Caroline L. Schauer, PhD, Margaret C. Burns Chair in Engineering and Head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering has been elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). She joins the 2025 class of AAAS fellows that includes 449 scientists, engineers and innovators across AAAS’s 24 disciplinary sections.
AAAS is one of the largest global scientific societies with members in more than 91 countries around the world. It is also a leading publisher of scientific research through its Science family of journals. AAAS Fellowship is recognized as one of the most prestigious distinctions in the scientific community.
Schauer was cited for distinguished contributions to natural and synthetic polymer processing into nanoscale fibers and yarns for bone, skin and neuronal tissue engineering applications.
A Drexel faculty member since 2003, Schauer’s research encompasses a wide range of topics including processing natural polymers, structural color thin films, electrospun nanoyarns, wound healing dressings and tissue engineering. Her work has been funded by numerous sources including NSF, Army, DOD, PA Innovation Fellowship, and the US Department of Education, and has resulted in over 75 publications and five patents. In 2021 she was inducted a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE).
In addition to her research accomplishments, Schauer has held numerous leadership roles and received accolades for her leadership and service. She was an ELATES fellow in the 2017-18 cohort, where she focused on academic leadership within the College of Engineering. She served as Drexel Engineering’s inaugural Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs, followed by Associate Dean, Research and Faculty Affairs. In 2023 she held the position of Drexel University Interim Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and in 2024 Associate Dean for Faculty Advancement and Program Initiatives for Drexel Engineering. In 2020 she became Vice President of the Fiber Society and assumed the role of President during 2023-2024. She is the recipient of Drexel’s Harold M. Myers Award for Distinguished Service, the Drexel Fellowships Office Faculty Mentor Award, the Drexel Outstanding STAR Mentor Award and the 2023 Association for Women in Science (AWIS) Bingham Award.