Lehigh ALUMNI BULLETIN SUMMER 2023 Open for Business page 36 page 14 ‘Do You Know What You Have Here?’ page 32 ‘World War II Nancy Drew’ Drawn to South Pacific Experiments designed by Lehigh professors head to the International Space Station to escape the limits of gravity. page 26 SENDING SCIENCE INTO SPACE
“Anyone who can operate a cell phone should be able to operate this process. This is not technology for making money. It’s for saving the world.” —Professor Arup K. SenGupta on his technology to remove carbon pollution from the air. Page 6 The Lehigh University Space Initiative (LUSI) brings together students passionate about space exploration. Here, Zemichael Gebeyehu ’24, left, and Nathaniel Dudko ’26 work on the group’s entry for the international University Rover Challenge sponsored by the Mars Society. CONTENTS ON THE COVER: In experiments bound for space, Lehigh researchers will study thermophoresis in quiescent fluids for bioseparations. Illustration by Ariel Davis CORRESPONDENCE 3 DISPATCH 45 IN REMEMBRANCE 73 ENDNOTE 80 8 Lehigh Engineers Design New Thermal Battery The technology is capable of operating with heat or electricity as the charging energy input. 13 Compelling Perspectives Launches Lehigh creates new program to encourage open conversations. 14 ‘Do You Know What You Have Here?’ Mark Connar ’84 MBA works to preserve a piece of world heritage on Lehigh’s Stabler Pathways property. 20 Gaining Momentum Formed in Fall 2021, the Lehigh women’s wrestling club made history in February by wrestling in an exhibition match. 24 ‘The Lehigh Way’ New head football coach Kevin Cahill looks to build a new culture within the program. 30 The Art of Curating Students learn the behind-the-scenes business of museums and galleries. 32 ‘World War II Nancy Drew’ Drawn to South Pacific Donna Esposito ’94 has written two WWII era novels and helped with the repatriation of an MIA American soldier. 36 Open for Business Lehigh’s Business Innovation Building features unique design, technology.
2 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST One of our hopes in redesigning the Lehigh Alumni Bulletin was that we would be able to share more stories of alumni from across class years. We also wanted to be able to capture your online posts and reflections, since so many of us now communicate and connect online. At least two of our newest features allow us to do just that: “Ask the Expert” and “Squawk.” Last issue we connected with Ann Newberry ’79, who provided tips on downsizing. And for this issue we spoke with Carol (Cochrane) Kankelborg ’86,1 a retired engineer, who has a sought-after talent for making pies. If you have advice to share, we’d love to hear from you. With NBA star CJ McCollum ’13 returning to campus to deliver the Class of 2023 undergraduate keynote address, and Salesforce President and CFO Amy Weaver ’23P delivering the address at the graduate ceremony and doctoral hooding, we asked for your reflections on your Lehigh graduation day. “Squawk” is filled with your remembrances, EDITOR’S LETTER Passions & Perspectives Mary Ellen Alu Editor both poignant and humorous. Stay tuned to Lehigh’s social media channels for more questions to be featured in future issues.2 One of my favorite sections of the Bulletin—and we know it’s yours too—is Class Notes. That’s where we first read about the interesting turn in Donna Esposito’s life path and were compelled to learn more. Esposito ’94 received a degree in molecular biology from Lehigh. A lifelong fascination with the Pacific campaigns of WWII inspired two novels and a trip to the Solomon Islands, where she helped with the repatriation of an American soldier missing in action.3 Also in this issue, Mark Connar ’84 MBA discusses his passion project—a years-long effort to preserve a piece of history and create a heritage park on Lehigh’s Stabler Pathways property. Connar and Lehigh have forged a partnership with the aim of restoring the President Pumping Engine House, the only pumping engine house still standing in the United States that was built in the style of the Cornish from Great Britain. We hope you enjoy this issue of the magazine, which brings you many more stories on faculty and student research, Lehigh initiatives and alumni. We’d love to hear from you. 1. Carol loves to bake apple pies using Haralson and Red Baron varieties from her own trees in Bozeman, Montana. Page 22. 3. Some alumni may remember Donna as a voice on WLVR, FM 91.3, in the early 1990s. Donna hosted “Sunday Swing,” which featured big band and swing music from the ’40s. Page 32. 2. Brien Edwards, who is part of Lehigh’s development and alumni relations team, has a knack for tapping into topics of interest to alumni. His graduation day remembrance post garnered 113 comments on Facebook. Page 34. Issue Notes
FROM THE NEST | SUMMER 2023 | 3 CORRESPONDENCE REMEMBERING A LEGEND The passing of Gordon Lightfoot, a singing legend from my era, brought me to thinking about my meeting him at Lehigh. For my sophomore, junior, and senior years, I had the job of running the rock concerts on campus. For a university our size, we had lots of great artists perform, including Sly and the Family Stone, The Band, The Allman Brothers, Procol Harum, Gordon Lightfoot, and many more. We had Janice Joplin under contract, but the concert was canceled due to her untimely death. Each concert had its memorable moments, including Duane Allman telling me what I could do to myself, and Gordon Lightfoot and I working through how to handle a bomb scare at Grace Hall. I'll always be grateful to Lehigh for the opportunity to be a general manager at the age of 19, and I often think about how that helped me in my career. It was a life experience for me. Andy Bresler ’72 REFLECTIONS ON THE REDESIGN The new table of contents on page 1 is very minimal and not nearly as informative as the traditional table of contents in the Fall 2022 issue (page 5). This does a disservice to your faithful alumni readers and makes it more difficult to find information and content at a glance. I strongly suggest that the traditional table of contents be restored. Thank you. J.R. Wood ’67 I read through the Spring 2023 edition of the Lehigh Alumni Bulletin and found it to [be] a high-quality document. My only comment is that the Dispatch/Class Notes section takes up 26 pages (about a third) of the 80-page Bulletin. This seems to be out of proportion to me. My suggestion is that each Class Correspondent be requested to limit their Class Notes to three-quarters of a column. This would reduce the number of pages for the Class Notes to about 15, which would be more reasonable and provide more space for the very interesting articles. Bill McCurdy ’59 I like the LEHIGH in uppercase block letters on the cover the way Asa Packer intended. Really enjoyed the Annie Wu Henry Fetterman campaign story. Overall, I like the layout and more, shorter pieces. I think these “snapshots,” taken as a whole, are a mosaic on what is happening on campus and across the alumni spectrum. So, aside from missing the LEHIGH logo, I approve! John McCawley ’84 Editor’s note: Thank you for all the feedback on the redesign! We will continue to hear your thoughts and will be holding focus groups in the future to make ongoing improvements. And, in regards to the logo, the official Lehigh logo has not changed. What you see on the cover of the magazine is just the title of the magazine spelled out, in a new font. CHARTING SUCCESS If Annie Wu Henry with her digital perception management skills just helped deliver John Fetterman to the Senate, just imagine what she’ll be able to do in 20 years. Dr. David J. Gross ’77 FOND MEMORIES I recently read in the Spring 2023 Lehigh Alumni Bulletin of the passing of Professor Bruce Fritchman. He was one of my favorite professors during my undergraduate years as well as a significant influence on my career path. He was an excellent teacher, communicator, and human being. His door was always open for advice and conversation on any topic. I will always be grateful for his guidance and advice. John Lenns ’83 WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! Lehigh Alumni Bulletin Vol. 108, No. 2, Summer 2023 Editor Mary Ellen Alu Associate Editor Stephen Gross Staff Writer Christina Tatu Contributing Writers Jodi Duckett, Kristen DiPrinzio, Haidan Hu, Christine Fennessy, Lori Friedman, Carina Sitkus, Yueyang Yan ’23 Class Notes Editor Jessi McMullan ’05 Creative Director Kurt Hansen Art Director Beth Murphy Senior Designers Kate Cassidy, Neha Kavan Photography Christa Neu Business Support Traci Mindler Send class notes and remembrances to classnotes@Lehigh.edu or call (610) 758-3675 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 Follow Lehigh University on Twitter @LehighU and @LehighAlumni Facebook.com/lehighu Facebook.com/lehighalumni Instagram.com/lehighu Instagram.com/lehighalumni youtube.com/lehighu linkedin.com Email your comments about this issue or send a story idea to the editor at maa614@lehigh.com. Send handwritten letters to Lehigh Alumni Bulletin, 301 Broadway, 4th Floor, Bethlehem, PA 18015
4 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | PRESIDENT'S LETTER If you attended the 2023 Reunion Weekend or were able to listen to my State of the University address to alumni in June, you know that this month marked an exciting time for the Lehigh community as we launched our strategic plan, Inspiring the Future Makers. The plan, developed by the campus community and endorsed by the Board of Trustees, outlines a bold vision for Lehigh over the next decade—one in which we embrace disruption and change, and reimagine how we educate, conduct research and work collaboratively—to create a better future, in a university committed to supporting an environment where everyone is valued and has the opportunity to thrive. As alumni, and as part of our community of future makers, you know firsthand how special a place Lehigh is. At its core, the university is—and has always been—a place that inspires curiosity, creativity and collaboration. Through their research and entrepreneurship, our faculty, students, staff and alumni continually seek ways to address the complex challenges in our communities and around the world. That approach is part of our DNA. Lehigh founder Asa Packer was a visionary and a risk-taker. When he established the university in 1865, he brought together a study of the classics and a study of technology to provide students with an education both purposeful and wide-ranging in its application, core interdisciplinary principles that were ahead of their time and are essential in today’s technology-driven world. In the past year, through our strategic planning process, we came together to establish where we are going. University leadership and four groups of faculty and staff held in-person and virtual gatherings to engage the entire Lehigh community in an open dialogue that produced hundreds of ideas and thousands of comments. We also surveyed 76,000 Lehigh community members, including alumni, to gauge the initiatives that they felt mattered most. The plan builds on the investments and work of the past decade, during which we expanded our reach, established a College of Health, opened a new Health, Science and Technology Building and a new Business Innovation Building, and made clear our commitment to support a diverse, inclusive and equitable community. The plan presents our aspirations and goals—to Make it New, Make a Difference and Make it Together—as Lehigh strives to lead in what we do best. Among our goals, we aim to redefine an interdisciplinary education, invest in strategic interdisciplinary research and reimagine the Mountaintop campus. We expect the plan to evolve as we implement the initiatives. I am excited for Lehigh’s future. I invite you to visit the strategic plan website where you can read the full plan and watch a video explaining its key points. Joseph J. Helble ’82 President of Lehigh University “THE PLAN PRESENTS OUR ASPIRATIONS AND GOALS—TO MAKE IT NEW, MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND MAKE IT TOGETHER—AS LEHIGH STRIVES TO LEAD IN WHAT WE DO BEST.” WHAT IS A FUTURE MAKER? SCAN CODE FOR MORE INFO. A Bold Vision for the Future
THE LEHIGH UNIVERSITY STRATEGIC PLAN | SUMMER 2023 | 5 Future Makers Rise to the Moment Our strategic plan provides a visionary direction for Lehigh’s future makers over the next decade and reaffirms our commitment to be an institution where all can thrive. Every destination starts as a journey. As we chart our path, we will identify ambitious and specific actions. Guided by our strategy, we will continue to inspire each other in shaping the future. We will define success, assess and communicate our progress, and course correct as needed. We will make it new, make a difference and make it together, because the future is ours for the making. WHEN WE “Make it New” we lead with curiosity, embrace intellectual risk- taking, develop innovative pedagogy and conduct groundbreaking research. WHEN WE “Make a Difference” we apply new knowledge to existing problems, break down traditional disciplinary barriers, engage in authentic learning and expose the world to new ways of thinking. WHEN WE “Make it Together” we collaborate and connect with our communities and partners, approach the world with humility and a desire to serve, and care for and value each other.
