Centers, Institutes & Collaborations

Drexel is home to research centers and institutes that are the locus of research for collaborative groups of investigators pushing the frontiers of knowledge forward. These centrally reporting centers and institutes support all aspects of the learning, teaching and research pursuits for our faculty, staff and students. Bridging disciplines across school boundaries, they drive research innovation across domains as varied as autism, cybersecurity and energy.

View Drexel's Research Centers and Institutes Guidelines [PDF]

centers and institutes at drexel

Centers & Institutes School/College Affiliation Type Research Type

Center for Systematic Biology & Evolution

Purpose: Scientists in the Center conduct research into biodiversity, ecology, evolution, molecular systematics, and paleontology.

ANS

Center

Basic

Expressive and Creative Interaction Technologies (ExCITe) Center

Director: Youngmoo Kim, ykim@drexel.edu
Purpose: To inspire transdisciplinary research and discovery connecting technology and communities.

COE

Center

Basic
Applied

Center for the Advancement of STEM Teaching & Learning (CASTLE)

Director: Adam Fontecchio, Fontecchio@drexel.edu
Purpose: To affect institutional change in STEM teaching and learning across the educational spectrum by conducting, catalyzing and supporting fundamental research.

COE
SoE
CoAS

Center

Applied
Clinical

Center for Neuro-Business

Director: Rajneesh Suri, surir@drexel.edu
Purpose: To create and implement solutions to key business challenges facing industry, government and society.

LeBow

Center

Applied

Center for Visual and Decision Informatics (CVDI)

Director: Tony Hu, xh29@drexel.edu
Purpose: To develop the next-generation visual and decision support tools and techniques that enable decision-makers to significantly improve the way their organization’s information is organized and interpreted.

CCI

Center

Sponsored

Metadata Research Center

Contact: mrc.metadata@drexel.edu
Purpose: To advance research in metadata, semantics, and ontologies.

CCI

Center

Basic

Center for Functional Fabrics

Director: Genevieve Dion, gdion@drexel.edu
Purpose: To further the field of functional fabrics and to foster the creation of innovative textile platforms that will transform the way we work, live and interact with the world.

Westphal

Center

Basic
Applied
Sponsored

The Lindy Institute for Urban Innovation

Director: Harris Steinberg, hms88@drexel.edu
Purpose: To forge innovative strategies to equitably advance cities, drawing inspiration from Drexel’s commitment to civic engagement and experiential education to train the next generation of urban leaders.

Westphal

Institute

Applied

Center for Hunger-Free Communities

Director: Mariana Chilton, mmc33@drexel.edu
Purpose: To develop innovative, empirically-tested solutions to the challenges of hunger and economic insecurity.

DSPH

Center

Basic
Applied

Center for Public Health Readiness and Communication

Director: Esther Chernak, dec48@drexel.edu
Purpose: To build public health infrastructure and capacity for disaster response and recovery, and enhance community preparedness and resilience.

DSPH

Center

Applied
Clinical

Drexel Urban Health Collaborative

Director: Ana Diez Roux, avd37@drexel.edu
Purpose: To improve health in cities by increasing scientific knowledge and public awareness of urban health challenges and opportunities, and by identifying and promoting actions and policies that improve population health and reduce health inequities.

DSPH

Center

Applied
Basic

Center for Nonviolence and Social Justice

Director: Auturo Zinny, aaz42@drexel.edu
Purpose: To promote health, nonviolence and social justice through trauma informed practice, research, professional development, and advocacy for policy change.

DSPH

Center

Applied
Basic
Clinical

Center for Firefighter Injury Research & Safety Trends (FIRST)

Director: Jennifer Taylor, jat65@drexel.edu
Purpose: To support the fire and rescue service through objective data collection and analysis on safety culture, stress, mental health, and injury.

DSPH

Center

Basic

Center for Molecular Diagnostics & Genome Research

Director: Laird Jackson, laird.jackson@drexelmed.edu
Purpose: To develop  molecular and genetic techniques applicable to the clinical setting where the primary research area is the development of new methods for non-invasive prenatal genetic screening and diagnosis.

CoM

Center

Applied
Basic
Clinical

Institute for Molecular Medicine & Infectious Disease

Director: Brian Wigdahl, bw45@drexel.edu
Purpose: To conduct research and training focused on diagnosis, treatment, prevention and clinical management of infectious disease, cancer, and metabolic and genetic disorders.

CoM

Institute

Basic

A. J. Drexel Autism Institute

Director: Diana Robins, dlr76@drexel.edu
Purpose: To apply a public health science approach to understanding and addressing the challenges of autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

Institute

Applied
Basic
Clinical

A. J. Drexel Nanomaterials Institute (DNI)

Director: Yury Gogotsi, yg36@drexel.edu
Purpose: To coordinate interdisciplinary research, education and outreach, and strategic partnerships in nanomaterials for all of Drexel University. Faculty, students, and industry partners collaborate in activities ranging from core research to improving the public’s understanding and interest in nanoscale materials.

CoE

Institute

Applied

Center for Business Analytics

Director: Diana Jones, dej36@drexel.edu
Purpose: To provide a platform for student-faculty collaboration across disciplines in analytics, generating meaningful insight and improved outcomes for companies through analysis and technical expertise.

LeBow

Center

Applied
Basic

C&J Nyheim Plasma Institute

Director: Alexander Fridman, fridman@drexel.edu
Purpose: To maintain an internationally recognized research program in plasma science and engineering, helping to ensure the U.S. remains a world-leader in this field; Translate NPI research outcomes into products and services that benefit society.

CoE

Institute

Applied
Basic

Center for Labor Markets and Policy

Director: Paul Harrington, harrington@drexel.edu
Purpose: To be an applied research, teaching and technical consulting unit within Drexel University that is focused on a variety of human resource development issues and their connections to the labor market.

SoE

Center

Basic

Center for Science, Technology and Society

Director: Chloe Silverman, cbs78@drexel.edu
Purpose: To systematically address our world’s most pressing technoscientific challenges and their social implications.

CoAS

Center

Basic