Recent leadership changes have been announced across three of Lehigh’s interdisciplinary endeavors.
Institute for Data, Intelligent Systems, and Computation (I-DISC)
Héctor Muñoz-Avila, who has returned to Lehigh as a professor of computer science and engineering, has also been appointed as director of the Institute for Data, Intelligent Systems, and Computation (I-DISC). He succeeds Kate Arrington, a professor of psychology and department chair in Lehigh’s College of Arts and Sciences, who has led I-DISC since 2023.
Muñoz-Avila rejoins the Lehigh faculty following several years at the National Science Foundation, where he served as a program director and cluster lead in the Information Integration and Informatics program. He previously served as a founding co-director of I-DISC when it launched in 2018. His research spans artificial intelligence, information integration, and case-based reasoning, and his work has been supported by NSF, DARPA, ONR, and other federal agencies.
Institute for Cyber Physical Infrastructure and Energy (I-CPIE)
Alberto Lamadrid, a professor of economics and James T. Kane Faculty Fellow in the College of Business, has stepped into the role of director of the Institute for Cyber Physical Infrastructure and Energy (I-CPIE), succeeding Shalinee Kishore, the Iacocca Chair Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Lamadrid has served as an associate director of I-CPIE and has been an active member of its research community since the institute’s founding. His research focuses on electricity markets, optimization under uncertainty, and energy policy, and he is a key contributor to Lehigh’s Integrated Networks for Electricity Research Cluster. He brings a strong interdisciplinary perspective and has long collaborated with engineering faculty on projects at the intersection of economics, infrastructure, and energy systems.
Integrated Degree in Engineering, Arts and Sciences (IDEAS) Honors Program
In the IDEAS (Integrated Degree in Engineering, Arts and Sciences) honors program, Kallie (Ziltz) Pearl, a teaching assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, has been named co-director. She succeeds William Best, a teaching full professor in mechanical engineering and mechanics and in electrical and computer engineering, who has co-led the program for more than 15 years.
A Lehigh alumna, Pearl holds undergraduate degrees in both Computer Science and Business and accounting, as well as a master’s and PhD in instructional technology. Her research focuses on computer science education, with an emphasis on fostering inclusive and equitable learning environments—an approach that strongly complements IDEAS’ mission of interdisciplinary exploration and innovation.
“I’m grateful to Bill, Kate, and Shalinee for their dedicated leadership and lasting contributions,” says Steve DeWeerth, professor and dean of the Rossin College. “Their efforts have strengthened and advanced these interdisciplinary initiatives in meaningful ways. At the same time, I look forward to working with Héctor, Alberto, and Kallie as they bring fresh perspectives to their new roles and continue to grow the impact of these important endeavors.”
