Jane Palmer ‘26

Jane Palmer is a member of the University of Notre Dame Class of 2026. She hails from County Cork, Ireland and is pursuing majors in Political Science, Global Affairs, and a supplementary major French and Francophone Studies. Palmer’s research interests lie at the intersection of comparative politics, development studies, and the role of civic engagement in democratization processes. Formerly, Palmer worked as a Research Assistant to Dr. Jaimie Bleck at the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, investigating the political determinants of agricultural policy in the Sahel region. She has also served as a Student Researcher at the Nanovic Institute for European Studies, contributing to projects exploring democracy, human rights, and climate narratives.

Palmer’s prior experience includes work with ARINS (Analysing and Researching Ireland North and South) on cross-border policy issues in Ireland, and an internship with Ireland’s Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond. Former Pre-Experiencing the World Fellowship awardee and later co-leader in Zambia, Palmer is actively involved in the Kellogg Developing Researchers Program and serves as Co-President of Notre Dame’s Gaelic Athletic Association. Her international education at Sciences Po Paris and extensive cross-cultural research experience inform her commitment to promoting inclusive governance and global understanding.