Alumna Nelly Awad (BA ‘12) has been named an Obama Foundation Scholar, one of 25 rising young leaders from across the world selected by the foundation.

The Obama Foundation Scholars Program gives those already making a difference in their communities an opportunity to take their work to the next level, through a newly designed curriculum bringing together academic, skills-based, and hands-on learning. The program empowers individuals with a proven commitment to community service with the tools needed to make their efforts more effective, identify innovative solutions to complex global problems, and promote change through values-based leadership.

After completing the program, Obama Foundation Scholars return to their communities and continue the important work they started in the program by implementing their own personalized action plans. They also have an opportunity to play a role in the Obama Foundation’s efforts to inspire, train, and connect rising leaders from around the globe.

As part of the program, Awad, who majored in Political Science and International Affairs at LAU, will be pursuing her Master of Arts in International Development and Policy (MAIDP) at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy. Over the next ten months, she will also receive the training and resources necessary to launch a project of her choosing, scale it, and carry it out once back in Lebanon.

In an interview with LAU’s Marketing and Communications Department, Awad spoke about the scholarship, her goals within the foundation, and how LAU prepared her for this major achievement.

What type of project are you interested in undertaking as an Obama Foundation Scholar?

I am interested in creating a child rights-related project. I personally believe that children are the most captivating and engaging audiences you could ever work with. I previously focused my work on the sociology of childhood, documenting and comparing children’s experiences of a violation of their rights during times of peace and war. I am still unsure what aspect of child rights I would like to work on promoting, but so far I seem to be leaning toward education or protection.

What is your goal during your master’s at the University of Chicago and for your project?

I have set several goals for myself for the upcoming 10 months.

Academically, I want to dive more into the world of policymaking and expand on my analytical skills. Professionally, I want to connect and engage with like-minded people who work in specific policy fields such as in the Center for Human Potential and Public Policy (CHPPP) with a focus on the Behavioral Insights and Parenting Lab, and the Pearson Institute for the Study and Resolution of Global Conflicts.

Personally, I want to meet students from all over the world as well as South Side residents and to learn from their own aspirations, challenges, achievements, and lessons learnt both inside and outside the classroom – magnificent things happen when passionate change-makers come together!

How do you feel LAU prepared you to apply to the foundation and work with it as a scholar?

I actually had this conversation with my father prior to leaving for Chicago. LAU was my first home away from home. The way our program was designed allowed me to have access to foundational knowledge in the world of politics, diplomacy, international affairs, economics, history and communications.

I participated in many clubs, such as the Red Cross Youth, which not only helped introduce me to students with similar interests, but allowed me to build personal skills. I interned as a field researcher with the Permanent Peace Movement and Catholic Relief Services, where we investigated the causes of the escalation of violence in times of political turbulence in Lebanon and how these issues were addressed.

In addition, I interned at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where I assisted in organizing and coordinating protocol affairs and managing matters related to diplomatic privileges and immunities of foreign diplomatic missions in Lebanon. Having the opportunity to join clubs on campus and intern with organizations and institutions as a student allowed me to reflect on what I really wanted to pursue post-graduation.

Finally, I owe a great deal of my personal and professional development to Dr. Jennifer Skulte-Ouaiss – she was there to inspire me during my trials and to celebrate my milestones. I hope one day in the near or far future to inspire and impact civic-minded students the way she did.

What do you hope to bring back to Lebanon from your experience?

The main reason I was fascinated by the Obama Foundation Scholars Program and what it had to offer in conjunction with Harris School of Public Policy is the focus on what public policy really is, and how Harris has shifted this ideology that is reliant on politics and pedigree to a science that is rooted in data and impact. I personally believe that this is the way forward for any nation, through smarter decision-making and better policymaking. Making a social impact requires fresh thinking and testing different approaches, and I am hoping to expand on that during my time as an Obama Scholar.

I’m here to ask the difficult questions, to follow the evidence and to join many others back home in creating a lasting impact.

Did President Obama meet with the scholars?

The president met with the scholars during their first week and will meet them again throughout the course of the program. He walked into the room and attempted to match the names and faces, as he was familiar with the incoming scholars. I initially wanted to ask him how we could influence designing policy-based programs in our region, which is reliant on relief and aid. However, as the year goes by – and particularly when our courses start at the Harris School of Public Policy – I will probably reshape my question with the knowledge gained.

What advice would you give to civic-minded young scholars currently at LAU?

In the past year, I was a mentor for current LAU students. I can’t begin to explain how proud I was to know that the new generation of students was this ambitious and hardworking. I was constantly reminding them that they will succeed in all they aspire to do. However, it’s vital that they are kind to themselves; the world needs so much of their energy and passion, and they should never waste it by being too hard on themselves.  

“I’m here to ask the difficult questions, to follow the evidence and to join many others back home in creating a lasting impact,” says Awad.

Irwin Hall was charged with excitement and emotion at a welcoming ceremony for 74 new college students who are part of the Middle East Partnership Initiative Tomorrow’s Leaders (MEPI TL) Program.

The students are starting their academic careers both at LAU and at the American University of Beirut (AUB) thanks to MEPI TL, which provides scholarships to  promising students from across the Arab world to attend either of the two institutions in Lebanon. The program is an initiative of the US Department of State which has been running for the past 10 years, culminating in a total of 369 scholars to date. Currently, both universities are hosting 196 MEPI TLers, with a total funding of $41 million.

The welcoming ceremony was the first joint LAU-AUB event for MEPI TL students since the program’s launch. It was the culmination of a longer, intensive orientation program which featured guided tours off campus and covered essential information about living in Lebanon.

At the event, LAU President Dr. Joseph G. Jabbra stated the three goals under which MEPI was first established: to offer tangible support to people from the region; to provide young people with opportunities to promote stability, prosperity and good governance; and to give them the chance to participate in the political process and contribute to economic growth. “LAU and AUB chose to respond to those goals through higher education,” Jabbra said before declaring to the young people in attendance that they are, “in fact, today’s leaders, because if anything is needed, it is genuine change.”

“This is one of few fully funded programs available to Bahraini students that focuses on building future leaders, and possibly the only one that offers such enriching opportunities,” said Huda AlJeshi, a new MEPI TL student who will be majoring in international affairs at LAU. “I plan to use my education and training to bring pride to my country and my university,” she added.

AUB President Dr. Fadlo Khuri said the new scholars are “hardened by experience and renewed with hope,” having “urged their way here,” a reference to the rigorous selection process the students underwent to join the program.

Current students and MEPI TL alumni also took the stage at the front of the packed auditorium to share their experiences of the program.

Among them was Nada Al-Qabili, an MEPI TL AUB alumna who was recently accepted into LAU’s MA in International Affairs program and was one of 15 scholars selected to start a new chapter of the MEPI Tomorrow’s Leaders Graduate (TLG) program. “The MEPI TL and TLG programs are not just scholarships, they are leadership programs that celebrate this diverse group of creative and brilliant scholars,” she said, adding that along the way, “I became certain that I was fortunate to receive a top-level education.”

