diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-email.yml b/.github/workflows/test-email.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6567387
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-email.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+name: Test Email Notification
+
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:  # run manually from Actions tab
+
+jobs:
+  send-test-email:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Send test email
+        uses: dawidd6/action-send-mail@v3
+        with:
+          server_address: ${{ secrets.SMTP_SERVER }}
+          server_port: ${{ secrets.SMTP_PORT }}
+          username: ${{ secrets.SMTP_USERNAME }}
+          password: ${{ secrets.SMTP_PASSWORD }}
+          subject: "GitHub Actions Email Test"
+          to: ${{ secrets.NOTIFY_EMAIL_TO }}
+          from: ${{ secrets.NOTIFY_EMAIL_FROM }}
+          body: |
+            This is a test email sent from GitHub Actions.
+            If you received this, your SMTP settings are correct.
diff --git a/.github/workflows/testsPython.yml b/.github/workflows/testsPython.yml
index 452f71d..0741639 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/testsPython.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/testsPython.yml
@@ -67,13 +67,46 @@ jobs:
   # is scaffolded to facilitate sending notifications based
   # on the test results.
   notifications:
-    needs: python-unit-tests
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Notify on test results
-        run: |
-          if [ "${{ needs.python-unit-tests.result }}" == "success" ]; then
-            echo "success notifications go here"
-          else
-            echo "failure notifications go here"
-          fi
+      needs: python-unit-tests
+      if: always()
+      runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+      steps:
+        - name: Send success email
+          if: ${{ needs.python-unit-tests.result == 'success' }}
+          uses: dawidd6/action-send-mail@v3
+          with:
+            server_address: ${{ secrets.SMTP_SERVER }}
+            server_port: ${{ secrets.SMTP_PORT }}
+            username: ${{ secrets.SMTP_USERNAME }}
+            password: ${{ secrets.SMTP_PASSWORD }}
+            subject: "Python Unit Tests Passed"
+            to: ${{ secrets.NOTIFY_EMAIL_TO }}
+            from: ${{ secrets.NOTIFY_EMAIL_FROM }}
+            body: |
+              🎉 Python unit tests succeeded!
+    
+              Workflow: Python Unit Tests
+              Status: SUCCESS
+              Branch: ${{ github.ref }}
+              Commit: ${{ github.sha }}
+    
+        - name: Send failure email
+          if: ${{ needs.python-unit-tests.result != 'success' }}
+          uses: dawidd6/action-send-mail@v3
+          with:
+            server_address: ${{ secrets.SMTP_SERVER }}
+            server_port: ${{ secrets.SMTP_PORT }}
+            username: ${{ secrets.SMTP_USERNAME }}
+            password: ${{ secrets.SMTP_PASSWORD }}
+            subject: "Python Unit Tests FAILED"
+            to: ${{ secrets.NOTIFY_EMAIL_TO }}
+            from: ${{ secrets.NOTIFY_EMAIL_FROM }}
+            body: |
+              ❌ Python unit tests failed.
+    
+              Workflow: Python Unit Tests
+              Status: FAILURE
+              Branch: ${{ github.ref }}
+              Commit: ${{ github.sha }}
+    
+              Check the GitHub Actions logs for details.