May 20, 2021

This message was sent to all faculty and staff by the Provost and Senior Vice Provost for Academic Industry Partnerships on May 20, 2021.

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to recognize the interdisciplinary faculty experts who comprise the inaugural cohort of Provost Solutions Fellows, a joint initiative of the Provost's Office and the Drexel Solutions Institute (DSI).

Provost Solutions Fellows are appointed to a two-year term, during which time they highlight the research and teaching capabilities of Drexel to external partners and serve as catalysts for expanding experiential learning opportunities and designing custom, interdisciplinary solutions for our corporate and nonprofit partners.

Representing diverse colleges and schools, the following Solutions Fellows bring research and teaching expertise that spans more than 25 areas of focus.

• Nicolas Alvarez, College of Engineering
• Hasan Ayaz, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems
• Lauren D’Innocenzo, LeBow College of Business
• Rose Ann DiMaria-Ghalili, College of Nursing and Health Professions
• Aroutis Foster, School of Education
• Ann Gerondelis, Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
• Rajashi Ghosh, School of Education
• Nick Jushchyshyn, Westphal College of Media Arts & Design
• Goran Karapetrov, College of Arts and Sciences
• Edward Kim, College of Computing & Informatics
• Michael Lowe, College of Arts and Sciences
• Ioannis Savidis, College of Engineering
• Wan Shih, School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems

Learn more about the Fellows and their research expertise on the Provost's Office website and DSI's website.

Since the program's launch in the fall, the Solutions Fellows have been organized along five knowledge verticals based on their areas of expertise and inquiry and in support of Drexel's new Strategic Plan: Consumer Insights, Strategy & Design; Health; New Age Materials & Biomedical Devices; Technological & Digital Solutions; and Training & Talent Development.

Within these verticals, interdisciplinary teams of Fellows, Drexel faculty and students have already begun industry-changing partnerships. A landscape digitalization project at Longwood Gardens has evolved to incorporate engagement strategies for elementary and high school students. An FMC Corporation project to install water filtration centers in rural India also investigates the centers’ influence on public health and FMC consumer perceptions. At Comcast, a study aimed at increasing inclusiveness among veterans and military members investigates the use of multi-player gameplays for building social connectivity. Beyond their contributions to industry, these projects have also provided meaningful opportunities for student research and solutions-based learning.

Solutions Fellows facilitate collaborations between Drexel faculty and students and our corporate and nonprofit partners, bringing together the University community through the core areas of research, teaching and external engagement to promote student success and a culture of collaboration. Please visit the Drexel Solutions Institute website or reach out to DSI@drexel.edu to learn more about opportunities to collaborate.

Sincerely,