Dr. Jennifer Mergy, Deputy Political and Economic Chief at the US Embassy, concurred. “You are here to build better societies,” she said, noting the excitement in the auditorium. “You are already prepared to give back as leaders of today, and the road ahead is full of challenges, but it is also a road of important work and exciting prospects and I look forward to seeing you harness this energy in the next four years.”   

From left: Drs Jabbra, Khuri, and Mergy.

LAU-MEPI TLers during one of the outings as part of their intensive orientation program.

MEPI TL Program Director Dina Abdel Rahman and President Jabbra pose with the new LAUers outside Irwin Hall.

Hadi Saade wants to change the way Lebanon uses power. The 19-year-old LAU mechatronics engineering student is behind the startup Solice, which proposes “a clean, efficient and cost-effective alternative to traditional power.”

Saade describes Solice’s products as “solar-based but with added value.” He has developed a tracker that follows the sun’s arc across the sky to increase efficiency, and a cooling mechanism that prevents overheating and thus power loss among photovoltaic solar panels. Solice’s flagship product is a patented solar panel that is 20 percent more efficient and has double the lifespan of models already on the market, and that simultaneously acts as a water heater, producing double savings for households and businesses that use it.

All of the devices promise to reduce pollution and noise caused by traditional generators, which kick in during Lebanon’s daily rolling power outages.

Because of his product’s numerous applications and potential to benefit so many people, Saade entered his company in the Hult Prize competition, which selects and incubates community-focused startups run by students at universities across the world. Over most of 2018, Saade received mentoring on design, production, marketing and more, and created a powerful presentation for the competition’s judges.

Solice came in among the top three in the Hult Prize Middle East Finals this month, and Saade is sure to make an impact in a country that has over 300 days of sunshine per year but a staggering deficit of electricity.

“Most Lebanese pay the national electricity company for their monthly power usage as well as a generator supplier, who can mark up the cost or deliver less electricity than promised,” he says. And while there are other solar panels on the market, they are inefficient and very expensive.

“Solice is based on the idea that people should get what they pay for – and more,” he says, adding, “I believe energy should be free, and producing it should not be detrimental to the environment.”

Energy is just one of the problems he hopes to tackle in his career. Also on his radar are what he says other big challenges Lebanon is facing: “poor waste management – from sewage to trash – and the aging and incomplete infrastructure.”

Contrary to the sense of resignation that many feel about Lebanon’s problems, Saade sees opportunities. “There are solutions,” he says. “There are always solutions.”

As a full-time student with a growing company to think about, Saade is busy. But being part of an institution such as LAU means there are always inspiration and opportunities at hand. He thanks his professors at the School of Engineering for their mentorship, and notes that any student can break into the startup world with the right resources. For example, he says, “I see great potential in the The Fouad Makhzoumi Innovation Center, and I believe it will lead to long-term, positive developments for LAU, for its students, and for Lebanon.”

And though he was instructed in business and marketing as part of the Hult Prize sessions, he says he’s interested in taking some courses at the Adnan Kassar School of Business to best prepare himself for his future.

As for what pushes him to excel despite his rigorous academic and professional schedule, Saade says, simply, “I’ve always had a vision of innovation. I’ve always dreamed of creating new things.”

Solice’s flagship product is a patented solar panel that is 20 percent more efficient and has double the lifespan of models already on the market.

Saade’s Solice came in among the top three in the Hult Prize Middle East Finals.

The Centre for Lebanese Studies (CLS) at LAU and the Lebanese Association for History (LAH) are on a mission to transform how students in Lebanon learn history.

According to CLS Director Dr. Maha Shuayb, the teaching of history in Lebanon has been “hijacked by politicians,” and the textbooks used by students across the country have not been updated since the 1960s.

CLS and LAH, who have collaborated since 2013 on a number of projects, took the first step toward much-needed change. On September 5, they celebrated the closing of the capacity-building project, How Do We Make Our Students Young Historians?

The two-year program trained history teachers from across the country to advance a pedagogical shift in history education, from memorizing a single narrative to learning history as a discipline. It also produced a teacher education curriculum guide to be presented to the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE) as a comprehensive professional development program.

The initiative, explained Shuayb, “puts the agency back in the history teachers’ hands and sets it on a development track, so that they can lead, experiment and engage their students in critical thinking and open debate.”

The sessions focused on moving away from the traditional grand narrative to a disciplinary approach that enhances historical thinking, favoring the experiential and collaborative classroom model, all while building a community of history teachers in Lebanon. 

Though successful, the program was quite a challenge to bring to life. In a commentary, LAH President Nayla Hamadeh said that the biggest hurdle was in balancing the two teaching methods so that teachers can launch a change in their classrooms while keeping students on track for the official exams. To start with, the program meant that 36 trainees had to convene for 12 days of training across two school years, without it affecting their performance at work. They were also required to reconcile the new teaching techniques with the traditional, approved curriculum.

For example, the official exam, which is only based on students’ retention of information, could not be compromised. “Trainees had to find a balance between the value of changing their practices, while at the same time ensuring that their students actually pass the official exams, which are built around one narrative,” Hamadeh said.

Given the excitement that filled the room at the closing ceremony, the teachers’ enthusiasm, and the creative visual displays put up by the organizers, the initiative seems to have secured a longer-term influence.

Moving forward, LAH and CLS plan to diversify the workshops, expand them to include a larger number of teachers, and to work more closely with the MEHE in an effort to influence policy. In fact, the ministry’s support was evident at the event, with the presence of Dr. Nada Hassan, representing MEHE General Director Fadi Yarak.

As for funding, support for this specific project came through the Embassy of the Netherlands. Deputy Head of Mission at the embassy Margret Verwijk spoke of the significance of teaching history as a discipline. Quoting Dutch philosopher Spinoza, she said, “If you want the present to be different from the past, study the past.”

Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Netherlands Margret Verwijk emphasized the significance of teaching history as a discipline.

LAH President Nayla Hamadeh spoke of the need to find a balance between two different teaching methods.

CLS Director Dr. Maha Shuayb explained the purpose of the initiative as putting the “agency back in the history teachers’ hands.”

School of Engineering Associate Professor Dr. Mahmoud Wazne is tapping into a problem that is plaguing Lebanon’s natural resources – and the solution might be literally brighter than most would think. That is because the process of treating the industrial wastewater pouring into Lebanon’s Litani River Basin could be linked to generating electricity in the future, something Lebanon – with its rolling power outages – desperately needs.

Wazne’s proposal, “Advancing Anaerobic Digestion in the Upper Litani Basin for Industrial Wastewater Treatment,” was one of those selected by the Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) program to receive a $160,000 research grant. This grant will propel Wazne’s research forward as testing begins and water samples are collected this fall.

The problem with the Litani River Basin is clear: Organic industrial waste from food factories and processing plants is discharging into its water sources. Left untreated, this organic discharge consumes the oxygen in the water, subsequently killing living organisms, generating contagious diseases, and negatively altering the ecosystem.

Because Lebanon’s food processing industries are not incentivized to improve the situation by treating their plants’ discharge, Wazne wants to find ways for waste streams to be treated in a way “that can meet both industry and environmental needs,” he says.

He envisions treating industrial waste streams by combining different sources in a process termed “co-digestion.”

