Lehigh University:

We all have stories of how Lehigh and its people have played important roles in our lives. As an alumnus with graduate degrees in clinical chemistry and chemistry, I have a deep appreciation for the Lehigh faculty who provided me with the foundation for a successful career. In fact, direct encouragement from Lehigh faculty, along with facilities and equipment, helped me begin my own company, Solar Care Technologies.

Later, as chief science officer at OraSure Technologies, my partners and I were able to bring products to market such as OraQuick, which has made important contributions in the early detection of HIV. Since leaving OraSure, I have joined Lehigh’s faculty as a professor of practice. I enjoy my close engagement with Lehigh’s students and scientists and again am experiencing the thrill of daily discovery. 

Now that I am a professor, I am seeing firsthand some of the tremendous needs of the university. When I returned to campus, for example, many of the labs at Lehigh were just as I left them in 1986. In fact, Lehigh’s undergraduate science facilities have not been updated since 1975. This is something we must address if Lehigh is to remain competitive in undergraduate science education.

The STEPS initiative will keep Lehigh at the top of its class and ensure students now and in the future have an exceptional educational experience, complete with the finest facilities. Personally, my wife Linda and I have been motivated to provide an undergraduate chemistry classroom within the STEPS facility. With the speed of technology changing, we want Lehigh to move ahead while continually strengthening the undergraduate sciences. My own course was inspired by Lehigh, and we want to help students today receive the highest quality education. All of us, as alumni, are responsible for setting the bar for future generations.

Dr. Sam Niedbala '84G '86G