On July 31, 2025, Lehigh University’s Mountaintop Campus was transformed into a hub of creativity and discovery for the annual Summer Research Day Expo. Nearly 200 students presented close to 100 projects spanning engineering, science, social impact, and entrepreneurship. This showcase featured work from programs including the Mountaintop Summer Program, the Science Technology Engineering and Math Summer Institute (STEM-SI), the Marcon Institute Fellows, The Hatchery, and—for the first time—the Research Translation AcceLUrator (RTA) Bootcamp.
Projects were formally judged by a panel of Lehigh alumni, with awards presented to top-scoring teams. Attendees also voted for their favorites in the Audience Choice Award, creating a lively and interactive atmosphere throughout the day. As visitors explored Building C, they encountered a diverse range of projects—from medical advances and clean water technologies to accessibility systems and renewable energy solutions—all showcasing the talent and creativity that place Lehigh among the nation’s leading research universities.
The RTA proudly had six teams represented at the expo, marking the end of their 10 week bootcamp. Samiha Islam and Andrew Wu, who worked under Dr. Neal Simon, discussed their research surrounding traumatic brain injury, specifically with V1aR (Vasopressin 1a Receptor) antagonists. Their work represents a cutting-edge approach with the potential to significantly improve treatment and prevention strategies for traumatic brain injury. The team was recognized with an award for Outstanding Research.
Ayoola Shomotun and Prashant Panta, a Fellow from Texas State University, worked with Dr. Rosa Zheng on the SEA-GAL project, developing a wireless underwater drone. Their innovative work also earned them an Outstanding Research award.
Emily Wegrzyn and Alexis Guzman worked on a navigation system for Mapping Accessible Built Environments, named MABEL led by Vinod Namboodiri and supported by Dr. Ajay Abraham, a postdoctoral research associate, and Malik Normuradov. Their research showcased how technology can be leveraged to create more inclusive spaces.
Laila Hoxter and Sydney Jackson, under the guidance of Dr. John Fox, presented a project on wastewater desalination. Their CO₂-driven water desalination system will soon undergo larger-scale trials with the Allentown Waste Water Treatment Plant, signaling real-world applications for sustainable water solutions.
Angelo Luis and Busra Can, mentored by Dr. Hannah Dailey, explored Virtual Biomechanics in mice as a method to reduce animal testing while advancing non-destructive approaches to scientific innovation. Their work highlighted the ethical and technological benefits of virtual modeling in research.
Finally, Jeremiah Akalu, a Fellow from the University of Maryland, presented research on real-time electric power system resiliency under the mentorship of Dr. Javad Khazaei, alongside partners Mehdi Akbari and Maral Shadei. Their project earned first place in the Outstanding Research category, underscoring both the technical strength and real-world significance of their work.
Together, these six teams exemplified the mission of Lehigh’s Research Translation AcceLUrator by working to transform their team’s ideas into projects with real-world potential. We are proud to see the progress they made and happy to celebrate their success at the end of this 10-week summer bootcamp.