Lebanon may be the breadbasket of the Middle East, but the safety of our crops and food products is being called into question because of pollution and poor national monitoring programs and policies. 

This was a major topic at the second-annual Lebanese Association for Food Scientists and Technologists (LAFST) conference on Beirut campus hosted by LAU’s Nutrition Program.

The two-day conference, which took place in late September, was attended by representatives of the minister of industry, the Syndicate of the Lebanese Food Industrialists (SLFI), members of the food production and service sectors, and NGO personnel, in addition to students and professors from 10 universities across Lebanon.

For years, Lebanon has been grappling with a waste-management crisis, environmental pollution, and food safety issues. There has been much public backlash in recent years, and many are worried about the effects of the various crises on public health.   

In his opening speech at the LAFST conference, Associate Chair of the Natural Sciences Department and Associate Professor of Food Science and Safety Hussein Hassan called the conference a platform of “interactive communication to come up with solutions to the food-safety challenges that are so common in our country.”

“Water, sea and river pollution are a principal cause for toxins in food products,” said Director General of the Lebanese Agricultural Research Institute Michel Afram, a speaker at the event. “We took samples from the areas surrounding the Litani River, and there was no safe area.”

“It is well-known that the exposure to contaminants in our food supply has a role in developing several diseases. These contaminants can originate from the farming, agriculture, distribution, processing and consumption stages,” agreed Dr. Hassan, noting that faculty members in the nutrition and chemistry programs at LAU have recently conducted a number of research studies on hazards, such as mycotoxins, heavy metals, and heavy metals in products, and reported alarming levels.

He also noted that food safety is directly related to pollution. “When we do not handle our garbage properly, hazards are released into our water and food supply, negatively affecting our health in the short and long terms,” he said. “Now there is talk of bringing in incinerators to burn garbage, which will make the problem even worse.”

But dire as the situation may seem, there are institutions addressing it. LAU’s Nutrition Program acts as “a niche for food science and food safety research in the country,” Dr. Hassan said. Among its ongoing projects, the Nutrition Program is helping the Batloun Municipality in the Chouf to reduce apple waste and upgrade their food-safety practices at a plant that manufactures apple chips in the town.

For his part, LAFST President Atef Idriss linked the sustainability and safety of Lebanon’s food production to civil peace and socio-economic growth. He reiterated the call for more cooperation between the public and private sectors, academia, as well as civil society “in order to consolidate cooperation and scientific research to pave the way to resolving the issues of pollution.”

Mounir Bissat, SLFI general secretary, underlined the importance of promoting food development and food innovation. He also called for the support of both the scientific and academic communities through workshops and consultancy.

On this, Dr. Hassan described LAU as a “pioneer in the field of nutrition and food science research,” adding, “we are always available to help food industries.”

Group photo of participants and LAU faculty.

SLFI General Secretary Mounir Bissat called for the support of the scientific and academic communities in promoting food safety and innovation.

For Dr. Hassan, the conference serves as a platform to help resolve the food-safety challenges in our county.

Of more than 7,000 undergraduate students, 5,913 cast their votes on Friday, October 5 to elect their representatives to the LAU Student Council. The day started early, with e-voting opening at 6 a.m.

The elections reflect the core of LAU’s shared-governance model in which students have a seat at the table with the rest of the university’s leadership to influence major decisions on campus.

The LAU leadership heavily communicated with students in the weeks leading up to the elections to ensure that all eligible voters would have no trouble casting their ballots. Students were strongly encouraged, via different media, to change their passwords for security reasons in the days before the vote. And on election day, spaces were set up on both campuses to receive student complaints, complete with laptops for people to use if they were facing any problems with their own devices.

In order to ensure that the elections were as transparent as possible, LAU invited the Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE) to be involved from the get-go.

“We provided our input at the very early stages of drafting the LAU electoral law, all the way to announcing candidates, campaigning and election day,” said LADE Program Manager Diana El-Baba.

“Our job is to make sure that the university and the voters adhere to certain factors that are internationally recognized to reflect democratic, transparent elections,” she added, listing voter privacy, fair representation, voter grasp of the electoral process, gender balance among the candidates, and the period of campaign silence preceding election day.

Halfway through the day, Campus Activities Associate Manager on Beirut campus Riman Jurdak said she had received very few complaints and hadn’t witnessed any incidents on campus.

After all the preparations leading up to the polling, “It’s a regular day at LAU,” Jurdak said, adding that students who had failed to attend classes were considered absent, just like on any other day.