6 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST CHRISTA NEU Researchers led by Arup K. SenGupta, Rossin professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and civil and environmental engineering at Lehigh, have developed a novel way to capture carbon pollution from the air, convert it into baking soda and release it harmlessly into the “infinite sink” of the ocean. The approach uses an innovative copper-containing polymeric filter and converts CO2 into sodium bicarbonate (aka baking soda) that can be released harmlessly into the ocean. This new hybrid material is called DeCarbonHIX and is described in a paper recently published in the journal Science Advances. The research demonstrated a 300% increase in the amount of carbon captured compared with existing direct air capture methods and has garnered attention from media outlets like the BBC, CNN, Fast Company and The Daily Beast. Carbon dioxide is the most abundant greenhouse gas contributing to global warming. “The climate crisis is an international problem,” said SenGupta. “And I believe we have a responsibility to build direct air capture technology in a way that it can be implemented by people and countries around the world. Anyone who can operate a cell phone should be able to operate this process. This is not technology for making money. It’s for saving the world.” SenGupta said his technology “allows you to remove CO2 from anywhere, even your own backyard.” His invention was the outcome of an ongoing CO2-driven wastewater desalination project funded by the Bureau of Reclamation under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of the Interior.—Christine Fennessy “ANYONE WHO CAN OPERATE A CELL PHONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO OPERATE THIS PROCESS. THIS IS NOT TECHNOLOGY FOR MAKING MONEY. IT’S FOR SAVING THE WORLD.” —Arup K. SenGupta DeCarbonHIX is a mechanically strong, chemically stable sorbent that contains copper and captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere very selectively. RESEARCH ʼ45 A Novel Way to Capture Carbon Pollution A new system powered by renewable energy could use seawater to convert and store CO2.
FROM THE NEST | SUMMER 2023 | 7 ART, ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN What’s So Special About This Place? A 16-foot-high wayfinding sign with 37 different directional arrows is part of “Markers,” a four-piece public art installation in Denver created by Wes Heiss, associate professor of design in Lehigh’s Department of Art, Architecture and Design, along with his artistic collaborator Marek Walczak. The works were commissioned by the city of Denver. “All four of the ‘Markers’ are intended to be visually impactful and very different from one another,” said Heiss. “We tried to involve the community in making the work and find interesting things about the site that either weren’t commonly known or, possibly through gentrification and change, would disappear once the project was completed.” The wayfinding sign was a collaboration with the Bruce Randolph School in the Cole neighborhood of Denver. Students in art classes were challenged to design arrows pointing to something they care about. The “Markers” project was designed to form a “connective tissue” that makes a whole out of disparate parts of a neighborhood, Heiss said.—Lori Friedman ALUMNI RETURN FOR REUNION Hundreds of alumni visited Lehigh June 8-11 to reminisce, reconnect with old friends and meet new ones during the annual Reunion weekend. Festivities included a special class dinner and the historic parade of classes, which invited each class to get creative with music, costumes and their school spirit. At the end of the parade, a panel of judges selected the winner of the coveted Petty Flag for Best Parade Performance. President Joseph J. Helble ’82 also gave his annual State of the University address. There were celebrations such as Hawktoberfest, which invited alumni to listen to a German brass band as they sipped Oktoberfest beers at The Grove. The event ended Sunday with a four-mile #PacethePrez run with President Helble and a farewell brunch. JOHN KISH IV
8 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST In the ramp-up to more widespread renewable energy use, thermal energy storage is becoming a go-to solution for enabling power grids to respond to variable supply and demand conditions. When demand is high and solar or wind energy is not available, stored energy could answer the call, and keep the U.S. moving in a greener direction. Lehigh engineers, with support from the Department of Energy, have developed a new thermal energy system, the Lehigh Thermal Battery. The technology consists of engineered cementitious materials and thermosiphons in a combination that enables fast and efficient thermal performance at low cost. The technology is capable of operating with heat or electricity as the charging energy input. The project is a collaboration among Lehigh’s Energy Research Center, Lehigh’s Advanced Technology for Large Structural Systems (ATLSS) Engineering Research Center and Advanced Cooling Technologies. Carbon-Reducing Technology “The concrete plus thermosiphon concept is unique and new among heat energy storage concepts,” said Carlos Romero, co-principal investigator on the project and director of the Energy Research Center at Lehigh. “The technology offers the potential for adaptation over a broad range of temperatures, heat transfer media and operating conditions. This makes it suitable for decarbonization opportunities in industry, the flexibilization of conventional power plants, and advancements and penetration of concentrated solar power.” The Lehigh Thermal Battery technology is innovative “because it is modular, designed for independent energy input/output streams during charging/ discharging which is feasible with the help of the thermosiphons, and the twophase change process inside the thermosiphon tubes allows rapid isothermal heat transfer to/from the storage media at very high heat transfer coefficients and heat rates,” said co-principal Investigator Sudhakar Neti, professor emeritus in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics at Lehigh. The team’s work could advance decarbonization of energy-intensive industry, which is currently responsible for about 30% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S.