Villanova Engineer - Summer 2025

ENGINEER Villanova A NEW ERA OF ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENTS

4 CREATING SOLUTIONS TO HELP THE WORLD Engineering Entrepreneurship Summer Institute goes global with immersion program in Panama

8

SMALL TALK

Dr. Bo Li shares what inspires him about the field of nanomaterials

Villanova Engineer is published by Villanova University College of Engineering, Villanova, PA 19085

Drosdick Endowed Dean

Michele Marcolongo, PhD, PE

Vice Dean

Sridhar Santhanam, PhD

Associate and Assistant Deans

Garrett M. Clayton, PhD, Graduate Studies

Noelle Comolli, PhD, Faculty Affairs

David Jamison, PhD, Undergraduate Affairs

Stephen Jones, EdD, Student Success

Sylvie Lorente, PhD, Research and Innovation

Keith Argue, External Relations

Steven Lengkeek, Finance and Administration

WHERE LECTURE MEETS LAB

Unique course brings hands-on learning to the classroom

INNOVATE. ELEVATE. COLLABORATE. Interdisciplinary labs in Drosdick Hall enhance research for Villanova Engineers

Director of Communication & Marketing/Editor

Elizabeth Slocum

Staff Writer Lauren Miskofsky

Contributors

Keith Argue

Kiera Daly Soltis

Yasmine Iqbal

Queen Muse

Albert Stumm

Photo Credits

Paul Crane Photography

John Shetron Photography

Max Grear

Jim Roese

DESIGNED TO LEED

Numerous features propelled Drosdick Hall to green building certification

ENGINEERING A BRIGHTER FUTURE

Stefan Roots ’82 EE tackles complex challenges as mayor of Chester, Pa.

Design

Suzanne Guelli

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Message from the Dean

Dear Friends,

This issue of Villanova Engineer celebrates a transformative year for the College of Engineering. The opening of Drosdick Hall ushers in a new era of engineering at Villanova. Through its interdisciplinary labs and collaborative spaces, our students and faculty are working together to ignite change through engineering.

The feature “Innovate. Elevate. Collaborate.” showcases how our new labs foster groundbreaking research and student engagement, while “A Foundation of Support” introduces some of the generous donors who lent their names to spaces in Drosdick Hall. Our incredible new home would not have been possible without the backing of the entire Villanova Engineering community. I thank you all for your support.

We also highlight how Villanova Engineering extends beyond borders. The Engineering Entrepreneurship Summer Institute expanded globally last year with an immersive experience in Panama, where students tackled real-world challenges faced by rural farmers. Their innovations exemplify engineering in service of others, a cornerstone of the College’s mission. Meanwhile, our academic offerings continue to expand as well, with the launch of our Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering and new initiatives supported by Espiritus Nova: The Campaign for Villanova University

This issue also celebrates our extraordinary alumni community. You’ll meet Britney Davis ’15 ChE, recipient of Villanova’s Young Alumni Medal for her tireless advocacy and leadership in STEM. You’ll also get to know Stefan Roots ’82 EE, mayor of Chester, Pa., who is tackling civic challenges with the same analytical thinking he learned as a Villanova Engineering student.

Drosdick Hall may be the newest addition to our physical campus, but the heart of Villanova Engineering remains the same: a commitment to Veritas, Unitas, Caritas. As you read these stories, I hope you are reminded of the power of engineering to shape a better world. Let’s draw inspiration from the words of fellow Villanovan Pope Leo XIV: “Then help each other to build bridges—with dialogue, with encounter, uniting all of us to be one people always in peace.”

Very best,

Michele Marcolongo, PhD, PE Drosdick Endowed Dean of Engineering Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Vice Dean of Villanova Engineering

Sridhar Santhanam, PhD, assumes new College leadership position

Sridhar Santhanam, PhD, professor and former chair of Mechanical Engineering, was selected in January as the inaugural vice dean of the College of Engineering. In this newly created role, Dr. Santhanam will facilitate operations and work closely with the leadership team of associate deans, external relations and strategic initiatives, while helping to support academic programs.

A member of the Mechanical Engineering faculty since 1989, Dr. Santhanam had served as department chair since fall 2018. Under his leadership, the department grew through the hiring of six new faculty members, the promotion of seven others and an increase in research activity, publications and PhD students.

Dr. Santhanam’s own research focuses on the mechanics of multifunctional materials, structural health monitoring and ultrasonics. He is the director of the Laboratory for Mechanics of Materials Processing and a member of the College’s Materials and Manufacturing research cluster.

“Over the past several years, the role of dean has evolved into one that requires an increased amount of time on external affairs, such as fostering corporate connections, engaging alumni, increasing philanthropy and serving on national boards,” says Michele Marcolongo, PhD, PE, the Drosdick Endowed Dean of the College of Engineering. “The vice dean position was created in response to this shift, to assist in maintaining the appropriate balance between external expectations of the dean and internal operations of the College.

“Dr. Santhanam’s commitment to collaboration, innovation and academic excellence will serve him well in this role,” Dean Marcolongo adds, “as will his dedication to Villanova’s values of Veritas, Unitas, Caritas.”

A Commitment to Innovative Research

Associate Dean Sylvie Lorente, PhD, named inaugural holder of William M. Brown ’84, ’87 Endowed Chair in Mechanical Engineering

The College of Engineering announced last summer that William “Bill” M. Brown ’84 ME, ’87 MSME, CEO of 3M, made a $2.5 million gift for the establishment of an endowed chair in Mechanical Engineering, with Sylvie Lorente, PhD, serving as the inaugural chairholder. This endowed chair furthers the College’s commitment to innovative research and teaching through the recruitment and retention of top faculty members.

From left: Bill Brown, Dean Michele Marcolongo, Sylvie Lorente and Dr. Lorente’s husband, Henri, at a recognition ceremony in the fall.

A world-renowned expert in thermal engineering, Dr. Lorente joined Villanova’s faculty in 2019 as the College of Engineering Chair Professor in Mechanical Engineering before also becoming the associate dean for Research and Innovation.

Dr. Lorente pioneered the field of flow architectures of heat, mass and fluid that morph toward better efficiency. In 2019, she was elected to the prestigious Academica Europaea, which includes 80 Nobel laureates, and in 2022, she was appointed to the governing body of the European Research Council by the European Commission.

As a Mechanical Engineering alumnus, Bill Brown has been a longtime supporter of the College, helping to launch the INNOVATE summer program as the former CEO of L3Harris Technologies. Brown is now CEO of 3M, a $25 billion materials science and manufacturing company and a leader in areas including automotive and industrial technologies, consumer electronics, personal safety and consumer products.

The Spirit of Giving

In the fall, Villanova University embarked on Espiritus Nova: The Campaign for Villanova University, a fundraising effort reflecting the strong, generous and unshakable spirit that connects us all as Villanovans. With a goal of $1.25 billion, it is the most ambitious campaign in the University’s history. Achieving this goal will strengthen our academic preeminence, enrich our campus and amplify our collective Augustinian Catholic impact—across the nation and around the world.

Espiritus Nova’s $125 million fundraising goal for the College of Engineering will enable us to pursue the priorities outlined in our ambitious 10-year Strategic Plan, a road map identifying our areas of strength and opportunities for growth, in alignment with the University’s Strategic Plan, Rooted. Restless. Key focus areas in the College’s plan include:

• Financial support of faculty and student research

• Undergraduate scholarships, to provide opportunities to hardworking, high-achieving students with need

• The founding of a Center for Professional Development, to uniquely prepare students for the nontechnical components of their future careers

• A named center and funding for the Sports and Performance Engineering initiative, which leverages technology to improve human performance

Espiritus Nova is an opportunity for the entire College community to invest in the future of engineering, ensuring that we continue to foster both groundbreaking research and a world-class engineering education for our students.

To contribute, please contact Cynthia Rutenbar, the College’s executive director of major giving, at cynthia. rutenbar@villanova.edu, or visit give.villanova.edu.

Supporting College priorities through Espiritus Nova: The Campaign for Villanova University

WCreating Solutions to Help the World

Engineering Entrepreneurship Summer Institute goes global with immersion program in Panama

hen Matthew Capelle ’27 ChE learned about a unique opportunity to spend a summer not only earning a minor in Engineering Entrepreneurship but also solving social impact problems on the ground in Panama, he jumped at the chance.

