Research and Innovation

Fueled by the scholars in our colleges and schools, and under the guidance of the Office for Research and Innovation, the University is making important contributions to more fields and sectors than ever before. Over the past decade, Drexel University's presence has grown in both stature and magnitude. In late 2018, Drexel achieved R1 status for very high research activity in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. This growth has added to Drexel's reputation as a knowledge-intensive institution and assures the University a place in the top 100 research universities in the country.

Our goal is to generate new knowledge and impactful solutions by growing basic and applied research and fostering transdisciplinary collaborations, both within the University and with external partners. To achieve its goal, the University is growing a research culture around its core academic competencies, health, design, technology/engineering, and social sciences with an eye toward assembling transdisciplinary teams to tackle projects with social and commercial impact.

Drexel 2030 Designing the Future, our strategic plan, is built upon six key imperatives to ensure institutional excellence. Towards this pursuit, the Office of Research and Innovation's vision is to enable discovery, creativity, and impact throughout the enterprise. To support Drexel's faculty and students engaged in basic and applied research, scholarly pursuits, and creative activities, we strive to provide high-quality and seamless support to these endeavors. Integrity, inclusion, impact, integration, and innovation are at the heart of our efforts.

Our students are encouraged to embrace this spirit of curiosity from the moment they arrive on campus. Our STAR (Students Tackling Advanced Research) Scholars Program allows highly motivated first-year students to conduct a faculty-mentored research, scholarship, or creative project over 10 weeks during the summer after their first year. The program concludes with student presentations, along with opportunities to present findings at local, regional, and national conferences, or even to have their work published in major research journals.

This impact extends throughout the Philadelphia community and beyond, most visibly through the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. Founded in 1812 and opened to the public in 1882, this globally recognized institution houses over 18 million specimens within its scientific collections. Hosting approximately 240,000 visitors each year — including almost 80,000 schoolchildren — the Academy is dedicated to helping inquisitive learners understand the natural world while inspiring them to develop new ways to protect and preserve the wonders within it.