Department: Leadership

Meara is has served as Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the University of Virginia School of Engineering since 2021. 

Prashant is in the Department of Informatics and Networked Systems in the School of Computing and Information at the University of Pittsburgh. 

Aylin Yener holds the Roy and Lois Chope Chair in Engineering at The Ohio State University since January 2020, and is Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Professor of Computer Science and Engineering and Professor of Integrated Systems Engineering.  Until December 2019, she was a Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering and a Dean’s Fellow at Penn State, where she joined in 2002 as an assistant professor. In 2008-2009, she was a visiting associate professor in the Electrical Engineering Department at Stanford University, and in 2016-2017 she was a visiting professor in the same department. She also held a visiting position in Telecom Paris Tech in the summer of 2016.

Yener’s research studies networked entities. Her current focus areas relate to various pillars of next generation connectivity of computing, communicating and sensing entities (known as 6G) including smart environments, artificial intelligence and security/privacy. Yener is known for introducing several “first papers” in communications and information theory that led to research areas including physical layer security (2005 thanks to NSF), energy harvesting wireless communication networks (2009 thanks to NSF) (co-inventor), and semantic communications (2012 thanks to ARL). She is an unusual theorist who gets inspired by futuristic applications and seeks to make real life impact by foundational thinking. Her research has been supported by NSF, DARPA, NSA, ARL/ARO, DoT, and various industry and state entities.

From The Ohio State University College of Engineering: Read full biography here.

Emily Case has been with Notre Dame Research since 2018. In her role as RPM, she works closely with faculty across campus and provides support to a variety of research projects. Prior to this role, Emily served as a Grants Program Manager where she was responsible for providing post-award financial management assistance to faculty engaged in sponsored research. Before coming to Notre Dame, Emily worked in development and grant writing at The History Museum in South Bend and for The Foundation of Saint Joseph Health System, respectively. She is a 2012 graduate of Indiana University with a bachelor’s degree in History and English.

In January 2024, Talia joined Notre Dame Research (NDR) as a Research Project Manager, specializing in complex projects and strategic initiatives. With over six years of experience in both industry and academic research, she brings expertise in startup logistics and operations for clinical trials, as well as support for executive-level staff in implementing strategic projects and operational frameworks. Talia holds a BA in Biological Anthropology from the University of California, San Diego, with a focus on Global Health, and a master’s degree in Epidemiology from the University of Cambridge. Additionally, she is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) from the Project Management Institute.

Nicole Quartiero joined Notre Dame Research in 2022 as its first Director of Research Project Management. She leads the Research Project Management Team and oversees all research project management strategies and initiatives. In addition, she serves on the DEI Committee. Nicole graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Master’s Degree in Clinical Research Management. She is a Certified Research Administrator (RACC) and Certified Clinical Research Professional (SOCRA). Before joining NDR, Nicole has spent over a decade learning the ins and outs of research administration as a lifecycle research administrator in both academic and clinical settings. She has recently been selected as Future of the Field Rising Star (FOTF; 2021) by the Society of Research Administrator’s International (SRAI), the FOTF Subcommittee Chair, and is an active member and presenter for NCURA and SRAI.