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
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