact fabrics and polymers; exploring the environmental impact of garment degradation; and researching novel polymer materials. Other initiatives will leverage Notre Dame’s established student-athlete health and performance testing protocols to evaluate Under Armour prototypes in the real world. Such cooperative testing will also enable the tailoring of products to meet the precise needs of Notre Dame student-athletes as they adapt to the ongoing effects of intense training and the travel inherent in college athletics.
“While standing on this strong internal foundation, partnering with Under Armour will add a new dimension of industry expertise that elevates our efforts to bring innovations from the lab to the playing field.”
In addition, the partnership will explore opportunities to leverage the University’s advanced capabilities in computation and predictive modeling to enhance performance insights and product development to better serve student-athletes at Notre Dame and across the country.
“At Under Armour, innovation is hardwired into everything we do — that includes designing and manufacturing products that help athletes at the highest levels gain that extra competitive edge, and that fulfill our core commitment to thinking, acting and operating sustainably,” said Kyle Blakely, Senior Vice President, Innovation, Development and Testing at Under Armour. “This is a perfect partnership because it will combine Under Armour’s expertise in producing the best-performing gear and apparel on the market with Notre Dame’s world-class research in materials and environmental science. Providing athletes with performance solutions that simultaneously help protect the planet is the dream, and through this partnership we’ll be able to get even closer to making that dream a reality.”
Under Armour is the University of Notre Dame’s official apparel partner for athletics.
By engaging Under Armour’s commercial expertise in human performance and athletic product development on campus, the partnership also enables educational and professional advancement for undergraduate and graduate students, including research experiences, internships and employment opportunities.
The new agreement will further strengthen internal ties between Notre Dame Research and Notre Dame Athletics. Earlier this year, the two units awarded three research teams the first-ever Human Performance & Wellness Research Grants, which provide funding to support exceptional research projects that contribute meaningfully to fields related to human health, well-being and performance.
“We are incredibly pleased with the momentum Athletics and Research have already built together,” said John Wagle, the Pat and Jana Eilers Senior Associate Athletics Director for Sports Performance. “While standing on this strong internal foundation, partnering with Under Armour will add a new dimension of industry expertise that elevates our efforts to bring innovations from the lab to the playing field.”
To learn more about the ways Notre Dame Research is partnering with Notre Dame Athletics on research facilities, infrastructure, opportunities and funding related to the science of elite performance, contact [email protected] or [email protected].
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Contact: Erin Fennessy, writing program manager, Notre Dame Research, [email protected], 574-631-8183
