Fall 2023

Dear Alumni,

As the academic year begins, I am reminded of one of the hallmarks of Drexel - our strong tradition of pragmatic engineering education focused on meeting societal needs. We saw this in action back in June, when a section of I-95 in Philadelphia collapsed. Drexel engineers were part of virtually every aspect of the rebuilding effort for this vital roadway.

It was inspiring to see our alumni and faculty spring into action so swiftly after the collapse. Our professors generously shared their expertise with local media on the causes and effects. Many of our alumni brought their leadership skills to the companies supplying materials and doing the rebuilding. Our faculty leveraged the incident to strengthen teaching and research, helping us understand the science behind the collapse and impact on attitudes toward public transportation.

Moments like these reinforce why Drexel is known for training agile, resourceful engineers ready to meet challenges and make an impact. As we educate the next generation, I'm proud that our students and graduates are responding when needs arise.

I hope that you will join us on Wednesday, October 18, when some of the alumni and faculty behind these efforts share their experiences in a uniquie panel discussion. You will find details on the events, and other updates from the College of Engineering, below.

I look forward to sharing more examples of Drexel engineering's societal contributions in the year ahead. Thank you for your continued support of our mission.

Sharon L. Walker

Dean, College of Engineering

Rebuilding I-95: The Power of Collaboration

Join us for a panel discussion on the remarkable collaboration that quickly rebuilt a collapsed section of Interstate 95.

The event will be held on Wednesday, October 18 at 6:30 p.m. at World Cafe Live.

Drexel alumni and faculty took the lead on this monumental project, serving as key contractors, providing crucial materials and sharing their expertise. They will recount their hands-on contributions to the rebuild and delve into the transformative power of collaboration.

Panelists include



• Kathy Buckley ’91, ’93, Engineer, Buckley & Company, Inc.
• Marley Buckley ’23, Project Operations Manager, Buckley & Company, Inc.
• Yaghoob (Amir) Farnam, PhD, Associate Professor of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering
• Theresa Andrejack Loux, BS/MS ’06, PhD ’10, Chief Technical Officer at Aero Aggregates

Three Engineering Faculty Earn Emeriti Status

Three College of Engineering faculty have been granted faculty emeriti status after long and distinguished careers of research, teaching and service to Drexel. Read more

Schauer Receives AWIS Bingham Award

The award is presented by the Philadelphia chapter of the Association for Women in Science “to a distinguished local scientist who has significantly influenced the advancement of women in science and has served women in science as a mentor and role model.” Read more.

Alumna Appointed VP of ASM International Board

Alumna Elizabeth Hoffman (BS ‘02, PhD ’07) has been nominated vice president of ASM International Board for 2023-2024. She will be officially voted into the position of ASM Vice President at the October 2023 meeting of ASM International. Read more

MEM Hosts Inaugural Meeting of External Advisory Board

The board, which is comprised of experts from private industry, the government and academia, brings a diverse range of perspectives and experiences and inlcudes several Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics alumni. Read more

Did you know? Drexel alumni are eligible for a 30% discount on master’s degree tuition. Also, select full-time programs also now offer a graduate co-op option. Please join us for an information session to learn about our graduate programs. Learn more

Franco Montalto, PhD, professor of civil, architectural and environmental engineering, wrote a piece for 'Nature' on the importance of grounding his coursework and research in the communities where it matters most.

"I feel that higher education needs to help young people to see themselves not just as individuals, but as members of interdependent groups with common interests that need each other to thrive," he said. "I don’t know how to teach this other than by plunging students into communities and real-world problems.

Ivan Bartoli, PhD, professor of civil, architectural and environmental engineering, along with PhD students John Devitis and K I M Iqbal, were featured in a WHYY story about their project to use sound and vibration to identify harmful lead pipes underground to make it easier for water companies to find and replace them.

Steven Weber, PhD, professor of electrical and computer engineering and vice provost for undergraduate curriculum and education, spoke with Bloomberg News about how universities are responding to the rise of AI chatbots like ChatGPT and finding a middle ground that allows students to use the tools responsibly.

Drexel University has been named as one of the top universities in the country, according to recently released rankings. The Wall Street Journal listed Drexel as 54th among 400 institutions in its list of “2024 Best Colleges in the U.S.” In the U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 “U.S. News Best Colleges,” Drexel placed in the top 100, ranking at 98th out of 435 universities and 50th among private universities.

Consider making a gift to the College of Engineering to help our ambitious undergraduate and graduate students and support strategic College priorities. Questions? Contact Lauren Anglum at lcg63@drexel.edu.