Drexel Engineering is pleased to announce one tenure award with promotion, two faculty promotions, and two emeriti appointments for the 2024 academic year. These accomplished engineers bring valuable expertise and achievements that will continue to enrich the college’s academic environment.
Ahmad Najafi, PhD, will receive tenure and promotion to associate professor in mechanical engineering and mechanics. Joining Drexel in 2017, Najafi’s research spans biomechanics, applied mechanics, and computational science. He is a recipient of the NSF CAREER award and multiple Drexel honors.
Jennifer Atchison, PhD, will be promoted to associate teaching professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics. A Drexel alumna and faculty member since 2018, she founded “I am ME!” supporting women in engineering and has earned several teaching awards.
Aviel Chaimovich, PhD, will be promoted to associate teaching professor in chemical and biological engineering. Chaimovich joined Drexel in 2019 after holding positions as an Alexander von Humboldt Guest Scientist at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces and as a Research Fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research.
Additionally, two faculty members transition to emeriti status:
A member of Drexel’s faculty since 1982, Sorin Siegler, PhD’s research encompasses ankle biomechanics, total joint replacements, and human motion analysis. His ankle replacement work, funded by the Coulter Foundation, led to a successful start-up company. Siegler holds 14 US patents, many covering orthopedic treatment innovations, including a 2019 patent for a total ankle replacement with an anatomically-fitted talar component. He received the 2024 College of Engineering Outstanding Innovation Award.
Joining Drexel in 1989, Aspasia Zerva, PhD, is an expert in structural engineering, focusing on earthquake engineering, engineering seismology, and probabilistic methods. In 2022, she was appointed to the National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee (NCSTAC) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), reporting directly to Congress. Zerva received the 2015 College of Engineering Outstanding Service Award.
