The Lehigh Earth Observatory coordinates several general activities distributed over a number of different programs and initiatives:

Baseline Studies and Monitoring: The observatory performs both baseline studies and long-term monitoring of selected important environmental systems, parameters, and locations. Examples include: water chemistry, stream hydrography, weather data, seismicity, ecological field surveys, and land use.

Research: By providing facilities, funding, coordination, and mentoring LEO fosters student research projects directed at specific problems in the earth and environmental sciences, engineering, and associated environmental studies. Research occurs in problem-based courses specifically designed for integrated learning; as part of summer internships and field courses; and as individual, undergraduate research projects.

Data Synthesis and Interpretation: LEO serves as a hub for earth and environmental information, archiving data derived from its own monitoring activities, from environmental and earth science-related research conducted at Lehigh, and from outside sources.

Instruction: LEO enhances active learning in existing courses by coordinating a number of laboratory exercises in classes at all levels. Students not only collect and analyze real data, but also assess their results in the context of data collected by previous classes and stored in the LEO databases. New, specific integrated learning courses designed to involve faculty and students from across Lehigh's four colleges, focus on particular environmental problems posed by companies, governmental agencies, or conservation groups.

Communication: An essential LEO activity is dissemination of data and ideas in a variety of forms. A minimum requirement is that data and results be made available to the public on the main LEO web site.