Task Statement: Lehigh aims to empower our faculty and researchers, grow the quality and quantity of our research output, and position Lehigh University as a leader in cutting-edge research and innovative scholarship.

Lead: Dom Packer

Project Manager: Ainsley Lamberton

Initiative Team(s) / Advisory Group(s): Two short-term working groups have been formed to address research staffing across the university and external partnerships. Groups will consult widely with relevant constituencies.

Staffing working group:

Arindam Banerjee, professor and chair, MEM, RCEAS

Kate Bullard, director, research development, VPR

Laura Chiles, director of administration, CAS

Lori Claudio/Chris Halladay, HR

Cynthia Kane, assistant vice provost, ORSP

Ilena Key, chief technology officer, LTS

Gina Sierzega, senior research development officer, COE

External partnerships working group:

Chris Carter, assistant vice president, government relations

Ed Clarke, executive director, corporate relations

Himanshu Jain, professor, MSE, and director, IFMD

Shalinee Kishore, professor, ECE, and director, ICPIE

Rick Smith, director, technology transfer

Mark Wilson, executive director, Zoellner Arts Center

Important Organizational Infrastructure: Research Advisory Council; Graduate Research Committee; and Senate Subcommittee on Research Environment.

Years 1-3 Anticipated Actions:

  • Develop and implement collective strategies to build a more robust environment to support research at Lehigh. 
  • Enhance staff support for research throughout the university.
  • Champion open and rigorous research practices, align evaluation and incentive structures to promote our growth goals, craft meaningful metrics that capture research and creative accomplishments across disciplines, elevate research facilities to world-class standards, grow our capacity to communicate research to various audiences, and nurture collaborative partnerships within and beyond our academic community.

Resources: Click here to watch a series of short videos addressing some frequently asked questions about this strategic initiative: Why double research activity? How will we do it? What will we measure? How will we strengthen our research environment? And where do I fit into the strategic plan?

See Actions Underway related to this initiative.