Ralph Semmel, director emeritus on the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, and Younan Xia, the Bloomberg Distinguished Professor of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, have been elected to the National Academy of Engineering, one of the best distinctions within the subject.
Image caption: Ralph Semmel, left, and Younan Xia
Semmel and Xia are amongst 158 engineers in NAE’s 2026 class. According to the NAE, Semmel was chosen “for leadership in generating innovative and disruptive engineering advancements in defense, national security and space exploration.” Xia was elected “for research and leadership in the invention and rational development of advanced materials for nanomedicine and regenerative medicine.”
Ralph Semmel spent practically 4 a long time at APL, dedicating 24 years to analysis and management roles earlier than being named director in 2010. Before stepping down in July 2025, his tenure as director delivered an array of science and know-how improvements, together with area missions to discover the mysteries of the solar and Pluto; main advances within the improvement of mind-controlled prosthetics, assured synthetic intelligence and autonomous techniques, and biothreat protection; the world’s first planetary protection mission to redirect an asteroid; and plenty of pioneering nationwide safety achievements.
One of the college’s latest school members, supplies scientist Younan Xia joined Johns Hopkins this academic year with appointments within the Department of Materials Science and Engineering within the Whiting School and the Department of Biomedical Engineering within the School of Medicine. He is on the forefront of analysis revolutionizing how we design, synthesize, and use nanomaterials for functions starting from medication to electronics and power conversion. Xia has developed supplies used for most cancers analysis and remedy, focused drug supply and managed launch, surgical and trauma wound administration, and tissue restore and regeneration.
Founded in 1964 as half of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, the NAE offers recommendation and evaluation to the United States authorities “whenever called upon.” All members are extremely achieved and have made excellent contributions to their fields, hailing from a range of enterprise, educational, and authorities backgrounds.
Semmel and Xia might be formally inducted into the NAE in the course of the group’s annual assembly this fall.