Health, Science & Technology Building

Advancing Interdisciplinary Research

Health, Science, and Technology Building at dusk with the lights on

"The challenges that the world is facing do not recognize disciplinary boundaries, so why should our scholarship; why should our teaching; why should our approach to research?” – President Joseph J. Helble ’82, HST Open House, October 2022

Complex challenges require great minds to connect and collaborate with others who can approach the same questions from different perspectives. Interdisciplinary research has the capacity to effectively generate new and innovative solutions to complex problems that exist at the intersection of many related factors.

To harness the full potential of team research, Lehigh needs spaces where faculty partners, eager to collaborate, aren’t siloed by department or separated by distance. Places where state-of-the-art equipment is down the hall, not across campus. Places that are endlessly reconfigurable, with room to grow as new challenges arise. Places where people will collide and connect over the next big idea.

These places are found in the Health, Science, and Technology (HST) building, a 190,000-square-foot facility that dramatically increases Lehigh’s capacity for interdisciplinary research and positions Lehigh to meet the future.

Architectural rendering of the steps leading up to the HST building showcasing beautiful greenery
HST is the largest building on the Asa Packer campus.

Located at the corner of Morton Street and Webster Street, the Health, Science, and Technology building:

Is the home of the new College of Health. The building houses the College of Health, providing space for programs, research, faculty, and staff. This is critical to the success of the college, especially in the early years of its development.

Expands and inspires interdisciplinary research. The building’s facilities and collaborative spaces inspire interdisciplinary research and expand the university’s overall capacity. This enables Lehigh to pursue greater challenges, compete more successfully for funding, and advance our impact as a top research university.

Establishes a new research neighborhood. Connected to Whitaker Lab by a bridge and in close proximity to Seeley Mudd, Sinclair, and Neville Labs, the building creates a hub of research activity.

Creates community connections. This flagship facility provides space for the local community to engage in health and wellness programs or participate in community-based research.

 

Infographic textually depicting that HST will measure 190K square feet, 36K square feet of lab and lab support space, and 231 bench positions for research

 

Interdisciplinary Research By Design

The Health, Science, and Technology building, supporting an ever-evolving portfolio of programs and projects, is like no other research facility at Lehigh University.

Health, Science, and Technology building shared lab spaces
Large, shared labs where teams of faculty and students from across disciplines work side by side and transparent walls put research on display, inviting inquiry
The Health, Science, and Technology building open concept offices and meeting spaces
Faculty immersed in the action, with offices interspersed among student and team workspaces within each open-concept floor plan
Staggered staircases running through the center of the HST building
Staggered staircases that draw traffic up and through building floors, prompting unexpected meetings among colleagues and exposure to the ideas of others
Suites where colleagues gather around shared core equipment
Suites where colleagues gather around shared core equipment to compare notes and share expertise
A forum for community gatherings, well-equipped with tech and media options
A forum for community gatherings, well-equipped with tech and media options, as well as a cafe and patio

As the world around us changes, the Health, Science, and Technology building will be constantly adapting to take advantage of the latest opportunities. Interdisciplinary teams will rotate in and out of the facility, as new ideas are brought online and other projects sunset. Practically everything in the building is mobile — able to be positioned to take on the next great challenge at a moment’s notice.

Just like Lehigh.

Advancing Interdisciplinary Research at Lehigh

Complex challenges require great minds to connect and collaborate with others who can approach the same questions from different perspectives. Interdisciplinary research has the capacity to effectively generate new and innovative solutions to complex problems that exist at the intersection of many related factors.

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