—Lori Friedman RESEARCH Lehigh Engineers Design New Thermal Battery NEW DESIGN HUB Lehigh Design Labs opened a new Electronics Design Studio on the lower level of the Wilbur Powerhouse, offering students a fully equipped space for circuit prototyping, testing and PCB (printed circuit board) fabrication. Brian Slocum, director of the Wilbur Powerhouse Design Labs, said that giving Lehigh students the resources and skills to create prototypes that integrate electronics is as essential as providing the resources for physically making that prototype. “Adding this new studio is a game changer for the entire Lehigh community,” he said. The Electronics Design Studio, equipped with 10 workstations, is part of an expansive network of fabrication facilities across campus. For students new to electronics, the studio provides starter kits that explain the basics of circuits, breadboards, resistors, capacitors and more. Kelly Zona, manager of Wilbur Powerhouse Design Labs, and student tech fellows provide technical assistance and answer questions. INTERDISCIPLINARY HOLLY FASCHING ’26 / CHRISTA NEU
FROM THE NEST | SUMMER 2023 | 9 CHRISTA NEU / MARCUS SMITH ’25 COLLEGE OF HEALTH Following a comprehensive national search, Elizabeth (Beth) Dolan, professor of English and Health, Medicine and Society at Lehigh, has been named Lehigh’s Dean for the College of Health. She has served as interim dean since 2020. Under Dolan’s leadership as interim dean, the college partnered with healthcare providers, nonprofits, government entities and corporations to expand faculty research opportunities and provide internship and experiential learning opportunities for students. She also has overseen significant growth in faculty and academic programs. As dean, Dolan plans to guide the college in building upon research strengths in community health, environmental health, indigenous health, population health and health data science. She will also lead the college in establishing a new strategic research cluster in disability independence. All eyes looked way up—to the top floors of Fairchild-Martindale Library on a sunny April day as dancers swayed and shifted rhythmically to music. Their “floor” was the exterior library wall, and the dancers, hanging from heavy-duty nylon ropes like mountain climbers, moved gracefully in unison or in sequence, toward each other or away, sometimes entwined, sometimes using the wall to leap forward. They rappelled down, then back up. Combining artistry and athleticism, the performance by Bandaloop was an awe-inspiring spectacle, and much more. The company’s visit to Lehigh was a component of Zoellner Arts Center’s 25th anniversary celebration—a manifestation of a desire to bring artistic experiences outside the center’s walls and to connect directly with the community. It was an exercise in collaboration among Zoellner, Lehigh University Libraries, the National Museum of Industrial History and local schools, providing middle school students with an opportunity to visit campus, experience an extraordinary event and learn about the history of the area’s textile industry, examined in the “LOOM: Field” piece presented by Bandaloop. “As we look forward,” said Zoellner Executive Director Mark Wilson, “our vision for the next 25 years is to activate spaces on campus and infuse the community with art, build an air of excitement with outdoor performances and connect with more campus and community partners to develop creative energy.” Said University Librarian Boaz Nadav-Manes, “We want to bring people into our spaces in a way that is welcoming and adventurous, in a way that makes them curious and that shows them the ways libraries can support them.”—Jodi Duckett Bandaloop Wows Zoellner Arts Center collaborates with Lehigh University Libraries to bring the aerial dance company to campus. CULTURE ʼ16 As a student in Lehigh’s Technical Entrepreneurship master’s program, entrepreneur Briana Gardell ’14 ’15G had an “aha” moment nearly a decade ago while trying to make an egg out of soap materials for a homework manufacturing assignment. She wound up creating Goblies (pronounced go-bleez)—throwable and biodegradable paint blobs you toss like water balloons. Though Goblies had early success—a CNBC reporter named it one of the hottest toys at the 2016 North American International Toy Fair in New York—Gardell garnered more attention this spring when national retailer Target put Goblies Throwable Paintballs and Play Paint on its shelves. Her story was featured on 6ABC News (Philadelphia) and The Morning Call (Allentown, Pennsylvania.) Gardell is CEO of Messimatic LLC. On Target National retailer puts Goblies on its shelves. ENTREPRENEURSHIP | ALUMNI ’14 ’15 Elizabeth Dolan Named Dean
10 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST Five Questions force behind everything that I do. So many people supported me and others when I was growing up in my hometown town of East St. Louis, Illinois. I wanted to do the same for every child and family by building a community center in my hometown. I started my foundation work in 1988. We provide after-school assistance, transportation from school to dropping them off at home. Our students also receive a warm meal and hydration. Our goal is to make sure all of our students are reading on grade level. I am so blessed to be in this position to give back, not only to the community I grew up in, but to share my time, treasure and talents with many other communities. How can the next generation best prepare for the challenges ahead? My advice for the next generation is to always believe in themselves and never give up. Be intentional in their actions, be active listeners and never compromise themselves to be accepted. Finally, learn to use social media as an asset, not a liability. As a six-time Olympic winner, you’ve always been driven to be your best. How does a person find that drive, especially if life’s circumstances get in the way? I never lost my focus on working towards the goals I believed I could achieve, regardless of the circumstances. Always a positive attitude even when life’s challenges got in the way. It was very important that I believed in myself and kept