“For some factories that produce discharge with high levels of one contaminant, we are looking at the possibilities of combining that with discharge from another plant to produce a more nutrient-balanced waste stream that can become more amenable to biological treatment, and therefore act as a productive part of the ecosystem,” he explains.

Wazne is confident that his research will not only shed light on the problem, but that a solution could be attractive for regulators, industries, and individuals. Because a by-product of the co-digestion process of industrial waste treatment is methane, this could be burned and used as an alternative source of electricity.

The PEER research grant is also sponsored by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which has identified Wazne’s work as having significance on a global scale. Wazne and his team will be working with microbiologists in the US using the most advanced microbial fuel cell technology to enrich bacterial communities responsible for enhancing the biological treatment of organic waste streams in an integrated bioelectrochemical reactor.

Wazne’s research findings, with all of its applications, will also be presented at the industry level in the form of workshops. Wazne will additionally issue a white paper as a set of guidelines for industries to optimize their waste treatment.

“At the end of the first year of this project,” he says, “our workshops will provide an outlet for sharing treatment technologies and will lead to the collaboration between the industries producing the waste, the regulators, and other stakeholders ­– this is when the real value of our work is realized.”

The threat to the Litani River Basin is the organic industrial waste from food factories and processing plants being discharged into its water sources.

Wazne is confident that his research will not only shed light on the problem, but that a solution could be attractive for regulators, industries, and individuals.

On September 21 of every year, the world celebrates International Day of Peace. To mark the occasion, the Marketing and Communications Department sat down with Dr. Lina Abirafeh, director of the Institute for Women’s Studies in the Arab World (IWSAW), to talk about how including women in the peacebuilding process is the key to stability and progress in the region. 

Do you think having more women in positions of power could create better peacebuilding?

Globally, there have been calls for decades to ensure women’s full inclusion in all aspects of peacekeeping and peacebuilding, which means that organizations have recognized the vital role women play in conflicts and crises. In fact, women are pivotal to peace, and peace has to be viewed from the lens of the women. If it is not – which happens often – it renders peace meaningless.

Why is it so important to view peace “from the lens of the women?” And why do you think women are the first to suffer when conflicts arise? 

When a crisis hits, new forms of conflict and violence emerge, especially for women and girls whose pre-existing vulnerabilities become amplified. In fact, just when we think that the emergency – be it war or a natural disaster – is over, for women, the emergency is just beginning. So we need to understand both conflict and peace from a gendered perspective, and what “peace” means for women.

Before joining LAU, I worked in places like Afghanistan, Haiti, Nepal, the Congo, the Central African Republic and others for 20 years. Throughout those experiences, I’ve learned that one in three girls or women worldwide will experience some form of violence in their lifetime. Violence against women is the most egregious human rights violation in the world, and it is often perpetrated by those we love and trust. This includes people who come to “help.” Too often, we hear of peacekeepers or relief workers who exploit the very women they are supposed to protect. It’s very difficult for them to feel safe ever again.

Closer to home, where do the Arab states stand on inviting women to play a part in the peacebuilding process?

Women, Peace and Security has been a key UN strategy for quite some time – and this region is far behind. Too many Arab countries are among the lowest ranked in terms of how they measure women's wellbeing and empowerment in homes, communities, and societies, both in times of peace and instability. Look at countries like Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Sudan, and Palestine. Where is the peace? And when there is talk of peace – where are the women? 

For 45 years, IWSAW has both pioneered and served as a catalyst for empowering women. Considering the emergencies for the women in the region, especially in neighboring Syria, what steps has the institute taken to address these crises?

Together with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), IWSAW held a conference entitled Women, Peace and Security. It called for introducing a new paradigm that promotes a culture of peace and active protection of women from violence, and it tackled issues of violent extremism, radical religious discourse and political repression.

Another example of the institute’s work is No Demand No Supply, a lecture performance that was based on video and audio interviews with the Syrian women who survived sexual trafficking in Lebanon. The performance was created by women, about women and told from women’s perspective, which helped raise unprecedented awareness on the plight of Syrian women refugees.

The institute further promotes women in peacebuilding by partnering with the Continuing Education Program (CEP) to establish a certificate program on Gender in Development and Humanitarian Assistance. The innovative program combines academic knowledge and practice to address the role of women in contexts of peace, post-conflict and recovery. It creates a new standard in gender education for development and humanitarian professionals in line with internationally recognized practice, and helps build local capacity to address local issues – creating a cadre of professionals in the Arab region who can carry this work forward. Through this program, we at IWSAW aim to lay the foundations for genuine sustainable development as well.

What is your message to women in the region who are already in positions of power?

They MUST do more. These women are very few, but they often subscribe to the patriarchal status quo rather than use their positions to fight for change from the inside. We at the institute would love an opportunity to guide these women – perhaps form a coalition of women in the region who are serious about equality, peace and prosperity; women who are inclusive and non-discriminatory and who represent the full range of women in the region. Those are the women leaders I’d like to see – and see more of! And then we’ll stand a chance for peace.

Conflict and peace, says Abirafeh, have to be understood from a gendered perspective.

On the occasion of International Day of Peace, LAU interviewed Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Dr. Makram Ouaiss, who specializes in conflict resolution, democratic development, elections and international relations. Ouaiss, who has worked on good-governance and conflict resolution programs in a number of countries including Lebanon, speaks about war, civic engagement, and the prospects for lasting peace in an often-turbulent region.

Considering our region has witnessed wars for decades, are we any closer to developing the mechanisms to resolve conflicts?

Unfortunately not. The disagreement among major powers regarding certain countries in the MENA such as Israel, Syria, Yemen and Iran among others, the weakness of the Arab League, and the lack of alternative Arab initiatives are reasons for the inability to develop such structures.

There is also no effort by the UN to help build such mechanisms in the region. The present mechanisms, which are important, are more specific to certain conflicts and issues, such as the presence of UNIFIL in southern Lebanon.

Does understanding previous conflicts help avoid new ones?

Previous conflicts can help us understand the dynamics, potential paths, and possible points of intervention. However, it is not always possible to avoid new conflicts if the political will, resources, or surrounding circumstances are not conducive to peace – such as foreign interference, economic downturn, environmental catastrophes, mass migration, disease, etc.

The more complex the conflict, the more difficult it becomes to control, for certain variables, and develop reliable mechanisms to predict the course of escalation. However, studying and understanding the history of previous conflicts enhances the ability of people, states and the international community to prevent, act, and monitor such conflicts in the long run.

What in your opinion are the main impediments to peace – international, regional and local – in the Middle East?

Among the factors that represent significant impediments to peace in the MENA are: Unresolved and deeply rooted conflicts; authoritarian regimes that limit citizens’ participation; the “resource curse” and lack of socio-economic development; a weak participatory political culture as a result of colonialism and foreign military presence; extensive external meddling; demographic explosion due to low education levels (especially among women); poor economic development (including redistribution mechanisms); and weak institutional regional frameworks, such as the Arab League, which should play a regulatory and, at times, police role.

In comparison to other conflicts around the world, are the same dynamics at play?

In many ways yes, except that each region has different combinations or presence of the above factors. 

Is there a chance to pre-empt conflicts, through a transparent electoral system, accountability, education?

