The RTA's three venture pathways graphic
February 24, 2026

“Universities Are the Research Engines of the Nation”: How Lehigh University’s Research Translation AcceLUrator Is Bringing Research Out of the Lab

Often, research developed in a university lab falls into the Valley of Death on its way to being applied in the real world. It can be a difficult valley to escape. The project itself was likely funded by a grant from a federal or state agency, or a foundation, for a fixed amount of time. And there may be an investor willing to fund the discovery after it has shown promise for successful commercialization. But...
The research team outside the ATLSS facility
February 12, 2026

Lehigh University Researchers Awarded Two Patents for Work in Energy Storage Technology

Researchers at Lehigh University’s Energy Research Center (ERC) and the Center for Advanced Technology for Large Structural Systems (ATLSS) received patents on two innovations for energy storage technology in early 2026. The first patent awarded recognizes a thermal energy storage device and system developed by Carlos Romero, Director of the ERC, Research Full Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, and Co-Associate Director of the Institute for Cyber Physical Infrastructure and Energy (I-CPIE); Sudhakar Neti, Professor...
A photo showing the test facilities and sponsorship banner
November 7, 2025

NHERI Lehigh EF Supports Innovative Research on Engineering Earthquake-Resilient Steel Buildings

Earthquakes and tall buildings mix about as well as running and scissors. Engineers are working on ways to make the combination less destructive. But before they can develop viable, cost-effective methods to reduce the effects of earthquakes on tall buildings, they have to understand the methods currently used to design them and the effect on the building’s performance. Earthquakes cause vibrations in the earth as two masses of the earth’s crust move against each other...