Capelle took part in the first international iteration of the Engineering Entrepreneurship Summer Institute (E2SI), an eight-week, 16-credit minor program open to all Villanova undergraduate students. During the first five weeks of the summer 2024 program, students engaged in rigorous online entrepreneurship courses taught by esteemed faculty members. For the final three weeks, they lived and studied outside Panama City, where they tested and validated their business concepts for rural Panamanians.

“E2SI launched in 2018, but this was the first year we included an international component, and it was transformative,” says Lauri Olivier, PhD, MBA, director of

Engineering Entrepreneurship and associate professor of practice. “It was an immersive educational experience for the students, focused on meaningful and impactful work.”

Capelle, along with Kris McAnally ’26 CpE and Bradley Berde ’27 CpE, formed the team Fresher Farming and identified a produce-spoilage issue facing farmers. After meeting with local farmers, they invented an efficient and affordable cooling device that can be inserted into a wood pallet to prevent spoilage while produce is transported to market.

“The program created a confidence in me that I can achieve novel solutions and think independently and outside of the norms,” says Capelle. “It showed me how, as an engineer and an entrepreneur, I can create solutions that will help the world.”

E2SI will return to Panama this summer, with a new focus on creating business solutions for Panamanian coffee farmers.

Emerging Issues in Stormwater Management

Bridget Wadzuk, PhD, ’00 CE, the Edward A. Daylor Chair in Civil Engineering and associate director of the Villanova Center for Resilient Water Systems, leads a discussion with Marccus D. Hendricks, PhD, MPH, in October at the 2024 Pennsylvania Stormwater Management Symposium at the Connelly Center. Dr. Hendricks, an associate professor of Urban Studies and Environmental Planning at the University of Maryland, delivered a keynote address on “Murky Waters, Infrastructure, and Environmental Risks: Stormwater Planning and Engineering Towards Environmental Justice.”

College Launches Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering

The College of Engineering has announced a new Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering (MSAE), launching in fall 2025. This cutting-edge program is designed to prepare engineers for leadership roles in the dynamic and rapidly evolving aerospace industry.

Housed within the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Villanova’s MSAE program will include courses in space flight mechanics, applied aerodynamics, aerospace structures analysis, and advanced flight dynamics and control, among other areas, taught by faculty with extensive industry experience and research expertise.

Villanova Engineering has a longstanding history of collaboration with leading organizations such as NASA, Boeing and Lockheed Martin. With a mix of advanced coursework, project-based learning and real-world applications, the MSAE will prepare graduates to address complex engineering challenges and contribute to the evolving future of aerospace and related fields.

“This program is a natural evolution of our already very popular Aerospace Engineering minor program,” says Sergey Nersesov, PhD, MSAE program director and an associate professor of Mechanical Engineering. “We have the talent, expertise and infrastructure to develop this, and it perfectly aligns with the needs of the local aerospace industry. We are excited to provide this new offering to our students and professionals in the field.”

Villanova’s MSAE is the first Aerospace Engineering master’s degree to be offered in the Philadelphia-CamdenWilmington metropolitan area, a region with strong ties to the aerospace industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of aerospace engineers to grow 6% from 2022 to 2032.

“Aerospace engineering is currently experiencing a resurgence with exciting developments in air and space travel,” says Sridhar Santhanam, PhD, vice dean of the College of Engineering and a professor of Mechanical Engineering. “Our new MS degree program in Aerospace Engineering is in response to the strong interest our undergraduate students are showing in a career in aerospace, and the need for a professional master’s program for engineers working in the aerospace industry in the Greater Philadelphia region and beyond.”

Designed specifically with working professionals in mind, Villanova’s 30-credit MSAE degree can be earned part time in just 20 months through the completion of 10 eight-week courses. As with all graduate offerings in the College of Engineering, MSAE courses will be available online, on campus or through a combination of the two, with both live and recorded content. All classes will be held in the evenings to accommodate the schedules of working engineers, and students can choose from thesis and nonthesis degree sequences.

For more information about Villanova’s Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering or to apply, visit bit.ly/VUaerospace.

Cutting-Edge Conversations

Experts in artificial intelligence, nanoengineering deliver Drosdick Hall’s first endowed lectures

The grand Dionisio Family Lecture Hall in Drosdick Hall played host to two significant lectures this academic year, featuring world-class experts sharing their knowledge and experience in industry and research.

In October, the Villanova Engineering community welcomed Deepu Talla, PhD, ’98 MSEE (right) for the 2024 Patrick J. Cunningham Jr. and Susan Ward ’80 Endowed Lecture in Engineering. Dr. Talla, vice president and general manager of Robotics and Edge Computing at NVIDIA, spoke on “Humanity’s New Allies: The Future of Robotics and Physical AI.”

Dr. Talla’s presentation highlighted how robotics in collaboration with artificial intelligence can lead to a future where efficiency and creativity go hand in hand, ultimately transforming the way we live and work.

“You are essentially creating a human being to perform a particular task,” Dr. Talla said in the talk. “They must be educated and guided, much like a carpenter undergoes training.”

He encouraged the audience to embrace these technologies, not as replacements for human effort but as tools that can enhance our capabilities. With careful integration and ethical considerations, he said, the partnership between humans and machines holds the promise of a brighter, more effective future.

The 2025 Claire L. and Gerard F. Jones ’72 Distinguished Lecture, held in March, featured Pulickel M. Ajayan, PhD (left), founding chair of the Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering at Rice University. In his lecture, “The Evolution of Nano-Engineered Materials,” Dr. Ajayan addressed key opportunities and challenges in the field of nanomaterials.

He noted that carbon, specifically, is at the heart of the field’s research because of its versatility. Carbon’s unique properties, such as its ability to form various materials like graphene and carbon nanotubes, make it an ideal candidate for developing structures with exceptional strength, conductivity and flexibility. By integrating carbon-based materials into existing technologies, Dr. Ajayan said, researchers can enhance performance and efficiency, leading to more sustainable solutions.

“There is an opportunity to build bottom up and create some fascinating architectures, which hopefully will keep the material science busy for quite a while,” he said.

PAYING IT FORWARD

Deepu Talla, PhD, ’98 MSEE first came to the United States to attend Villanova University, a life-changing experience that inspired him to establish a graduate fellowship to support future College of Engineering students. This past fall, Dr. Talla made a gift to the College to create the Dr. S. S. Rao Memorial Endowed Graduate Fellowship, which will fund the tuition and living expenses for graduate students in Electrical or Computer Engineering. The fellowship recognizes the former chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering, who helped Dr. Talla receive a full teaching and research assistantship, enabling him to focus on his studies and conduct his research.

A Collaboration in Cooling

Partnership with NVIDIA aims to reduce energy use in data centers

The astronomical demand for computing services (think artificial intelligence, streaming and high-performance computing) has produced a crisis in cooling. Data centers have quickly approached a point where racks can no longer be cooled with traditional air-cooling approaches. Given that the cooling of IT equipment already accounts for 33% to 40% of the overall energy use in a data center, there is a pressing need to develop commercially viable alternative cooling systems for data centers using liquid cooling.

For nearly a decade, researchers at Villanova University, Binghamton University and the University of Texas at Arlington have collaborated with industry partners to advance the energy efficiency of data centers through the NSF Center for Energy Smart Electronic Systems (ES2). Supported by the National Science Foundation, ES2 is an Industry-University Cooperative Research Center that explores and advances new approaches to the management of computational loads, power and cooling within the data center.

Alfonso Ortega, PhD, the James R. Birle Professor of Energy Technology in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, is the Villanova site director for ES2 and one of the world’s leading experts on liquid cooling systems. Recognizing the inherent limitations of air-cooled approaches, NVIDIA—a global leader in AI computing—joined ES2 in 2021 to explore more novel approaches to thermal management. “NVIDIA

really challenged us to think big,” says Dr. Ortega. “They asked, ‘What will it take to make a giant leap forward in cooling technologies? How might you eliminate air in favor of liquid cooling?’

”

Through ES2, NVIDIA collaborates with Villanova as a “proof-of-concept” lab for two-phase, refrigerant-based, direct-to-chip cooling technologies. “Using refrigerant in a two-phase flow configuration is an extremely efficient way to absorb large quantities of heat,” Dr. Ortega notes, but there are many fundamental and applied problems that must be overcome to make these approaches feasible and deployable. The close collaboration with industry experts allows the ES2 team to contribute to highly relevant, impactful research.

The partnership between ES2 member NVIDIA and the Villanova and Binghamton University team is particularly strong and well-poised for future opportunities. “This is an unbelievably talented team,” says Dr. Ortega. “There’s a great deal of trust and knowledge-sharing, and they love to mentor and hire our graduate student researchers.