Polling ended at 4 p.m., and all candidates were invited to a closed meeting to hear the results before they were shared with the wider community. The two campuses were connected via video conference, and present were LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra, Student Development and Enrollment Management (SDEM) Vice President Dr. Elise Salem, Vice President for Human Resources and University Services Roy Majdalani, the deans of students, Assistant Vice President for Information Technology Camille Abou-Nasr, IT and SDEM staff, as well as representatives from LADE.

Once the results were announced, the list of winning candidates was published on the LAU website.  

Dr. Jabbra subsequently told the students who participated: “We are so proud of you. You behaved in a way that is exemplary to everyone. Everyone here is a winner.”

On Saturday, October 13, the new Student Council will hold its first meeting to elect its president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and members of sub-committees, such as those for financial aid and curricula.

“As of the first meeting, members of the Student Council will leave their differences behind and work together as a team,” said Campus Activities Associate Manager on Byblos campus Alan Kairouz.

Jurdak agreed: “They quickly learn that they have much more in common and turn their attention to the common goal of enhancing the university experience for themselves and the students they’ve been elected to represent.”

LADE will soon be filing an independent report on the elections and will present their recommendations for the next round.

Candidates wait anxiously to hear whether they have been elected.

LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra (L) and Vice President of HR and University Services Roy Majdalani (R) were present as the results came in.

LADE’s logo, translated as “[I have] My eye on democracy”, stitched on a monitor’s shirt, reflects the spirit in which the elections were held.

Students on Byblos campus congregate to learn more about the candidates for the elections.

A team of LAU computer science students took first place at the Lebanese Collegiate Programming Contest (LCPC) beating 29 teams from other Lebanese universities. The contest was hosted by the Lebanese University in Hadath on September 28.

In five hours, the three-member LAU team “Balloons plz” led the contest by solving seven algorithmic programming problems. AUB won second place with six problems solved, while teams from the Lebanese University and the University of Antonine ranked third with four problems solved. A second team representing LAU occupied the sixth place.

The annual event is the first in a three-stage competition, which culminates in the prestigious International Collegiate Programming Contest (ICPC). Both LAU teams are now qualified to participate in the Arab Collegiate Programming Contest (ACPC) against nearly 100 teams from across the region. They must rank among the top teams to qualify for the world finals.

Balloons plz’s win comes after a year of intensive training under the supervision of Computer Science Professor Faisal Abu-Khzam and the support of the LAU Computer Science Club, as well as the computer science community at the university.

"It’s one thing to want to be passionate about programming, but it’s a completely different matter to be part of a community of people all sharing the same passion,” said Ibrahim Heritch, a second-year computer science major and winning team member.

While the team was stressed ahead of the competition, Heritch said all the anxiety disappeared when the contest started.

“Like a well-oiled machine, we picked up the problem set and started solving. The five hours passed quickly, and at the end we knew that we had either lost by an inch or won by a mile.”

LAU launched the competition in 2009 and has participated every year since.

“This contest is often referred to as the ‘battle of the brains,’” said Dr. Abu-Khzam. Participants, he explained, must be well trained in algorithms and data structures, with a solid background in mathematics.

Such competitions give participants a chance to practice their skills while having fun, but most importantly they give them visibility, as “the best companies in the world target the contestants who perform well,” he said.

Computer science major and winning team member Karam El-Kontar said that major companies are always looking for "young, motivated programmers who are willing to go the extra mile, learn more, and challenge themselves,” adding, "what better place can they find such programmers if not at competitions that require all of the above?"

Thanking Dr. Abu-Khzam for his supervision, Kontar also highlighted the involvement of the Computer Science Club.

“They supported our weekly training sessions, some joined us, others helped us get rooms or access projectors to enhance the sessions,” Kontar said.

The club also helped with the 2018 internal university version of the contest, the LAU Programming Contest (LAUPC), which was initiated and regularly organized by Abu-Khzam. The best team at the LAUPC is selected to participate at the LCPC. 

In the training, former contestants are asked to help, including recently computer science graduate Omar Farhat, who was hired twice by Google as an intern because of his participation in the LAUPC and LCPC.

The results of the LAUPC are posted on the ICPC site, Abu-Khzam noted, “which has helped some of our students find their dream jobs.”

Members of the 28 teams that competed in the Lebanese Collegiate Programming Contest.

Members of the team “Balloons plz” at the Lebanese Collegiate Programming Contest.

From its roots as the first school for girls in the Ottoman Empire to a leading modern university, LAU’s history spans 183 years, during which time it has pushed education forward and laid the cornerstone for women’s higher education and empowerment in the region. For the most part, however, this history remains unwritten.

