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VOLUME 59, ISSUE 36 | MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2024 | NDSMCOBSERVER.COM
Carroll Christmas ND entrepreneurs named fosters cheer, joy to Forbes 30 Under 30 list By ANNELISE DEMERS Associate News Editor
DOMINIC SEMENTILLI | The Observer
Students crowd Carroll Hall to celebrate the Christmas season. The dorm was decked out with lights and wrapping paper for the event. By DOMINIC SEMENTILLI News Writer
On Saturday, Carroll Hall hosted its annual Christmas celebration, Carroll Christmas. The event took place from 3-6 p.m. and offered attendees from the tri-campus community the opportunity to partake in new activities and Carroll traditions to celebrate the season. According to junior Carroll Hall president Will Calder, the event would not have been possible without the effort of the Carroll community. On top of typical friendly karaoke competitions and steaming mugs of hot chocolate, the event
featured notable changes. “Our typical horse and buggy vendor went out of business, so we replaced the beloved sleigh ride with our own version of Santa’s sleigh, a Ford F-150 wrapped with wrapping paper and lights all around the car,” Calder said. Before the event’s iconic tree lighting ceremony, attendees were invited to gather around a fire to roast s’mores with a view of the dome and lake. Attendees could also listen to live music as Carroll residents sophomore Tom Yevoli, sophomore Andrew Lorente
Notre Dame seniors Liam Redmond and Zachary Brown have earned a spot on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, being recognized for their innovative company, YELO, billed aa a first-of-its-kind social ride network connecting college students for safe and affordable transportation. The duo, listed in the “Youngest” and “Transportation & Mobility” categories, is among the youngest selection of honorees on the annual list, which highlights trailblazers under age 30 across 20 industries. YELO’s journey began in an unlikely setting—the South Dining Hall stir-fry line. Frustrated with the high cost and safety concerns of traditional rideshares, Redmond and Brown envisioned a peer-to-peer solution tailored to students. Combining Redmond’s entrepreneurial vision and Brown’s computer science skills, they launched an initial version of the app, then named Desi. The company later changed its name
Courtesy of Liam Redmond
Seniors Liam Redmond and Zachary Brown were recognized by the Forbes 30 Under 30. They were among the youngest given the honor.
to YELO. The platform quickly evolved beyond transportation. Students began using it to track social events and hotspots, a feature that became central to its appeal. “We were sick of unpredictable surge pricing and safety concerns,” Redmond said. “From a simple idea, we saw use cases we
never predicted. Our obsession with user feedback revealed insights that transformed our business model.” YELO’s success has been swift. During the 2023-24 school year, over 40% of Notre Dame students used the platform, and drivers see FORBES PAGE 3
Kate the Chemist fills new science professorship Lectures combine science, philosopy see CARROLL PAGE 3
By HENRY JAGODZINSKI Staff Writer
By SOPHIA TRAN Staff Writer
The question of whether “nothingness” is “somethingness” launched the beginning of a conversation over human ex istence in this year’s Organs and Origins Conference Series. Last Friday and Saturday, the McGrath Institute for Church Life hosted a t woday conference that inv ited scientists, philosophers and theologians to discuss the universe and meaning of ex istence. Notably, the lecture was meant to prov ide a foundation for discussions over the interconnectedness
CFAM SPRING BREAK IMMERSION NEWS PAGE 3
bet ween modern science and theolog y. The event featured a series of lectures from six professors specializing in the sciences and theolog y from Notre Dame and other academic institutions. In addition to the main lectures, John Cavadini, the institute’s director, and Santiago Schnell, dean of the College of Science, prov ided complementar y remarks. Emeritus professor of physics at the Universit y of Delaware and president of the Societ y of Catholic Scientists, Stephen Barr, see SCIENCE PAGE 4
FORGETTING IS OVERRATED VIEWPOINT PAGE 5
Dr. Kate Biberdorf, known as ‘Kate the Chemist,’ has significant plans as the University’s professor for the public understanding of science. The chemist and selfdescribed science entertainer is the first person to fill the newly created position. The professorship comes with multiple goals, including making science more accessible to wider audiences, amplifying research done at Notre Dame, connecting with the South Bend Community and raising the profile of Notre Dame within the scientific community. Biberdorf, a prominent figure before her appointment, appears regularly in popular media, hosts a podcast with NPR affiliate KCUR Studios and has written
FARGO SCENE PAGE 7
Courtesy of Matt Cashore and the College of Science
Dr. Kate Biberdorf presents at the College of Science’s 2023 Christmas lecture. She has amassed more than 287,200 TikTok followers.
eight books. Creating the professorship has been on College of Science dean Santiago Schnell’s mind for years. He completed his doctoral studies
at the University of Oxford, which, in 1995, became the first university to appoint a professor for the
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SPORTS PAGE 10