Yes. There are many ways to preempt conflicts, and a few countries in the region have succeeded in doing so. There is a need to build the infrastructure of peace, culturally, politically, diplomatically, militarily and otherwise. There is also a need for stable socio-economic development.

While institutions play a very important role, youth education and civic involvement are essential elements.

As for good governance, it is something we learn through practice. The region’s history in this regard is checkered. Foreign interventions, authoritarian regimes, poor socio-economic development and conflicts have for the most part limited the ability of countries to grow that knowledge and consolidate good practices. 

Lebanon has witnessed its share of armed conflict. How are Lebanese youth being empowered to recognize and address signs of imminent conflict?

Sadly, Lebanon’s war generation is failing its youth by not allocating the necessary resources to teach them about the consequences of the 1975-1990 War. Our history continues to be taught up to 1971 with disregard for the war and its atrocities, its political consequences, and devastating lessons.

Initiatives by non-governmental organizations, universities and civil society to involve youth and raise their awareness have been very successful, and at the heart of empowering youth and working through the fear and division left by the sectarian conflict.

Still, such work is insufficient given the number of unresolved issues related to the war, the continued presence of former warlords in the political class who are unwilling to address such issues and the zero-sum thinking that continues to dominate the Lebanese sectarian-based political system.

Nevertheless, youth’s increasing civic engagement and involvement in politics and peace initiatives is likely to bring about gradual change and build the country’s capacity to tackle signs of imminent conflict.

Pre-empting conflicts is feasible, according to Ouaiss, and some countries in the region have succeeded in doing so.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed the world around us and become a practical reality. Years ago, the idea that a machine could create another machine would have been subject to ridicule. Today, AI challenges our uncertainties by transforming our everyday lives.

Delving deeper into the realm of AI, the School of Engineering (SOE) and the AI Club welcomed SOE alumnus and University of Oxford graduate student Ralph Abboud (BE, ‘17) for an exciting talk about Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based automatic programming on September 19.  

Students, faculty, AI Club members, and interested students crowded into the talk, which was held at the SOE’s seat on Byblos campus.

After a short welcome by AI Club representative Charbel Badr, Interim Assistant Dean and Assistant Professor of Computer Engineering Joe Tekli opened the event by welcoming the students and giving them a brief introduction on Abboud, who was eager to share with the audience his latest research and findings from Oxford University.

Abboud explained how program synthesis can address second-order logic problems and the different conventional methods that the system can use. He introduced to the audience a program he has been working on for the past five months. DeepSynth, which is a supervised learning neural-program synthesis system, has the ability to serve as a standalone synthesis tool for smaller programs.

When asked how program synthesis can be an effective tool for engineering or computer science students, Abboud said it can help them concentrate on the more complicated and rigorous aspects of programs. “When you subtract away the simple stuff, at least with what we have now, it lets computer scientists focus more on formalisms and semantics,” he told the crowd.

He added that DeepSynth can help users manage patterns. As a result, it can simplify the process of completing parts of the project that the user would like to create.

“AI does have a place in program synthesis,” said Abboud. “In the best case, we can expect it to replace conventional methods, because it’s definitely faster and more efficient.”

Abboud, a distinguished SOE alumnus and recipient of the highest SOE and LAU awards, recently completed his master’s in computer science at the University of Oxford and has been awarded a full scholarship to join its prestigious PhD program, where he plans to further investigate AI and machine learning techniques and their applications on focused pattern matching and recognition problems.

Integrating AI into curricula is greatly beneficial to students, Dr. Tekli said, especially for those studying engineering and computer science.

“We interact with AI on a daily basis; from our cars to our smartphones – AI is everywhere,” he said. “Machine learning and data mining are important skills that are sought after in this industry, especially when applying for jobs.”

The SOE aims to hold more technical seminars and workshops that all LAU students can freely attend and benefit from, he noted. “These workshops can definitely help prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow."                     

When asked about the impact that AI will have on education in the future, Dr. Tekli said, “Will we have AI teachers in the future disseminating material to students? Where is it going to lead? Nobody really knows – we’re going to have to wait and see!”

Students, faculty and staff learned about AI-based automatic programming.

SOE alumnus and University of Oxford graduate student Ralph Abboud (BE, ‘17) during his talk about Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based automatic programming.

Three mothers tackled depression, stigma against children with disabilities, and social pressures in a moving performance using storytelling, music and dance to convey emotions.

They were taking part in the production of Ta’ Sakena, a play about mental health issues by Egyptian director Nada Sabet presented by the Institute for Women Studies in the Arab World (IWSAW) and the Department of Communication Arts in Gulbenkian Theater on September 17.

The play was followed by a panel discussion between Associate Professor of Theater Lina Abyad, Associate Professor of Education Ahmed Oueini, Catharsis-Lebanese Center for Drama Therapy Project Manager Lama Daccache, and Sabet, with Assistant Professor of Music Amr Selim acting as moderator.

The production was the culmination of a year-long theater workshop with 12 women whom the director met at Al-Abbasiya Psychiatric Hospital in Egypt.

“I was actually approached by the head of the hospital ward, who wanted to do something to support the mothers who wait for their children in the outpatient clinics,” Sabet said in an interview.

Sabet, who is the artistic director of Noon Creative Enterprise, was asked to organize a theater workshop, which she billed as “while you wait for your kid this can be a different way of working on yourself,” she said. By the end of the workshop, the women entrusted Sabet with their stories, but they did not want to be in a play. When the production runs, actors play the roles of the mothers.

The actresses used silk foulards in dramatic movements on stage while narrating each story. One mother, overtaken by depression, struggles to control her temper while at the same time wanting to get better for her children. In one scene, they relay the story of children desperately trying to wake their depressed mother who sometimes sleeps for 36 hours straight.

Another painted a painfully detailed picture of the bullying her mentally ill child faces at school. She must also fight to shift the attitudes of other parents and even educators, all the while being socially ostracized as a divorcee.

Ta’ Sakena – which refers to the silent letter T in Arabic – was shown in several places in Egypt, Lebanon and Bahrain. “It is a bit shocking that these are the stories of the lives of women regardless of where they are. And it is actually quite sad,” Sabet said.

IWSAW Assistant Director Myriam Sfeir said that academic institutions can play “an important role in looking at things alternatively, and this is what we tried to do through hosting this play at LAU.”

“This performance showcases the hidden effects of anxiety and depression. It exposes women’s lived realities and the daily challenges they face in such circumstances,” she added.

Following the play, the panelists discussed the role of theater in highlighting sensitive social and psychological topics, drama therapy as an alternative therapeutic approach, and education reform.

Dr. Abyad spoke about the power of theater in communicating strong messages on the social and psychological issues plaguing Lebanese society.

In one of her plays, Haida Mish Film Masri (This Is Not an Egyptian Movie), Abyad addressed domestic violence using the real-life stories of battered women.

She said the audience’s reactions often took her by surprise, with people becoming emboldened to share stories of their own. She recalls a specific instance in which a male audience member, clearly moved by the performance, “stood up and said, ‘All of these women on stage are my mother.’”

“This is what theater gives the audience, the courage to speak up and participate. The impact is very powerful,” she added.

