Nance K. Dicciani, PhD, ’69 COE Makes $2.5 Million Gift to Establish First-Ever Chair in Biomedical Engineering and to Inspire Others to Give on Villanova’s 10th Annual 1842 Day

Nance K. Dicciani, PhD, ’69 COE had an interest in the sciences from a very early age, thanks to her father being an industrial engineer. She came to Villanova University in 1965 with the intention of earning an engineering degree, and she later graduated with a bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering as the only woman at Villanova in the Chemical Engineering Class of 1969.

Given her belief in the power of an engineering degree and how engineers’ research—no matter the field—can change lives, Dr. Dicciani has made a $2.5 million gift to create the first-ever faculty chair in Biomedical Engineering in Villanova’s College of Engineering. This is the second chair position that Dr. Dicciani has endowed, the first having been established in Chemical Engineering in 2014. The morerecent gift comes on the heels of the launch of the bachelor of science in Biomedical Engineering (BSBME) this fall, which builds on the College’s popular minor in Biomedical Engineering and its master of science in Biomedical Engineering.

In honor of her generous gift and steadfast commitment to the College, the new chair will hold the title of the Nance K. Dicciani PhD ’69 Endowed Chair in Biomedical Engineering. Led by the chair, and working with other Villanova Engineering faculty with recognized expertise in the biomedical field, the College’s Biomedical Engineering program will equip undergraduate and graduate students for careers in such areas as medical device design, medical instrumentation, drug delivery, tissue engineering and engineering support for health care.

Guided by her experience as cofounder and CEO of the medical startup RTM Vital Signs LLC, Dr. Dicciani has a deep understanding of the significance of biomedical engineering. At RTM Vital Signs, two devices have been developed to track a person’s health status in real time, allowing for continuous monitoring of vital signs to enable better health outcomes.

Her latest investment in the College’s Biomedical Engineering program also reflects Villanova’s Augustinian Catholic values by advancing solutions to the challenges presented by the human condition. Now more than ever, due to the complexity of the health care system and an aging U.S. population, biomedical engineering is growing faster than average for all occupations and is expected to see continued growth as demand for medical devices and innovative medical interventions continues to increase.

Dr. Dicciani had a long and distinguished career in the chemical engineering field, holding leadership positions at global entities that included Air Products and Chemicals, Rohm and Haas, and Honeywell, where she was the president and CEO of its $5 billion Specialty Materials Business Group from 2001 until her retirement in 2008.

She is the recipient of numerous engineering awards and honors, from serving on the executive committee of the American Chemistry Council to being elected to the prestigious National Academy of Engineering in 2025. Dr. Dicciani also was a member of several boards, including for Halliburton, Praxair and Rockwood Holdings Inc., as well as the board of the University Research Association in Washington,D.C.

She is a dedicated alumna, having served on the University’s Board of Trustees from 2009 to 2019. In 2019, she was also the recipient of the St. Thomas of Villanova Medal, the highest honor bestowed by the Villanova University Alumni Association. Dr. Dicciani holds a master of science from the University of Virginia, and an MBA from the Wharton School as well as a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in Chemical Engineering.

Gifts to endow faculty chairs like Dr. Dicciani’s in Biomedical Engineering support a key pillar of Espiritus Nova: The Campaign for Villanova University, to expand research and scholarship opportunities for our faculty and students that are rooted in our Augustinian Catholic tradition. As Villanova marks its 10th annual 1842 Day, Dr. Dicciani’s generosity will also serve as an inspirational gift, encouraging others to participate in the day of giving by making their own gift to the area of the University that means the most to them.