The Loewy Institute was built on the foundation of the Institute for Metal Forming (IMF), established at Lehigh University by renowned metal forming scientist Professor Betzalel Avitzur in 1970. The original objectives of the IMF were to teach the principles and applications of metal forming technology to graduate and undergraduate students, to provide instruction and equipment for graduate research in metal forming processes, and to assist industry by providing solutions to metal forming problems.

     Since 1997, when Professor Wojciech (Wojtek) Misiolek became director of IMF, researchers have conducted cross-disciplinary research in materials forming and processing. Faculty and students worked with peers from across departments, using the latest tools in material characterization and physical and numerical modeling to solve challenges in areas including structural material, biomaterials and optical materials.

     Over the years, the development of new materials and advances in processing methods have paved the way to take materials science and materials processing even further. The Loewy Family Foundation supported Lehigh in the establishment of the Loewy Endowed Chair in 1992, the Loewy Visiting Professorship in 1999, and the Loewy Graduate Fellowship in 2008.

     The Loewy Foundation’s support for Lehigh’s continuing evolution in the field was marked again in April 2016 with the formation of the Loewy Institute.