SPRING 2025 | 19 Lehigh University announced the establishment of two new University Research Centers (URCs): the Center for Community-Driven Assistive Technologies and the Center for Advancing Community Electrification Solutions. The two follow Lehigh’s first University Research Center, the Center for Catastrophe Modeling and Resilience, launched in February 2024. “Each of these URCs addresses critical needs in society,” says Nathan Urban, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “The teams behind this work were awarded yearlong planning grants last year. They clarified their ideas, cultivated critical partnerships and forged pathways for achieving national prominence. I look forward to seeing the groundbreaking research these centers will foster and the impact these centers will have.” Center for Community-Driven Assistive Technologies The Center for Community-Driven Assistive Technologies (CDAT) aims to transform the lives of people with physical, cognitive, behavioral/ emotional, sensory and developmental disabilities through interdisciplinary research and cutting-edge emerging and existing assistive technologies. The center will focus on life transitions, mobility enhancement, everyday activities and access to living, working and learning spaces. The interdisciplinary research conducted at CDAT will develop new and innovative approaches to empowering people with disabilities and expand opportunities in education, employment and health. With a unique holistic approach that begins by engaging those community members who are most affected, and emphasizes collaboration with service providers to guide translational innovation, researchers will develop impactful solutions tailored to real-world needs. Partnering with an array of stakeholders, the center aspires to be a national leader in advancing independence, accessibility and quality of life for people with disabilities. The center, to be led by Vinod Namboodiri, inaugural Ellen and Vincent Forlenza ’75 Endowed Chair in Health Innovation and Technology and professor of computer science and engineering, and George DuPaul, professor of school psychology, has been developed through collaboration among faculty from Lehigh’s College of Health, College of Education and the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science. Other faculty and students from across all colleges of the university will have opportunities to engage in the important work of the center. “Advancements in medical care have resulted in people living longer lives, which means more people are reaching ages where disability becomes more prevalent,” Namboodiri says. “Assistive technologies are crucial because they can help bridge the gap for individuals with disabilities or impairments, allowing them to live a more independent The CDAT leadership team includes Vinod Namboodiri (back row, third from left), inaugural Ellen and Vincent Forlenza ’75 Endowed Chair in Health Innovation and Technology and professor of computer science and engineering, and George DuPaul (back row, third from right), professor of school psychology. or interdependent life that is fulfilling. These technologies make tasks that might otherwise be difficult or impossible, more manageable.” DuPaul says that the challenges faced by individuals living with disabilities affect their educational attainment, social relationships, employment, physical and mental health, and independent living. “The mission of CDAT is to conduct research in partnership with community stakeholders, including people with disabilities and their families, that will design, evaluate and disseminate novel assistive technologies to improve independent living and quality of life for people with disabilities from early childhood through all stages of adulthood,” DuPaul says. When discussing potential real-world applications that could result from research conducted through CDAT, DuPaul mentioned an app with the capability to cue individuals to consistently employ organizational skills and planning strategies. He also pointed to the development of wearable technologies that are programmed to sense when individuals are experiencing stress, which prompts them to use learned stress reduction techniques. DOUGLAS BENEDICT/ACADEMIC IMAGE, RYAN HULVAT/MERIS, CHRISTA NEU, MARCUS SMITH ’25
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