December

Nearly 50 years ago scientists discovered that detonating powerful explosives had the ability to create, not just destroy. Nanodiamonds, diamond-structured particles measuring less than 10 nanometers in diameter, which are the resultant residue from a TNT or Hexogen explosion in a contained space, are now being studied in a variety of science, technology and health applications. A team of researchers who specialize in nanotechnology, led by Dr. Yury Gogotsi, director of the A.J. Drexel Nanotechnology Institute, offered a review of nanodiamond research, in the December 18 edition of Nature Nanotechnologyto sift through new ways scientists are using these tiny treasures.

During the holiday season, Drexel University experts are available to help news media with a variety of stories.

Elegant miniature furnishings from The Drexel Collection are now on display in the Rincliffe Gallery in Main Building.

Christopher Hitchens (1949-2011), author, journalist and regular guest on The Drexel Interview, died on December 15, 2011 at the age of 62. Host Paula Marantz Cohen shares her thoughts on Hitchens' life and work.

Every month, DrexelNow dives in to the treasures of The Drexel Collection, which includes decorative arts, prints, drawings, textiles, an 18th-century David Rittenhouse clock, 19th-century paintings and much more.

On January 5, Dragons and Wildcats will take the ice under the stars on the outdoor rink at Citizens Bank Park in a matchup of city hockey rivals dubbed “The Crosstown Classic.” The contest, featuring Drexel and Villanova’s club hockey teams, is a unique outdoor hockey experience that is part of a weeklong slate of games surrounding the National Hockey League’s “Winter Classic” game on January 2.

The City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program officially opened a new public space, Mural Arts at The Gallery, the place to tour, shop, learn and create with the largest public art program in the world. Featured in the space is a mobile exhibit about the history of the Mural Arts Program, designed by graphic design student Randi Dean from Drexel University’s Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design.

A Windows Phone game to help elementary students enjoy learning math and a software program to manage volumes of healthcare information are just two of the brilliant concepts in the running for one of the top honors in computer science: The Microsoft Imagine Cup. These two innovative technology designs, both imagined and created by Drexel computer science students, rose to the top from a national field of competitors and earned first-round selection in the national technology design competition this fall.

Students involved in Philadelphia's LIFT program say its much more than just a volunteer opportunity.

Drexel University’s Goodwin College of Professional Studies announced the establishment of an advisory board to provide industry support to the Property Management program. One of the board’s primary goals is to establish awareness for the program and its necessity and value.

Drexel’s Dr. Bruce Eisenstein, Arthur J. Rowland professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and interim dean of the College of Engineering, was named the 2012 recipient of the Richard M. Emberson Award. The award is one of the highest recognitions presented by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the largest technical/professional society in the world with nearly 400,000 members.

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University has been awarded a renewal of its accreditation by the American Association of Museums (AAM). AAM accreditation is a widely recognized seal of approval that brings national recognition to a museum for meeting and often exceeding the standards and best practices of the museum field.

The 10th annual Colonial Athletic Association Blood Challenge produced record-setting numbers for the ninth straight year with 5,232 actual donors and 5,287 productive units of blood collected from the 12 CAA campuses. Drexel finished in third place with 909 donors.

ELATE at Drexel will be selecting an elite class of 24 fellows from the United States and Canada to participate in the one-year, part-time program for senior faculty women in academic engineering, computing and related fields.

This spring, students enrolled in LeBow’s Executive MBA and One-Year MBA programs will embark on an international residency to Shanghai, China.

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University announced the election of a new chair of its governing board and three new trustees from Drexel.