“The importance of research in thermal management systems for electronics has never been more important and pressing,” he adds. “It’s truly a thrill ride—this is one of the most rewarding times that I’ve ever experienced as a researcher of more than 40 years.”

Small Talk

Dr. Bo Li shares what inspires him about the field of nanomaterials

Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Bo Li, PhD, has had a banner year as an expert on nanomaterials and polymers. His research explores techniques that can be used to monitor health conditions and to create coatings that offer protection in extreme environmental conditions.

In addition to receiving multiple grants this past year from the National Science Foundation, Dr. Li also led two major research papers—published in Polymer and Nature Communications—related to 3D printing and nanomaterial assembly, respectively. For his growing body of scholarship, Dr. Li was honored at the 2024 Commencement with the University Mid-Career Scholar Award, presented by Villanova’s Office of the Provost.

Away from his Hybrid Nano-Architectures and Advanced Manufacturing Laboratory, Dr. Li devotes time to connecting with young students through a library outreach initiative. His commitment to research and community engagement exemplifies the impact educators and researchers can have on society.

Q: What about mechanical engineering inspires you?

A: The ability to make something useful. Mechanical engineering is a collection of different minds from the mechanical side, robotics or materials. Also, mechanical engineering can be integrated with many fields such as medicine, health care and aerospace to advance our technologies in making something useful and impactful.

Q: What led you to pursue this profession?

A: I received my undergraduate and master’s degrees in Polymer Engineering both from Sichuan University and my PhD in Nanomaterial Engineering from Northeastern University. I was not satisfied with the level of control in the existing manufacturing processes in handling these materials. When I began establishing my path here at Villanova, I wanted to figure out my niche. Since I was educated in both, I asked myself if there was a way I could combine polymer with nanomaterials.

It is challenging, but building a new manufacturing platform out of nanomaterial and polymer is rare. A key difficulty lies in the stark differences in surface and mechanical properties between nanomaterials and polymers. While most water-based assembly systems focus on hydrophilic nanomaterials and hydrophilic polymers, other combinations have remained largely unexplored. I saw so many possibilities and have strived to achieve them.

Q: What are your short-term academic goals?

A: I will be working on filing a few new patents and hopefully a world record related to touch sensors. Great things are happening in the lab with the help of five PhD students and undergraduates. We have accumulated exciting results over the years that we would like to publish, and we hope to keep working with our communities and seeing an impact.

Additionally, I look forward to continuing our library STEM program, which collaborates with the Norristown, Downingtown, Radnor and Easttown libraries to educate students and parents on manufacturing and mechanical engineering. My goal is to expand this initiative in the future. It’s been a fun experience being not just a researcher but also an educator.

Faculty Briefs

A BRIDGE TO THE FUTURE

Joseph Robert Yost, PhD, PE, professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, was part of an international team that designed and built a 10-meter glass bridge on display at the Corning Museum of Glass in New York through Sept. 1.

Built from 124 individual hollow glass units, the aptly named Glass Bridge is the work of Dr. Yost and fellow principal investigators Masoud Akbarzadeh, PhD, of the University of Pennsylvania; Damon Bolhassani, PhD, of the City College of New York; and Jens Schneider, PhD, of the Technische Universität Wien (Vienna). Glass Bridge marks the team’s second project built using modular assembly of hollow glass units, following Tortuca, an award-winning proof-of-concept prototype.

“I think we’ve done something unique in our use of material, structural form and construction methodology,” Dr. Yost says. “Our collaboration will continue beyond Glass Bridge to further improve and expand the use of this novel combination of architectural, engineering and artistic technologies.”

TOP-NOTCH

Seven Villanova Engineering faculty members were recognized as among the top 2% of cited scientists worldwide, as reported in the fall by Stanford University and Elsevier in their annual rankings. Moeness Amin, PhD, professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Sylvie Lorente, PhD, the William M. Brown ’84, ’87 Endowed Chair in Mechanical Engineering; and Mojtaba Vaezi, PhD, associate professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, were each among the most cited researchers globally for 2023, according to the rankings.

Additionally, Dr. Amin and Dr. Lorente were recognized for career citations, along with Hashem Ashrafiuon, PhD, professor of Mechanical Engineering; Jens Karlsson, PhD, associate professor of Mechanical Engineering; Bijan Mobasseri, PhD, professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering; and Ahmad Hoorfar, PhD, professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

DEDICATED LEADERSHIP

Chinese Biopharmaceutical Association–Greater Philadelphia (CBA-GP) honored Zuyi (Jacky) Huang, PhD, associate professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, in February with its Dedicated Leadership Award. An international organization biopharmaceutical innovation, knowledge exchange and professional networking, CBA-GP recognized Dr. Huang for his pivotal role in organizing events that inspire industryacademic partnerships, bolstering CBA-GP’s regional presence and driving its rapid growth.

INITIATING RESEARCH

Two assistant professors of Civil and Environmental Engineering received their first solo grants from the National Science Foundation. Arash Tavakoli, PhD, received a $200,000 Engineering Research Initiation (ERI) award to support his research on the impact of pedestrian infrastructure on human well-being, particularly perceived stress caused by insufficient pathways. Dr. Tavakoli joined the department in fall 2023. Kelly Good, PhD, PE, ’09 CE, similarly, received a $200,000 ERI grant to advance her research on drinking water treatment and to develop regulations and monitoring practices aimed at enhancing public health protection. A Villanova Engineering alumna, Dr. Good joined the department’s permanent faculty in fall 2022 after three years as a visiting assistant teaching professor.

Where Lecture Meets Lab

Unique course brings hands-on learning to the classroom

By Sofia Nicastro ’25 ChE

Every student knows the feeling of course registration—the uncertainty surrounding figuring out what courses are required, determining what electives to take and seeing what times classes are offered. When I was preparing for registration last spring, a new Chemical Engineering elective caught my eye: Synthetic Biology, taught by Visiting Assistant Teaching Professor Justin Vento, PhD. I decided to enroll.

This course was special in that it had both lecture and laboratory components, was project-focused and even included a podcast. During the lectures, we learned about synthetic biology principles, which we then applied during lab time to a semester-long project.

Our goal was to genetically engineer yeast to produce beta-carotene, a vitamin A precursor and one of the chemicals that makes foods like carrots orange. This is a more sustainable method of producing important compounds than chemically synthesizing them.

We investigated multiple strategies for yeast engineering, including using CRISPR (or clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) to modify the yeast’s DNA to produce beta-carotene inside the cell. I am proud to report that our efforts were successful: The yeast cells turned orange!

This class took place in the Gary A. Gabriele Classroom, a brand-new lab and lecture space in Drosdick Hall named for the dean of the College of Engineering from

2006 to 2018. This unique space can facilitate both lectures and labs in the same room, allowing for a seamless transition between experiments and notetaking. This enabled us to make the best use of our class time: We could perform experiments on both class days and switch to lecture while in the experiments’ waiting periods.

Synthetic biology is something I previously did not know much about, but I now have a much greater understanding of its use and the types of careers in this field. Since this class had a lab portion, I learned valuable skills that can only be acquired through lab work.

Outside the classroom, I served as co-vice president for Best Buddies, co-chair for the Society of Women Engineers’ Service and Outreach Committee and president of Villanova’s chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), my favorite of the roles. I had served on the AIChE executive board for the past three years— one of my most rewarding college experiences. One hugely beneficial part of AIChE was learning from upperclassmen. As a senior, I loved helping the underclassmen with all things related to our major and Villanova in general.

After graduation, I will pursue a career in the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry, and I hope to use my knowledge to make products that help people live better lives.

Sofia Nicastro, of Deptford, N.J., graduated in May with a major in Chemical Engineering and minors in Math, Business and Biochemical Engineering. She was the 2025 recipient of the Robert D. Lynch Award from the College of Engineering.

Student Briefs

TAU BETA PI SCHOLARS

Two Villanova Engineering students were selected as Tau Beta Pi Scholars for the 2024-25 academic year. Recipients of this prestigious designation from the national engineering honor society are selected based on their academic excellence, involvement in extracurricular activities and pledge to make significant contributions in the engineering field.

Kathryn Ix ’25 CpE served as president of the Villanova chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, co-president of the College’s Engineering PEERS program and a member of the Society of Women Engineers. She aims to build a career in the health care technology industry.

Troy White ’25 CE served as president of Villanova’s chapter of Tau Beta Pi, development chair for VU Blue Key and an Orientation counselor for new students. As a Civil Engineering major with minors in Studio Art and Real Estate Development, White hopes to combine his artistic passions with his technical experience to work at the intersection of architecture and structural design.