Realizing the importance of recording LAU’s rich past, the President’s Cabinet, with support from the larger LAU leadership, has launched the production of the LAU commemorative book project. It will be spearheaded by former Assistant Vice President for Marketing and Communications Peggy Hanna as a project team leader in close collaboration with the MarCom team and Maria Bashshur Abunnasr, an independent scholar, oral historian and consultant who will be the managing editor of the book.

“LAU’s impressive achievements over the decades deserve to be recognized and reflected through a book that tells the LAU story in a way that has never been told before,” said President Joseph G. Jabbra in a commentary. He declared that the book will convey “LAU’s thrilling growth and expansion through strong imagery” and will give readers the chance to live through the emotional memories of those who have been part of the LAU journey.   

Indeed, the commemorative book team has conducted extensive research – including poring through scattered archival resources and conducting preliminary interviews. From alumni to former and current faculty and staff, a diverse pool of contributors shared their memories and stories, and helped identify the main themes which will form the content base of the book.

For Hanna, the project will help “support with evidence” the role that LAU has played over generations, impacting Lebanon and the region during critical moments in history. Having been affiliated with the university for so many years, she has strong faith that the project can act as an open invitation to every member of the LAU community to pitch in.

“This would be the first comprehensive narrative of LAU's history, from its founding to the present, serving to cohere LAU's different generations within a unified institutional legacy,” Dr. Abunnasr said. The editorial team will use an approach based on documentation, including visual, testimonial and archival, “to reinforce the sense of pride and belonging of the LAU community.”

Indeed, the creative, editorial and archival experts who are working on creating this book are counting on students, alumni, current and former faculty and staff, families and friends who are connected to the American Junior College for Women (AJCW), Beirut College for Women (BCW), Beirut University College (BUC) and LAU to come forward.

“LAU’s community always enquired about a reference document given the history of LAU and its many transformations,” said Hanna. “And while Dr. Jabbra has been a great narrator of its history, he has also been a champion of the institutionalization of LAU, and it is time we explore a shared understanding of our history. For this, we need the rallying inputs of our community.”

“Anything – from sharing a memory to photographs, old term papers, postcards and letters – will go a long way in helping us connect the dots,” Abunnasr added.

The book will also serve a larger role than just documenting milestones in LAU’s history. “It will offer a sense of pride and belonging to alumni, students, faculty, staff and friends of LAU, who will ultimately find joy in having it in their homes, or giving it as a gift to others,” said Dr. George Najjar, vice president for advancement. “It will be a testimony to how LAU historically has and continues to adhere to its very mission: academic excellence, student centeredness, advancement of scholarship, civic engagement, education of the whole person and the formation of leaders in a diverse world.”

To share photos, documents, and stories with the commemorative book team, write to LAUbook@lau.edu.lb or call 03 791314, ext. 1273,1937 or 1917.

BCW students on campus, one of whom holds the Yearbook, the Trireme.

Clinical simulation is an integral part of medical training and practice, and LAU’s Clinical Simulation Center (CSC) offers the facilities and teaching that students and medical professionals need to keep their skills sharp.

On September 29, 22 such professionals who undertook training at the CSC were honored at the 3rd Clinical Simulation Diploma Ceremony, held at the center’s seat on Byblos campus.

“Today’s graduation ceremony is our most important achievement and our pride,” said Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology Vanda Abi Raad, who is the CSC director and assistant dean for Continuing Medical Education at the Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine.

Dr. Abi Raad noted that this year’s CSC graduates, who are nurses and medical doctors from LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital and other Lebanese and regional hospitals, are now part of a larger group of 66 previous diploma recipients. “I am sure that these 66 educators will have a direct impact on patient care and increase the safety and quality of healthcare,” she told the crowd gathered.

Extending over 900 square meters, the CSC is one of a kind in the region, offering state-of-the-art simulation training in a safe and controlled environment that imitates real-life situations. The CSC also acts as a hub for interprofessional education between LAU’s schools of pharmacy, nursing, and medicine.

Through simulation, educators are able to assess and evaluate the clinical skills of their students, while healthcare practitioners – such as pharmacists, nurses, and medical residents – are able to practice without causing harm to patients.

Dean of the Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine Michel Mawad underlined the importance of the simulation-based education offered by the CSC. “The graduates receiving this diploma are a prime example of the utility of medical simulation and its value in preparing healthcare providers to deal with various medical situations in a safe and efficient manner,” he said.