As far as the intentional use of drama for therapeutic purposes, “Everything inside needs to come out in any way either through talking, dancing or drawing,” said Daccache. “It is a way to communicate that is not common.”

The panelists also touched on integrated learning for children with disabilities, noting the high cost of private schooling in Lebanon, inadequate curricula and stereotyping of children with special needs.

“We are all different one way or another,” said Dr. Oueini. “Why don’t we change the curricula to accommodate children with special needs? The whole society needs to support this process, which is difficult and long-term.”

He said that one way to challenge traditional thinking is through plays that help open the door for the audience to reach out to people who face such problems. “There are a thousand ways to get this message through.”

(From left) Amr Selim, Nada Sabet, Ahmed Oueini, Lama Daccache, and Lina Abyad during the panel discussion following the play

The actresses used music and dance to convey emotion

The main actresses during the final scene of the play

As much as Lebanon pushes forward on innovation and education, this year’s World Economic Forum (WEF) report shows that it still lags behind, largely due to its chronic problems in infrastructure and socio-economic environment.

According to the report, Lebanon came in 105th among the 137 countries studied, and as LAU Professor and Economics Chair Dr. Ghassan Dibeh noted in his article in his column in the Al-Akhbar newspaper, the country is wasting its gifts. “Lebanon ranks 15th in the availability of scientists and engineers. However, the Lebanese economy by nature converts all these advantages into a low competitive standing.” Lebanon’s low ranking, he says, “is not a result of bad luck, but rather it is due to current economic policies and the Lebanese economic model. The deeper we look into other factors the more we could see evidence of a deep-rooted, structural crisis.”

What caught many by surprise is Lebanon’s strong performance on one of the 12 pillars of the index: Higher Education and Training. Lebanon’s “quality of math and science education” puts the country at a global 4th, and the quality of its management schools at 9, and its overall quality of the education system at 18.

Factors that are pulling the country down, as mentioned in the report, can be traced to Lebanon’s governance, from “irregular payments and bribes” and “favoritism in decisions of government officials,” to debt and infrastructure, where for one example, “quality of electricity supply” puts us in the third rank from the bottom, globally. 

For LAU Associate Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Tamirace Fakhoury, the problems stem from “endemic corruption” and “informal clientele networks that weaken the consolidation of institutions and politicize important issues at the heart of global competitiveness, namely electricity, internet and technology.” She adds that all of this “weakens public trust in politicians, an important sub-indicator in assessing global competitiveness.”

Fakhoury called for tracking down the links between governmental policies and practices on the one hand, and the country’s economic reality on the other, as a first step to identifying the source of problems like corruption and politicization of public services.

From there, it seems we all have a collective role to play. Experts agree that independent institutions such as LAU have potential to positively influence Lebanon, not just in raising the bar for higher education, but also in terms of supplying a competent workforce. With close to two thousand new graduates last year alone, LAU is stepping in to provide capable new talent into the market. For one example, the report ranks Lebanon 15th worldwide in availability of scientists and engineers.

Along those lines, more good news emerges from the report. “Lebanon is punching above its weight in terms of business sophistication, technological readiness and innovation,” the report notes, which is evident in relatively higher ranking in business sophistication and innovation, as well as higher education and training.

LAU Associate Professor of Education Dr. Rima Bahous confirms the numbers, highlighting that Lebanon’s education system is strong, diverse and open to innovation. Further to this, “Lebanon is receiving many grants to enhance the teaching and learning processes at all education levels.”

She suggests conducting research to produce national needs analysis, which will identify short and long-term reforms and feed into new policies. As one example, “a government body that ensures all teachers renew their teaching certification periodically can go a long way,” she noted.

Dr. Dibeh summed up the situation: “The crisis has hit a point where we can no longer repeat the strategies of the past and hope to achieve a breakthrough,” he wrote. His proposed plan of action is to “leave this thinking behind and adopt new policies that can transform the talent and skill sets of the Lebanese, into real technological advancement.”

Despite receiving low marks on other competitiveness indicators, Lebanon’s educational system ranks 18th among 137 countries studied by the World Economic Forum.

LAU’s School of Engineering (SOE) has received accreditation from the Federation of Arab Engineers for five of its programs: the civil, electrical, computer, industrial and mechanical engineering bachelor’s degrees.

All five of the programs are already accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), giving SOE graduates an edge for employment and graduate studies in the United States and Europe. Now, with the Federation of Arab Engineers (FAE) accreditation, SOE graduates can land high-quality engineering jobs in Kuwait and other Gulf countries in line with new government requirements.

The FAE is a member of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations, under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organizations (UNESCO). Obtaining FAE accreditation ensures that the SOE’s programs “meet the standards of graduating engineers ready to enter critical technical fields in the Arab region,” said SOE Interim Dean Raymond Ghajar. “The FAE’s voluntary peer-review process is highly respected in the region because it adds critical value to academic programs in technical disciplines, where quality, precision, and safety are of the utmost importance,” he added.

This latest accreditation speaks highly of the quality of the SOE’s programs, supports the school’s mission of excellence in teaching, research, and other scholarly activities, and improves LAU’s visibility and ranking in Lebanon and the region.

“In today’s competitive job market in the Gulf, we believe that accreditation by FAE will broaden the spectrum for our engineering graduates to secure quality jobs.” Dr. Ghajar said. “This accreditation highlights, yet again, our commitment for academic excellence in everything we do.”

LAU’s School of Engineering has received accreditation from the Federation of Arab Engineering for five of its programs, which will allow graduates to work legally in the Gulf region.

Data powerhouse Times Higher Education (THE) has revealed its latest rankings of top universities worldwide for 2019, and LAU is on the map. Placed in the 601-800 bracket out of over  1,258 universities, LAU is among the elite higher education institutions in the world, and one of only two universities in Lebanon to be ranked, thanks to a host of factors such as teaching quality.  

This is the first time LAU has made it on THE’s World University Rankings. Its appearance comes following an extended push by LAU’s senior leadership, its seven schools, its office of Graduate Studies and Research, its Department of Institutional Research & Assessment, and its Student Development and Enrollment Management to advance the university’s position as an international educational powerhouse in line with the pillars of the Third Strategic Plan: Intellectual Capital and Knowledge Management, Pedagogical Innovation and Integrated Delivery, and LAU without Borders.

A closer look at LAU’s THE results reveals exceptional performance in the area of teaching, in which LAU is a regional leader. Another criterion that boosted LAU in the rankings was its citation impact. The fact that LAU faculty are well-published is not new, but the quality and relevance of their scholarship is noteworthy.

LAU President Dr. Joseph G. Jabbra praised the increased quantity and quality of the faculty’s scholarship in an address to the community. “Compared to five years ago, our research output has improved by 60 percent,” he said, adding that LAU's faculty published around 400  articles in refereed journals over the past two years, 70 peer-reviewed conference papers, and six refereed books published by renowned academic publishers. In addition, 21 applications for research projects were granted by the National Council for Scientific Research, one research project was granted by Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research, and another by the National Institutes of Health, a primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public-health research.

