Lehigh Research Highlights for 2024

In 2024, Lehigh faculty advanced research in the field of wearable technology, received millions in federal funding to study sustainable materials and tackled problems that directly affect our local community. Lehigh also announced its first University Research Center. Here are some of Lehigh’s top research stories this year:

1. Lehigh's First University Research Center Focuses on Catastrophe Modeling

Lehigh's Center for Catastrophe Modeling and Resilience aims to explore how hurricanes, pandemics and other large-scale events impact communities and help prepare for them. The goal of being named a university research center is to achieve national and international prominence in specific areas of study. Two additional centers are expected to be announced in the new year.

2. Lehigh is a Core Institution of $26 Million NSF Engineering Research Center

Lehigh was named one of six core institutions of a new U.S. National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center focusing on developing sustainable refrigerants to address climate change.

3. Innovative Program Aims to Address Lack of Affordable Housing

Lehigh is partnering with Community Action Lehigh Valley, the City of Bethlehem and New Bethany, Inc.to address the acute lack of affordable housing in Bethlehem. Under the direction of Wes Hiatt, assistant professor of architecture and faculty co-director of the Small Cities Lab at Lehigh, the program seeks to revive alley houses.

4. New Process May Offer a Solution to Fracking Wastewater

A new approach developed by Lehigh researchers presents a leap forward in cleaning up and potentially unlocking valuable resources lurking in wastewater from fracking.

5. Lehigh Professor Developing New Semiconductor Materials to Power More Efficient Military Radar Systems

Siddha Pimputkar, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, received a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Army to research the development of ultra-wide band gap semiconductor materials for use in RF electronics.

6. A Game Changer for Lehigh Athletics

Dhruv Seshadri, assistant professor of bioengineering, is studying how wearable technology can be improved and how the data can better athletes’ performance while preventing injury. Hundreds of Lehigh student-athletes have been participating in the study.