The University of Notre Dame and Under Armour announced a new 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. It will 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 Rhoads, John and Catherine Martin Family vice president for research and Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering professor, in a press release. “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 include materials and environmental science. Researchers will test recyclable, biodegradable or low-impact fabrics and polymers, explore the environmental impact of garment degradation and research novel polymer materials. Other initiatives will leverage Notre Dame’s 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 needs of Notre Dame student-athletes as they adapt to the ongoing effects of training and the travel inherent in college athletics.
“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,” Kyle Blakely, Under Armour senior vice president, innovation, development and testing, said. “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.
“We are incredibly pleased with the momentum athletics and research have already built together,” John Wagle, Pat and Jana Eilers senior associate athletics director for sports performance, said. “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.”