positive individuals around me. At age 14, you were motivated to aim for the Olympics after watching the games on TV. Why was that inspiring? I remember watching the Olympics and for the very first time seeing women on television competing in the sport of track and field who looked like me. It was inspiring to see women highlighted on television and admired for their ability. At the Soaring Together Women’s Summit, you addressed the need for courage, integrity and accountability in leadership. What are the challenges to that? How do you overcome them? As women, we are always faced with challenges that will challenge us daily. Together we will soar … only when we don’t compromise ourselves to fit in. Be honest with one another and make sure that we hold each other accountable. You have a passion for helping young people through the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation. Was there a particular experience that led you to establish the foundation? My foundation work is the driving LEADERSHIP ʼ79 Jackie Joyner-Kersee: ‘Be Intentional’ One of the most decorated female athletes of all time, the former Olympian headlined the Soaring Together Women’s Summit in April. Here, she takes the Bulletin’s questions. GETTY / PERRY HAGOPIAN
FROM THE NEST | SUMMER 2023 | 11 The Lehigh community gathered in April for the Soaring Together Women's Summit, which featured a keynote from decorated athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee and breakout sessions on leadership and career advancement. SOARING TOGETHER Women’s Summit Motivates, Inspires Participants Participants and presenters share key takeaways. USA Today Why We Still Can’t Stop Watching Reality Dating Shows Danielle Lindemann, associate professor of sociology, shares why reality TV appeals to viewers. “Reality television stars tend to be more accessible than stars in scripted programs. We see (reality stars) on the screen being themselves, not being a character.” Los Angeles Review of Books On “Mothers of Sierra Leone”: Improving Maternal Health Through Storytelling Michael Kramp, professor of English; Fathima Wakeel, professor in the Department of Community and Population Health; and students examine how their documentary shorts provide useful films for the women of Sierra Leone. The Wall Street Journal Supplier, Buyer Relations Are Shifting Again As Pandemic Strains Ease Teaching associate professor Phillip Coles describes tensions in the supply chain. “Suppliers are vulnerable when companies pause new orders as they’re sometimes left holding raw materials or finished goods that no longer have a buyer.” Lehigh Faculty in the Media GINELLE JULIEN-JACKSON ’94 VP, Global Services, Service Excellence, and Experience, Johnson & Johnson “I used to say things like, ‘I’ll sleep when I’m dead’ ... I promise you, when you're laying in a bed five hours before you have a life-saving surgery, you’re not going to remember the big assignment. You're not going to remember the projects and the promotions. You're going to be asking yourself, have I lived my life to the fullest, and told the people I love that I love them?.” ELLEN STONE ’87 Executive Vice President, Cable Marketing, NBC Universal “Self-doubt really inhibits productivity. It inhibits collaboration. Because if you have self-doubt, you’re not talking. If you're not talking, the other people can’t actually innovate off of what you’re saying. So imposter syndrome affects not just you, but your entire team at work.” JULIA PARDEE ’21 Venture Associate, Cyber Mentor Fund; Member, Young Alumni Council “Speaking up more. ... You sometimes have the feeling that what you have to say isn’t as important or as insightful as you think it should be. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth saying. Your voice should always be heard. Hearing that truth from really established women—and having them call out my insecurities—was really helpful and supportive.” SANDRA DENTON ’83 Vice President, Channels and Alliances, Pipefy, Inc.; Lehigh Trustee “... If the universe gave you one extra hour in the day, every day for yourself, how would you use it? I learned to ask that question because I was overwhelmed by so many things. … I needed to carve out time for myself, because the only way everyone else can get the best part of me is if I can be my best self.” AMY HERZOG / SARAH VARKIN ’22 ’23G
12 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST CHRISTA NEU The Lehigh Board of Trustees recently amended the university’s original 1866 charter of incorporation, connecting the present and future of Lehigh to its founding. It was the first time in Lehigh’s 157-year history that amendments were made to the charter, by which the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania had legally recognized the creation of the university. Among the main reasons for the charter amendments, as well as accompanying University Bylaws amendments, were to afford all University Trustees voting status by eliminating past Trustee classes of Corporate, Appointed and Alumni Trustees and creating one category of voting Trustees. “Asa Packer anticipated much of what Lehigh would become in his initial charter language, but he could not have imagined the heights to which we’ve achieved,” said Chair of the Board of Trustees Vincent Forlenza ’75. The amendments also modernize some of the language in the original charter—for example, changing the descriptive language for university president from “head, or chief master” to “chief executive officer” and amending the dated term of “President of the Board” to “Chair of the Board of Trustees.” Other amendments add flexibility for the board’s scheduling of its meetings and election of Trustees.