FROM THE NEST | SPRING 2024 | 9 The ART leadership team, from left: Henry Odi, Dominic Packer, Lee Kern, Himanshu Jain and John Coulter. In addition, the team includes three faculty members who are leading primary research-translation ecosystem components, and eight other faculty and administrators who compose the senior personnel team. The National Science Foundation awarded Lehigh $6 million to increase the translation of scientific discoveries by faculty, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers into prototypes, products and programs that will benefit society. The NSF’s Directorate for Technology Innovation and Partnerships provided the four-year award to an interdisciplinary, university-wide team led by John Coulter, senior associate dean for research in the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, as part of the new federal Accelerating Research Translation (ART) program. The award will support Lehigh’s work to speed up and support its research activities in myriad areas that have the potential to lead to products and services for the general good. Lehigh also will train graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in translational research. Why It Matters “While it’s essential to make discoveries and do fundamental research, as a university we must also be effective in translating new knowledge to solve important problems in the world. This is how we enhance the impact of the research done by our faculty, staff and students,” said Provost Nathan Urban. A portion of the funding will support seed translational research projects that are on the cusp of being applied to practical outcomes, and the rest will support education and training as well as other research translation enhancement activities. The Process “Lehigh will create and operate a comprehensive, inclusive and accessible research translation ecosystem that will guide researchers and project teams along the paths of venture creation, research translation into existing industry, and societal impact," Coulter said. Carnegie Mellon University will serve as a peer mentor institution. The work will build on Lehigh’s strengths and successes, such as the innovative Pasteur Partners PhD (P3) Fellowship, a launchpad for advanced students focused on creating immediate impact in their fields through use-driven research. The NSF award advances the goals outlined in Lehigh’s strategic plan, Inspiring the Future Makers, which aims to allow Lehigh to find pragmatic solutions to the world’s problems through research and scholarship.—Mary Ellen Alu From Discoveries to Prototypes NSF awards $6M to Lehigh as part of its Accelerating Research Translation program. RESEARCH A ‘LEHIGH COMMITMENT’ To expand access to a Lehigh education, undergraduate students with a family income of less than $75,000 will receive full tuition grants, beginning in Fall 2024. “With the Lehigh Commitment, we are expanding our effort to ensure that every student, regardless of their financial background, has the resources and opportunities to achieve their fullest potential throughout their college career,” President Joseph J. Helble ’82 said. The initiative supports the goals in Lehigh’s strategic plan, Inspiring the Future Makers. All current and incoming students are eligible. “Supporting students from all economic backgrounds positively shapes our campus community and makes us a stronger university,” Provost Nathan Urban said. The Lehigh Commitment is part of a broad suite of financial aid programs that Lehigh created to support the success of its students. Overall in 2022-23, $137 million was provided in undergraduate financial aid. ACADEMICS CHRISTA NEU
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