Jeffrey Hubbell joins NYU Tandon to lead new university-wide health engineering initiative & expand the school’s bioengineering focus

(Press-News.org) Marking a bold step in its transformation into a global research powerhouse, NYU Tandon School of Engineering welcomes Jeffrey Hubbell, a world-renowned chemical engineer and member of four National Academies, to spearhead an ambitious agenda integrating engineering, the sciences, and medicine, to advance healthcare innovation.

As part of this vision, Hubbell will lead a new cross-institutional initiative to translate scientific discoveries into pioneering treatments. A collaboration led out of NYU Tandon and Langone Health, the initiative will include unprecedented investments in new faculty, state-of-the-art new facilities, and innovative programming, cementing NYU’s place at the forefront of discovery in engineering approaches to health.

The new initiative under Hubbell's leadership marks a key milestone in NYU's science and technology expansion, and follows the appointment of Juan de Pablo as NYU's first executive vice president for global science and technology and NYU Tandon's executive dean. Hubbell’s and de Pablo’s appointments will bolster Tandon's role in NYU’s global science and technology strategy. In 2022, NYU announced transformational investments in engineering to expand facilities, upgrade infrastructure, and add more than 40 new Tandon faculty positions. The investment recognizes Tandon's potential to lead advancements in health engineering, AI and computing, robotics, cybersecurity, wireless technology, quantum computing, sustainability and climate solutions, and to contribute significantly to NYU's goal to bolster its science and technology enterprise by adding more than 100 new faculty positions throughout the University.

Both leaders will continue their research as members of NYU Tandon’s vibrant Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (CBE) department, with strengths in the areas of molecular modeling and design, nanoscale materials science and sustainable engineering solutions, including waste water treatment and flood sensing and mitigation, decarbonization through electrification, and enhanced solar cell efficiency.

"Jeff has been a pioneer in multiple fields. He is a gifted engineer and a remarkable scientist," said de Pablo. "His arrival represents another step forward in our mission to ensure NYU Tandon’s place as a premier engineering school, and to cement its role as a technology driver for New York, the nation, and the world."

Hubbell joins from the University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, where he was the Eugene Bell Professor in Tissue Engineering. His research in immunotherapy and regenerative medicine has led to over 400 publications and 100 patents. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Medicine, and National Academy of Inventors and has received numerous prestigious awards and honors including the Society for Biomaterials Founders Award and the Kabiller Prize in Nanoscience and Nanomedicine

"I'm thrilled to join NYU and Tandon specifically at this transformative moment for the University under Juan’s leadership," said Hubbell. "By bridging the strengths of Tandon and Langone Health, we have an extraordinary opportunity to translate fundamental scientific discoveries into breakthrough therapies. This interdisciplinary approach exemplifies how we will advance research innovation at Tandon and throughout the institution."

As part of his new role as a professor of chemical and biological engineering, Hubbell will  hold additional appointments in the sciences and will serve as NYU's vice president for bioengineering strategy in the office of the executive vice president for science and technology, led by de Pablo. 

About the New York University Tandon School of Engineering
The NYU Tandon School of Engineering is home to a community of renowned faculty, undergraduate and graduate students united in a mission to understand and create technology that powers cities, enables worldwide communication, fights climate change, and builds healthier, safer, and more equitable real and digital worlds. The school’s culture centers on encouraging rigorous, interdisciplinary collaboration and research; fostering inclusivity, entrepreneurial thinking, and diverse perspectives; and creating innovative and accessible pathways for lifelong learning in STEM.  NYU Tandon dates back to 1854, the founding year of both the New York University School of Civil Engineering and Architecture and the Brooklyn Collegiate and Polytechnic Institute. Located in the heart of Brooklyn, NYU Tandon is a vital part of New York University and its unparalleled global network. For more information, visit engineering.nyu.edu.

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