Dr. Mawad highlighted the CSC’s recent achievements, including acquiring the only vascular simulations replicator outside the US through a partnership between LAU and Medtronic, as well as receiving international accreditation by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Canada.

All of this stems from a strong belief in and advocacy for the use of simulation in education, training, and practice, he said, adding, “We are firmly convinced that medical simulation helps reduce medical errors.”

One of several international faculty involved in the program, Vice President for Research and Data Resources at the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates John Boulet, shared his expertise with the students throughout their training. “You should be proud of yourselves because you’re going to use those skills to help other individuals provide better patient care,” Dr. Boulet told the graduates.

Diploma recipients Dr. Jessy Abou Nader and Suzy El Najjar gave a presentation introducing the diverse CSC team members and highlighting the bond between them. The presentation featured a message from CSC graduate Dr. Rodrigue Chemaly of the Middle East Institute of Health. “Seeing the diversity of this group – the different age ranges, experiences, fields, and skills – I was able to conclude that even the most different entities can work beautifully together to achieve great results.”

Before the graduates were presented with their diplomas, Radiology Resident Rita Chahinian showed a video retracing her journey as a medical student and showcasing the history of the CSC from its inception to its present success. One of LAU’s first School of Medicine graduates, Chahinian spoke of the center’s significant impact on her professional development over the past nine years. “My love for simulation grew as I discovered its importance in the medical field and its critical role in providing an environment for safe practice,” she said. “In simulation, mistakes are allowed because they help us improve our skills.”

The new 22 graduates are now part of a larger group of 66 previous diploma recipients.

LAU’s Nutrition Program held its Dietetics White Coat Ceremony on October 1 on the Beirut campus in the presence of guest of honor Muhannad Hadi, the World Food Programme’s (WFP) regional director.

The message he sent to the 24 graduating students was on the immense responsibility they carry at a time when 33 million people in the region are food insecure. 

“As you start your job you will see what responsibilities fall on your shoulders,” said Hadi, who oversees the WFP’s work in the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia and Eastern Europe. “In our region, one of the main crises we have is food insecurity.”

Around 50 percent of the WFP’s budget, he noted, goes to the Middle East. “A good chunk of it is in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey because of the Syrian crisis,” he added.

Food security underlies other types of security, he told the crowd, because “any peace agreement in places such as Libya, Syria or Yemen will need to be implemented by the people, and this can never happen if the people are hungry.”

“Please remember this: Where there is no food security you can never achieve security. And if you don’t have security, you will never have peace. And that’s why what you do is very important.”

LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra then took the stage to congratulate the students on their accomplishments and send them off with a word of inspiration: “The white coat you are receiving today symbolizes a promise, a promise to not only take care of your patients, of your clients, but to care for them in accordance with the highest ethical standards of the profession.”

During her word to the crowd, Associate Professor of Nutrition Nadine Zeeni announced that the eligibility application for accreditation of the BS in Nutrition and Dietetics Coordinated Program (CP) has been accepted by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics.

“The white coat ceremony is really a new type of milestone for you,” she said. “Today we celebrate this transition as you take your first steps toward clinical, community learning where the ultimate teacher becomes your patient, your client and society.”

Indeed, faculty and student involvement in community service is one of the pillars of the Nutrition Program at LAU. Faculty have taken part in a number of community-related research projects, while interns and undergraduates have been involved in outreach activities related to health and food safety. These include traveling to communities across the country and screening for diabetes and other health issues, and visiting schools to talk to students about nutrition and exercise. Faculty have been conducting research on topics such as eating disorders in battered women, behaviors that determine food waste in Lebanon, and the effects of technology use on body image.

As Dr. Zeeni noted, with their interdisciplinary background the students now have a host of opportunities to choose from. “LAU is the only university to ensure dietetics internship placements to all eligible students in more than 20 hospitals and community organizations,” she added.

Following the speeches, Dr. Zeeni asked nutrition faculty members to cloak the students, after which they were asked to raise their hands as Associate Professor of Food Science and Technology Hussein Hassan read out the dietetics oath.

“I do,” replied the students in unison.

The graduates with Nutrition faculty, LAU leadership and guest of honor.

Any form of security is contingent upon food security, stressed WFP regional director Muhannad Hadi.

Dr. Jabbra reminded students of the high ethical standards they must observe in their profession.

On Saturday October 6, hundreds of enthusiastic trainees, teachers and guests gathered at Irwin Auditorium on Beirut campus to launch this academic year’s simulation programs: Global Classrooms Lebanese American University Model United Nations (GC LAU MUN), the Model Arab League (LAU MAL), and the Model European Union (LAU MEU). 

