Research and Experience

Integrating Knowledge Across Disciplines

Drexel psychology students curate local landmarks as members of the Happiness Lab – a think tank that investigates what contributes to people’s sense of safety, social connection and beauty.

The Philadelphia Challenge: A happiness trip

Professor Eric Zillmer's psychology students curate local landmarks as members of the Happiness Lab – a think tank that investigates what contributes to people’s sense of safety, social connection and beauty.

Cancer Science Without Silos

Drexel is moving new cancer treatments into action by integrating expertise from disciplines in the College of Arts and Sciences not typically associated with cancer studies like sociology and psychology.

Drexel Professor Hilde Van den Bulck and colleagues make the case that Americans trust PBS because it’s publicly funded, not despite it

An Island of Trust:
Public Broadcasting in the United States

Communication Professor Hilde Van den Bulck and colleagues make the case that Americans trust PBS because it’s publicly funded, not in spite of it.

he Philadelphia Water Department is transforming the city’s waterways using a first-of-its-kind mussel hatchery developed in partnership with the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. Photo: Roger Thomas

Can Mussels Save Philadelphia’s Waterways?

The Philadelphia Water Department is transforming the city’s waterways using a first-of-its-kind mussel hatchery developed in partnership with the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.

Drexel Assistant Professor Ali Afify’s lab is pioneering safe repellents to prevent malaria mosquito biting and egg-laying where humans live using chemicals commonly found in cosmetics and foods.

Decoding Smells that Attract and Repel Malaria Mosquitos

Biology Professor Ali Afify’s lab is pioneering safe chemical repellents that help to prevent malaria mosquitos from biting and egg-laying where humans live.

Drexel Professor Naoko Kurahashi Neilson led an international research team to assemble a portrait of the galaxy informed by neutrinos detected at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica.

Painting A Portrait of the Milky Way

An international research team spearheaded by Professor Naoko Kurahashi Neilson created a portrait of the Milky Way galaxy using neutrinos detected at the IceCube Observatory in Antarctica.

Drexel Professor Sean O'Donnell's study of army ants uncovered surprising insights into how the ants survive extreme temperatures, opening the door to new understandings of how climate change impacts animal behavior.

Ants in the Heat of Evolution

Evolutionary biologist Sean O'Donnell uncovered surprising insights into how army ants in Costa Rica survive extreme temperatures, revealing how climate change impacts animal behavior.

Drexel Assistant Professor Aaron Kuyci questions what that indicates about our state of mind, spontaneous thought, and its impact on mental health.

Gone Mental

Our minds wander between 30% and 50% of the time that we’re awake. Neuroscientists like Aaron Kuyci explore how the brain’s wandering mind may lead to improved mental health treatments.

Drexel University’s College of Arts and Sciences is a thriving hub of collaborative research, creative fusion and experiential learning across disciplines. Our students —many as early as their first year— work alongside our world-class faculty to conduct research and engage in kinetic scholarship in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences.

We believe that teams take many forms, and building a strong one requires transparency and mutual respect for each individual's unique gifts and expertise. Our tight-knit community of undergraduate and graduate students, dedicated faculty and professional staff strive to promote access, opportunity and justice through a shared pursuit of discovery. Drexel’s reputation as a knowledge-intensive institution built on connected teams is affirmed by its R1 status for ‘very high research activity’ in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education and has assured the University a place in the top 100 research universities in the country.

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Drexel alum Sky Harper, BS chemistry '24, is a doctoral student at the Medical University of South Carolina where he studies Biomedical Sciences, Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

Where Experience Leads: Catching up With Sky Harper, BS chemistry ’24

Chemistry alum Sky Harper has gone from a first-gen student who became Drexel’s first “Triple Crown” scholar, to Mayo Clinic biomedical researcher, to a molecular pharmacology doctoral student and advocate working to amplify indigenous youth’s access to education. In this Q&A, Harper describes how his Drexel experience helped him transition into a PhD program, exercise his voice, and shift the healthcare paradigm across tribal communities.

Bridging Classroom Learning with Global Impact

Environmental studies and sustainability major Niya Manning spent three months in Zambia as a Dornsife Global Development Scholar.

Physics PhD Student Riya Shah’s Hunt for Neutrinos

A groundbreaking new study led by Drexel physics PhD student Riya Shah provides insight into the origins of neutrinos, the nearly massless subatomic particles that may help explain how galaxies are formed and evolve.

Asad Baig and Alexandra Goodin won Fulbright awards

Two College of Arts and Sciences Students Awarded Prestigious Fulbright Grants

Recent College of Arts and Sciences graduates Asad Baig and Alexandra Goodin were awarded Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants for 2025-26. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for one year of graduate study, research, creative projects or teaching English worldwide.

A student presents at the College of Arts and Sciences Research Day

College of Arts and Sciences Research Day Recognizes Student and Faculty Achievement in the Humanities, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences

This year’s Research Day featured 23 oral presentations and 79 posters from tenured, tenure-track, teaching and research faculty; postdoctoral fellows; graduate and undergraduate students and research trainees, reflecting the breadth and depth of the exceptional scholarly activity that takes place across our college.