“Our faculty’s citations are on par with the faculty of the top universities worldwide,” agreed Dr. Samer Saab, interim dean of Graduate Studies and Research. “But the bigger story is the quality of the LAU research – publications in prestigious journals, the grants and partnerships are some of the metrics that indicate that LAU faculty are doing research that matters while driven by student centeredness.”

The type of data presented in THE’s report is not isolated. A survey released in late summer by QS, another prominent organization that collects and analyzes data on the world’s top universities, has also ranked LAU among the leading academic institutions worldwide, coming in at the 301-500 bracket.

For students, these rankings quantify the benefits of studying at LAU.

Students seeking summer internships or full-time employment post-graduation are a step ahead of their peers from other regional universities. This is a direct result of the support they receive before graduation to prepare them for the job market, which is especially important in tough economic periods like the one Lebanon is facing now.

In the category of employer-student connections, for example, QS ranks LAU at 89, ahead of other world-renowned institutions such as Carnegie Mellon (96), Harvard (97), Yale (98), and American University of Beirut (110).

 “LAU devotes a lot of effort to fostering longstanding relationships with local companies,” said Byblos campus’ Lead Career Guidance Officer Hassan Baalbaki. “We are open to the way they want to recruit, and we provide personalized services to cater to their needs.”

One of the ways LAU builds ties between students and employers is through alumni engagement. LAU also takes a more proactive approach to matching graduating students with potential employers with dedicated career services in departments and schools, and through an online Career Guidance portal that provides an open platform for employers to post job listings and for students to upload their CVs.

Another factor contributing to LAU’s employer-student connections is the number of memorandums of agreement – 26 in the past two years – that are being signed with employers. These agreements not only formalize their relationship with LAU, but also cement their commitment to hire from the pool of elite LAU students.

For prospective university students trying to choose where to pursue their degrees, so many indicators can be overwhelming. But for most students, the most important metric is employability. The QS 2019 Graduate Employability Rankings notes that a full 82 percent of LAU graduates secure full-time employment within 12 months of graduation. For students interested in internships, LAU has promoted and placed upward of 1,300 students, including about 130 in internships abroad.

In an ever-changing academic climate and competitive job market, LAU stands among the world’s top universities. Through its commitment to excellence in education, top-notch research faculty, and successful placement of its graduates in employment opportunities around the world, the expectation is that LAU will continue to rise in the rankings year after year.

LAU’s position as an institution of academic excellence has been confirmed by two recent rankings - one from Times Higher Education and one from QS.

LAU student Maya Reaidy has been named this year’s Miss Lebanon. The pharmacy major was crowned to enthusiastic applause at Forum de Beirut on September 30.

But Reaidy’s win is not the only thing tying LAU to the pageant.

Reaidy and her fellow contestants made up the first cohort of Miss Lebanon hopefuls to receive extensive training over several weeks this summer at LAU on topics many would not necessarily associate with the pageant world, including gender equality, negotiation, conflict resolution and public speaking. The training was run in collaboration with LAU’s Institute for Women’s Studies in the Arab World (IWSAW), the Communication Arts Department, and the Outreach and Civic Engagement Office.

Following her win, Reaidy said that she is ready to represent Lebanon in the upcoming Miss Universe pageant, due to take place in December. “I feel empowered by all the support and training I’ve received,” she said, further thanking the Miss Lebanon Organization.

During their training at LAU ahead of the pageant, the 30 Miss Lebanon contestants gathered on Beirut and Byblos campuses for hands-on learning that included seminars and trips off campus intended to foster a sense of civic engagement. Many of the young women agreed that the training was a welcome change to how the pageant is run, and was in fact what encouraged them to apply in the first place.

In a previous commentary on the training, LAU’s Chair of the Communication Arts Dr. Jad Melki said: “We tried to inject some feminist ideals and empower the contestants to powerfully represent their true intelligent, strong and accomplished selves, and to effectively champion social justice causes in our society.”

For IWSAW Director Dr. Lina Abirafeh, Reaidy now has a bigger role to play. “She has invariably become an ambassador with a responsibility to project the Lebanon we want to see – one that promotes equality, diversity and rights – not just physical traits.” Referring to the training, she is hopeful that some of the contestants will “start to think differently about their role and responsibility for the next generation of women leaders. This is the beginning of a process. After all, every woman deserves to know what her rights are, and what she can do to fight for equality.”

LAU pharmacy student Maya Reaidy won Miss Lebanon on September 30, 2018.

From renovating key spaces to generously contributing to student activities and scholarships, the Alwaleed Bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation has given much to LAU and the community in its 15-year history.

To celebrate the foundation’s service during the past decade and a half, LAU hosted the Alwaleed Bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation Vice President, Leila El Solh Hamadé, at a ceremony on September 27.  Held at LAU’s Beirut campus, the celebration gathered LAU students, faculty, and staff, as well as a number of university leaders, including LAU Senior Advisor to the President for Public Affairs Christian Oussi, who captivated attendees at Irwin Theater with his stirring speech about Hamadé’s achievements despite Lebanon’s often-discouraging circumstances.

“She plants joy in a time of sorrow through what she does, and gives as vice president of this generous foundation,” Dr. Oussi explained in his opening address to attendees. “She plants hope in all of us that the good in this world is not gone, and that the light of patriotism is still shining bright in the hearts of many, and Lebanon’s resurrection is inevitable as long as it has someone like Leila El Solh Hamadé.”

LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra echoed the sentiment, addressing Hamadé directly in his speech. “Through the gifts that you have made to Lebanon, you are a role model, showing everybody that you are a true Lebanese, embracing all the regions, denominations, and socioeconomic strata of Lebanon,” he said.

The Alwaleed Bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation in Lebanon is part of Alwaleed Philanthropies, a Saudi Arabia-based philanthropic institution that has a 38-year history serving millions of people across the globe, regardless of gender, race, or religion. Founded by Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, a Saudi businessman and member of the royal family – the organization has supported thousands of projects in more than 90 countries – from the Arab, Asia, and African regions to Europe, Oceania and the Americas.

“We are keen on cooperating with LAU for the future of the Lebanese youth,” explained Hamadé in her address, reaffirming her foundation’s commitment to the university and its students.   

She also took the occasion to praise LAU’s Model United Nations program, which she has previously supported through the foundation, and is a staunch believer in its ability to transform youth. “Through Model United Nations, we witnessed the students enter as youth and come out as leaders, and own the present to change the future,” she said.

The special anniversary celebration included a short documentary on the Alwaleed Bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation’s efforts, a reception, and a dinner in the evening hosted by Dr. Jabbra, who was deeply touched by Hamadé’s indefatigable commitment to Lebanon.

Leila El Solh Hamadé with Dr. Jabbra on LAU Beirut campus.

On September 26, the School of Pharmacy (SOP) celebrated the transition of a new cohort of students into the first professional year of the curriculum. Having completed their pre-pharmacy requirements, the new P1 students were presented with white coats, marking their induction into the next stage of the program.

Friends and family of the students gathered at dusk at the SOP’s seat on Byblos campus for the ceremony.

LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra opened the event with a speech covering the history and significance of the white coat ceremony, describing the rite of passage it represents for students as they work toward their professional degrees.

“The white coat is a symbol, not of status, but of a promise and commitment that no matter what, patients will be treated with care and love,” Dr. Jabbra said.