The programs involve LAU students training middle and high schoolers from across Lebanon in simulations of the international bodies. Since 2005, more than 3,000 LAU student leaders have spent over 2.5 million hours training 30,550 Lebanese secondary-school students. LAU grants around 160 scholarships per year to participants of the program.

LAU MAL Secretary General Maya Makarem kicked off the ceremony by welcoming attendees and opening up the floor for President Joseph G. Jabbra, who addressed the impact of globalization on today’s world. “There are no more borders in this world. Globalization, fueled by technology, has successfully brought down the walls of separation between the tribes of the global village.”

He stressed the importance of cultivating connectedness in order to diminish violence on a global scale and praised the simulation programs for instilling a culture of peace, ethics and dialogue.

The programs have been so successful that for the fourth year in a row, LAU has been entrusted by the United Nations Association of the United States of America to lead the two large Model UN International Conferences that take place in New York at the UN Headquarters every spring.

This year, the programs are being managed by more than 450 LAU students – referred to as secretariat members – who are divided into groups such as the training, logistics, school relations, and public information teams.

LAU MEU Director General Mohamad Ali Kalassina took the stage to welcome Assistant Vice President for Outreach and Civic Engagement (OCE) Elie Samia, who directs the simulation programs.

“What distinguishes these programs is their instilment of connectedness and diversity,” Samia told the crowd. “Our student leaders teach resilience, confidence, and communication skills to the participants, promoting character and respect.” 

GC LAU MUN Secretary General Alec Hagopian agreed on the programs’ impact. “It not only taught me diplomacy, negotiation and research skills – it taught me how to believe in myself, and how to have the courage to create a vision and aspire to achieve it.” 

For Lidia Makarem – a new trainer at LAU MAL, who hopes to help delegates conquer their fear of public speaking, find solutions to major problems and draft resolutions – “The program is one of the best experiences that I’ve ever had here at LAU. It’s truly inspiring to have middle and high school students come from all over Lebanon and look up to you as their leader and role model.”  

Director General of 3rd LAU High School MEU Mohamad Ali Kalassina.

Secretary General of 8th LAU High School & 3rd Middle School MAL Maya Makarem.

Secretary General of 14th LAU High School & 9th Middle School MUN Alec Hagopian.

New trainees being sworn into their simulation programs.

Students on the Beirut and Byblos campuses got the chance to network with global educational institutions and embassies to learn more about the international opportunities available to them during LAU’s 3rd annual International Education Week.

“LAU strongly believes in the empowering effect an international experience has on the lives of young students today, as it harnesses their skills and prepares them for their future careers from a new global perspective,” said Dina Abdul Rahman, associate program manager and MEPI-TL program director at the International Services Office.

The annual event aims at expanding the horizons of LAU students by exposing them to numerous opportunities for international exchanges, studying and volunteering abroad, international internships, and international scholarships for graduate studies, among others.

This year is particularly special for future global citizens since LAU has recently become a member of the International Student Exchange Programs (ISEP), a non-profit organization that connects students to academic programs at more than 350 member universities in over 54 countries. “LAU’s recent membership at ISEP is of great significance to the network due to the university’s special location, strong academic offerings, and beautiful campuses,” said Director of Member Relations at ISEP Pablo Ulloa-Perez, who was present on both campuses during International Education Week.

As one of the only two universities in the Middle East to partner with ISEP, LAU will offer its academic programs to international students while presenting its own students with a wide global network to benefit from. “We are looking forward to seeing a lot of mobility from both sides,” said Ulloa-Perez.

Accompanied by vibrant music from various countries, the event featured a cultural day on each of the two campuses, where LAU’s rich international community showcased its diverse cultures, music, and food. “This event allows us to experience different cultures, share our talents, and connect with other international students at LAU,” said MEPI-TL marketing student Malak Bou Hardan, who comes from Bahrain.

During the fairs, representatives from educational institutions and embassies were ready to answer questions. “We are here to provide LAU students with the opportunity to pursue postgraduate studies abroad and expose them to unlimited options for one-year master’s programs in the UK,” said Global Study UK Education Counselor Cynthia Nassif, encouraging students to take advantage of the opportunities offered by LAU.

As for the students, many were thrilled by the possibilities. Mechanical engineering major Peter Mouawad noted the diversity of the countries and regions represented. “Each one of the educational institutions covers a specific region, and by talking to their representatives we can know more about the entry requirements needed for each country.”

