Worlds Beneath Our Feet Two geoscientists and former Lehigh classmates uncover Earth’s history through rocks and soil. Page 10 Lehigh's Economic Impact page 4 page 20 A Century of Art at Lehigh page 6 Powering the Future of AI Lehigh ALUMNI BULLETIN SUMMER 2025
As we look across the landscape of American innovation, discovery and progress, research remains an engine that drives our nation forward. From breakthroughs in medicine and clean energy to advancements in artificial intelligence, research continues to shape the future of our society, economy and environment. As a community, we have experienced a year marked by significant progress, noteworthy as it comes amidst increasing and serious challenges facing higher education. National conversations about access, affordability, student outcomes and intellectual diversity have expanded in important ways, and at the same time, cancellation of several existing federal research programs and potential significant reductions in the amount of available research funding have the potential to directly impact our work and our faculty, staff and students. The research conducted across Lehigh shapes generations of graduates who are prepared to lead, listen and engage thoughtfully with the world around them. As a university deeply committed to knowledge creation and discovery, we have a responsibility to educate future scholars and contribute to the body of knowledge that addresses society’s most pressing challenges. Our recent R1 designation is a testament to the critical advances being made here at Lehigh. We must also remember that research is a powerful catalyst for economic development. Universities contribute to regional and national economic development, spur job creation and foster innovation ecosystems through partnerships with industry, government and communities. Throughout the 2024-25 academic year, I shared with our community the positive momentum on campus and beyond. From a robust first-year class arriving on campus in August 2024 to the establishment of new student programs and two new University Research Centers in early 2025, Lehigh continues to grow to meet the demands of the modern world. Our faculty and staff are resolute in their support of students and their pursuit of academic freedom. For these reasons, and many more, Lehigh remains in a strong position. The members of our community are resilient. They have proven it many times in recent years. I am confident that, together, we will weather the current challenges and emerge stronger and poised for an even brighter future. As members of an institution grounded in discovery and knowledge, I invite you to champion the vital role of research in our society. Together, we can ensure Lehigh remains a leader in innovation. Thank you for your support. Joseph J. Helble ’82 President of Lehigh University SCAN TO WATCH PRESIDENT HELBLE’S VIDEO MESSAGE PRESIDENT’S LETTER The Vital Role of Research
Lehigh Alumni Bulletin Vol. 110, No. 2, Summer 2025 EXECUTIVE EDITOR Kristen DiPrinzio EDITOR Lauren Thein DEPUTY EDITOR Stephen Gross ART DIRECTOR Beth Murphy CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Michael Blanding, Emily Collins, Lisa Doyle, Christine Fennessy, Katherine Jones, Steve Lomangino, Vicki Mayk, Colin McEvoy, Rob Nichols, Carina Sitkus, Christina Tatu, Sydney Weaver ’25, Stephen Wilson CLASS NOTES EDITOR Jessi McMullan ’05 CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kurt Hansen SENIOR DESIGNERS Kate Cassidy, Neha Kavan PHOTOGRAPHER Christa Neu VIDEOGRAPHER Dan Collins BUSINESS SUPPORT Traci Mindler Send class notes and remembrances to alumni@lehigh.edu or call (866) 758-2586 Email address changes to askrecords@lehigh.edu or send the mailing label, along with your new address, to Alumni Records/Lehigh University 306 S. New St., Suite 500, Bethlehem, PA 18015, (866) 517-1552 Lehigh University Communications and Public Affairs 301 Broadway, 4th Floor, Suite 400, Bethlehem, PA 18015, (610) 758-4487 Email: communications@lehigh.edu Published three times a year by the Lehigh University Communications and Public Affairs Office, in cooperation with the Lehigh University Alumni Association Inc. Lehigh ALUMNI BULLETIN Facebook.com/lehighu Facebook.com/lehighalumni Instagram.com/lehighu Instagram.com/lehighalumni youtube.com/lehighu linkedin.com Follow Lehigh University on X @LehighU and @LehighAlumni TABLE OF CONTENTS “I want to try and help the public understand the changes we are seeing, and how investing in solutions now will be far better in the long run than doing nothing.” —Andrew Knoll ’73, Page 10 ON THE COVER: Andrew Knoll ’73 and Daniel Richter ’73 explore the history of life on Earth through rocks and soil. 3 Reflecting on the Critical Role of Research at Lehigh Provost Nathan Urban shares insight into the future of research at the university. 4 Lehigh’s Economic Impact The university’s Community and Economic Impact Report for the 2023-24 fiscal year showed a comprehensive impact of $1.4 billion on the Lehigh Valley. 6 Powering the Future of AI Lehigh’s Center for Advancing Community Electrification Solutions (ACES) is addressing the energy needs of AI data centers. 8 Four Questions with Wes Hiatt: ‘Shape Positive Change’ Reviving alley homes earns Hiatt national recognition for housing equity. 10 Worlds Beneath Our Feet Classmates-turned-geoscientists explore life’s origins underground. 17 Exploring Real-World Replication of Captain America’s Shield Professor Ricardo H.R. Castro breaks down the science behind Captain America’s shield. 18 Student Earns Goldwater Scholarship Saimonth Muñoz ’26 conducts quantum materials and machine learning research with the guidance of Lehigh faculty mentors. 19 Hawks-pitality Served by the Scoop A sweet side hustle turned into a new career and business for Stella Buckley ’22. 20 A Century of Art at Lehigh Lehigh University Art Galleries prepares to celebrate 100 years by honoring the past and shaping the future. 28 Class of 1975 Celebrates Coeducation at Lehigh This year marks 50 years since the graduation of Lehigh’s first coed undergraduate class. 30 Striking Success Esther Brossard ’28, a second-year forward, will compete in the FIFA Futsal World Cup after leading Canada to a CONCACAF title. 32 Squawk: Worn with Pride Alumni reflect on the Lehigh gear they’ve kept and the memories it represents. 2 EDITOR’S LETTER 36 CLASS NOTES 58 IN REMEMBRANCE 64 ENDNOTE IN EVERY ISSUE CHRISTA NEU 20
