Dr. Shivanthi Anandan, associate professor of bioscience and biotechnology, was awarded a $33,900 subcontract from Rutgers University to initiate an Internet-based predictive microbiology portal to assist small and very small food processors in meeting food safety regulations. A focus group and workshop to assess a preliminary version of the predictive microbiology portal was held at Drexel on January 12, 2007.

John Chmiola, a materials science and engineering doctoral student, has been selected to receive a travel fellowship, supported by the National Science Foundation, to attend the European Ceramic Society Meeting in Berlin, Germany from June 17 to 21, 2007. He will present a talk titled “Transforming Carbide Ceramics to Carbon: A Way to Advanced Supercapacitors.”

Dr. Mun Choi, professor and department head of mechanical engineering and mechanics, was awarded a three-year NASA grant for $260,000 to continue his work on “Flame Extinction of Flames in Microgravity Platforms” to enhance the understanding of burning and radiation effects and develop effective strategies for flame extinguishment in spacecrafts. Dr. Choi, Brian Keech, vice president for government and community relations; David Wilson, assistant vice president for government and community relations; Dr. Paul Oh, associate professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics; Franco Capaldi, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics; Dr. Kimberly Cook-Chennault, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics; and Dr. Tiffany Miller, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics; were awarded a one-year $100,000 grant from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania to provide education and outreach activities for energy conservation in homes in West Philadelphia.

The Drexel Collection received an additional $100,000 grant from the William B. Dietrich Foundation of Philadelphia for the continued inventory and photography of the Collection for an online gallery. The Foundation gave a $100,000 grant in 2003 to begin the project.

Dr. Alexander Fridman, professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics, and his colleagues were awarded a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency grant titled “Non-Thermal Atmospheric Pressure Electrical Discharge Plasma for Non-Surgical Treatment of Skin Diseases” to develop rapid, nonsurgical applications of plasma treatment for wounds and skin diseases. Also, Dr. Fridman and Dr. Alexander Gutsol, professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics, received a grant from Air Products and Chemicals titled “Application of NF3 Plasma in Electronics.” The project is related to fundamental understanding of novel plasma technologies applied in electronics. The first-year portion for Drexel is $80,000 with a two-year grant from Air Products and Chemicals to support the project at upward of $185,000.

Dr. Steve McMillan, professor of physics received a three-year, $344,000 award from the NASA for research on “Astrophysics of Dense Stellar Systems.”

Dr. Ana Elizabeth Núñez, associate professor of medicine and director of the Center of Excellence in Women’s Health and Women’s Health Education Program at the Drexel University College of Medicine, received a $10,000 award from the Valentine Foundation for “Advocacy in Action: Developing a Medical Education Curriculum Teaching Critical Skills in Dealing with Issues of Incarceration.”

Dr. Cristelle Portet,a post-doctoral researcher in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, received the prestigious Delegation Generale pour l’Armement from the French Minister of Research and the French Minister of Defense at a ceremony in Paris on January 22. The winner is selected based on the importance of the research and achievements of the Ph.D. candidate. Dr. Portet wrote her Ph.D. thesis on supercapacitors, which are electrical energy storage devices used in hybrid cars, backup power supplies and many other applications.

Dr. Jennifer J. Quinlan, assistant professor of bioscience and biotechnology, was awarded a $5,000 grant by Rutgers University titled "Implementation and Evaluation of a Food Safety Education Campaign for College Undergraduates."