March 2019
A Message from the Dean
This edition of our Newsletter is packed with good news about the College of Engineering, including our advance to the top 75 Graduate Programs in the latest  US News & World Report  ranking, as well as Drexel University’s first-ever assignation of “R1” research status from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions–their highest level (the groundbreaking research of our CoE faculty had  a lot  to do with that).

Enjoy stories about leadership, desalination research, flippered-animal research, environmental advocacy, an alumni outing, and a graphic matching game featuring alumnus/astronaut Chris Ferguson, and more.
Sincerely,

Sharon L. Walker, PhD 
Dean, College of Engineering 
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College Ranked in Country’s Top 75 Graduate Programs
The College of Engineering Graduate Program jumped seven spaces ahead in national rankings released by US News & World Report.
Conversations
Featuring faculty members who address topical, occasionally polemical issues from an engineer’s perspective to showcase the expertise, the questions, and the controversies that drive them to seek engagement on a larger scale.
College of Engineering Dean Sharon L. Walker considers leadership in a changing world, and each individual’s responsibility to practice it.
CAEE’s Dr. Franco Montalto blasts inaction on the climate, proposing that engineers step up their game to combat the consequences of climate change.
Captain Ferguson and
the Starliner

A new frontier in US space travel opens this year as alum Chris Ferguson commands the Boeing CST-100 Starliner on its inaugural flight. Join the excitement with our interactive game.
Alumni Visit Space Center
Speaking of space travel, a group of Drexel alumni visited Kennedy Space Center in February and heard from former NASA astronaut Chris Ferguson.
Faculty and Staff Focus
Dr. Alexander Fridman will receive the 2019 Plasma Chemistry Award at the 24th International Symposium on Plasma Chemistry to be held in Naples, Italy in June.
Dr. Kathryn Meier joins us as Assistant Dean for Strategic Initiatives and Innovation. She will work closely with Dean Walker and other senior staff to broaden the visibility of CoE.
Fish Got to Swim,
Birds Got to Fly...
...and MEM 435 students got to design. They demonstrated interactive models based on principles in the natural world.
Why Wood Construction is Making a Comeback
When it comes to buildings larger than a log cabin, wood has been on the outs for more than a century. Professor Abi Aghayere suggests that momentum has been building for a return to the classic material.
Members of the College of Engineering alumni community are welcome to attend the Grand Opening of the A.J. Drexel Nanomaterials Lab. Join us on Thursday, May 16 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Bossone Research Enterprise Center for a student-led tour and networking.