2 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | EDITOR’S LETTER With Lehigh recently being named an R1 research university by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education and with university research at the forefront of national conversation, this issue of the Alumni Bulletin brings into focus the groundbreaking research of our students, faculty and alumni. From cutting-edge technology to medical breakthroughs, the researchrelated innovations, studies and advancements made right here on our campus have benefitted nearly every corner of the world and have helped students become innovators who transform the Lehigh Valley, the state and the world. One such student you will read about is Saimonth Muñoz ’26 (page 18), who earned a prestigious Goldwater Scholarship in 2025 and conducts research under Lehigh faculty in quantum materials and machine learning, two emerging areas in science and technology. His future goals include publishing a research paper, earning a Ph.D. in quantum computing and continuing work that has societal impact. You will also learn about faculty researchers and students working to address the energy needs of artificial intelligence data centers within Lehigh’s Center for Advancing Community Electrification Solutions (page 6), one of our newest University Research Centers. And you will read about geoscientists Andrew Knoll ’73 and Daniel Richter ’73 (page 10), whose respective research into rocks and soil has contributed to our understanding of the history of life on Earth and how that impacts us today. These are just a few of the remarkable students, faculty and alumni solving complex problems and driving lasting change in our community and beyond. Additionally, you will gain insight into Lehigh’s positive comprehensive impact of $1.4 billion on the Lehigh Valley (page 4) as detailed in the university’s Community and Economic Impact Report for the 2023-24 fiscal year. And you will hear from students and alumni influenced by the arts at Lehigh and explore the fascinating history of Lehigh University Art Galleries (LUAG), which is preparing to celebrate its 100th anniversary (page 20). We hope these stories inspire you as much as they have inspired us, and we thank you for reading. EDITOR’S LETTER Driving Lasting Change Lauren Thein Editor CORRESPONDENCE BRINGING BACK MEMORIES I read with sadness the article on Gene Mercy’s death in the recent [Fall 2024] Lehigh Alumni Bulletin. It brought back memories of the time when he and Ron Ulrich were the trustee leaders and Ray Bell and I were the faculty leaders of the Presidential Search Committee in 1997-98. There’s one story I’d like to share from the many interactions we had, and it shows Gene’s immense influence in the U.S. and the international community. Gene hosted a dinner at his apartment on Park Avenue where the four of us interviewed a sitting private university president. Later, as we left, Gene said that he’d meet with me the following morning to discuss our reactions to the candidate. The next day he called and said, “Dave, I can’t make it; I’ve been asked to meet with Mikhail Gorbachev at the Waldorf.” I responded that, of all the excuses I’ve heard for not attending a meeting, this had to be the finest. Dave Williams EDITOR’S NOTE: Williams is currently emeritus dean of engineering and a professor of materials science and engineering at Ohio State University. In 31 years at Lehigh, Williams served as department chair and Harold Chambers Senior Professor of materials science and engineering, and as the university’s vice provost for research. He left Lehigh in 2007 to become president of the University of Alabama in Huntsville. WE LOVE HEARING FROM YOU! Share your thoughts on this issue with the editor at lat624@lehigh.edu, or send a handwritten note to Lehigh Alumni Bulletin, 301 Broadway, 4th Floor, Bethlehem, PA 18015. Saimonth Muñoz ’26, a Goldwater Scholarship recipient, conducts quantum materials and machine learning research with the guidance of Lehigh faculty mentors. Eugene Mercy Jr. ’59 CHRISTA NEU
FROM THE NEST | SUMMER 2025 | 3 The university would have to scale back its research activity, and there would be a reduction in the number of people being trained in critical areas of science and technology. What research topics have been impacted by federal grant cancellations so far? At Lehigh, funding that has been impacted includes grants supporting work on preparation for and recovery from extreme flooding events and computational modeling of drugs to more effectively treat diseases, among others. How can members of the Lehigh community and beyond support the work of research universities like Lehigh? It is important that the broad public appreciates the impact of the work that’s happening at research universities like Lehigh. Everyone in the Lehigh community should be talking about these impacts with friends, colleagues and elected officials such as your members of Congress. People can also give to fund a particular research project or to support a student or faculty member whose funding was canceled. Lehigh has a long history of engaging in research that changes lives, shapes industries and matters to people in our world. While less affected than some universities, recent federal actions have resulted in cancellations of millions of dollars in research grants that were awarded to Lehigh faculty, and significant research funding is likely to be cut from next year’s federal budget. Nathan Urban, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, discusses the importance of research at Lehigh, the impacts of policy changes at the federal level and ways the Lehigh community can support research. Lehigh was recently designated an R1 research university by the Carnegie Classification, putting it among the most research-active universities in the country. What does this indicate in terms of Lehigh’s growth in research activity? It is a reflection of the level of research activity and quality of research that’s happening at Lehigh, as well as our commitment to training Ph.D. students who will be the next generation of researchers and innovators in our country. We have significantly grown our research, specifically our research funding. Over the last five years, we’ve had about a 60% increase in federal support for research at Lehigh. If we didn’t have that increase, we would not have been designated R1. How does Lehigh’s research activity enhance the educational environment for students