About the Medal
The Carrier Medal is the highest distinction awarded by the College of Science at the University of Notre Dame. It honors sustained and outstanding contributions in any field of science and serves to elevate the role of science in society. The award rotates annually among the mathematical, physical, chemical, and biological sciences. It includes a medallion and a monetary prize.
Each year, the recipient of the Carrier Medal delivers a public lecture on campus as part of the official award ceremony.
History
The medal is named in honor of Rev. Joseph Celestine Basile Carrier, C.S.C. (1833–1903), the first director of the science program at the University of Notre Dame and a pioneer of scientific inquiry in the United States. A native of France, Father Carrier was ordained in 1861 and served as a chaplain during the American Civil War from 1863 to 1865. He joined Notre Dame in 1860 and helped establish its six-year science curriculum.
A respected botanist, Father Carrier founded the university’s natural science museum and herbarium, curating thousands of specimens from around the world. His vision laid the foundation for the College of Science, formally established in 1865. His commitment to both scientific rigor and the service of humanity embodies the values the medal seeks to promote.
Vision
The Carrier Medal reflects the College of Science’s belief in the power of science to elevate the human condition. By recognizing transformative achievements in the sciences, we hope to:
- Celebrate science as a universal and unifying endeavor
- Highlight the ethical responsibility of scientific leadership
- Encourage young scholars to pursue paths of discovery and service
- Reinforce Notre Dame’s mission as a global center of intellectual excellence
The Medallion
The medal was designed by Miklós Simon, a 1991 MFA graduate of Notre Dame, whose sculptural work evokes both the classical and the modern, symbolizing the enduring legacy and forward momentum of scientific achievement.