Future Makers

From the classroom to the community, both on campus and around the world, Lehigh students, faculty and alumni are Future Makers, working to enact positive change.

Read the news story about our community of Future Makers and browse the profiles below.

Lillian
Wu
|

Contributing to Lasting Change

Lillian
Wu
27
|

Chemical Engineering Major

Contributing to Lasting Change

Goldwater Scholar Lillian Wu ’27 is tackling antibiotic resistance at Lehigh, turning unexpected lab discoveries into tangible solutions for global health challenges.

Patrick
Cox
|

Examining Shortcuts in the Brain

Patrick
Cox
|

Assistant Professor of Psychology | College of Arts and Sciences

Examining Shortcuts in the Brain

Patrick Cox shows how practice rewires the brain for effortless multitasking, helping professionals like radiologists and TSA officers make split-second decisions under pressure.

Sara
Heintzelman
|

Empowering Through Education

Sara
Heintzelman
11
|

Alumnus

Empowering Through Education

Sara Heintzelman M’11 created Get Joy Ice Cream and Coffee to empower individuals with differing abilities. As a Future Maker, she turns education into real-world opportunity for her community.

Sanvi
Bhatnagar
|

Bridging Gaps

Sanvi
Bhatnagar
26
|

College of Health, Population Health

Bridging Gaps

Sanvi Bhatnagar ’26 is bridging health equity gaps through rigorous community-based research. By analyzing social determinants, she’s developing data-driven strategies to improve patient outcomes.

Kathryn
Keating
|

Promoting Sustainability

Kathryn
Keating
26
|

Promoting Sustainability

Kathryn (Kit) Keating ’26 is disrupting the surf industry through RenewBluSurf. By researching bio-based materials and leveraging the Lehigh Ventures Lab, she’s building a more sustainable future for our oceans.

Matthew
O'Connell
|

Improving Wellness

Matthew
O'Connell
26
|

Improving Wellness

Matt O’Connell ’26 is advancing metabolic research to tackle chronic health challenges. By leveraging data-driven insights, he’s creating practical solutions to improve long-term community wellness.

Jordan
Ho
|

Examining Art Then & Now

Jordan
Ho
27
|

Philosophy and English Major

Examining Art Then & Now

Jordan Ho '27 analyzed Chaucer's form vs. modern adaptations, presenting her critical, canon-decolonizing research at three conferences and earned a Visiting Scholar spot at Oxford.

Andrew
Knoll
|

Exploring Life’s Origins

Andrew
Knoll
73
|

Alumnus

Exploring Life’s Origins

Knoll is one of the foremost geoscientists studying the Earth’s timeline of more than 3 billion years. Recipient of the 2022 Crafoord Prize in Geosciences, Knoll works to shed light on ancient mysteries and share insights into the 21st-century era

Martin
Harmer
|

Discovering Superalloys

Martin
Harmer
|

Faculty

Discovering Superalloys

Martin Harmer, a leading materials scientist at Lehigh, drives innovative research and development to bring advanced superalloy materials—essential for high-performance, critical industrial applications—to light.