Biology student Rouba Hobeika agreed. “All we need is right here,” she said. “The fair allows us to get the contact details we need and speak to universities and embassies instead of only checking their websites.”

In the end, bringing as many institutions and universities together in one event offers the guidance that students need when making life-changing decisions.

“This fair made it easier to know which country is the ideal one to study in through talking to representatives who are willing to guide us,” said industrial engineering student Sara Kattan. “It opens up a lot of new opportunities that I never thought were possible before.”

“Global Citizens of LAU” take a moment to record the event with a group photo.

Students check out opportunities for international exchanges, scholarships, internships and volunteering.

Bahraini MEPI-TL students hold up their national flag.

The fountain area on the Byblos campus was busier than usual as the Athletics Department hosted the second annual LAU Fit Fair on Wednesday, October 10.

“We believe that our role in athletics is not bound to the gym and courts,” said Athletics Coordinator on Byblos campus Karen Chammas. “We have always encouraged the LAU community to lead a healthy lifestyle and engage in sports and other healthy habits.”

Indeed, economics major Jean-Michel Akkari toured the booths set up on campus enthusiastically. “I haven’t been going to the gym lately, and this motivated me to get back into shape,” he said, noting how he learned about new technologies on offer through the fair.

“The Athletics Department had reached out to health clubs and suppliers to offer special discounts for LAU students,” explained Chammas. In fact, the different fair participants got creative promoting their offerings, with free healthy snacks, vitamin water, bowls of fresh apples and some equipment for students to try.

Nearby, a very high-intensity workout was taking place, and students joined in spontaneously. Shortly after, another group quickly formed a Body Pump class, followed by the LAU cheerleading team, all dancing to blasting, energetic music.

“Regular workouts are important for both mental and physical health,” pointed out Georgette Salem, a third-year pharmacy student. Her friend, Elsa Waked nodded in agreement. “It helps us stay sane in the face of a demanding study load,” she joked.

Those who dared tested their fitness with the “plank.”

Athletics Coordinator on Byblos campus Karen Chammas (C) with participants.

High on the agenda of LAU’s Board of Trustees (BOT) last September was the future vision and direction of the university in light of an upcoming presidential search and of an ambitious strategy for the coming years, reported President Joseph G. Jabbra in his biannual address to faculty and staff late last month.

Dr. Jabbra told the crowd that after the September 2016 BOT meeting in New York he informed then-Chairman of the Board Philip Stoltzfus that he would complete his current term on September 30, 2018 and that he would not accept another four-year term due to family obligations. Stoltzfus accepted Dr. Jabbra’s position and began thinking about a succession process.

However, said Dr. Jabbra, when the Board of Trustees met in Lebanon in March 2017, the chairman and the members decided that the university was not yet ready for the transition and asked Dr. Jabbra if he would continue as president for two more years in the hope that by then the university would be ready to search for a new head. Dr. Jabbra said that he agreed he would continue as president until September 30, 2020, with the understanding that the board would hold a retreat in the immediate future to decide on the strategic directions the university should pursue after the Jabbra era, and that a presidential search committee would be established to begin searching for a new president to succeed Dr. Jabbra.  

During the board’s retreat in London in January 2018, trustees established the strategic framework for the future direction of the university with a focus on its mission, academic strength and reputation, innovation, and being a university without borders. This would be done while bringing down the walls of separation between schools, establishing inter-school and interdisciplinary academic and research programs, as well as  joint appointments, and ensuring long-term financial sustainability.

Dr. Jabbra continued that the new strategic directions were formally approved by the board in March 2018, and that the administration was asked to bring to the September 2018 BOT meeting specific strategic recommendations within the established framework for consideration and approval. Dr. Jabbra was again asked to reconsider his retirement, though he further declined, citing the commitment he’s already made to his family.

During the September 2018 board meeting in New York, Dr. Jabbra and the trustees approved the strategic recommendations submitted by the administration and established a presidential search committee. The search for a new president began in earnest.

“We are all working to ensure the most effective leadership transition,” he said. “Succession planning is essential to a university, one of the unique institutions that defies time. As we constantly train our graduates in the best practices of good governance, this is another demonstration of my continued endeavors to strengthen the institutionalization of LAU.”

Dr. Jabbra proceeded to announce that author and Chairman of the Lynx Investment Advisory Board Peter Tanous was unanimously elected chair of the board at the September meeting, succeeding Stoltzfus, whose second consecutive three-year term has ended. President and CEO of CGM Advisory Group Dr. Cherilyn Murer and Chairman and President of Federal White Cement George Doumet were appointed vice chair and secretary, respectively.