and positively impact the Lehigh Valley and the world? The ability to understand how new knowledge is created and be a participant in that discovery and innovation process is an opportunity that students only have when they’re at a research university like Lehigh. Given that we are in an innovation and knowledge-based economy, Lehigh students benefit long term from learning in this kind of environment. Regionally, Lehigh’s economic impact on the Lehigh Valley exceeds $1 billion through employee salaries, direct expenditures for research and development, and expenditures of companies that have emerged from the university and those that have been supported by Ben Franklin Technology Ventures. Lehigh has some of the world’s experts working to address critical needs and challenges in society. Through our University Research Centers, Lehigh faculty are developing solutions to ensure the resiliency of communities in the face of extreme weather events, understanding how we will meet the electricity demands of data centers and developing technologies to improve the lives of people with disabilities. How do recent actions by the federal government threaten the partnership between research universities and the government, and why is this harmful to Lehigh’s innovative ecosystem? The long-standing partnership between research universities and the federal government has been critical to creating the innovation and talent needed to drive the economy of this country. It’s a big reason why the U.S. has been the globally dominant source of innovation in areas like AI, quantum computing, biotechnology and drug discovery. For Lehigh, much of our research is only possible because of this partnership. If support for research from the federal government, which is about $50 billion a year across all of higher education, decreases significantly or is eliminated, it would be devastating to research universities and to our country. There is no way [Lehigh] can make up the full shortfall if the federal government substantially reduces research expenditures and research grant funding to universities. RESEARCH Reflecting on the Critical Role of Research at Lehigh Provost Nathan Urban shares insight into the future of research at Lehigh in regard to recent federal actions. Nathan Urban STUART BRADFORD
4 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST Lehigh has always valued its relationship with its neighbors and the role it plays in the Lehigh Valley community. But exactly how much and what type of impact has the university made? Thanks to a partnership with Lightcast, a labor market analytics company, Lehigh has an answer. Together, they worked to conduct an economic impact and investment analysis of the past fiscal year (July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024), compiling the findings in the Community and Economic Impact Report 2023-2024. Lehigh’s measured comprehensive economic impact for the year totaled $1.4 billion, which includes added student income, business income and income from university activities, which is equivalent to roughly 3.1% of the total gross regional product of the Lehigh Valley. The study also evaluates the return on investment to stakeholders, including social savings related to health, the justice system and income assistance in Pennsylvania. With $581.2 million in costs for the fiscal year, every dollar invested in Lehigh receives a cumulative value of $2.50 in benefits. “Lehigh’s success is intrinsically tied to the success of our community,” Tracey King, associate vice president of external affairs, said. “This report, the first formal analysis in more than a decade, provides compelling, third-party evidence of Lehigh’s significant impact on the region. It reaffirms our dedication to enhancing the shared Bethlehem experience through academics, research, entrepreneurship, volunteerism and collaborative initiatives.” Fueling the Valley’s Future One part of the report that helps set Lehigh apart from other higher education institutions is the university’s focus on entrepreneurship and innovation. Through startup and spin-off companies and manufacturers connected to Lehigh programs, the university’s impact on the local economy in added income is $796.9 million, the equivalent of supporting 5,467 jobs. “A powerful driver of talent, innovation and entrepreneurship, Lehigh University is an asset that creates economic advantages setting the Lehigh Valley apart,” Don Cunningham, president and CEO of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation (LVEDC), said. The university’s investment in research was also distinctive among higher education institutions. Lehigh was designated an R1 research university by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education earlier this year, placing it among the nation’s leading research universities. Research activities bolster the economy through COMMUNITY Lehigh’s Economic Impact The university invested in a Community and Economic Impact Report for fiscal year 2024, which showed a comprehensive impact of $1.4 billion on the Lehigh Valley. BY THE NUMBERS $48.1M spent on research activities, which impacts the regional economy through employment, purchasing and knowledge creation including inventions, patents and licenses Amount Lehigh added to the total economy in the Lehigh Valley in the fiscal year 2024 $1.4B in the Lehigh Valley is supported by the activities of Lehigh and its students, totaling 14,374 1 OUT OF 31 JOBS CHRISTA NEU
FROM THE NEST | SUMMER 2025 | 5 Early life exposures to environmental toxicants in air and water, as well as social stressors, can all play a critical role in shaping health outcomes over one’s lifetime. A large group of researchers around the United States, including Lehigh’s Hyunok Choi, have teamed up to understand how these factors contribute to an array of adverse health conditions. The findings from this Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) study analysis will build the scientific evidence for the protection of children’s health. Choi, an associate professor in the College of Health’s Department of Community and Population Health, has recently been awarded funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate the effects of early environmental influences on child health and development. Choi is part of a multidisciplinary team of researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia who have joined forces to support the NIH’s ECHO study. Understanding and Reducing Risk The ECHO program began in 2016 and seeks to discover how environmental exposures during preconception, pregnancy and early life affect children’s longterm health. Specifically, the program focuses on five areas of health: pre-, peri- and postnatal health; upper and lower airways; obesity; brain development; and positive health. “Childhood developmental markers are hypothesized to set the stage for your well-being for the rest of your life,” said Choi. “Babies and children who endure high prenatal toxicant exposures could be at an elevated risk, not only for obesity but also other diseases, such as asthma.” According to Choi, the study answers some of the key research questions of the NIH, which is not only to understand and to reduce the risks on the nation’s population in terms of prevalent diseases but also to reduce disparity in segments of the population that bear the greater burden of certain outcomes.