March

A new brain-imaging study out of Drexel University's Creativity Research Lab sheds light on the controversy on which side of the brain is responsible for creativity by studying the brain of jazz guitarists during improvisation. 

This is a time of uncertainty, disruption and sacrifice. Our University has had to change the way we teach, conduct research and serve our community. And today, we regret to announce yet another step, which will be a particular disappointment to the members of the Class of 2020: That is, the pandemic has forced us to postpone all Drexel commencement ceremonies this spring.

Although popular gathering spots like the Korman Quad, the DAC and campus coffee shops won’t be their usual hives of activity this spring, we promise an engaging and challenging academic — and social — experience, utilizing an array of creative digital tools to keep everyone in the Drexel community connected.

We learned today that a first-year Drexel medical student has confirmed positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus. The student lives in an off-campus residence and was last on campus (at Queen Lane) on March 13. The student only recently developed symptoms and had no symptoms when on campus. Student Health and the Department of Public Health have been notified. 

We are contacting the small number of students with whom the student interacted and advising them to adhere to strict social distancing and monitor themselves for symptoms until March 27.

We learned today that a Drexel undergraduate student has confirmed positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus. The student lives in an on-campus residence but has remained off campus with her family since March 15.  Thankfully, she has recovered from the virus and no longer has any symptoms.

I am writing to inform you that a Drexel graduate student has become the first known member of our community to contract the COVID-19 coronavirus. Fortunately, this student is recovering at home and said to be doing well.

To prepare the majority of our faculty and professional staff members to effectively work remotely, we have listed important reminders and information below.

We are deeply thankful to our students — and their families — and Drexel faculty, professional staff and other employees for pulling together under such trying and fluid circumstances.

We are writing to you this evening on a matter of some urgency, following the order issued by Gov. Tom Wolf late this afternoon concerning the shutdown of most businesses and schools in Pennsylvania to help stem the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

There are no known cases of the coronavirus among anyone in the Drexel community, but the management at Three Parkway, one of Drexel’s Center City campus locations — where Drexel utilizes multiple floors — has alerted the University that a visitor last seen at the building on Thursday, March 12 has tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus.

Drexel students and faculty are ramping up preparations for remote teaching and learning in the spring term, aided by professional staff from across the University working diligently to provide support — while preparations continue to close the campus to the public tomorrow.

In this Q&A, the dean of the Dornsife School of Public Health sorts out fact from fiction and shares what experts know so far about the novel coronavirus.

We are moving ahead today with our decision to close all campus facilities to the public on Friday, March 20, leaving minimal on-site staffing until further notice, while continuing core University operations and planning for the start of the spring term.

The past few weeks have been challenging for all as we navigate uncharted territory. We are enormously grateful for the flexibility and compassion Drexel’s faculty and professional staff have all shown, and for the high standards and care you have continued to provide the campus community.  

The COVID-19 outbreak, now officially designated a pandemic by the World Health Organization, calls for extraordinary measures to limit the spread of the coronavirus. In light of this, Drexel is announcing several changes to ensure our students’ health and safety while they continue their educational progress.

Drexel continues to monitor the impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus and are taking precautions consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. The campus remains open, but after consultation with deans and other academic leaders, we have decided to conduct next week’s quarter final exams online, rather than in classroom settings.

On Tuesday, an independent physician with admitting privileges at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children was diagnosed with a presumed case of COVID-19. Based on risk assessment guidelines from both the federal government and the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the risk of exposure to COVID-19 from this individual is low. The Department of Health is contacting the patient families for follow up. We do not have any reports of the coronavirus among Drexel students, faculty or professional staff that might be linked to this individual. 

The University continues to operate as normal and has no confirmed cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus. However, we are taking extra precautions to safeguard the Drexel community amid an uptick of cases in the Philadelphia region. This situation will require many of us to alter our daily routines and travel plans, and likely mean postponing highly anticipated meetings and events. Certainly, that will be the case with our latest decision — to cancel all international co-op placements for the spring-summer cycle and study-abroad programs for the spring term, as well as the spring break Intensive Courses Abroad and student organization international travel.

For more than a decade, two-dimensional nanomaterials, such as graphene, have been touted as the key to making better microchips, batteries, antennas and many other devices. But a significant challenge of using these atom-thin building materials for the technology of the future is ensuring that they can be produced in bulk quantities without losing their quality. For one of the most promising new types of 2D nanomaterials, MXenes, that’s no longer a problem. Researchers at Drexel University and the Materials Research Center in Ukraine have designed a system that can be used to make large quantities of the material while preserving its unique properties.

Following the confirmation of the first few coronavirus cases in the Philadelphia area, Drexel University will be taking additional steps in the coming days to safeguard students, faculty and professional staff. These measures likely will require that we alter our daily routines and some spring break travel plans, and yet still carry on the University's critical mission of teaching and research. Working together, we will do everything possible to mitigate the impact of the expected spread of the coronavirus in our region.

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and Drexel University are partnering on a new garden space that will open this spring for Drexel students, faculty, alumni and the public. Located at 32nd and Market Streets, The Gateway Garden at Drexel is being brought to life by PHS, and it will serve as a vibrant entrance to Drexel’s campus. The project will transform a once-vacant space into a hub of horticultural excellence and engaging activities year round. The two organizations announced the garden and revealed renderings at an event held March 4 at the Flower Show.

As the number of coronavirus cases grows in the United States, Drexel University is enacting contingency plans to ensure that students, faculty and professional staff are safeguarded, while continuing to provide for learning and research and critical campus functions.