December

As the Drexel community prepares to usher in 2013, we take a look back at some of the University’s top news items from 2012.

Drexel's Dr. Stella Volpe's work focuses on changing one's environment to encourage healthy eating and exercise habits, which made her the perfect source for some DrexelNow tips on how to maintain—or even improve—health during the holidays.

Drexel University’s College of Engineering has selected Drexel engineering alumna Linda M. Abriola, the dean of the School of Engineering at Tufts University, as Drexel’s 2013 Engineering Leader of the Year. Abriola, who is the first female engineer to receive the honor, joins a prestigious group of engineering luminaries. Abriola will be honored for her leadership in environmental engineering, her commitment to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and her endless contributions to engineering in an effort to improve today’s societal problems.

Norman Joseph Woodland, a 1947 graduate, who, along with classmate Bernard Silver, created the system for instant electronic recall of product information commonly called the barcode, passed away at the age of 91 on Dec. 9, 2012. The pair’s invention revolutionized the retail industry and is an example of a technology that has stood the test of time.

Dr. Maria Hnaraki, associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, is reading Zorba the Greek, written by Cretan-born author Nikos Kazantzakis.

Drexel paleontology and engineering research has been featured in Discover magazine’s January/February 2013 issue as one of the Top 100 Science Stories of 2012.

Dr. Mike Gombola, professor of finance at the LeBow College of Business, provided DrexelNow with some insight into the looming tax increases and spending cuts that have been dubbed the "fiscal cliff."

Ciccariello-Maher, an assistant professor in Drexel’s Department of History & Politics and a leading expert on Venezuela, has not only studied the nation closely, but also lived and taught there.

Recent Drexel alum and photographer Emily Olson looks back on her experience at Drexel and applauds the University for preparing her practically and artistically for the real world.

Drexel professor Bryan Sacks is currently reading, The End of Capitalism (As We Know It): A Feminist Critique of Political Economy, by J.K. Gibson-Graham.

Drexel University has announced it will open an office in Washington, D.C. that will serve as a multifunctional academic and outreach center for the University and its online subsidiary Drexel University Online.

DrexelNow spoke with Dr. Barbara Hoekje, director of the English Language Center, about her recent reading selections. Hoekje, a self-described “dog person” is currently reading The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs by Patricia McConnell.

College of Engineering student Jamie Howard is spending her co-op volunteering as a part of the Drexel weServe program in the developing country of Mozambique.

Drexel has tapped Huron Consulting Services to conduct an efficiency assessment of the University's administrative structure and services. Faculty and staff are encouraged to contribute to this effort by completing an online survey.