—Katherine Jones RESEARCH Choi Joins NIH’s ECHO Study on Environment and Childhood Diseases The College of Health professor is among the researchers in the nationwide Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes program. employment and the purchasing of equipment, supplies and services. Lehigh’s research spending impact totaled $48.1 million and led to 30 inventions, 35 patents and one license. Visitors from outside the region, including prospective student visits and alumni returning for events, also play a pivotal role for the local economy. They add $12.3 million to the economy, supporting the equivalent of 241 jobs through spending on lodging, dining and more. The report also measured years of Lehigh graduates remaining in the Lehigh Valley and either entering the workforce for the first time, or re-entering, with newly acquired knowledge and skill. Lehigh graduates currently employed in the regional workforce made a net impact of $122.5 million in added income in the fiscal year 2024. That’s equivalent to supporting 1,218 jobs. In addition to financial data, the report outlines the many ways Lehigh partners with community organizations, businesses, local governments and nonprofits as the university seeks to contribute to the community while also addressing challenges and needs.—Stephen Gross “A POWERFUL DRIVER OF TALENT, INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP, LEHIGH UNIVERSITY IS AN ASSET THAT CREATES ECONOMIC ADVANTAGES SETTING THE LEHIGH VALLEY APART.” — Don Cunningham, president and CEO of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation Hyunok Choi $12.3M Approximate amount of visitor spending added to the Lehigh Valley economy CHRISTA NEU
6 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST The development of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers is on the rise nationwide. Major tech companies are eyeing Pennsylvania as a desired location for these centers in particular because of the state’s significant energy production. This expansion includes the development of two large-scale data centers, and an additional $90 billion in recently announced energy investments. While this growth can foster job creation, workforce development and an increase in economic activity, energy-related concerns remain. AI data centers host computing resources needed to meet AI demands. These centers use high levels of water and energy, and depend on local and regional electric systems. This raises questions as to whether electric grids are prepared for the increase in power, if water usage can handle the pressure from the cooling requirements and what the implications are for consumers of energy. Lehigh’s Center for Advancing Community Electrification Solutions (ACES) is addressing these concerns by taking a full-circle approach in its data center and energy research to answer these outstanding questions, influencing policy and the way AI data centers are developed. ACES innovates energy independence strategies through community-led electrification—combining cutting-edge technology, practical workforce solutions and common-sense policy to put American communities in charge of their energy future while advancing national strength. This work includes delivering energy solutions to guide and accelerate the growth of AI data centers. “Pennsylvania is a net energy producer. We are in an attractive location to tech companies that want to get power for their AI data centers,” explained Shalinee Kishore, Iacocca Chair, professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of ACES. “There’s new technology, innovations and solutions that can be brought into the data centers entering our Commonwealth. Our work can help shape Pennsylvania’s commitment to this sector.” Creating Energy Solutions Current estimates indicate that by 2028, the electricity needed for AI data centers could be close to 12% of the total electricity demand in the U.S.—a significant increase from 4.4% in 2023. “We are looking at opportunities to use AI to improve the efficiency, reliability and security of energy systems,” said Kishore. “That’s AI for energy. And then there’s the reverse, which is energy for AI. Our team is designing smart, sustainable energy solutions to meet the growing demand for AI infrastructure like data centers.” With support from ACES faculty and student researchers, Javad Khazaei, assistant professor in the electrical and computer engineering department and a core faculty member of ACES, is leading the research thrust in AI data centers. Using small-scale data center models in the lab and benefiting from real-time data from Lehigh’s High Performance Computing Center, the team is looking at the systems level to understand data center components and energy solutions from start to finish. Take cooling, for example. At the device level, there’s direct-to-chip cooling, which removes heat from computer chips, Khazaei explained. Beyond this at the systems level, there are thousands of GPUs running in one data center. The cooling of this system is energy intensive, he said. ACES research looks at the overall combination of resources, such as renewable energy from the grid or from wind, solar or battery power, that can be utilized to optimally manage the energy required and provide an energy-efficient and cost-effective way of supporting RESEARCH Powering the Future of AI Lehigh’s Center for Advancing Community Electrification Solutions (ACES) is addressing the energy needs of AI data centers.