INVESTED IN STUDENTS’ FUTURES

Student and faculty volunteers gathered this spring with Stephen Jones, EdD (center), associate dean for Student Success, during a Saturday session of the Villanova Engineering, Science and Technology Enrichment and Development (VESTED) Academy. The seven-week STEM outreach program, which marks its 20th anniversary this year, brings students from local high schools to Villanova’s campus for an in-depth engineering experience, as well as college preparation classes, team-building opportunities and discussions with industry mentors about engineering careers.

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

Karlee Koswick ’20 ME faced a lifealtering event when she was injured by gun violence as an innocent bystander on July 14, 2023, while residing in Fargo, N.D. On the first anniversary of the incident, the Fargo Police Department honored her bravery and resilience by awarding her an honorary Purple Heart.

Koswick’s hardship led her to seek comfort and strength in a place that had always felt like home: Villanova University. Embracing the familiar surroundings, she returned to pursue her PhD in Mechanical Engineering. Reflecting on her decision to come back to Villanova, Koswick said, “After going through something horrible, you kind of just want to go home. And Villanova is home.”

EXCELLENCE IN HYDROLOGY

Mohamed Said ’25 PhD, a doctoral student and research assistant for the Villanova Center for Resilient Water Systems, was named the 2025 recipient of the Paul F. Boulos Excellence in Computational Hydraulics/Hydrology Award. The award is presented annually by the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists, in conjunction with the Association of Environmental Engineering and Science Professors and the Environmental Engineering and Science Foundation.

Alumni Briefs

A LIFETIME DEDICATED TO ENGINEERING

Frank Falcone, PE, ’70 CE, ’73 MSCE (pictured at left, with blue tie), the College of Engineering’s director of Professional Development and Experiential Education, was named the recipient of the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Delaware County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers (PSPE).

Professor Falcone’s career at Villanova spans over 40 years, beginning in 1974. In his role, Professor Falcone leads the College’s award-winning professional development program, Career Compass. He is also a military veteran, having spent 30 years of combined active and reserve serving in the US Navy, where he earned the rank of captain and retired in 2000.

“I firmly believe that the greatest and most important thing that one generation can do is to teach the next generation,” Professor Falcone says. “I hope that I’ve participated in that valuable quest.”

NOBLE MISSION

For decades, Steve Callanen ’63 ME made it his mission to honor all the Villanovans who lost their lives in the Vietnam War. Now, with support from colleagues and the University, those alumni have been recognized with a plaque on display at Falvey Library. With assistance from the Library, Callanen cross-checked NROTC records and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial website, identifying 14 alumni who had enlisted either while attending Villanova or after graduation. The memorial plaque honoring those men is displayed at Falvey Library next to Villanova’s 73 “Gold Stars” from World War II. Callanen, who spent hundreds of volunteer hours on the project, created and funded the memorial himself, exemplifying Villanova’s Augustinian Catholic values of Veritas, Unitas, Caritas. “Everything that I did was purely volunteer,” he says. “This was a labor of love.”

INNOVATION AND INSPIRATION

JoAnn Garbin ’98 ME (right) returned to campus in February to host a discussion and sign copies of her book, The Insider’s Guide to Innovation @ Microsoft Garbin is a sustainability and technology entrepreneur who formerly served as director of innovation in Microsoft’s cloud business.

While in Drosdick Hall, she also received a surprise visit from Will D. Cat, who joined Garbin and Drosdick Endowed Dean Michele Marcolongo, PhD, PE, for a photo. As an undergraduate, Garbin elevated the role of Villanova’s beloved mascot—and even played a part in naming him.

HONORING DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

In November, the College of Engineering celebrated the accomplishments of 12 alumni who have shown remarkable dedication to the College and the community. This special recognition occurred during the 47th Villanova University Engineering Alumni Society Dinner, hosted at Drosdick Hall. William “Bill” Webster ’75 CE received the College’s highest honor, the J. Stanley Morehouse Award, which acknowledges exceptional leadership within the engineering field. Renowned for his strategic vision, Webster has made significant contributions to the nuclear industry, playing a key role in shaping policies that ensure the safe, efficient operation of nuclear facilities worldwide.

An Advocate for All

Britney

Davis ’15 ChE receives 2024 Young Alumni Medal

Britney Davis ’15 ChE was named the recipient of the 2024 Young Alumni Medal, presented by the Villanova University Alumni Association. The award honors alumni who have made outstanding contributions professionally, academically and in service to the University.

With a background in process engineering and production management, Davis’ career has been marked by a commitment to operational excellence and innovation, as well as the development of STEM outreach programs.

Davis has generously given her time and expertise in support of Villanova’s students, especially those within the College of Engineering. She guides students each year as a mentor within the Career Compass program and also serves on the College’s E15 Advisory Board, which is composed of recent graduates whose mission is to increase young alumni engagement.

“As an alum, Britney has embodied Villanova’s mission through her commitment to serving the greater good, both at her alma mater and within her profession,” says Sheila Doherty, associate vice president for Alumni Relations.

“She is incredibly successful as an engineer and a stalwart supporter of our students through her mentorship and tireless advocacy for multiple initiatives at the University.”

Davis has championed the advancement of Black and underrepresented students and alumni in STEM fields. In 2022, in recognition of her contributions to engineering education, she received the Gary A. Gabriele Memorial Award, which recognizes Engineering alumni who have promoted parity in the field. She previously demonstrated leadership in service as a senior project lead at Dana Inc. by strengthening the company’s African American Resource Group Annual Challenge, which promotes the exploration of STEM programs among middle and high school students.

At Villanova, Davis revived and now actively supports the student chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers. She is a highly engaged member of the Villanova University Black Alumni affinity network, for which she is finishing a term as Student Liaison Lead. Davis has served as a panel speaker at Villanova University Black History Month celebrations and the VU Women in Tech Conference. She has also further promoted Villanova’s mission by leading service initiatives for the annual St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service.

“I know firsthand what it is like to enter a new chapter of your life and not fully understand the options before you,” Davis says. “If I can serve as a resource to build stronger foundations for students using my own experiences, then I will gladly do whatever it takes, whether that includes mentoring students who are beginning their professional journeys, reviewing résumés or participating in University events and programs. I am a firm believer in showing up for others, because that is the only way to truly make a positive difference.”

A New Era of

Engineering

The College’s new home, Drosdick Hall, anticipates the technological needs of tomorrow

Open the doors to Drosdick Hall, and you’re met with an energy that emanates from every corner of Villanova’s newest academic building. Morning and night, between classes and during lunch, students are huddled in team rooms for study sessions or to practice for their next presentation. They’re deep in thought, or in conversation, in the Jones Family Learning Commons. They’re abuzz with activity in the research labs—fueled as much by excitement over their latest discovery as by their daily coffee from the Holy Grounds café.

After more than a decade of planning and two years of construction, it’s taken no time for the Villanova Engineering community to fully embrace its new home.

The opening this past academic year of Drosdick Hall ushered in a new era for the College of Engineering—one that unites all disciplines in one location, creating a catalyst for cross-disciplinary discovery. The ambitious $125 million, 150,000-square-foot expansion project more than doubled the size of the College’s primary building, allowing for enhancements to all aspects of the academic and student experience.

“Drosdick Hall was designed to create a crossroads of innovation,” says Michele Marcolongo, PhD, PE, the Drosdick Endowed Dean of the College of Engineering.

“This new building is empowering our students and faculty to push boundaries and make groundbreaking contributions to benefit society, furthering our commitment to engineering for the common good.”

JOHN G. DROSDICK ’65 C hE

Drosdick Hall is named after John G. Drosdick ’65 ChE (pictured with his wife, Gloria), retired chairman and CEO of Sunoco Inc., in recognition of his gifts totaling $20 million in support of the expansion project since its inception. A former chair of Villanova’s Board of Trustees, Drosdick’s philanthropic commitment to the College also includes investment in the Drosdick Innovation Lab and two endowments—the Drosdick Endowed Dean of the College of Engineering and the John G. Drosdick Endowed University Scholarship, which supports Engineering students with demonstrated financial need.

Developed through a collaborative process with input from Engineering faculty and students, Drosdick Hall includes improved and expanded research facilities, as well as state-of-the-art instruction spaces for hands-on, problem-oriented and team-based learning. In addition to serving as a learning and innovation hub for engineers, the expanded building benefits the entire Villanova community with common spaces open to all.

