In 1993 he predicted social changes from the technology progress. Personick joined Drexel University's ECE department of electrical engineering and computer science on September 1, 1998, as the first E. Warren Colehower Chair Professor of Telecommunications, and as the first director of Drexel’s Center for Telecommunications and Information Networking. He acquired and managed more than $30 million in externally funded research contracts over 5 years. His research and teaching included calculating the channel capacity of optical fiber. and optical switching, an application of photonics. In 2003 Personick was appointed a member of the US Federal Communications Commission’s Technological Advisory Council. The council met approximately quarterly to discuss technology-related topics of interest to the FCC, in the context of airing issues and making recommendations to the FCC and the FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology. The TAC’s last meeting was held in July 2006. Personick served on the board of directors for Optical Communications Products, Inc. from November 2000 through October 2007, when it was acquired by Oplink Communications. Personick joined New Jersey Institute of Technology's department of electrical and computer engineering on February 18, 2008, as the first Ying Wu Endowed Chair in Wireless Telecommunications until 2011. From September 1, 2011, to December 31, 2012, Personick was a senior university lecturer at NJIT. Personick was elected a fellow of the Optical Society of America in 1988 in recognition of distinguished service in the advancement of optics. He received the John Tyndall Award, sponsored by the Optical Society of America (OSA) and the IEEE Lasers and Electro-Optics Society (LEOS), for career achievements and contributions to the field of optical fiber communications in April 2000. Personick became a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), in 1983 for contributions to the theory and application of optical fiber systems, and an IEEE Centennial Medal in 1984. At various times Personick served as IEEE Communications Society journal editor, board of governors, director of publications, VP for member affairs, and representative on the steering committee of the Optical Fiber Communication conference. He was the technical program committee co-chair of the 1983 Optical Fiber Communication conference,  general co-Chair of the 1985 Optical Fiber Communication conference, and member and chair of the John Tyndall Award committee. Personick was elected a member of the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE) in 1992. He served on the US NAE Board on Army Science and Technology, member and chairman of other US NAE committees and panels.