Dr. Jabbra then mentioned notable achievements from the past year that align with the university’s Third Strategic Plan (known on campus as “SPIII”), the main goals of which are to build up intellectual capital, to deploy a program of pedagogical innovation, and to move in the direction of extending LAU’s reach beyond its campuses and beyond Lebanon.

On the first pillar, Dr. Jabbra spoke about LAU’s progress in scholarship. “Compared to five years ago, our research output has improved by 50 percent,” he said, adding that LAU’s faculty published around 325 articles in refereed journals over the past two years, 132 contributions to conference proceedings and 62 book chapters. In addition, he said, 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, the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and public-health research.

When it comes to innovation, LAU is  beginning to introduce in its curriculum courses about artificial intelligence, robotics, data analytics, machine learning, and “all the new technology that will guide us through the fourth industrial revolution,” Dr. Jabbra said. But innovation means more than just new equipment. “We don’t talk just about teaching anymore. We talk about a learning process that involves the faculty as a mentor and the students as active members in the process of learning.”

In addition, “We must establish a culture of innovation,” he noted, and referred to the Fouad Makhzoumi Innovation Center, which is under construction on the Beirut campus and will act as a hub for ideas and a startup incubator for inventions that will transform society.

He also mentioned the decision to move forward with the creation of the School of Economics and Public Policy.

On the final pillar – a university without borders – Dr. Jabbra spoke of partnerships LAU has concluded, in Lebanon with Notre Dame University and USEK, and abroad, such as that made with the New York Institute of Technology, among other outreach initiatives. He added that currently negotiations are taking place between LAU and the University of Arizona regarding the offering of joint programs in New York.

He spoke of the need to “eliminate silos and reduce separations by discipline” in order to boost collaboration and increase interdisciplinary work. Of note is the Integrated Strategic Plan between the Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine and the LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital, which calls for significant investments in infrastructure, facilities, clinical practice and more.  He mentioned that already, collaboration is taking place between the the School of Engineering and the Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine.

Dr. Jabbra also debriefed the community on the continued efforts to support students in financial need with assistance during these particularly challenging economic times. Over $35  million was given out in the last academic year, he said, as he projected increasing financial aid pressure. “Everything extra we have goes to financial aid. We cannot afford to leave our students in the lurch. We made a promise that LAU would be there for them.”

In conclusion, Dr. Jabbra offered his sincerest appreciation for the hard work of the faculty and staff, and told the audience that he is always open to dialogue with them in order to ensure LAU continues supporting and empowering members of the university family, “as we are all God’s gift to each other.”

Dr. Jabbra reiterated LAU’s commitment to students in need of financial assistance during these challenging economic times.

In 1913, Russian Composer Igor Stravinsky premiered what would become one of the most controversial ballet performances ever debuted, ushering a new era of modern art.

Now, more than 100 years later, The Rite of Spring will be performed at LAU as part of the finale of the IMAGINE Workshop and Concert Series’ (IWCS) first residency under the theme of gender equality and social justice.

Dancers, both professional and amateur, from LAU, Al-Sarab Dance School and Al-Sarab Dance Company, will be performing the ballet on October 30 in Byblos and in Beirut on November 1. The event will also feature a panel discussion on gender in the art world and an outdoor theater performance with actors telling true stories about personal social constraints, gender inequality, and identity struggles.

Additionally, and in line with its focus on community outreach and civic engagement, IWCS is organizing outreach performances and workshops at the Beqaa Valley Refugee Camp and a concert for hospitalized children on October 26 and November 2, respectively.

IWCS artistic director and LAU Assistant Professor of Music Seba Ali speaks below about the residency’s theme and the program’s commitment to civic engagement.

What are the distinctive features of this residency's final performance?

The fall residency revolves around justice and equality and discusses gender bias in the art world and culminates with an event in collaboration with the Institute for Women’s Studies in the Arab World (IWSAW). The Beirut concert on November 1 will feature a panel discussion on gender in the art world and a performance of one of the most brilliant and controversial pieces of all time, The Rite of Spring, which highlights the concept of sacrifice and what happens when a female gets chosen to sacrifice herself. The daunting four-hands piano reduction will be performed by IWCS artist-in-residence Rachel Naomi Kudo and myself.

The audience will be in for a monumental piece of modern music and modern dance. We will let the audience navigate and investigate the concept behind this performance in their own way.