With backing from Villanova’s Strategic Plan, Rooted. Restless., Drosdick Hall was created for the next generation of engineering—addressing the space requirements of today while anticipating the technological needs of tomorrow.

“The expansion and renovation of Drosdick Hall provides Villanova Engineering with a first-rate research and teaching facility that is reflective of the College’s national stature,” says University Provost Patrick G. Maggitti, PhD. “It will inspire and support the academic pursuits of our outstanding faculty and students, now and well into the future.”

BUILDING HIGHLIGHTS

• More than 20 new laboratory spaces designed for multidisciplinary teams to work together on topical areas of research

• The two-story Drosdick Innovation Lab, which includes workspaces, tools and equipment for building, and space to accommodate large-scale project work

• The Jones Family Learning Commons, a community space at the heart of the building for all Villanovans to gather, study and learn

• Green roofs—instrumented with smart systems to collect and monitor climate and soil moisture data—which will serve as cutting-edge teaching and research resources

• Contemporary instruction spaces that can adapt to small discussion and larger lecture formats

• Dedicated, centrally located office spaces and lounges for the College of Engineering’s master’s and doctoral students

FACTS AND FIGURES

• Villanova broke ground on Drosdick Hall in spring 2022.

• Construction was completed by Wohlsen Construction Co., which excavated 25,000 cubic yards of earth.

• A total of 6,742 steel pieces were installed during framing, totaling 971 tons of steel. The steel was fabricated roughly a half-hour away from campus, in Spring City, Chester County.

• Drosdick Hall’s exterior panels were constructed off-site and later delivered to campus. A total of 488 pieces of concrete, cast and faced with stone veneer, were installed on the building’s exterior. The stone veneer of the façade was supplied by Delaware Quarries Inc. of New Hope, Pa., whose main quarry has been in operation since 1758.

• A total of 367 windows were installed as part of the construction project—263 in the expansion and 104 in the existing portion of the building.

• The project was brought to life by architectural firms BLTa–A Perkins Eastman Studio and Robert A.M. Stern Architects LLP. The building was designed in the Collegiate Gothic Revival style, inspired by the science and engineering buildings developed by noted Philadelphia architect Charles Klauder, who was active in the early 20th century.

ADVOCACY AND IMAGINATION

Construction of Drosdick Hall took a little more than two years to complete, but early discussions on expanding Villanova’s primary Engineering facility date back more than a decade.

At that time, the College of Engineering’s four departments were separated across six buildings on campus. Though only about 15 years old, the College’s main building, the Center for Engineering Education and Research (CEER), was bursting at the seams as student interest in engineering reached an all-time high.

Gary Gabriele, PhD, then the Drosdick Endowed Dean of the College of Engineering, recognized the need for more space and began advocating for an expanded facility. An expansion, he said in 2013, “is vital to our ability to remain a leading, innovative college of engineering.”

After an architectural study was completed, plans were developed to increase the size by 14,000 square feet. The initial project included three new additions—an Engineering Innovation Lab, a Student Learning Commons and an Engineering Hub with office space— with a total cost of $10 million.

The expansion project continued to grow over time, as the College began to envision a building developed for the next generation of engineers—backed by Villanova’s Strategic Plan, Rooted. Restless. Under the leadership of Interim Dean Randy Weinstein, PhD, who assumed the role after Dean Gabriele’s passing in 2018, the expansion project grew tenfold, to 150,000 square feet with a cost of $125 million.

That decision and investment led to the College’s impressive new home, Drosdick Hall, but it wouldn’t have been possible without Dean Gabriele’s advocacy and imagination.

“Dean Gabriele had a vision to create an engineering facility that matched the achievements and stature of our faculty, students and alumni,” says Michele Marcolongo, PhD, PE, the Drosdick Endowed Dean of the College of Engineering. “His goal was to provide one of the most innovative engineering education experiences in the country—which we’ve certainly delivered through Drosdick Hall.”

Innovate. Elevate. Collaborate.

Interdisciplinary labs in Drosdick Hall enhance research for Villanova Engineers

Interdisciplinary research is at the heart of the Villanova Engineering experience, and Drosdick Hall was designed with collaboration specifically in mind. The building’s nearly two dozen state-of-the-art laboratories are centered around topical areas of research, facilitating creativity and innovation across fields of expertise. Explore some of Drosdick Hall’s signature labs that contributed to a 60% increase in Engineering research space on campus.

GIUNCO FAMILY HYDRAULIC AND SEDIMENT DYNAMICS LABORATORY

Villanova’s Civil and Environmental Engineering faculty are international leaders in the field of stormwater management and urban hydrology. Over the past 20 years, faculty and students have retrofitted Villanova’s campus into one of the first and leading green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) research sites in the country. With more than 20 GSI locations on campus—including rain gardens, wetlands, green roofs, pervious concrete, permeable pavers and bioswales—researchers have been measuring the success rates of various GSI in filtering stormwater for years.

Now, with the addition of the Giunco Family Hydraulic and Sediment Dynamics Laboratory in Drosdick Hall, faculty and students can advance their GSI research using a more controlled environment. Thanks to a $1.4 million National Science Foundation grant, a new 50-foot, one-of-a-kind hydrology flume has been installed in the lab, with the ability to mimic numerous real-world scenarios.

The flume can be used to research diverse topics such as urban hydrology, sediment movement, soil stability and strength, fluvial processes and sediment capping technologies. Additionally, to further test how GSI handles various conditions, members of the Villanova Center for Resilient Water Systems team invented GSI trays that can be inserted into the flume, making the device the only one in the world with its capabilities.

“This is the next level in stormwater research,” says Virginia Smith, PhD (below), associate professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering. “We can now

bring our live systems into the lab, perform controlled tests in the flume, and then implement them at our real-world sites on campus and around Philadelphia.

“What’s going on here at Villanova is really unique,” she adds. “The new lab is a leading hub on surface water hydrology and sediment transport, and a research center for our many partners in the midAtlantic region.”

In addition to the 50-foot flume, the lab also includes a 20-foot flume for instrumentation, four lysimeters, a weigh tank that holds 2,000 pounds of water and a sump pump.

L3HARRIS TECHNOLOGIES HETEROGENEOUS AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE LABORATORY

Autonomous vehicles are the future of transportation. While much research is focused specifically on self-driving cars, Mechanical Engineering Professor Hashem Ashrafiuon, PhD (above), goes beyond cars to multivehicle systems. “My students and I are looking at how different modes of autonomous vehicles—boats, submarines, drones, air and ground— can work together to form a network and perform a task, like a search-and-rescue effort,” he says.

The new L3Harris Technologies Heterogeneous Autonomous Vehicle Laboratory (HAVLab) provides the College with a unique world-class lab facility for the development, implementation and testing of autonomous vehicles. Using innovative robots and drones, and small-scale unmanned air, underwater, surface, ground and amphibious vehicles, students and faculty can develop and test algorithms for

cooperative missions between intelligent vehicles operating in different mediums for use in search and rescue, mine-sweeping and fighting forest fires.

The lab includes a cage/fly space equipped with netting, a motion-capture system and a separate control room with workstations. The lab also features a one-of-a-kind, 4.5-foot-deep, 16-by-10-foot in-ground research vessel, allowing researchers to test unmanned boats and submarines.

“While the lab is primarily used for mobile robotics research, its capabilities are endless,” says Garrett Clayton, PhD, associate dean for Graduate Studies, professor of Mechanical Engineering and director of the Center for Nonlinear Dynamics and Control. “This is a shared, interdisciplinary facility. It’s a resource that is available to other researchers in the College, across campus, in the community and other universities. Any work that involves tracking 3D location and orientation can be done in the space.”

Dr. Clayton is working in the lab on a Sports and Performance Engineering research project investigating ACL knee injuries in female soccer players. Using infrared balls in the lab, Dr. Clayton and his students are collecting data on the forces and factors that might contribute to risk of injury.

Meanwhile, Arash Tavakoli, PhD, has been utilizing the lab to research human-machine interaction on construction sites. The assistant professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering is working on a framework to enhance collaboration between construction workers and robots by developing holistic context-aware strategies based on workers’ cognitive states.

CONTI SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AND MATERIALS RESEARCH LABORATORY

In the Conti Sustainable Energy and Materials Research Laboratory, faculty members from Electrical and Computer Engineering, Chemical and Biological Engineering and Sustainable Engineering share a new cutting-edge facility to conduct research on novel materials and technologies that generate and store clean energy.

