A globally renowned scientist, entrepreneur, and inventor who has revolutionized the 3D printing industry is joining Incoming President Robyn Hannigan, also a known academic innovator, in shaping the future of Ursinus College.
Joseph M. DeSimone has been elected as chair of the Ursinus College Board of Trustees, effective July 1. DeSimone has long been touted for his advances in polymer science, as well as his achievements in developing and commercializing advanced technologies in several cutting-edge fields such as 3D printing, precision medicine, nanoparticle fabrication, and green chemistry. He is the co-founder and former CEO of California-based 3D printing company Carbon and still serves on its board of directors.
One of just 25 people elected to all three branches of the U.S. National Academies—Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine—DeSimone received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation from President Barack Obama in 2016. He is currently the Sanjiv Sam Gambhir Professor of Translational Medicine and Chemical Engineering at Stanford University, where he holds appointments in the departments of radiology and chemical engineering, and he serves on the board of directors of Blue Current, a solid-state battery company that he co-founded.
“Joe is a fierce advocate and champion of Ursinus College. His own professional trajectory illustrates how the liberal arts can transform—in a very sustainable way—emerging fields as diverse as technology and healthcare,” says Hannigan.
Hannigan, an environmental scientist noted for her advances in medical application technologies, will become Ursinus’s 19th president on July 1. Following near-concurrent paths to Ursinus leadership, Hannigan and DeSimone are poised to blend entrepreneurial thinking with the foundational elements of Ursinus’s residential liberal arts education and its Quest “open questions” core curriculum.
“My experience as a student at Ursinus has defined my approach to scientific inquiry, invention, teaching, mentorship, and entrepreneurship in my career,” reflects DeSimone, “and I am incredibly honored to help lead our institution forward.”
One of the nation’s “Colleges that Change Lives,” Ursinus College is a highly selective, residential college with 1,500 students that is widely recognized for its Common Intellectual Experience and its Quest: Open Questions Open Minds inquiry-based core curriculum. Ursinus is noted for its undergraduate teaching and within the state for its career outcomes.
