By Editorial Services
Lehigh University’s Advanced Technology for Large Structural Systems (ATLSS) Engineering Research Center marked its 40th anniversary with a two-day celebration that brought together faculty, students, alumni, and industry partners to reflect on the center’s contributions to structural engineering and chart a course for its future.
Held October 1–2, the event highlighted ATLSS’s evolution from a National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center into a nationally recognized facility for large-scale structural testing and research. Over four decades, the center has helped advance bridge engineering, pioneered experimental testing methods, and supported research collaborations with universities, government agencies, and industry.
The celebration also recognized the contributions of the center’s founding director, John Fisher, and other influential Lehigh faculty members, including Lynn Beedle, Dan M. Frangopol, and Richard Sause, whose leadership helped establish ATLSS as a resource for researchers and engineers nationwide.
Building on a legacy of collaboration
Speakers reflected on the partnerships, experimental facilities, and educational opportunities that have sustained ATLSS since its founding. Alumni shared how their experiences at the center shaped their careers in academia, industry, and government.
Attendees also toured Lehigh’s advanced testing facilities, including laboratories equipped for earthquake simulation, structural fire testing, and real-time hybrid experiments that combine physical testing with computer simulations.
Giovanna Biscontin, an NSF program director, praised the center’s continued contributions to structural engineering research, including its development of new testing approaches and experimental capabilities.
Shaping the next 40 years
Looking ahead, ATLSS Director James M. Ricles, the Bruce G. Johnston Professor of Structural Engineering, outlined priorities for expanding the center’s capabilities. These include advanced large-scale experimentation, remote access to testing facilities, and the integration of artificial intelligence, digital technologies, and cyber-physical systems into structural engineering research.
Faculty and industry representatives also discussed opportunities to strengthen partnerships, address emerging infrastructure challenges, and prepare the next generation of engineers.
“We're looking to build on the past and help us shape the future,” Ricles said, emphasizing the importance of experimentation, digital technologies, and multidisciplinary collaboration.
The anniversary celebration underscored ATLSS’s enduring role in connecting fundamental research with practical engineering challenges, while highlighting the partnerships and expertise that will guide its next chapter.
Read the full anniversary story, including alumni reflections, historical highlights, and details from the two-day celebration, on the I-CPIE website.