In the lab, Pritpal Singh, PhD (below), professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is developing new ways of understanding the condition of batteries to extend their service life. His findings have applications in humanitarian engineering, with the potential to improve the quality of life for residents of developing countries around the world.

An expert in renewable energy systems, Dr. Singh is researching ways to repurpose nickel metal hydride batteries from hybrid vehicles to power off-grid solar energy in Fiji.

“In Japan, the government only allows cars to run for 10 years,” after which they’re shipped to Fiji, Dr. Singh says. “Once the car batteries expire, there’s an

opportunity to reuse and repurpose the batteries to provide solar energy to Fijian homes that otherwise would not have electricity.”

Dr. Singh’s graduate students, meanwhile, are studying additional battery types to improve performance and identify alternative uses. In one project, Sustainable Engineering PhD student Scarleth Vasconcelos ’19 MSSE is using a magnetic field probing process to identify degradation in lead acid batteries, with a goal of expanding their lifespan. In another, Viviana Villavicencio Vallejo ’21 MSEE, an Electrical Engineering PhD student, is examining lithium-ion batteries for signs of early failure, using a technique called nonlinear electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

Within the same lab space, faculty in Chemical and Biological Engineering are working on ways to reduce carbon emissions from industrial processes through carbon capture and storage, as well as researching reusable plastics.

The electrical engineering equipment in the lab includes an electrochemical spectroscopy unit with power booster, power supplies and electronic loads (up to 50 volts/100 amps) along with two Tenney Jr. thermal chambers for environmental testing.

DICCIANI BIOMATERIALS AND POLYMERS LABORATORY

Laura Bracaglia, PhD (above), assistant professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, is dedicating her career to improving health care through innovative biomedical engineering. In the new Dicciani Biomaterials and Polymers Laboratory, she works with both undergraduate and graduate students to design delivery vehicles for chronic inflammation medications.

“My work is focused on nanomaterials for drug delivery,” says Dr. Bracaglia. “We’re studying and building new biocompatible materials that can be added to drugs to transport therapies efficiently and effectively within the body. The biomaterials provide an added layer of design control to the drug. They encapsulate the specialized drug, such as a nucleic acid, protecting it and delivering it to a specific part of the body for activation at a certain time.”

Within the new open shared lab space, multidisciplinary researchers from the departments of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Mechanical Engineering

work side by side on varying biomaterials projects.

“The shared lab is fostering new ideas between investigators and departments,” says Dr. Bracaglia. “There is a lot of overlap and collaboration of resources and expertise.”

In addition to traditional chemistry wet-lab facilities like benches, chemical fume hoods and analytical equipment, the Dicciani Lab also boasts instruments typically found in medical lab spaces, including a bone saw and biosafety rooms with space to culture cells and dissect human tissue samples.

“This is an exciting time for Biomedical Engineering at Villanova,” says Michele Marcolongo, PhD, PE, the Drosdick Endowed Dean of the College of Engineering, a professor of Mechanical Engineering and an expert in biomaterials and engineered biomedical solutions to treat disease. “The combination of this new lab and the recent launch of the new Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering will contribute to advancements in health care, medical devices and biotechnology.”

Designed to LEED

Numerous efficient features propelled Drosdick Hall to globally recognized green building certification

Topped by flourishing planted roofs and surrounded by lush rain gardens, Drosdick Hall greets its visitors with expansive windows to bring natural light into a soaring central atrium, and attractive lighting that automatically adjusts to meet the shifting needs of students and faculty.

But beyond its architectural appeal, Drosdick Hall is brimming with strategic elements that demonstrate the innovation of Villanova’s College of Engineering. Designed in close collaboration with faculty, the building integrates experimental systems that allow students to collect real-time data, test new technologies and contribute to research, alongside efficiency features that enhance the facility’s performance.

These numerous innovations—most of them invisible to the average person—helped lead Drosdick Hall to Silver LEED certification, a challenging feat for an engineering building. Developed by the US Green Building Council, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) framework promotes healthy, highly efficient and

cost-effective buildings worldwide, designed for the long term. Ultimately, Drosdick Hall represents not just smart and holistic design, but also the College’s commitment to shaping a more innovative and resilient world.

GREEN ROOFS

Planted roofs have been well known for years as measures to insulate buildings, mitigate stormwater runoff and deflect the heat-trapping effects of development. Drosdick Hall’s three green roofs, however, go a step further.

Each is composed of a different design, ranging in soil depths of a few inches to the 20 inches that can support larger shrubs. Embedded sensors measure soil moisture, water quantity and the time it takes for rainwater to recede, and they transmit the data to loggers that students use for analysis.

“This site is not just this static site built to meet the Silver standards,” says Bridget Wadzuk, PhD, ’00 CE, the Edward A. Daylor Chair in Civil Engineering and associate director of the Villanova Center for Resilient Water Systems. “Because it’s an educational building, it is a facility that’s one part of our research lab.”

Several weather stations, some of which were already on campus, have been added to different parts of the building to document the variation that can occur in rainfall mere yards away. Then, rainwater that runs off traditional roofs is collected into cisterns and piped onto the green roofs for irrigation.

STORMWATER

Besides the green roofs, several other considerations were made to blunt the impact of stormwater runoff, which can pollute surrounding waterways, contaminate aquatic and vegetative life, and overburden water treatment facilities.

“Mother Nature is always going to win, which is why a lot of the stormwater management on Drosdick is using nature-based solutions,” says Dr. Wadzuk, who has worked since graduating in 2000 to convert Villanova’s campus into a stormwater research demonstration park.

Rain gardens around Drosdick Hall funnel stormwater into temporary ponds that recede gradually. And across from the entrance is a landscaped swale, or linear depression in the ground, that slows the flow of water to let it infiltrate close to where it lands.

From a large cistern under a parking lot, collected rainwater is filtered and pumped inside for flushing in bathrooms, which also are equipped with low-flow faucets.

Between all the conservation measures, half a million gallons of water are saved every year, enough to fill an Olympic-size swimming pool.

ENERGY CONSERVATION

LEED criteria are challenging to meet for any building, but it was particularly impressive for an energy-intensive engineering facility to notch 52 points on its way to Silver status.

Lab buildings typically have many exhaust fans and require constant changes of fresh air to minimize contaminating research samples, says the lead architect, Kyle Kernozek, of BLTa—A Perkins Eastman Studio. To mitigate the extra energy use in Drosdick Hall, a highly

efficient heating and cooling system adjusts temperature using occupancy and carbon dioxide sensors that communicate with the thermostat. Chilled beams filled with cool water and radiant heaters near the windows temper the air only in areas that need it.

“Heating and cooling is maybe a misnomer, but you’re really trying to focus where you spend your energy,” Kernozek says.

Sophisticated window glazing allows daylight to enter while blocking invisible infrared and UV wavelengths of light that would overheat the interior. And upgraded exterior insulation enhances the building’s efficiency by more than double the building code requirements.

Taken together, the measures reduce the expansion’s carbon footprint by the equivalent of 5 acres of mixed hardwood forest.

CUSTOMIZED ENERGY USE

The LED lighting used throughout the building consumes less energy than fluorescent lights and emits less heat, saving energy needed to cool it. What’s more, lighting is programmed to maximize what Kernozek notes as “daylight harvesting.”

In essence, lights turn off automatically when there is enough sunshine. But if shades are lowered to deflect heat, sensors tell the lights how bright they need to be. Occupancy sensors determine where lights should turn on so energy isn’t wasted on empty corridors or classrooms.

There is also an intriguing level of individual control. On most desks and shared tables, individual lamps and fans are built in, so people can use only what they need to be most comfortable.

“You have that immediate control just in your space, which is especially important in a shared space in these large, open areas,” says Ryane Hoban ’23 MBA, Villanova’s senior project manager on the expansion.

Though many of Drosdick Hall’s green ideas came straight from the design team, faculty members also were asked for input, especially in conceptualizing how the building’s stormwater management and green roofs would factor into students’ education. Dr. Wadzuk says she had been brainstorming with her colleagues for at least five years, and she was thrilled to see so many of their ideas implemented.

“That’s the wonderful part about being a professor—I just get to think of ideas,” she says. “We really sat around and chatted and said, ‘What if we did this, and this, and this?’”

A Foundation of Support

With the expansion of Drosdick Hall complete, it’s easy to walk inside and see the obvious contributions from the team of engineers, architects and builders who created the space. But the project would have gone nowhere without substantial support from generous donors. Here is a bit about the people who gave their names to the labs, halls and seminar rooms that make Drosdick Hall what it is.