—Carina Sitkus HISTORY Lehigh Amends Original Charter BOOKSHELF LOOKING FOR YOUR NEXT GOOD BOOK? Consider these books by Lehigh alumni and faculty. Lehigh hosts an alumni-author bookshelf on its Lehigh Alumni Goodreads page. Are you an author? You can submit your book to be added to Lehigh’s bookshelf at go.lehigh.edu/bookshelf. A Test for Our Time: Crisis Leadership in the Next Normal by Stephen S. Tang ’85G ’88G ’22P As former CEO of OraSure Technologies Inc., Tang shares his journey through unprecedented growth driven by its revolutionary product, InteliSwab COVID-19 Rapid Test. The Complexities of American Indian Identity in the Twenty-First Century by Sean M. Daley and Christine Makosky Daley This book by two Lehigh faculty members offers one of the most comprehensive looks at contemporary Native identity in the United States. Folk Horror: New Global Pathways co-edited by Dawn Keetley, Ruth Heholt This collection of essays maps new conceptualizations of the genre now seen not only in the UK but also in Italy, Ukraine, Thailand, Mexico and the Appalachian region of the U.S. Take Back the Game by Linda Flanagan ’85 A coach and journalist, Flanagan reveals how the youth sports industry capitalizes on parents’ worry about their kids’ futures, selling the idea that more competitive play is essential. The Space Industry of the Future by Mark W. McElroy Jr. ’05 ’07G This book provides guidance for the growing commercial space industry. “I think Lehigh’s underlying culture is to allow people to make things happen. Stray off curriculum, create new programs, break a few rules, because it was right for that student. I always found Lehigh to be very good at that flexibility.” Jamie Flinchbaugh ’94 Entrepreneur, business executive, consultant, author and podcaster discusses entrepreneurship and his Lehigh education. PODCAST | ALUMNI ʼ94 SCAN TO HEAR THE FULL PODCAST FROM JAMIE FLINCHBAUGH ’94 '24P '26P.
FROM THE NEST | SUMMER 2023 | 13 ILLUSTRATION BY ANDREI COJOCARU Her stature within the global political environment, coupled with the fact that she brings a conservative viewpoint on a very nuanced topic, is sure to be fascinating. While Lehigh hasn’t announced the next speaker, what can we expect? We can expect an additional speaker to be named soon who will be of a similar prominence to Theresa May and will offer a nuanced depth of experience on the topic of national security but who will look at it from a more liberal lens. Lehigh just released its strategic plan, Inspiring the Future Makers. How does the series fit into that initiative? Compelling Perspectives is a tangible way to transition from strategy to action, and I think about it in terms of many of the goals included within the plan. The first is Make it New, our goal centered on innovation and leading with curiosity. Compelling Perspectives fits squarely in the delivery of that goal. We also talk about Make it Together, which is a goal focused on collaborating and connecting as a community. This program will bring together the Lehigh community to experience thought-provoking discussions on topics that matter. Lehigh brings a lot of speakers to campus. What makes Compelling Perspectives different? Compelling Perspectives elevates the focus and the experiential background of the speakers, and it will be moderated by President Helble. Our president believes strongly in the concept of freedom of expression on our campus, and he signals this by being front and center in this series. I think President Helble’s leadership demonstrates the level of strategic importance that Compelling Perspectives will deliver to our ability to create an environment on campus where we embrace a wide variety of perspectives. —Mary Ellen Alu To help foster the exchange of diverse ideas and the consideration of alternative viewpoints, Lehigh’s Compelling Perspectives will bring prominent speakers to campus for a highly visible forum on issues of societal importance. A discussion on national security will launch the series, with Lehigh President Joseph J. Helble ’82 moderating a discussion Oct. 24 with The Rt. Hon. Theresa May MP, former prime minister of the United Kingdom. Brett Ludwig, vice president for communications and public affairs at Lehigh, takes the Bulletin’s questions on the initiative. What was the genesis of Compelling Perspectives? The conversations initially started with the concept of freedom of expression on campus. It was an open question from President Helble to Lehigh’s cabinet: If we can't explore the most important topics facing society with a broad range of perspectives on a college campus, then where can we? We built from that question to a program dedicated to the open exchange of ideas and perspectives. With so many issues dividing us, why launch the series with a discussion on national security? With rising political tensions across the world, the continued war in Ukraine and the recent release of President Biden’s national security strategy, we felt this was the right time to talk about national security in a global environment. How do you anticipate Theresa May’s perspective to illuminate what’s happening now? As former prime minister of Great Britain, The Rt. Hon. Theresa May led one of the largest world economies through a time of international political security challenges. SPEAKER SERIES Compelling Perspectives Launches Lehigh creates new program to encourage open conversations. SCAN TO VIEW THE COMPELLING PERSPECTIVES WEBSITE. Brett Ludwig
14 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN YOU Mark Connar ’84 MBA asks the question, launching a years-long effort to preserve a piece of world heritage on Lehigh’s Stabler Pathways property. WHAT HERE?’ HAVE IN HIS MIND’S EYE, MARK CONNAR ’84 MBA CAN SEE IT ALL VERY CLEARLY. He can see the imposing 19th-century stone castle-like structure on Lehigh’s Stabler Pathways property—near Center Valley Parkway in Upper Saucon Township, Pennsylvania—come to life as an interpretive museum and industrial heritage park for children, families and students. He can see the debris cleared, and the thick walls of local stone cleaned, repointed and stabilized so future generations can go inside and learn about its past as the home of The President Pumping Engine—the world’s largest and most powerful single-cylinder stationary rotative steam engine ever, which drew massive amounts of water from the zinc mine so the rich ore could be extracted. Connar can see a circular viewing stand the size of the engine’s cylinder, over 9 feet in diameter, inside the once three-story building, an architectural achievement itself and the only pumping engine house still standing in the United States built in the style of the Cornish from Great Britain. And as he walks around the perimeter of the mining pit, now a picturesque small lake, Connar can see people strolling on a nature trail, enjoying the present as they contemplate the time when this 20-acre area was teeming with activity. Connar has made it his retired life’s work— with Lehigh as ally—to turn his vision into reality. The former purchasing director for Air Products has built a coalition of support that includes the university and organizations and people both locally and globally. In the process, he has become a leading expert in the area’s important zinc mining history. So much zinc was mined on the property in the village of Friedensville and others nearby in the late 1800s that the Lehigh Valley was once a birthplace of America’s zinc industry and the producer of one half the nation’s supply of zinc in the period following the Civil War. ‘DO YOU KNOW Story by Jodi Duckett Photography by Christa Neu
