Lukas Mitrius

Class of 2025

University of Notre Dame
Physics and Astronomy; Concentration in Astrophysics

Why did you choose ESTEEM?

I believe now is a perfect opportunity to open new doors. I know what I can do with the physics degree I have already earned, but with ESTEEM, I can afford to have multiple paths to go down in my career. Becoming more knowledgeable, especially in the business realm, on top of what I have already learned will make me a more valuable prospect to companies in my early career. ESTEEM will give me the tools to contribute to the world, working on projects that are greater than myself, that will make an impact sooner rather than later.

What is your capstone project?

This capstone project is in collaboration with HONOR, a data rights management company that specializes in athlete data. They help athletes and sports organizations manage athlete data rights (including NIL and publicity rights) with the best practices and technology solutions that can stand alone or be incorporated into existing systems to manage athlete data rights. HONOR utilizes processes, governance, decentralized identity and blockchain technology to help athletes and sports organizations manage, protect and leverage athlete data and perform compliance in real-time.

Universities now face the dual challenge of adapting to the recent legal changes impacting the student-athlete model - namely NIL requirements and NCAA athlete-university settlement ruling, which mandates revenue sharing with college athletes - and modernizing its campus operations to meet the demands of a digital age. Professional and youth sports organizations also face the challenge of utilizing athlete publicity rights and athlete data for their product offerings while complying with legal requirements related to privacy, intellectual property, etc. HONOR plans to be a pioneer in understanding data-related issues athletes and their respective institutions now face, which will be accomplished through assessment reports with them. After gathering a multitude of insights, a pilot program for an ecosystem solution can be established in order to craft a strategic market entry plan for this next generation of athlete data compensation.

What do you hope to do after ESTEEM?

After ESTEEM, I aspire to work in the private sector of the space industry. With the newfound skills I will learn during my time in ESTEEM, I hope to take part in this new phase of space exploration. With NASA working with SpaceX on the new Starship to put humans back on the Moon, and a multitude of private startups developing lunar payloads and satellites, I wish to explore these career opportunities during my time in ESTEEM to find the right fit with my interests and skills.

What do you like to do in your free time?

When I'm not working on my classwork or my capstone project, I spend a lot of my free time rock climbing here at the Duncan Student Center. I fell in love with the sport during my undergrad, and it is a great social activity as well. I also play a lot of pickup basketball and other intramural sports like flag football and soccer, and hiking through beautiful parks.