SOP Dean Imad Btaiche subsequently took the stage. He spoke about how LAU’s pharmacy curriculum builds healthcare professionals who care for their patients with professionalism and ethics via a rounded approach. He drew a roadmap of how the SOP’s all-inclusive curriculum prepares students to provide holistic patient care.

He noted the school’s innovative and comprehensive co-curriculum that hones students’ skills in “communication, emotional intelligence, professionalism, problem-solving, solution-finding, empathy, leadership, and entrepreneurship.” This is accomplished through a series of real-world experiences that are embedded in the degree program, which is made possible thanks to a number of partnerships, such as those with LAU’s Outreach and Civic Engagement Department, LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital, Houston Methodist Hospital and Wayne State University in the US.

“You are the first class to go through the co-curriculum program,” said Dr. Btaiche. “Technical skills are not enough; soft skills are equally as important, and this is woven into your experience at LAU.”

“We can no longer think of a patient as a diagnosis, and we no longer treat disease; we treat the whole person,” he continued. “Our interprofessional education program allows you to break the silos between the health professions, to bring better healthcare as a team to our patients.”

The audience was then addressed by class representatives Andrea Lian and Charbel Abdo, who, with spirit and humor, recognized their family and friends as the bedrock of their success. They also encouraged their classmates to pursue their education with passion and commitment.

“Our parents gave us the opportunity to go forward in our lives, and now we must continue to make them proud; we must tell ourselves to shoot for the stars,” said Lian.

The students then received their white coats one by one, with SOP faculty ushering them into the next phase of their pharmacy education at LAU. In their newly donned coats, the students stood and recited the Pledge of Professionalism, committing to adhere to the highest of clinical and ethical standards.

Following the ceremony, parents, faculty, and friends gathered to congratulate the new P1 students and enjoy a reception on the scenic Byblos campus grounds. 

The students recite the Pledge of Professionalism as proud parents and faculty look on.

P1 pharmacy students rejoice at their induction into the next stage of the program.

LAU has just learned of the passing of an important figure in the university’s history.

In late July, Dr. Nihad I. Basha, former head of the business school, passed away at the age of 94. He left behind a rich legacy in the fields of banking, finance, diplomacy and business.

Born in Aleppo, Syria in 1924, Dr. Basha first studied in Beirut, earning a law degree from Université Saint Joseph (USJ) before moving to New York City, where he received both a master’s degree and a PhD in economics and finance from Columbia University.

He represented Syria on the global scale as a member of the Syrian delegation to the UN as well as the UK, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

During the 1960s, he was elected into the Syrian parliament and was appointed minister of planning. Shortly thereafter, he resigned from politics to manage the Trans-Orient Bank before becoming the chairman of Middle East Finance.

In the late 1980s he was appointed interim director of the LAU School of Business (now the Adnan Kassar School of Business), where he “was an early pioneer of business education in Lebanon and the region,” as remembered by LAU’s Vice President for University Advancement Dr. George Najjar. ”Dr. Basha was a firm believer that our future will be bright in direct proportion to our success in preparing young leaders for a rapidly changing world,” Dr. Najjar added.

According to Dr. Basha’s son, Nazem, “He loved teaching and was known for his vast knowledge, soft diplomacy, kindness and modesty.”

This sentiment is echoed by Dr. Najjar, who remembered how “his scholarly temperament, inquisitive mind and broad knowledge,” came across effortlessly. “His educational contributions were part of the broader persona of a multi-talented business leader who left his mark in the world of practice as well,” Dr. Najjar said.

Dr. Basha is survived by his wife Najla, his son Nazem and his daughter Nayla.   

Dr. Nihad I. Basha, former head of the business school, passed away at the age of 94.

The International Society of Nurses in Cancer Care recognized Associate Professor and Assistant Dean of the Alice Ramez Chagoury School of Nursing (ARCSON) Dr. Myrna Doumit with the Past President’s Award, showcasing how ARCSON is advancing the profession of nursing in Lebanon and beyond. Dr. Doumit received the award at the society’s 2018 International Conference on Cancer Nursing (ICCN) in Auckland, New Zealand on September 26.

The ICCN is the longest-running international conference for the nursing profession and offers distinguished nurses from around the world the opportunity to meet with their peers in cancer nursing. This year’s ICCN theme was “Global Actions: Working Towards Unity and Excellence in Cancer Care.”

Every year, the Past President’s Award is given to a nurse from a middle or low-resource country who works on a cancer program that has the potential for duplication and scaling beyond the country’s borders. Dr. Doumit was given the award this year for her work on breast cancer, specifically the Courage to Fight Breast Cancer (C2) initiative at LAU.

The C2 campaign started when US-based LAU alumna Hiba Yazbeck (BS ’97), who was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 38, teamed up with Dr. Doumit, already a well-known cancer researcher. They initially focused on raising awareness of the disease across the country, using donations from Yazbeck along with additional support from ARCSON and funds raised from the public.

The campaign is a natural extension of Dr. Doumit’s work as a qualitative researcher focused on oncology, quality of life and quality of care. She is the author of the first qualitative research studies describing the experience of Lebanese cancer patients and is a member of the Breast Cancer Awareness and Palliative Care and Pain committees under the Ministry of Health.

“I know that breast cancer is something that can be detected early,” Dr. Doumit said in a previous interview on her work, “and with early detection we have better prognosis.”

The C2 campaign gives hour-long sessions to rural women on self-care measures and early detection. “We first want to encourage the women to openly discuss breast cancer and remove the fear and stigma that surrounds it,” Dr. Doumit said.

C2 later launched a “train-the-trainer” initiative in which Dr. Doumit and her team train healthcare workers to carry out the information sessions and act as sources of support for the communities they work with.

The Past President’s Award is granted to a nurse from a middle or low-resource country who works on a cancer program that has the potential for duplication beyond the country’s borders.

Dr. Doumit received the award for her work on breast cancer, specifically the Courage to Fight Breast Cancer (C2) initiative at LAU.

During the weeks leading up to the student council elections, posters across both campuses read, “Be the change you want to see on campus” – an adaptation of Gandhi’s famous quote.

But even before ballots are to be cast on Friday, October 5, change could be felt on campus. Candidates delivered compelling speeches, received training on diplomacy and governance, and drafted campaign programs, all while university leadership and staff geared up to ensure a seamless election.

“LAU is a microcosm of our larger country, with all its colors and diversity,” said Vice President for Student Development and Enrollment Management Dr. Elise Salem. “Our aim is to have our students learn about and practice their civil rights before they graduate,” she added, referring to the highly sophisticated electoral process that students experience every October to elect a new Student Council.

This year, 45 hopefuls are running to fill the 30 Student Council seats – 15 for each campus. Once elected, the students will serve on sub-councils and committees that specifically address academic matters, campus-related issues or university-wide policies. “Our students play a central role in the shared-governance process that LAU has had for decades now,” said Dean of Students on Byblos campus Dr. Makram Ouaiss. “We value and cherish their input because at every level of the university’s work, students’ input enriches decision making and makes it more relevant to changing student needs.”

