Our Bureau
Bethlehem, PA
Vinod Namboodiri, a professor with a joint appointment in the College of Health and P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, has been named the inaugural Ellen and Vincent Forlenza ’75 Endowed Chair in Health Innovation and Technology in the College of Health.
The Inaugural Forlenza ’75 Endowed Chair will advance Namboodiri’s work and research in the application of technology and health, specifically in the area of assisted technology for people with disabilities, and for an aging population.
Namboodiri’s initial appointment will be for five years, during which time he will work to drive innovation in health and technology to advance the mission of the College of Health and the Lehigh community at large.
Endowed chairs are the highest honor bestowed upon a distinguished faculty member and fuel research and scholarly activities. Ellen and Vincent Forlenza ’75 made the generous gift that created this endowed chair, the first of its kind in the College of Health.
Namboodiri’s vision for the Forlenza ’75 Endowed Chair includes the creation of an interdisciplinary research center themed around Assistive Technologies to improve the lives of people with disabilities, and in turn, their health care, well-being, and employment. The center will be focused on the intersection of health, disability, and aging, using technology as the pathway to solving challenges such as mobility, access, and aging in place, he said.
Namboodiri wants to conduct translational research to ensure that the research does not sit in a lab, but has a real-world impact. He plans to engage with affected populations for community-driven or community-inspired solutions in his work.
“Dr. Namboodiri is an interdisciplinary scholar and visionary leader whose work advances research that drives innovation in technology toward improvements for people with disabilities,” said Erica Hoelscher, associate dean for faculty and staff affairs in the College of Health.
Namboodiri joined Lehigh in 2023 as a professor of community & population health in the College of Health, and professor of computer science & engineering in the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science.
He actively contributes to both colleges in research, service, mentoring and teaching. Namboodiri is the principal investigator on past and ongoing large projects with the National Science Foundation, has both established and emerging community partnerships, and has a funding record that includes federal and foundational funding with the potential for funding from the private sector.
“Dr. Namboodiri is the perfect faculty member to hold this inaugural chair,” said Beth Dolan, dean of the College of Health.
