The following advancements, leadership changes, and new hires for the 2019-2020 academic year have been announced by Dean Sharon L. Walker and the College of Engineering.
Dandekar Named Associate Dean for Enrollment Management and Graduate Education
Dr. Kapil Dandekar
Dr. Kapil Dandekar, professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), has assumed management for undergraduate enrollment and graduate education as an associate dean, effective Sept. 1, 2019.
“In this role, I am working with the Drexel Division of Enrollment Management and Student Success (EMSS) along with our Engineering departments on all matters pertaining to recruitment of undergraduate and graduate students,” said Dandekar.
“My goal is to demonstrate to prospective students the high value of a Drexel engineering education, including our unique degree and certificate programs, strong faculty, world-renowned co-operative education program, opportunities to work on inter-disciplinary use-inspired research, and the ability to leverage top-notch facilities.
“We are also fortunate to live in the wonderful city of Philadelphia, which offers a welcoming environment while providing many social and cultural opportunities,” he added. “I look forward to sharing all of the great things happening in Drexel engineering with prospective students regionally and all around the world.”
Schauer Named Interim Associate Dean for Research
Dr. Caroline Schauer
Dr. Caroline Schauer, professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), will serve as interim associate dean for research, effective Sept. 1, 2019.
“Because research is so fundamental to the mission of the College of Engineering, this new role will be threefold: one, to build research teams based on the ongoing college strategic plan; two, to assist our faculty members who are writing grants and provide the guidance they need; and three, to increase research communication among engineering faculty,” said Schauer.
“These tasks should not only increase the number and quality of our grants but will familiarize faculty members with the research and goals of their peers.”
Marcolongo to Continue as Department Head
Dr. Michele Marcolongo
Dr. Michele Marcolongo, professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) and department head, will serve another five-year term as MSE department head.
“I’m so happy to continue to serve as department head for Materials Science and Engineering in this exciting time for our department and field,” said Marcolongo. “I’m looking forward to new pedagogy development for our students and toward expanding our outstanding research, having even more of an impact on technology and society.”
Spanier to Continue as Interim Department Head
Dr. Jonathan Spanier
Dr. Jonathan Spanier, who has been serving since last November as the interim department head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics (MEM), has agreed to continue in the role as a search for a new department head is underway. Spanier is a professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), with affiliated appointments in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Department of Physics (CoAS).
New Dean’s Fellows
Three Dean’s Fellows have been named for the 2019-2020 academic year. They are: Dr. Steve Wrenn, professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE), who will support the Innovation Studio and the first-year student experience; Dr. Simi Hoque, associate professor in the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering (CAEE), who will support the college’s inclusion and diversity efforts; and Dr. Wei-Heng Shih, professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE), who will support international graduate student enrollment.
From left: Dr. Steve Wrenn, Dr. Simi Hoque and Dr. Wei-Heng Shih
New CoE Faculty
Two new faculty members have been hired into the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering (CAEE). Assistant Professor Dr. Noemi Bonessio, presently a researcher in the University of California, Irvine Henry Samueli School of Engineering, is working on a Small Business Innovation Research grant through the UCI startup MetaSeismic. Her appointment begins on April 1, 2020. Associate Professor Miguel Pando has over 16 years of experience as a tenure-track/tenured faculty in geotechnical engineering. His research involves soil-structure interaction, mitigation of natural hazards, and sustainable geomaterials. Since 2010, he was an associate professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Prior to that, he was a faculty member in the Civil Engineering Department at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. His appointment began on Sept. 1, 2019.
New faculty members (from left) Noemi Bonessio, Miguel Pando, Joshua Lequieu, Jorn Venderbos and Avi Chaimovich
Dr. Joshua Lequieu has been hired into the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE) as an assistant professor, effective Jan. 1, 2020. Lequieu is presently a postdoc at the University of California, Santa Barbara in the Materials Research Lab. His research focuses on developing predictive multi-scale models of nano-structured soft matter.
Dr. Jorn Venderbos has been hired as an assistant professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE). He heads the Quantum Condensed Matter Theory group focused on the study of quantum materials, with an emphasis on topological materials and unconventional ordering phenomena. He holds a joint appointment with the Department of Physics (CoAS). Prior to joining Drexel, he was a postdoctoral research associate at, first, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and subsequently at the University of Pennsylvania.
Finally, Dr. Avi Chaimovich begins his teaching career at CoE as an assistant teaching professor in CBE. Chaimovich comes to Drexel from the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam, Germany. He received his BS at McGill University in Montreal and his PhD at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His research focuses on developing optimization algorithms for molecular simulations, which he applies in studying the unique role of water in various biomolecular systems.