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16 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN But the vision sometimes keeps Connar awake at night. He worries the wind or some other force of nature will further erode the Engine House. As he shows a visitor around the site—something he does often and with enthusiasm—he points out a pile of stones that became unmoored and tumbled to the ground. He reflects on the plight of the Pumping Engine itself, demolished and sold for scrap, and how impor- tant it is to remember its significance as a mechanical engineering achievement and to save what’s left. But things are going well. Connar and Lehigh, facilitated by Erin Kintzer, Lehigh’s director of Real Estate Services, have forged a strong partnership with the aim of restoring the structure and creating a heritage park. There’s a deep connection between Lehigh and the local zinc mining story, helping to give the project momentum. Lehigh has received funding from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s Keystone Historic Preservation Grant program and a National Trust grant from the Louis J. Appell Jr. Preservation Fund for Central Pennsylvania to study the feasibility of repairing the building. The money—matching grants totaling $55,000—has been used to remove overgrown vegetation and generate construction drawings and architectural renderings. Lehigh commissioned Spillman Farmer Architects in Bethlehem and Omnes, an Easton landscape company, to create a plan for the site. At the end of 2022, Connar and Kintzer succeeded in their campaign to get a historical marker for the site from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission—one of only 36 awarded in the state that year and the first in Upper Saucon. Plans are for the marker to be erected on Old Bethlehem Pike in 2024 with some fanfare. Fundraising should begin in earnest then. “As a university, we are always trying to weigh our responsibilities and priorities for our students,” says Kintzer. “The educational mission is the university’s first priority. But being a community member and a steward of these unique resources is a responsibility and an opportunity that doesn’t come along every day, and that fits into the mission too.” Restoration Begins The story of the restoration of the Pumping Engine House begins in 2014, when Connar, who grew up on 13th Avenue in Bethlehem, retired after a 40-year career with Air Products. “I wasn’t ready to sit back and read a book. I wanted to do something that had a purpose, something that would have a lasting impact,” Connar says. At the time, he recalled his fascination with the seemingly abandoned structure he used to drive by with his mother in the family Studebaker in the mid-1950s. “I liked King Arthur and castles and knights and all of that stuff,” he says. “It looked a lot to me like a castle, and I was really curious about it. But life intervened and I eventually went off to school and got a job.” In 2016, Connar started to research the site. He was well suited to the task—his career required research skills for various initiatives, and he had a long-standing interest in history and an undergrad degree in anthropology. “I had a few details but not much had been written about the building and the engine that was in it,” says Connar. He gathered enough information to write a 20-page summary about the site’s historical significance. He learned that the site was owned by Lehigh as part of 755 acres gifted by the Stabler Foundation in 2012. Connar shared his findings with Kintzer, who helps manage the Stabler property, a mixed-use parcel bordered roughly by Interstate 78 and the picturesque slopes of South Mountain that now include such businesses as the Promenade Shops, Olympus, Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital and Penn State Lehigh Valley. She didn’t know anything about the structure. “I got a call from Mark, who said, ‘Hey, do you know what you have here?’ He got me out there, and I was like, ‘Wow, what am I looking at?’ You feel like you are seeing ancient ruins. … Mark really has been instrumental in educating me on the significance of the structure and the property and also understanding the full history of what happened on this site.” The two are now a powerhouse advocacy team. Connar says that with Lehigh and Kintzer, the project is the beneficiary of “an owner who is dedicated to inquiry.” With Connar, Kintzer says she is partnering with “an incredibly kind and generous person who’s extremely knowledgeable and passionate for the work he’s