FROM THE NEST | SUMMER 2025 | 7 “PENNSYLVANIA IS A NET ENERGY PRODUCER. WE ARE IN AN ATTRACTIVE LOCATION TO TECH COMPANIES THAT WANT TO GET POWER FOR THEIR AI DATA CENTERS.” — Shalinee Kishore, Iacocca Chair, professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of ACES this component of data centers. “We have interdisciplinary faculty focused on different aspects of these data centers working together on solutions,” Khazaei said. Other areas supported by ACES include modeling thermal loads of machine learning models and their impact on power requirements for data centers, microgrid and virtual power plant solutions for managing interconnected AI data centers, heat exchange solutions, waste heat recovery and scalable demand response models to manage peak load and load variability. “We take all of our focus expertise and we know how to make the ‘LEGO® pieces’ click together to solve the bigger problem. That’s what I think is a real benefit of ACES,” said Kishore. “Our team draws on expertise on energy management systems, thermal management systems, energy generation, storage and grid interface solutions. This allows us to look at how a variety of energy-saving solutions can be integrated together.” In addition to Kishore and Khazaei, the ACES research team includes: Arindam Banerjee, Paul B. Reinhold Professor and department chair of mechanical engineering and mechanics; Farrah Moazeni, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering; Carlos Romero, research professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics; Alberto Lamadrid, professor of economics; and Shamim Pakzad, professor and chair of civil and environmental engineering. Conducting Student Research Civil and environmental engineering student Maddie Burns ’27 and electrical and computer engineering student Saimonth Muñoz ’26 (read more about him on page 18) work with Moazeni on data center direct-to-chip cooling solutions. This research is very new and exciting, and only continues to grow in importance as AI advances rapidly occur, said Burns. “I am keenly interested in improving operational efficiency and reducing water consumption in data centers,” said Burns. “Traditional air-cooled systems often rely on water-based cooling towers in a secondary loop to dissipate heat, even though the primary cooling appears to be air-based. In contrast, direct-to-chip liquid cooling allows heat to be absorbed more efficiently at the source, minimizing the volume of coolant and potentially eliminating the need for water-intensive cooling infrastructure, thus reducing overall water usage.” In an age of rapidly growing computing demands, improving how we cool chips isn’t just technical, but it’s essential for sustainable innovation, Muñoz added. At the systems level, electrical engineering student Refia Temizkan ’28 is applying advanced modeling tools to develop integrated sizing strategies for backup generators and distributed energy resources. “Data center electricity demand is accelerating, and even brief power interruptions can trigger six-figure losses,” she explained. “Integrating cleaner, distributed resources alongside traditional backup is therefore becoming a strategic imperative rather than a nice-to-have. By coupling these tools, I will generate techno-economic scenarios that explicitly balance cost, reliability and sustainability.” The outcome, she hopes, will be a decision-support framework that helps data center operators meet surging power demands, cut outage risk and progress toward carbon-reduction targets—all while maintaining competitive total cost of ownership. Taking the Next Steps ACES is at the forefront of developing technology and policy solutions that enhance energy efficiency while ensuring grid resilience and cost. In October, the center will host a symposium bringing together research universities, community colleges, industry leaders, municipalities and the state government to discuss the energy challenges of data centers. ACES will bring its expertise in optimized electrification technology and policy solutions across a range of sectors to secure the future of energy systems in everyday communities, including those that are, or soon will be, homes to data centers.—Emily Collins Farrah Moazeni, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, and civil and environmental engineering student Maddie Burns ’27 work together in the lab on data center direct-to-chip cooling solutions. CHRISTA NEU
8 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST Four Questions oration built trust. The result has been a project that neighbors support, and it continues to be shaped by resident involvement. Your research concerns “how architects may participate in the politics of history, change and identity through engagement with policies governing development and historic preservation.” Why is this important to you? The work we do as architects, planners and designers has an impact on the places people live, and as such, has a political, social or cultural impact. I see this as an opportunity to shape positive change in partnership with communities. Through the program, we’ve learned how architects, planners and community developers can help communities rethink land-use policy in a way that honors local history and opens new possibilities. When we engage in this way, we hope to help define what change looks like, and who it’s for. That kind of work matters. What is the current status of the Alley House Program? After research, planning and community listening, construction on the first pilot alley house “accessory unit” started this summer thanks to support from Governor Shapiro’s PHARE program. The three remaining units will be built over the next few years through a congressional grant, which is the first of its kind in Lehigh University history. How has research been a key component of the program planning? Research has been baked into every step. Students and faculty from the Small Cities Lab documented hundreds of existing alley houses, walked more than 50 miles of alleys and interviewed residents. This work directly shaped zoning proposals and the physical design of the new pilot units. Another important part of the research, supported through a grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, is looking at how other small cities have successfully adopted their own accessory unit policies. This research will fill a critical gap in our understanding of smaller cities, which are often overlooked in urban planning, design and architecture research. How has an interdisciplinary, coalition and community-driven approach been beneficial to the program? City officials, architects, students, community development folks and longtime residents all brought something to the table. That collabFACULTY AND STAFF ʼ79 Wes Hiatt: ‘Shape Positive Change’ Hiatt, assistant professor of architecture and co-director of the Small Cities Lab, leads the Alley House Program aimed at addressing the lack of affordable housing in Bethlehem through a responsible revival of historical alley houses. His research led to his recent selection for the 2025 Cohort of the Academy for Public Scholarship on the Built Environment: Housing Equity. CHRISTINE T. KRESCHOLLEK
