University of Notre Dame senior and music/math double major Katie Gallagher has been named a 2019 Marshall Scholar. Gallagher, of Naperville, Illinois, will study math at the University of Oxford. She is one of 10 Notre Dame students awarded one of the prestigious open-discipline British scholarships — Rhodes, Marshall, Mitchell and Gates Cambridge — since 2013.
“Katie Gallagher epitomizes the commitment to scholarship and social engagement that Notre Dame reveres," said University president Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. “None is more deserving of this high recognition than Katie. Congratulations to her, to her professors and the Flatley Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Engagement (CUSE) staff who supported her.”
Named for former U.S. Secretary of State George C. Marshall, the Marshall Scholarships support Americans of high ability to study at graduate level at a U.K. institution in any area of study, covering university fees, cost of living, research and thesis grants and travel to and from the U.S., among other expenses.
Gallagher is an honors math and music major in the College of Arts and Letters. She is a CUSE Sorin Scholar, a 2018 Goldwater Scholar and co-founder and co-president of the Notre Dame Women in Math Group. Gallagher previously studied at Oxford during the 2017-18 academic year as part of Notre Dame International’s Oxford program, where she was a member of the Mirzakhani Society for women in math, named for the first female mathematician to win the Fields Medal.
Musically, Gallagher has served as concertmaster and principal viola for the Notre Dame Symphony Orchestra, and she is a sectional coach for the South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestra. Gallagher also served as principal viola for the Oxford University Orchestra during her time there and studied with Professor Jennifer Stumm, International Chair of Viola Studies at the Royal College of Music, London. As a sophomore, she shared top honors in the Notre Dame Symphony Orchestra’s Concerto Competition, leading directly to two solo performances with the orchestra.
Gallagher plans to pursue a master of science in mathematics and a master of science in mathematics and foundations of computer science at Oxford. She also plans to perform with the Oxford University Music Society. Beyond that, Gallagher plans to pursue a doctorate in mathematics, conduct research in number theory and eventually teach at the university level. She hopes to mentor young women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) as well.
“I am thankful to Dr. Jeffrey Thibert and the rest of the CUSE staff who guided me through my application process. I am also thankful to my professors, family and friends who have supported me throughout this process and throughout my Notre Dame career,” Gallagher said. “In particular, I’d like to thank professor Frank Connolly (professor emeritus of mathematics at Notre Dame) who has been an effective mentor during my entire time at Notre Dame. His enthusiasm for mathematics inspired me to learn and tackle difficult problems in the field. I am also grateful for the guidance and opportunities provided to me by the music department and especially the guidance of Dr. Peter Smith. The combination of math and music at Notre Dame has made my experience rewarding and special."
Jeffrey Diller, chair of the Department of Mathematics at Notre Dame, said of Gallagher, “Katie Gallagher is as talented and accomplished as any math student I have seen in my 20 years at Notre Dame. She has demonstrated her capacity for hard work, for learning, for independent research and for leadership. I believe she will succeed in even the very best graduate programs in mathematics and go on to a stellar future as a teacher, researcher and leader.”
For more information on this and other fellowship opportunities, visit cuse.nd.edu.
Contact: Erin Blasko, assistant director of media relations, 574-631-4127, eblasko@nd.edu