SUMMER 2023 | 17 doing and the history. When someone comes to you with that level of excitement, you can’t help but also be excited and want to help.” Connar’s original 20-page report is now more than 170 pages with updates as new discoveries are made. Connar has pored over theses written by Lehigh students in the 1800s, engineering surveys of the Friedensville mines and other sources in Lehigh University Libraries Special Collections. Much of Lehigh’s trove of documents was obtained as a result of the Stabler gift. “Mining is a very dangerous business,” says Ilhan Citak, archives and Special Collections librarian. “They needed to record things constantly.” One important reference was a journal article published in 2001 by the National Canal Museum. It was the product of a state-mandated cultural resource study done to support Stabler’s property developments. Connar also connected with Damian Nance, a professor of geology emeritus at Ohio University and an expert on Cornish engines, after discovering a 2013 paper he wrote. Nance has since written three comprehensive guides to the engine houses of Cornwall, documenting the history of what has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site, much the same as Stonehenge or the Acropolis. In the tiny county of Cornwall, castle-like engine pumping houses are common sights, identified with the area in the same way windmills are with the Netherlands. The President Pumping Engine House looks exactly like those structures in Cornwall. The Cornish built other engine houses in Pennsylvania and the United States, but none remain. Friedensville Zinc Mining What Connar has learned—and what he shares with anyone who will listen—is this story. Zinc deposits were first discovered in Friedensville in the mid1840s when farmer Jacob Ueberroth sought help in identifying strange rocks in his fields that did not burn normally in his limestone kilns. A local mineralogist, William Theodore Roepper, determined the strange rocks included zinc-rich ore. A few years later, Philadelphia chemist Samuel Wetherill developed a patented process to produce zinc oxide directly from zinc-rich ore. Wetherill led the creation of the first industrial-scale zinc extraction and processing enterprises in the United States. Wetherill built his plant in South Bethlehem to create zinc oxide out of the ores, which was used for paint. Metallic zinc production for galvanizing iron and for brass products such as buttons and gun cartridges was added later. The zinc ore was carried by mule trains and carts over South Mountain to the plant. The enterprise became known as the Lehigh Zinc Company, which prospered under the guidance of another famous Philadelphia entrepreneur, Joseph Wharton. The zinc ore in Friedensville was very pure. The company had contracts with European governments that were starting to develop their militaries and having problems with brass gun cartridges that would overheat and stick, so the guns would not fire properly. In the Upper Saucon area, there were five mines, the largest of which was the Ueberroth mine. Mining began there in 1853. But after a decade of surface mining, they needed to go deeper and encountered massive groundwater challenges. The mines were described as the wettest in North America. John West, an engineer from Cornwall, was retained to determine what type of steam engine could be used to pump out the water. The Cornish were experts in mining, engine design and steam. West determined they had to go big. The President Pumping Engine was designed and manufactured along the Philadelphia waterfront. A marvel of the industrial revolution, it contained 675 tons of iron Mark Connar ’84 MBA, left, has made it his retired life’s work to have the President Pumping Engine House restored. At far left, Jerry Lennon, a Lehigh civil engineering professor emeritus; Connar; and Erin Kintzer, Lehigh’s director of Real Estate Services.
18 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN and steel. Named after Ulysses S. Grant, it began operating in 1872. It could remove 17,000 gallons of water a minute from a depth of 300 feet and served all five mines. Of course, a structure had to be built to both support and house the engine. Cornish engineers had that covered as well. Three stories tall, it had a 9-foot-thick back wall and 3-foot-thick side walls. The foundation goes down 110 feet to bedrock. A sturdy structure was needed to support the massive engine. Two brick chimneys were brought down in the 1950s for safety reasons. A third floor made of wood is gone. The engine’s life was brief. Economic conditions, the high cost of water removal and the development of alternative ore sources caused the mines to close in 1876. They reopened in 1881 under new management and operated again until 1893. When New Jersey Zinc bought the property in 1899, it sold the President Pumping Engine for scrap. The building was so strong, it was left alone. New Jersey Zinc never mined in the Friedensville area again until 1958. In 1984, after shutting down mining operations, it sold the property to the Stabler Land Company. “The property, which includes the engine house, is really kind of a 19th-century time capsule,” says Connar. “When they ceased to mine there in the 1890s, nothing else happened. The property was unused.” Connar says this is one instance where “neglect” was a good thing. “The engine house was just sitting there. It was too big to take down. That’s why it’s there. If somebody in the 1960s had decided to develop the property, it probably wouldn’t be there. Hence the opportunity.” In one fortuitous development, a boiler, one of 20 required to operate the President Pumping Engine, was found in the basement of a shuttered furniture factory in Allentown, where it had been for more than 100 years. When the engine was scrapped in 1900, Gottlieb Buehler had acquired the boiler, using it as a water tank for his new furniture factory. The factory eventually closed, but the boiler remained. When the factory was scheduled to be demolished, the boiler was acquired for the project. In January, it was removed from the building via a tricky process that required specialized lifting and moving equipment. Lehigh contractors did the work, moving the boiler to a storage location the university owns at the former New Jersey Zinc mine headquarters. The plan is to have the tank restored and on display in front of the engine house where it was once located. Lehigh Connections Lehigh’s history with the Ueberroth Mine goes back to even before Lehigh was established in 1865. In 1845, Roepper, the local mineralogist, combined the zinc-rich ore with copper to make brass and attempted to commercialize the find. In 1866, he became Lehigh’s first professor of mineralogy and geology. Miles Rock, one of Lehigh’s first graduates, was employed part-time in surveying the mines. The maps and Rock’s graduation thesis—“The Lehigh Zinc Mines. Their Geology, “IF SOMEBODY IN THE 1960S HAD DECIDED TO DEVELOP THE PROPERTY, IT PROBABLY WOULDN’T BE THERE. HENCE THE OPPORTUNITY.” —MARK CONNAR ’84 MBA KELLEY VERSOCKI
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