FROM THE NEST | SUMMER 2025 | 9 After serving as interim assistant vice president of Development and Alumni Relations since September 2024, Stephanie Fisher assumed the position on a permanent basis July 1. Fisher, who began at Lehigh in 2017 as an associate director of class affinity and was promoted to director of class affinity in 2021, most recently served as executive director of Development and Alumni Relations. She said she has enjoyed meeting and interacting with alumni throughout her time at Lehigh and is thrilled to continue her work in her new role. “I’ve learned how amazing the alumni are, how passionate they are about Lehigh and how much they want to see it succeed and thrive,” Fisher said. “We’ve got a great team—Alumni Relations specifically is a fantastic group of people that are really committed to their work here and to the alumni of Lehigh, and I’m excited to lead them. There is a lot of work to be done, and I’m looking forward to the challenge at this critical time in higher education.” Mentorship, Young Alumni Key One area Fisher plans to focus on is mentorship. She said it’s something alumni want to assist with and it’s also extremely beneficial for current students. She highlighted the university’s “incredibly powerful” alumni network and the “Future Makers” work they’re already doing in the real world. From her time overseeing young alumni engagement, she believes connecting with young alumni is crucial. “Having young alumni buy into all that we do, being engaged and connected, it’s all part of a pipeline,” Fisher said. “It’s critical that we don’t forget about that group, because it’s a very important part of our population.”—Stephen Gross APPOINTED ʼ79 Stephanie Fisher Named AVP of Development and Alumni Relations FACULTY NAMED TO NATIONAL ACADEMY OF INVENTORS Lehigh professors from the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science and the College of Arts and Sciences have been named senior members of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). Collectively, the 2025 cohort of 162 senior members of NAI are named inventors on over 1,200 U.S. patents. Yahong Rosa Zheng Professor of electrical and computer engineering Xuanhong Cheng Professor of bioengineering and materials science and engineering Volkmar Dierolf AGF Distinguished University Professor of Physics Jonas Baltrusaitis Associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering Xiaoji Xu Danser Distinguished Faculty Chair in Chemistry Siddha Pimputkar Associate professor of materials science and engineering Matthew Lahey Vice president and university general counsel With more than two decades of legal experience in higher education and private practice, Lahey joins Lehigh after most recently serving as vice president, general counsel and secretary at Oberlin College, where he was the college’s chief legal officer and liaison to the Board of Trustees and its committees. Christine E. Cook Vice president for finance and administration In Cook’s role, she provides leadership, oversight and stewardship for all aspects of the university’s financial resources. She joined Lehigh three years ago as vice president for strategic planning and initiatives, leading Lehigh’s Inspiring the Future Makers strategic planning process. Katherine Lavinder Vice president for student affairs Lavinder is building on more than a decade of dedicated leadership within Lehigh’s student life community. She first joined Lehigh as associate dean of students in 2011, became dean of students in 2017 and was promoted to assistant vice president in 2023. ADDITIONAL RECENT APPOINTMENTS CHRISTA NEU
10 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN WORLDS
SUMMER 2025 | 11 Two geoscientists and former Lehigh classmates from the Class of 1973 examine clues hidden deep in rocks and soil to explore the history of life on Earth. BENEATH Andrew Knoll ’73 was on top of the world, literally, when he began collecting rocks that would begin pinning down dates for the development of life on Earth. He and colleagues cruised in a 30-foot boat around the remote island of Spitsbergen, halfway between Norway and the North Pole, sampling from ancient reefs of fossilized microorganisms created over 600 million years ago. “It turns out that we live on a planet that records its own history,” Knoll says, “and that history is largely found in sedimentary rocks laid down one bed atop another over time.” Since that time four decades ago, Knoll has become one of the foremost geoscientists to establish that history, deducing the environmental factors that have led to booms and busts of species over a timeline of more than 3 billion years. Now Fisher Research Professor of Natural History at Harvard University, he isn’t the only Lehigh alum who has explored the secrets hidden beneath our feet— or even the only Lehigh alum from his graduation year. His classmate Daniel Richter ’73, Theodore S. Coile Distinguished Professor in the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University, has examined soils and sediments of more recent origins to show how humans have impacted the planet. Together, their work stretches from the beginning of life on Earth to the present moment, using tools of geoscience to show how that history still impacts us today. OUR FEET story by MICHAEL BLANDING
12 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN FINDING LIFE IN ROCKS Growing up near Reading, Pennsylvania, Andrew Knoll collected fossils and read books on archaeology as a boy, learning “there is all sorts of interesting history beneath our feet, if you just know where to look for it.” At Lehigh, he was equally inspired by biology and geology, putting them together one night in a dorm-room epiphany. “I remember sitting there thinking, maybe these aren’t two separate universes they seem to be,” Knoll says. He turned to the nascent field of geobiology, looking at sedimentary fossils that hid microscopic fossils deep within them. As a graduate student at Harvard, he did fieldwork in South Africa, helping uncover evidence of the earliest microbial life 3.5 billion years ago, when the young Earth had an inhospitable atmosphere of ammonia and methane. Frustrated by the difficulty in establishing that timeline in a structured way, he changed tack when he got his first teaching job at Oberlin. He decided to look at the Precambrian era, right before animals began to appear, and work backwards. That’s what brought him to Spitsbergen, where he used techniques looking