May

New Jersey’s 2017 cash bail reform law — which eliminated financial barriers to avoiding pretrial detention — successfully reduced the state’s jail population without increasing gun violence, according to a study published this month in JAMA Network Open from researchers at Drexel University’s Dornsife School of Public Health and Boston University.

In addition to a University-wide Commencement speaker who will address the Class of 2024, individual speakers — including alumni! — will give keynote addresses at college and school ceremonies.

Sheryl Lee Ralph, award-winning actress and producer, will address the class of 2024 at Drexel’s University-commencement ceremony on June 14 at Citizens Bank Park.

Heard Around Campus — May 2024

The current dean of the College of Health Sciences at Sam Houston State University will start at Drexel Sept. 1, 2024.

Drexel University has selected the three University-affiliated startups to receive support from the second cohort of its Innovation Fund. AER Cosmetics, a sustainable cosmetics brand founded by a Drexel student, and 1DNano, a nanomaterial cleantech company; and MXene, Inc., a company focused on the commercialization of nanomaterials called MXenes; will each receive an investment of $150,000 from the fund.

Preet Bharara, former United States attorney for the Southern District of New York (SDNY), a renowned and highly regarded lawyer, who is currently a partner at the law firm WilmerHale, will address 2024 graduates of the Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law at commencement on Friday, May 17, at the Kimmel Cultural Campus (300 S. Broad Street).

Students who have earned an associate degree from any accredited community college in the United States will now have the opportunity to attend Drexel University at half the cost of tuition.

In the first study to consider brain activity during visuospatial problem-solving across immersive virtual reality (VR), 2-D computer screens and physical environments, researchers from Drexel’s School of Biomedical Engineering uncovered a surprising revelation – VR-based learning exhibited optimal neural efficiency, a measure that gauges the brain activity required to complete a unit task.

Interim Dean Gina Lovasi, PhD, MPH, has been appointed Dana and David Dornsife Dean of the Dornsife School of Public Health.

Public Safety & U — May 2024

May is National Bicycle Safety Month, a great opportunity to brush up on the rules of the road (for both bikers and drivers) and the best gear to keep you safe.

Rebecca Signore, executive director of University Academic Support, shares tips for students in class and on co-op to reset for the weeks ahead.

Researchers from Drexel University’s College of Engineering and College of Computing & Informatics are among the first cohort tapped by the U.S. National Science Foundation to approach the challenge of advancing safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence programs.

Vicki L. Chandler, PhD, chief academic officer and provost at Minerva University, will address the Drexel University College of Medicine class of 2024 at its commencement ceremony on May 9.