Office of the Provost

Announcing Drexel's Newly Named Distinguished Professors

January 28, 2026

This message was shared with faculty and professional staff members on January 28, 2026.

Dear Colleagues,

We are proud to announce the cohort of Distinguished Professors under Drexel University's new Distinguished Professor Policy. Established in the spring of 2025, this new University policy was created to ensure we have a formal, consistent pathway to honor outstanding faculty members.

This designation is the highest title the University can bestow on a member of the full-time faculty, and recognizes sustained excellence, national and international distinction, and extraordinary commitment to our University's values.

The selection for this title was exceptionally competitive, with 25 nominations received from across the University. We thank the Distinguished Professor Review Committee for their thoughtful deliberation: Michel Barsoum, PhD; Yury Gogotsi, PhD; Spiros Mancoridis, PhD; Clare Coleman, JD; Jason Aran, MS; Ana Diez Roux, MD, PhD, MPH; and Girija Kaimal, EdD.

Following rigorous evaluation, three exemplary leaders emerged who embody the very best of Drexel.

Our Distinguished Professors:

  • Charles N. Haas, PhD, LD Betz Chair of Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering. Dr. Haas is the pioneer of Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment, a foundational discipline that underpins global guidelines for water safety, food safety and public health. He is Drexel's sole member of the National Academy of Engineering, a distinction reflecting nearly 35 years of transformative contributions to his field and to this institution.

  • Nancy D. Spector, MD, Professor of Pediatrics, Betty A. Cohen Chair in Women's Health, and Senior Vice Dean for Faculty, College of Medicine. Through her direction of the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) program, Dr. Spector has strengthened the next generation of leaders across academic medicine worldwide while significantly elevating Drexel's national profile. Her scholarship on medical errors has advanced both patient safety and educational practice across more than three decades at Drexel.

  • Akhil B. Vaidya, PhD, Professor of Microbiology & Immunology and Director of the Center for Molecular Parasitology, College of Medicine. Dr. Vaidya's seminal contributions to understanding Plasmodium biology have advanced malaria therapeutics with global health implications. His 48 years at Drexel — including 36 as a full professor — reflect an extraordinary record of scientific rigor and sustained impact.

We look forward to honoring these colleagues at the Faculty Awards Ceremony in April. Congratulations to Drs. Haas, Spector and Vaidya!

Sincerely,

Paul E. Jensen, PhD
Executive Vice President
Nina Henderson Provost

Leslie Ashburn-Nardo, PhD
Vice Provost for Faculty Excellence & Academic Culture