The Lehigh University Research Translation AcceLUrator (RTA), supported in part by a $6 million National Science Foundation Accelerating Research Translation (ART) grant, is helping build the university's capacity to move innovative research beyond the lab and into the world.
Through coaching and mentorship, education and training, and access to expert support, the RTA is strengthening the pathways that connect academic discoveries with real-world needs. By bringing together researchers, students, university leaders, and external partners, the initiative is fostering a culture of research translation and preparing the next generation of lifelong innovators.
This video highlights the people and partnerships driving that work, including the story of PEAK (Promoting Engagement with ADHD Pre-Kindergartners), an evidence-based behavioral parent training program developed by Lehigh researchers Lee Kern and George DuPaul. Through RTA support and a partnership with Scalable Care, PEAK is advancing toward broader implementation, demonstrating how research translation can help promising innovations reach the communities that need them.
Together, these efforts reflect Lehigh's commitment to ensuring that its most promising research doesn't just stay in the lab, but moves into the world to create lasting impact.
Featured Speakers (in order of appearance):
- Joseph J. Helble '82, PhD | President, Lehigh University
- Nathan Urban, PhD | Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
- John Coulter, PhD | RTA Principal Investigator; Professor and Associate Vice Provost for Research Translation
- Michael Lehman, MD, MBA | RTA Faculty Lead, Education and Training; Senior Professor of Practice, Technical Entrepreneurship
- Beth Dolan, PhD | Dean, College of Health, Lehigh University
- Faegheh "Farrah" Moazeni, PhD | Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering; STRP Leader
- George DuPaul, PhD | Professor of School Psychology; STRP Leader, PEAK
- Lee Kern, PhD | RTA Co-Principal Investigator; Professor of Special Education; STRP Leader, PEAK
- Allen Billings | CEO, Scalable Care