JONES FAMILY LEARNING COMMONS

The soaring, three-story atrium at the center of the expansion already serves as a community gathering space for students from all majors on campus. But it got its name from a College of Engineering alum who became a success in the field of chemical engineering, John P. Jones III ’72 ChE, and his wife, Denise.

Before he retired as chairman and CEO of Air Products and Chemicals Inc., an industrial gas supplier, John rose through the ranks of various subsidiaries and led its

European company. He now serves on the boards of ADP and the Leonard Parker Pool Institute for Health. He has also served on the Villanova University Board of Trustees. Denise is a graduate of Rosemont College, and they have two daughters, Marcelle and Jacqueline.

“We are excited to support this new facility that will allow Villanova to elevate the Nova Engineering experience for its current and future students,” John says.

ROWEN BIOENGINEERING LABORATORY

Inside the Rowen Bioengineering Lab, researchers are investigating drug targets for food-borne pathogens, repurposing FDA-approved drugs for neurodegenerative diseases and developing earthworm hemoglobin as an ultra-stable alternative to donated red blood cells. Their facility became possible in part due to Diane and Jim Rowen.

Diane ’86 CLAS and her family have been staunch supporters of Catholic education, providing funding for STEM instruction and research at 18 institutions in the Northeast. She is currently a Villanova trustee. Jim, former COO of Renaissance Technology, founded venture capitalist firm Lightscape Partners, focusing on artificial intelligence across numerous industry verticals. He serves as a trustee for Fordham University, where he is an

alumnus. The Rowens are the parents of three children, Kaitlin, Jim ’16 VSB and Megan ’20 CLAS.

The family’s name may already be familiar. The Rowen Campus Green honors the family’s previous commitments to the University benefiting students and several areas across campus.

“Villanova’s new Bioengineering Laboratory represents for us the intersection of innovation, compassion and education—the very values that will shape the future of health care and technology,” the Rowens say. “Supporting this initiative is not just an investment in cutting-edge research but a commitment to empowering the next generation of Villanova leaders who will transform lives and solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges.”

CLARK ROBOTICS, DYNAMICS AND SYSTEMS LABORATORY

Research conducted by our mechanical engineers will revolutionize robotics and automation across a variety of fields. Recognizing this importance, Mechanical Engineering alumnus Harry Clark ’64 ME, ’69 MSME lent his name to this important lab.

After graduating from Villanova, Harry (pictured above with his wife, Kina Simeone-Clark) worked for several years as an engineer, building dams and power stations. A career change into the finance world led Harry in 1986 to found Clark Capital Management Group (CCMG), an independent asset management firm. In 2024, for the fourth time in five years, CCMG was named Asset

Manager of the Year by the Money Management Institute and Barron’s, ranked among firms with assets under management below $100 billion. The Philadelphia Business Journal has also named CCMG one of the best places to work in Philadelphia for six straight years. Harry is a frequent guest on CNBC and CNN and has written for Business Week, The Financial Journal and other financial publications.

“There is no better way to deploy capital than to help young engineers reach their goals, especially in relatively new technologies of robotics and systems engineering,” Harry says.

OTHER NOTABLE SPACES

DIONISIO FAMILY LECTURE HALL

This 134-seat tiered classroom was named for the family of John Dionisio, father of Michelle Callow ’03 CE, ’04 MSCE. John is executive vice chairman of Global Infrastructure Solutions Inc., which he co-founded to invest in the transport and logistics sector. A Professional Engineer, John previously was chairman, CEO, president and a founding shareholder at the multinational engineering giant AECOM, where he spent more than four decades. He also served on Villanova’s Engineering Advisory Board from 2018 to 2024.

DOLAN FAMILY CEE SOIL AND MECHANICS LAB

The College’s commitment to efficiency and innovation is exemplified by this lab named for the Dolan Family. This teaching lab houses undergraduate courses taught by water resources and geotechnical engineering faculty, with a focus on water and soil challenges in civil infrastructure. The Dolan family has a long-standing legacy in the engineering and construction industry, working together to lead Dolan Contractors and its San Antonio affiliate, Green Mountain Construction, both specializing in engineering and design/build development. Founded by Edward Dolan, the multigenerational family business thrives today under the leadership of Michael, Theresa and Joseph Dolan, who each play integral roles in its continued success.

WARD-CUNNINGHAM SEMINAR ROOM

A more intimate, 43-seat seminar room, this multifunctional classroom was named after Susan Ward ’80 ChE and her husband, Patrick Cunningham. Susan, who serves on Villanova’s Board of Trustees, retired as head of mergers and acquisitions and commercial finance–Americas of Shell Oil Co. after serving as CFO and vice president of publicly traded Shell Midstream. Patrick is a retired officer in the Coast Guard. The parents of Ryan Cunningham ’08 VSB, the couple have also provided two endowments for the College of Engineering, supporting the annual Patrick J. Cunningham Jr. and Susan Ward ’80 Endowed Lecture Series in Engineering and the Patrick J. Cunningham Jr. and Susan Ward ’80 Endowed Fund for Professional Development.

The Dolans’ dedication to engineering and business excellence is mirrored by their deep-rooted ties to Villanova University, where Michael and Theresa’s son, Joseph ’19 CE, earned his degree. The family’s Villanova legacy spans generations, including Theresa’s father, as well as Michael’s uncle and two siblings, underscoring their enduring commitment to both their profession and their alma mater.

“Villanova’s mission of truth, unity and love aligns perfectly with the Dolan family’s commitment to Catholic leadership, integrity and service—values that inspire our support of this project and our dedication to future Villanovans,” the family says.

MENDOZA FAMILY BOARD ROOM

This stately conference room, named for Juan Simón Mendoza and his wife, Cristina Peña de Mendoza, seats 24 guests and overlooks Tolentine Hall. Together with his brother, Lorenzo Mendoza, Juan runs Empresas Polar, one of the largest food and beverage conglomerates in Venezuela, with operations in Latin America, the US and Europe. The company was founded by their grandfather in 1941. Juan previously served as president of the Venezuelan Executives Association and the Chamber of Venezuelan Business. His family’s charity, Fundación Empresas Polar, is focused on education, health and community development, and offers the most important award given to contemporary scientists in Venezuela. The Mendozas are the parents of Ximena ’21 ME and Maria ’27 FCN.

METZ ZONE

If the Jones Family Learning Commons is the heart of Drosdick Hall, then the Metz Zone is the rest of the circulatory system. Serving as the administrative and professional development hub for undergraduate students, the Metz Zone houses the College’s Office of Undergraduate Affairs.

The space is named for Arthur and Laura Metzler. Arthur ’86 ME is a University trustee and president of AMA Group, a national 250-person engineering design and construction management firm that he founded in 2000 and that recently merged with Legence, a Blackstone portfolio company. Arthur has evolved into an industry leader in designing media and production facilities, including for NFL Media, NBCUniversal, CBS, Telemundo and Fox News. Laura, who studied journalism

PIAZZOLA ENGINEERING GATEWAY

Upon entering the Piazzola Engineering Gateway, the grand lobby area of Drosdick Hall, visitors are immediately greeted by one of the building’s signature design pieces, the St. Patrick medallion. This bronze fixture displays the patron saint of engineers and is encircled by images representing seven engineering disciplines at Villanova: Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, Civil and Environmental, Sustainable, Biological and Computer.

Nick Piazzola ’68 EE and his wife, Deirdre, made this gorgeous Engineering Gateway possible. An expert in secure telephone communications and cybersecurity, Nick spent nearly three decades with the National Security Agency, earning the National Intelligence Distinguished

at Ohio State University and for many years was employed by NBCUniversal, co-chairs the VU Parents and Family Committee for Espiritus Nova: The Campaign for Villanova University. Two of their four children are also Villanovans: Arthur ’24 VSB and Ella ’26 CLAS.

“When first asked to participate by Dean Gabriele back in 2012, the project was a modest expansion and we were moderately interested,” Arthur says. “But as the project grew more aspirational and transformative over the next 10 years, our interest and excitement grew exponentially, such that Drosdick Hall became the area at Villanova that we wanted to focus our continued philanthropic goal, giving back to the Engineering community which afforded me such a great engineering foundation.”

Service Medal and Presidential Design Achievement Award before transitioning to a vice president role at VeriSign. After retiring in 2014, Nick invested in a restaurant, Arturo’s Trattoria in Glen Burnie, Md., satisfying his passion for Italian food and wine. Nick and Deirdre also funded and named the Cybersecurity Physical Systems Lab in the former Center for Engineering Education and Research in 2016.

