Pilot Activities

This page highlights some initial activities following the launch of the AEO pilots in spring term 2023. Representation of these and future activities will continue to evolve as the pilots develop.

Advanced Materials and Manufacturing

Grants and Convening Event in Advanced Materials and Manufacturing

Type: Grant and Event
Convening Event: May 9, 2023
Submission Deadline: June 9, 2023

The Office of Research & Innovation will provide resources to support innovative and strategic collaborations in two of Drexel’s AEOS: Advanced Materials & Manufacturing and Computing, AI & Cyber Security Frontiers. These resources will enable two to three teams of faculty and students to spend a year engaged in interdisciplinary research that aligns with the AEOs. Proposal development support as well as seed funding of up to $50,000 is available. The proposal submission deadline is June 9, 2023 at 5 p.m. View more information in the funding portal.

Additionally, a convening event on May 9, 2023, provided an opportunity for all who were interested in proposing or participating in projects to share their project concepts and connect with potential collaborators across the University.

Computing, AI and Cyber Security Frontiers

Grants and Convening Event in Computing, AI and Cyber Security Frontiers

Type: Grant and Event
Convening Event: May 9, 2023
Submission Deadline: June 9, 2023

The Office of Research & Innovation will provide resources to support innovative and strategic collaborations in two of Drexel’s AEOS: Advanced Materials & Manufacturing and Computing, AI & Cyber Security Frontiers. These resources will enable two to three teams of faculty and students to spend a year engaged in interdisciplinary research that aligns with the AEOs. Proposal development support as well as seed funding of up to $50,000 is available. The proposal submission deadline is June 9, 2023 at 5 p.m. View more information in the funding portal.

Additionally, a convening event on May 9, 2023, provided an opportunity for all who were interested in proposing or participating in projects to share their project concepts and connect with potential collaborators across the University.

Health Innovation

Cell and Gene Therapy Conference

Type: Event

On May 4, 2023, a Cell & Gene Therapy Symposium convened faculty from across Drexel University to present the latest developments from their research in this innovative area that is transforming medicine. This event was intended to raise awareness of the work underway in cell and gene therapy at Drexel and provide opportunities to build new collaborations and synergies across the University. This event was organized by the Drexel Solutions Institute, Office of the Provost and Office of Research & Innovation.

Explorations of Cell & Gene Therapy (BMES T280)

Type: Course

Kara Spiller, PhD, professor in the School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, designed a new interdisciplinary course to introduce first-year students to cell and gene therapy, the science behind it and other aspects of this emerging area of the life sciences industry that is playing an increasing role at Drexel.

Sustainability and Climate Resilience

Grant and Convening Event in Sustainability and Climate Resilience

Type: Grant and Event
Convening Event: June 8, 2023

The Environmental Collaboratory (TEC)’s Climate Hub transdisciplinary grants program will engage collaborative teams of faculty, students, and staff through a phased process. Anyone who teaches, learns or works at Drexel University can participate in TEC’s Climate Hub transdisciplinary grants program. A total of $200,000 is available to award four or more transdisciplinary teams over the two-year funding period. Faculty, professional staff and students were invited to submit ideas by May 25, and the first convening of participants will be held on Thursday, June 8 from 2:00 to 3:15 p.m., with a second convening to be held in the fall to advance team formation and project ideas. With questions, please email environmentalcollab@drexel.edu.

Urban Futures

Gun Violence: Impacts and Solutions from a Maternal and Child Health Perspective

Type: Event

On June 1, 2023, the Dornsife School of Public Health hosted the Drexel Maternal and Child Health Annual Symposium. This year’s symposium, “Gun Violence: Impacts and Solutions from a Maternal and Child Health Perspective,” highlighted the work of communities and programs seeking to reduce the impact of gun violence on maternal and child health populations, including women, children, youth, and families. Panel discussions and presentations highlighted the lived experiences of youth and family advocates, best practices from successful and innovative prevention and crisis response strategies, workforce burnout/secondary traumatic stress, and research and evaluation considerations with respect to programmatic outcomes.

Keynote speaker Ruth Abaya, MD, MPH, program manager of the Injury Prevention Program at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health; attending physician at the emergency department at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP); and a practice-based scholar at CHOP's Center for Violence Prevention, delivered the keynote on “Viewing the Gun Violence Crisis from a Maternal and Child Health Lens.”

The event was co-hosted by the Maternal and Child Health Catalyst Program at the Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel Maternal and Child Health Student Organization, CHOP Center for Violence Prevention, CHOP PolicyLab, The Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice, and Research at the University of Pennsylvania, and Penn Injury Science Center, University of Pennsylvania.