The electoral process itself embodies how the university has evolved to meet changing needs. To curb the potential for conflict on campus, LAU has taken the voting online since 2016. “The move has resulted in a significantly higher participation rate, agility in announcing the results, and an overall more accurate and seamless process,” said Assistant Vice President for Information Technology Camille Abou-Nasr.

With over 7,000 eligible student voters, Abou-Nasr admits that online elections are a “tough challenge, but one that the IT department is set to undertake very seriously.” Referring to a neatly-detailed schedule for election day, he explained how half the IT Department’s full-time professionals will be arriving to campus starting at 4 a.m., two hours before voting opens, to be on standby should any logistical issues arise. Throughout the day, multi-level security measures will be in place to protect both the web and the network.

But online voting is not the only advancement LAU has added to the election process. Last week, trainers from the Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE) came to both campuses to train candidates on the importance of the democratic process and guide them through what governance entails. “From showing them how to aim for win-win solutions and working for the community at large, the LADE training provided a helpful crash course on how to represent others and speak on their behalf,” explained Alan Kairouz, campus activities associate manager in Byblos. Observers from LADE will also be present on both campuses throughout election day to monitor the transparency of the process and file a report, as they have done in past years.

Another highlight are the students’ forums. “Many candidates look forward to this opportunity since it is the only public chance they get to address their voter base and share their views on a number of university issues,” said Dean of Students on Beirut campus Dr. Raed Mohsen. To make the best use of this opportunity, candidates have to get creative in appealing to their peers at some of the campuses’ busiest sites. In that regard, political insinuation is not allowed, since “sloganeering and cheering for political or religious figures seem to be out of place, as these do not relate to LAU elections,” said Dr. Mohsen, and could potentially cause an unnecessary divide on campus.

Looking forward to election day, Dr. Ouaiss affirmed the importance of campus elections. “It is the students’ right to pick their leadership, and it’s through exercising this right that they can bring about change and improve conditions on campus for themselves and the community at large.”

Candidates receive training in the democratic process from the Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE).

Students check out candidates’ profiles and campaign programs.

One of the candidates addresses his voters during the Beirut student forums.

Dr. Pierre Zalloua, world-famous geneticist and faculty member at the Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine, was awarded a grant by the United States’ National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate, over two years, how forced displacement impacts the occurrence of Type 2 Diabetes in refugee populations.

Dr. Zalloua has spent more than a decade studying diabetes and other complex diseases. He suggests that some populations in southwest Asia may be more prone to developing Type 2 diabetes due in part to significant changes to diet and lifestyle over the past few decades. For example, in the Levant, “the prevalence of diabetes in those under the age of 60 has increased by 20 percent since 2001,” he said. Add to that the acute stress of war and displacement, and the rate increases.

The NIH is the largest public funder of biomedical research in the world, investing more than $32 billion a year to research that influences the field of medicine. Receiving NIH grants is extremely competitive, and this is the first time a faculty member at LAU has been awarded one. Dr. Zalloua calls it “the biggest achievement of my career to date.”

“Receiving a grant from the NIH is very prestigious and a great honor for both the applicant and their institution,” agreed Senior Academic Grant Officer Maha Siblini, who, along with Dr. Sonia Hajjar of the Adnan Kassar School of Business, worked with Dr. Zalloua on the grant proposal. “Getting to this place requires great ideas, excellent writing, hard work, and most importantly, perseverance.“

The NIH does not usually fund projects outside the United States, but Dr. Zalloua’s study has an outsize impact on population health. “We are very well placed to conduct a study to investigate abrupt changes in lifestyle on complex diseases,” he said.

Indeed, today, 10 percent of the world population is on the move due to displacement from war, famine or disruptions caused by climate change. “We are witnessing the unprecedented movement of people by force. This is having a tremendous impact on their health, and we need to understand the mechanisms of these diseases so we can manage them better.”

Also involved in the research will be Dr. Francine Welty of Harvard Medical School, Dr. Lu Qi of Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, and Dr. Walid Ammar, the director general at Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health.

Dr. Zalloua will conduct the research in his lab at LAU with the help of students from the School of Medicine, presenting them with the opportunity to work with top international scientists in order to release groundbreaking studies.

“There will also be plenty of data left well after the initial study is completed,” noted Dr. Zalloua, so students will be able to continue examining the findings as part of their training.

After this two-year grant is completed, Dr. Zalloua hopes to scale his research by increasing his sample size and looking into how the influx of displaced people affects Lebanese in areas with large refugee populations. 

Dr. Zalloua has spent more than a decade studying diabetes and other complex diseases.

The fall semester is officially in full swing, with faculty and a number of staff gathering for the first University Faculty Meeting on September 29.

Following the introduction of new faculty members, LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra and Provost George E. Nasr briefed the crowd on the state of the university and recent initiatives. They then presented awards to two outstanding faculty members.

Dr. Nasr announced that the Faculty Research Excellence Award would go to Dr. Rony Khnayzer, who joined the university in 2013 as assistant professor of chemistry. As Dr. Nasr noted, Dr. Khnayzer’s achievements include having over 1,000 citations, being the co-author of 25 peer-reviewed articles, appearing in a number of top-tier international journals, and being an active member of the American Chemical Society.  

“It’s an honor to be part of this institution and to accept this award today,” said Dr. Khnayzer. “As educators and researchers, we are all fortunate to have the opportunity to make a difference in our society.” He noted that LAU is a hub for interdisciplinary and collaborative research, which has often led to impactful findings. “Our undergraduate students have also played a vital role in our research endeavors,” he added. “LAU has served as an excellent platform for both teaching and research, which successfully helped in yielding well-rounded graduates who are well fit for the competitive market.”

Dr. Khnayzer noted how functional teaching and research labs have noticeably enhanced the experiential learning of LAU students, and that the university has fostered a healthy research atmosphere by supporting interdisciplinary graduate programs, establishing facilities, and hiring qualified staff and technicians to help with research. “This direction will certainly improve the quality and quantity of our research output and bring our efforts to fruition,” he said.  

Next to be honored was Associate Professor of Biology Sandra Rizk, who won the Faculty Teaching Excellence Award. Dr. Rizk joined LAU as a full-time faculty member in 2004 and was appointed assistant dean of the School of Arts and Sciences in 2012. Two years later, she was appointed founding director of the Honors and Freshman program – the first honors program established in the Middle East. Dr. Rizk has succeeded in developing this program across four schools in LAU, noted Dr. Nasr, and it now includes eight different majors and around 200 students.

“In LAU, we always focus on academic excellence,” said Dr. Rizk. “Our mission and values promise to demonstrate dignity and respect for and from our students.”

Dr. Rizk thanked her family, who she said has stood by her side throughout her academic journey, as well as her “bigger” LAU family, starting with President Jabbra, who she said has served as an example of what leadership is.

“Last but not least, I would like to thank my students for always inspiring me to move forward,” she said. “These students come from different generations and cultures, and it’s always an interesting challenge to find different ways to reach out to them.”

She concluded by quoting a student who wrote in her recommendation letter: “Teaching is an art; when used skillfully, it blossoms in the hearts of learners.”

LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra (R) and Provost George E. Nasr (L) with Dr. Rony Khnayzer and Dr. Sandra Rizk.