Dermatologist Zoe Draelos named 2024 Alumni of the Year for COM-T, College of Engineering

2024 Alumni of the Year - Zoe Draelos '79 '83 | College of Engineering and the College of Medicine – Tucson

Zoe Diana Draelos, MD, considered one of the most influential women in cosmetic science, was the 2019 inaugural recipient of the Florence Wall Award from the Society of Cosmetic Chemists. Zoe earned both a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering (1979) and a medical doctorate from the University of Arizona (1983), before doing her internship in internal medicine and residency in dermatology here as well. As an undergraduate, she was selected as a Rhodes Scholar, an honor that foreshadowed her remarkable career achievements.

Following medical school, Zoe founded Dermatology Consulting Services to perform research around dermatological care and procedures. Her research performance has been exceptional: She has been the principal investigator on over 750 studies and the primary investigator for over 300. She has worked with pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies from Aveda to Colgate to Pfizer. She has published 574 papers and delivered numerous presentations, and she is a member of the Sigma Xi research honorary and the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honorary.

Beyond her research, Zoe also has found time to dedicate herself to service. Among her activities, she has served on the boards for the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery. She has also presented often to young women about careers in STEM in partnership with UArizona Women in Science and Engineering and Women in Medical Sciences.

Although she lives in North Carolina, Zoe has maintained close ties with the university and especially the College of Engineering Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Department (AME). In honor of her father, Dimitri Kececioglu, who was a distinguished professor in AME, Zoe and her family annually support the Kececioglu Lecture, a presentation hosted each year.

Meet the 2024 Alumni of the Year

Learn more about the nominees for the 2024 Alumni of the Year Awards.

Read More