at the decay of chemical isotopes over time to determine the precise age of fossils within the rocks. By examining relative percentages of carbon isotopes, he was able to deduce the fluctuation of carbon in organic matter and seawater to create a unique chart that could constrain dating of fossils. “It looked like a cardiac patient—it went way up and way down,” he says. “It played a major role in helping establish the carbon cycle of the Earth over time.” Later, with colleagues, he used uranium isotopes to pin down the beginning of the burst of species known as the Cambrian Explosion to 540 million years ago, showing how it was preceded by a buildup of oxygen and phosphorus in the environment that allowed life-forms to flourish. By contrast, he was among the first to show how a buildup of carbon dioxide due to volcanic activity during the Permian period around 252 million years ago led to the third mass extinction in which 90 percent of oceanic species and 70 percent of land species vanished. Among other accolades, Knoll received the 2022 Crafoord Prize in Geosciences, a complement to the Nobel Prize, for the “fundamental contributions to our understanding of the first 3 billion years of life on Earth and life’s interactions with the physical environment through time.” His work not only sheds light on ancient mysteries, but also offers insights into our own era, when carbon is once again building in our atmosphere due to man-made pollution. “What we see at the end of the Permian period is really a distant mirror on the 21st century,” says Knoll, who contributed to a recent U.N. global report on climate change. Over the years, he’s also worked to educate the public with appearances on the PBS science program “NOVA,” and the book “A Brief History of Earth,” a synopsis of how the Earth has changed over 4 billion years. “Many geologists think hard about how knowing something about the past may help us understand the future,” he says. “I want to try and help the public understand the changes we are seeing, and how investing in solutions now will be far better in the long run than doing nothing.” HUMANS’ IMPACT ON THE LAND Daniel Richter investigates the way that the Earth is being changed by human activity in a more immediate way, looking at the soil beneath our feet. He still remembers the sweltering hot day as a graduate student at Mississippi State, when a soil professor led a field trip into a nearby forest, pulling up pine needles from the ground. “He got a big handful of soil and started talking in the most poetic way,” he remembers, “saying if you understood soil, you could understand so many other areas.” Richter was hooked, beginning a scientific career to examine the dirt and clay we take for granted. “Ninety-nine percent of the terrestrial surface has some kind of soil on it,” Richter says. And yet, as Leonardo DaVinci said 500 years ago, we still “know more about the movement of celestial bodies than about the soil underfoot.” Richter takes a multidisciplinary approach, impacted by his time at Lehigh, where he focused his time on playing soccer and pursuing a major in philosophy—a subject not unlike soil science in a way. “You look around and see all of this superficial stuff, but what’s controlling things is the invisible stuff beneath the surface,” he says. He continued his education after college, working a year at Bethlehem Steel and hiking the Appalachian Trail before following his girlfriend, now wife, Susan (Adam) Richter ’75 to Mississippi State, where he enrolled in forestry. He went on to earn his Ph.D. in soil science and ecology at Duke. After graduating, he worked at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where he participated in debates among scientists over the impact of acid rain on soil and water. He became fascinated by how humans impact the land. “Until recently,” he says, soil science textbooks “might have had one or two references to human beings.” And yet, “like it or not, more than half of the soils on Earth are being managed or altered by humanity,” he says. Andrew Knoll ’73
SPRING 2025 | 13 At Duke, he inherited a long-term soil experiment that examines how a pine forest has restored soil after 150 years of cotton farming. In his book “Understanding Soil Change,” Richter has shown how soil carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and a dozen other chemical elements change in soil over time, affecting soil far more deeply than previously understood. Like Knoll, Richter has often used isotopes to estimate how the Earth cycles its chemical elements. Starting in 2005, he began examining other long-term soil experiments (LTSEs) around the world, compiling them into a database of more than 200 studies. Along with colleagues, he has shown how the explosion in agricultural production brought on by improvements in fertilizer and other practices has had unintended consequences in soil erosion, runoff and overfertilization, affecting the environment and public health. More recently, he’s begun looking at city soils, using new instruments that can detect potential contaminants within seconds. After the catastrophic wildfires in Los Angeles in January, he has analyzed more than 300 soil samples provided by citizens, showing potentially dangerous amounts of lead and other contaminant metals. Richter has become so passionate about tracing humankind’s impact on the Earth that he joined the Anthropocene Working Group, a collection of geological scientists who, after 10 years of study, proposed to rename our current geological epoch from the Holocene to the Anthropocene given the scale at which humans are changing the land, ocean and atmosphere. While the scientific community has been resistant to the proposal so far, he is optimistic that it will gain traction over time and help bring new attention to the Earth sciences to better learn how we are changing our planet for better or worse. “Prior to this, geologists have always looked back through time, but we are trying to come to grips with the human role in the present,” Richter says. “This question is as much geological as it is philosophical.” L “WHAT WE SEE AT THE END OF THE PERMIAN PERIOD IS REALLY A DISTANT MIRROR ON THE 21ST CENTURY.” —Andrew Knoll ’73 Daniel Richter ’73, Theodore S. Coile Distinguished Professor in the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University, examines soil with graduate students. JARED LAZARUS
