When the Spring 2020 issue went to print in late February, we had but an inkling of what was to come with the growing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, which upended our world a few weeks later. For the past six months, the breakfast bar of my home has served as the backdrop for communicating and collaborating with faculty, staff, students, and colleagues in some new, sometimes challenging, and certainly unexpected ways.
The current issue of our magazine focuses on our community’s response to this ongoing crisis. Although these are troubling times, I have been inspired by the speed with which research teams pivoted their expertise to battle the virus and its many associated issues. Even as campus seemingly “went dark,” there was action, as evidenced by the distinctive whine of our 3D printer labs churning out protective equipment for local frontline health care workers. Today, as we adjust to a new normal, I continue to be amazed by the creativity of our faculty and the resilience of our students in taking on the challenges of remote learning.
Our alumni, in their roles as researchers, community volunteers, and business leaders, have also contributed in innumerable ways. I invite you to check out the Rossin College News Center for many highlights and examples of their valued efforts.
I’d like to specifically express the college’s gratitude to alums Al Diaz at Intel, Ann Tracy at Colgate-Palmolive, and Scott Willoughby at Northrop Grumman; each hosted a very well-received webinar, primarily aimed at our incoming students, over the summer. The goal was to help these new Lehigh engineers feel connected to our community, supported in their decision to take on collegiate studies in the midst of the pandemic, and excited about the possibilities of a future in engineering.
This spring, our college also launched a podcast, Rossin Connection, as a way to help our learning community remain connected throughout the campus closure and beyond. New episodes are posted regularly on a wide variety of topics; if you have yet to download and listen, please do. I know you’ll be inspired.
Dr. David Adinaro, a graduate of Lehigh’s Healthcare Systems Engineering professional master’s program, is the focus of a podcast episode and is featured in the Q&A article. His role with the federal emergency COVID convalescent facility at the Meadowlands Exposition Center and his new position with the New Jersey Department of Health exemplify the power of injecting engineering and systems thinking into the delivery of medical care.
Our university’s innovative Lehigh@NasdaqCenter in the heart of San Francisco develops meaningful interaction among our students and the academic, industrial, financial, technological, and media interests that have converged around Silicon Valley. The staff and alumni who support this initiative came together to steer the entrepreneurially minded students under their watch toward successful summer internships, effectively working around the challenges of the pandemic to deliver value to the students and our partnering firms.
Although we are proud of our community’s response to the many facets of the COVID crisis, it is important to note that the “regular” work of our institution continues, as evidenced by a slate of other good news we share in this issue.
In particular, we celebrate the four emerging faculty all-stars who have earned the prestigious NSF CAREER award in 2020. In the Rossin College, 30 percent of active faculty have earned this national-level award since its inception, including 11 successful CAREER bids since 2018. The sheer magnitude of Lehigh’s success in this award over the years continues to highlight the excellence of the faculty across the Rossin College.
I hope you enjoy this issue of Resolve; please drop me a note to share your thoughts and comments. Thank you as always for your interest in Lehigh Engineering.
Stephen P. DeWeerth, Professor and Dean
P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science
steve.deweerth@lehigh.edu