“My Villanova Engineering education enabled the success in my government and industry careers,” Nick says. “Contributing to the new Villanova Engineering building was a great way to thank the University and help future generations of Villanova Engineers.”

DROSDICK HALL’S NEWEST NAMED SPACE: KINSLEY LIVING LABORATORY AND ROOFTOP TERRACE

In the spring, the College of Engineering announced the naming of the Kinsley Living Laboratory and Rooftop Terrace, in recognition of a gift from the Kinsley Foundation. Spanning nearly 1,800 square feet, the terrace serves as a cutting-edge research and teaching space, while also providing a stunning venue for small campus gatherings. With design elements including advanced water reuse systems and real-time climate-monitoring technology, this instrumented green roof facilitates interdisciplinary collaborations between the College’s civil and computer engineers to develop and refine data collection systems, among other research.

The Kinsley Foundation, based in York, Pa., is a family-led organization grounded in the principles of integrity, hard work and community service. Guided by these values, the Kinsley family has built a legacy of generosity, using its resources to drive meaningful change. The foundation is dedicated to strengthening communities by supporting natural land and historic preservation, the arts, animal welfare, education and community development. Patrick Kinsley ’83 CE, a proud Villanova alumnus and board member of the Kinsley Foundation, is helping extend his family’s legacy of giving through this meaningful investment in the College of Engineering.

Mia Farina ’25 ME says she’ll never forget her favorite Villanova memories, like sitting by the Oreo for lunch on a spring afternoon. As she moves forward, she offers incoming students a piece of advice: “Your first year of college is transformative; be open-minded, but also don’t be afraid to stay true to who you are, even if that means you’re different.”

Committed to Caritas

Mia Farina ’25 ME lives her Augustinian Catholic values through community outreach

Whether in the classroom or volunteering, Mia Farina ’25 ME is committed to creating positive change and building meaningful connections. It’s a passion she’s developed throughout her four years in the College of Engineering, yet it’s rooted in her upbringing as the child of an engineer.

Growing up in Wilmington, Del., Farina enjoyed solving everyday problems, exploring scientific concepts and collaborating with others. She developed a deep love for engineering and decided to pursue a degree in the field, following in her father’s footsteps. “I wanted to find a way to channel my creative side, the part of me that enjoys connecting with people and helping them work together,” Farina says. “Mechanical Engineering was the perfect fit; it’s a degree that opens doors for you.”

At Villanova, Farina found an ideal outlet in Villanova Community Action by New Engineers (NovaCANE), a program that brings engineering into the classrooms of local schools. Through NovaCANE, students and faculty lead hands-on experiments and teacher training, helping students apply their knowledge through follow-up projects.

“NovaCANE made me realize how much I love outreach and making engineering feel approachable for all kinds of students,” Farina says. “It also helped me define what I value—connecting with others and making a tangible impact.”

Farina’s commitment to Veritas, Unitas, Caritas has shone through in her actions. Twice a week, she played basketball with students in VUnited Scholars, a program offered through the College of Professional Studies for individuals with intellectual disabilities. On occasion, she handed out notes with uplifting messages to encourage those around her.

Additionally, Farina shared the gift of learning through her Entrepreneurial Private Tutoring Service, a business she started last summer. By offering personalized support to middle and high schoolers, Farina empowered her students to achieve their academic goals.

After college, Farina is interested in pursuing product improvement or project management—areas where she believes she can make a significant impact. A key experience that shaped this direction was her senior capstone project, where she and her teammates designed a robot to help visitors navigate Drosdick Hall.

“Understanding how my teammates work, identifying ways to improve our process and learning how to help everyone be the best team member they can be—that’s what I really learned,” Farina says. “I gained a deeper understanding of how to be the kind of teammate who can motivate and support the team to succeed.”

Stefan Roots ’82 EE is a man of many talents— engineer, marketer, journalist and, now, mayor of Chester, Pa. His journey defies traditional expectations for an Electrical Engineering major. Yet, according to Roots, his Villanova education laid the groundwork for every step along the way.

“My problem-solving skills were made [at Villanova],” Roots says. “I had four years of learning how to solve difficult problems, which is now all I do in the city. Problem-solving is part of my DNA now from those four years of engineering school.”

His journey into engineering wasn’t straightforward. Inspired by a neighbor who studied engineering and spurred by the fact that, even now, less than 5% of the profession is made up of Black engineers, Roots set out on what became a challenging academic path.

“We were just a few Black students trying to get through engineering,” he recalls. “It was a tough curriculum. We were all struggling and crying on each other’s shoulders.”

During his sophomore year, Roots founded VIBES, the Villanova Informed Black Engineering Society, a support group for Black Engineering students. His effort provided him and his peers with a much-needed space to connect, collaborate and receive the support they needed to complete their undergraduate studies. It also earned him the Dean’s Award for Meritorious Service from the College of Engineering.

Roots started his career at Philadelphia Gas Works after graduating and later moved to IBM, where he worked as a systems engineer before transitioning to marketing and sales. Despite his successful corporate career, he felt a strong pull to serve his community, leading him to work briefly at the

Engineering a Brighter Future

With technical expertise and community focus, Stefan Roots ’82 EE tackles complex challenges as the mayor of Chester, Pa.

Delaware County Daily Times before starting his own local newspaper, the Chester Spotlight. He launched the Spotlight to cover human interest stories in Chester, the city where he was born and raised and one of the most impoverished cities in Pennsylvania. Through this endeavor, Roots says he sharpened his communication skills and developed an even stronger determination to make a positive impact in Chester.

In 2021, he decided to run for a seat on Chester’s city council. To his surprise, he won by a landslide. After two years on the council, he ran for mayor and was elected in 2023. He assumed the role in January 2024.

“Problem-solving is part of my DNA now from those four years of engineering school.”

Roots says his position as mayor has allowed him to combine all his talents. In a city grappling with financial challenges, he uses his engineering background to address complex technical decisions, from solar panel installations to liquefied natural gas projects. In the fall, his efforts to improve the lives of families in Chester were recognized with a Meritorious Service Award from the Villanova University Engineering Alumni Society.

His advice to students considering a nontraditional career path is simple: “Don’t hesitate at all. Engineering is great because everybody knows that you know how to solve problems. There are so many opportunities for us out here.”

Get to Know … Mackenzie Bonney

Before Mackenzie Bonney became the manager of the College of Engineering’s Drosdick Innovation Laboratory at Drosdick Hall, she was a student of ceramics and sculpture, a high school art and technology teacher, and a creator of innovative work environments. These experiences gave her a unique set of artistic, teaching and practical skills to guide Villanova students as they turn their designs and concepts into reality.

TROVE OF TOOLS

“The Drosdick Innovation Laboratory is the College’s first engineering-focused maker space that provides opportunities for hands-on, collaborative learning and enables students to create real-world, scalable prototypes,” she says. The lab offers a range of advanced tools, including 3D printers, a laser cutter, a pressure former and a vinyl cutter.

OPEN-DOOR POLICY

Any Villanova student may work in the lab after completing the relevant equipment training and agreeing to safety guidelines. By welcoming everyone, the lab promotes interdisciplinary learning.

A typical day might include hosting a robotics design workshop for Mechanical Engineering students or a 3D-printing lesson for a biomedical instrumentation course.

“But the lab is just as inviting for the History student who came in wanting help creating a Batman Halloween costume,” Bonney says. “We want students to choose their own adventure, and we welcome all skill levels.”

FAIL FORWARD

As a ceramics student at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Bonney quickly learned that there was no one way to bring an idea to life. She also realized that the creative process was rarely straightforward and sometimes messy. “I remember working for hours on a sculpture, only to see it accidentally blown up in the kiln,” she says. The experience taught her not to get too attached to objects or methods for creating those objects.

“I tell students that my job is not to make things for you—my job is to guide you as you discover new ways to create something,” she says. “It’s important in engineering to know how to make the things you conceptualize so you can create better designs.”

Dedicating Drosdick Hall

The Villanova community came together in October for the dedication and blessing of Drosdick Hall, a grand celebration of the new home of the College of Engineering. In addition to a blessing ceremony led by Villanova President the Rev. Peter Donohue, OSA, PhD, ’75 CLAS, the festivities included an open house, lab tours and a dinner recognizing friends and supporters, including building namesake John G. Drosdick ’65 ChE and his wife, Gloria.

OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND: Shortly after Drosdick Hall opened for classes in the fall, students explored the College’s numerous enrichment programs and student organizations at the Engineering Opportunities Fair.