Drexel Engineering announced the hire of 10 new tenure track faculty starting in 2022 and 2023. The additions are part of Drexel’s cluster hiring initiative, which seeks to recruit highly interdisciplinary faculty who will catalyze collaboration across departments and colleges to address global issues. Part of the strategic plan of the College of Engineering includes bringing in faculty that will engineer change in the cluster themes of energy and sustainability; smart, integrated cities; and health, wellness, and medicine.
“These new faculty will play a vital role in enhancing the research impact of the college; addressing enrollment growth and strategic teaching needs; advancing our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and building on our widely-respected strengths in rapidly evolving fields,” said Sharon L. Walker, PhD, Dean of the College of Engineering.
The new faculty, and their degree-granting institutions, are as follows:
Smart, Integrated Cities
- Zhiwei Chen, PhD; Assistant Professor of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering; University of South Florida (Starting Fall 2022)
- Arvin Ebrahimkhanlou, PhD; Assistant Professor, Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering; University of Texas at Austin (Starting Winter 2023)
- Lifeng Zhou, PhD; Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering; Virginia Tech (Starting Fall 2022)
- Joshua Agar, PhD; Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics; University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Started Summer 2022)
(L-R) Zhiwei Chen, Arvin Ebrahimkhanlou, Lifeng Zhou, Joshua Agar
Energy & Sustainability
- Fernanda Cruz Rios, PhD; Assistant Professor, Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering; Arizona State University (Starting Winter 2023)
- Ania-Ariadna Baetica, PhD; Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics; California Institute of Technology (Starting Winter 2023)
- Wesley Chang, PhD; Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics; Princeton University (Starting Fall 2023)
- Yue Zheng, PhD; Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics; University of California, San Diego (Starting Fall 2023)
- Jill Wenderott, PhD; Anne Stevens Assistant Professor, Materials Science and Engineering; University of Michigan (Starting Winter 2023)
Health, Wellness and Medicine
- Peter Deak, PhD; Assistant Professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering; University of Notre Dame (Starting Fall 2022)
Top row (L-R): Fernanda Cruz Rios,Ania-Ariadna Baetica, Wesley Chang, Yue Zheng
Bottom row (L-R): Jill Wenderott, Peter Deak, Michael Grady, Xi Wang
Additionally, the college will welcome Michael Grady, DSc, as teaching professor of chemical and biological engineering, starting in Fall 2022. Grady, who earned his degree from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, carries over 30 years of experience in industry. Xi Wang, PhD, PE, will join as assistant teaching professor in construction management in Fall 2022. Xi received her PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Kentucky and is a licensed PE who researches the use of aerial systems to help optimize construction planning and earthwork measurement.