Cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. William S. Pierce, who graduated from Lehigh in 1958 with a degree in chemical engineering, led development of the first artificial heart pump, a milestone in the 1970s in medical technology and integrated research. The device, which has saved thousands of lives, was designated an International Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

Pierce excelled at Lehigh, where he did research on hemodynamics, the study of the motion of blood through the cardiovascular system. He went on to the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, where he built his first model of an electrically powered artificial heart. He later joined Penn State University and the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. In 1970, he created  the Artificial Heart and Circulatory Support Group there and joined forces with notable engineering associates to build the innovative heart-assist pump.