Prof. Hannah Dailey Receives Presidential Early Career Award

For Dailey, the PECASE award is a highlight of a journey in engineering that began even before her time as a Lehigh undergrad, took her to Ireland as a postdoc and led her back to the Rossin College, where she now leads the Dailey Ortho Lab.

Her research group emphasizes imaging-driven engineering approaches to clinical problems in orthopaedics and currently collaborates with surgeon-investigators in hospitals worldwide. Dailey has publications in Journal of Biomechanics, Clinical Biomechanics, Journal of Orthopaedic Research, Injury, and JBJS. She also serves as co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of OrthoXel, DAC, an orthopaedic device company that grew out of technology developed while she was a postdoctoral researcher at the Cork Institute of Technology from 2009 to 2012. Dailey earned her Ph.D., M.S. and B.S. in mechanical engineering from Lehigh.

“I’m very grateful to NSF for having supported my research and to Lehigh for enabling me to pursue this vision,” she says. “The faith and support of my department and the college of engineering make this work possible. It’s an honor to receive this award and know that my research is considered impactful and a valuable contribution to the community.”

Established in 1996, the PECASE acknowledges the contributions scientists and engineers have made to the advancement of science, technology, education and mathematics (STEM) education and to community service as demonstrated through scientific leadership, public education, and community outreach.

Dailey joins Shalinee Kishore, Iacocca Chair Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and John N. DuPont, R.D. Stout Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering as current Rossin College faculty members who have received the PECASE. John P. Coulter, a professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics, received the NSF Presidential Faculty Fellow Award (precursor to the PECASE).