14 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST GLOBAL | ALUMNI ʼ90 President’s Distinguished Fellowship Term Extended Richard Verma will continue to engage with the Lehigh community. Richard Verma ’90, former U.S. ambassador to India and former U.S. deputy secretary of state for management and resources, recently had his six-month term as the university’s inaugural President’s Distinguished Fellow extended through December 2025. Verma will continue to engage with Lehigh students and the broader university community through discussions on national and global issues, programs and more, drawing on his experience in government, diplomacy and international relations. “Lehigh is a great community of alumni, faculty and staff, and it’s an institution that invites you to be engaged with that community for many years well beyond your graduation,” Verma said during a mentoring meeting with students in February. “It’s been such a reliable part of my life, so it’s great to be able to be here with you and hearing directly from you.” Verma attended Lehigh on an Air Force ROTC scholarship and earned a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering with a minor in international relations. He has remained actively involved with the university through various roles, including as a trustee and Commencement speaker. His Fellowship underscores Lehigh’s dedication to preparing students for the complexities of a rapidly changing world. By inviting leaders like Verma to share their expertise, the university continues to enhance its academic environment and position itself as a hub for meaningful dialogue on national and global issues. Verma discussed global issues during his Presidential Distinguished Fellow Lecture titled “From South Mountain to the State Department: A Diplomat’s View of Global Challenges and Opportunities” held on April 18 at Zoellner Arts Center. He also hosted a program in April that took a group of students to the Ford Foundation headquarters and the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in New York City for conversations with leaders.—Colin McEvoy, Carina Sitkus and Lauren Thein GIFT | ALUMNI ʼ75 Endowed Gift to Support College of Health Students Vince Forlenza ’75, chair of the Board of Trustees, is driven to show the world what a bold, interdisciplinary and hands-on education at Lehigh can do. Vince and Ellen Forlenza’s endowed gift of $5 million will create merit scholarships and provide resources for experiential learning and mentorship opportunities for a cohort of students demonstrating excellence in the College of Health (COH). The Forlenzas’ commitment to make Lehigh’s distinctive education available to talented, deserving students will help Dean Elizabeth Dolan grow the college’s enrollment and prepare a tight-knit cohort of students to lay the essential groundwork for improving health outcomes. As a member of its Dean’s Advisory Council, Vince Forlenza has been a strong advocate and leader in Lehigh’s newest college. Both he and Ellen Forlenza previously supported the COH by creating The Ellen and Vincent Forlenza ’75 Endowed Chair in Health Innovation and Technology. Currently held by Vinod Namboodiri, this chair was the first of its kind in the COH. Namboodiri serves as the director of the Center for Community-Driven Assistive Technologies (CDAT).—Lisa Doyle CHRISTA NEU
FROM THE NEST | SUMMER 2025 | 15 From sending text messages to taking video calls, cellular networks and high-speed internet access make communicating on land seamless. But underwater, our ability to communicate decreases dramatically and occurs at much slower speeds. Yahong Rosa Zheng, professor of electrical and computer engineering, is breaking the longstanding barriers of underwater communication with her latest research project, “Acoustic Modems for Real-Time Underwater Wireless Communications.” Developing a Prototype Society has long relied on acoustic signals similar to sonar—a technology that uses strong sound waves to detect objects underwater—to transmit messages underwater. But the sound waves are difficult to decipher and can interfere with marine mammals that use sound to communicate. At Lehigh, Zheng and her team have been conducting research to make underwater acoustic communication more reliable, safer for marine ecosystems and transmitted at a higher and faster data rate. The project is poised to transform the blue economy, or the economics associated with oceans, and can position the U.S. to be a leader in underwater communication. They have created a prototype using high-frequency Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) acoustic communication technology. The prototype utilizes multiple underwater transmitters, which are devices that send out signals, to carry different bits of data simultaneously, increasing the data transmission rate. The signals are high-frequency, which provide more bandwidth, yet they are much weaker than sonar waves, reducing the impact on marine ecosystems. Her team uses turbo equalization to “untangle” and decipher the different bits that mix together when they are received. This involves using the transmitters to transmit a small group of training data, then determining how those signals are tangled by using back-and-forth guesses to decipher all data. Her algorithms have been tested in many ocean experiments with results that are promising for real-world applications, and the algorithms have been granted four U.S. patents, Zheng said. Building a Business Zheng’s innovation can enable image and video transmission directly through water in real time, which could transform industries reliant on underwater operations and communication, such as deep-sea exploration, underwater infrastructure monitoring and even military operations. She is working on bringing her technology to market through her company, Sea-Gal Technologies, which is fueled by federal and private funding. This year, Sea-Gal Technologies received the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Ocean Enterprise Accelerator Award, and also received an award from America’s Seed Fund powered by the National Science Foundation (NSF). In the future, Zheng aspires to develop underwater WiFi base stations that would make connecting to the internet through underwater platforms ubiquitous. Zheng said a particular question inspired her to take a chance and start her own company based on her research. “When I leave my professional life, what can I tell people I accomplished? I can publish 100 papers, but I don’t have a real thing made,” Zheng said. “So that’s my motivation. The motivation is not just to make money—it is trying to really produce something that’s meaningful.”—Lauren Thein Professor Yahong Rosa Zheng holds the prototype she created with her research team using high-frequency MultipleInput Multiple-Output (MIMO) acoustic communication technology. “THE MOTIVATION IS NOT JUST TO MAKE MONEY—IT IS TRYING TO REALLY PRODUCE SOMETHING THAT’S MEANINGFUL.” — Yahong Rosa Zheng, professor of electrical and computer engineering RESEARCH Making Waves in Underwater Communications Professor Yahong Rosa Zheng is transforming underwater communications with her latest research project and company, Sea-Gal Technologies. CHRISTA NEU
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