Why did you choose to revive The Rite of Spring at LAU? And what impact does the topic of this particular piece have on the discourse on gender?

The Rite of Spring is like an explosion in the history of art. The dissonances, polytonalities, asymmetries, and polyrhythms create an artistic language of a new era. The original choreography by Vaslav Nijinsky depicts various primitive rituals celebrating the arrival of spring, after which a young girl is chosen as a sacrificial victim and dances herself to death.

In an article in 1920, Stravinsky stressed that the musical ideas had come first, and that the pagan setting had been suggested by the music rather than the other way around. It is no coincidence that hundreds of choreographers have centralized their choreography around gender. 

Our brilliant choreographers, Christel Farah, who is a member of the dance faculty at Al-Sarab, and LAU dance instructor Sarah Fadel elaborate on their work with the following quote from author Jeanette Winterson: “Saddest of all are the women who were brought up to believe that self-sacrifice is the highest female virtue. They made the sacrifice, often willingly, and they are still waiting for the blessing.”

Outreach has been one of the main features of IMAGINE. Why is socially engaged art important for you and our students?

As an artist who has been involved with community outreach for the past ten years, I firmly believe that there are no limits to the emotional, aesthetic, and intellectual experiences and inventiveness that are shared within all disciplines of arts.

As an educator, I believe that community work is vital in our world and our era. Besides establishing great awareness of their community for our students, it helps them limber up their approach to managing change and creates unlimited opportunities. 

You make it a point to organize workshops with children in refugee camps. What impact are those activities having?

The children we work with through the outreach program are part of our community, and we must include them. This fall we’ve organized a music workshop for kids in the Beqaa Valley on October 26, a music concert for hospitalized children on November 2, and a sensory-friendly concert for individuals on the autism spectrum on December 1.

It is always a pleasure to share our art with such unique audiences. Art reveals healthy ways to express, communicate and dream! I hope that we could together create equal opportunities for arts education that could reach each and every living child.

IWCS is organized by the Department of Communications Arts. Each of its seasons is divided into two residencies. This, the second season of IWCS, runs between October 1 and March 1.

Dancers, both professional and amateur, from LAU, Al-Sarab Dance School and Al-Sarab Dance Company, will be performing the ballet.

The Rite of Spring rehearsal with choreographers Christel Farah and Sarah Fadel.

When LAU student Andy Kazandjian’s older brother Anthony broke his nose playing basketball, the family scrambled to find a qualified doctor to perform the surgery. The boys’ mother spent hours on the phone to locate the best nearby specialist in nasal cosmetic procedures. When they finally decided on a surgeon, based on a friend’s recommendation, they were appalled to learn that something had gone terribly wrong during the operation due to the surgeon’s negligence. This stressful experience was the spark that drove Andy to create an app that instantly matches patients with doctors and rates physicians.

“We want to change the way people search for doctors in Lebanon,” said Kazandjian, a third-year Adnan Kassar School of Business student majoring in banking and finance. “We want this relationship to be built on trust. We hear of horror stories happening to patients, but there are currently no solutions.”

Kazandjian teamed up with a group of four other LAU students to found the startup FindMyDoc. While similar apps are available in Lebanon, this initiative offers additional advantage: The platform takes into consideration patient satisfaction according to three distinct criteria.

The search process is straightforward. The app asks users to select the specialty, location and hospital of their choice, and they are immediately matched with a list of doctors who fit these specifications. Users also have the option to rate practitioners based on three criteria. The first is “wait time,” a problem in Lebanon, where patients can spend hours to see a doctor. The second is “friendliness,” which offers patients the opportunity to rate the doctor’s communication skills and bedside manners. The third criterion is “quality of service,” which allows users to rate the physician’s qualifications. The app then calculates an average rating ranging from one to five while giving more weight to the category that matters most to the patient.

“Currently there is very little information about doctors in Lebanon online. Our objective is to make searching for a doctor as easy as finding a cab or a place to stay for the weekend,” said Kazandjian.

Kazandjian recognizes the advantage that LAU has given him and the university’s role in catapulting him to his big success. First, he did not have to go very far to find a team of highly qualified and motivated experts with whom to collaborate. The team members are Chief Operation officer Ghadi Elias, an economics major; Marketing Director Sarah el Hachem, who completed her MBA a year ago; Sales Director Oussama Younes, who has a BS in economics; and Sales Representative Robert Khairalla, an international business major.

“LAU is a place where you find motivated students with strong skills. If you have a project or idea, you just have to search for people who can assist you. Each individual who joined the team is doing great in their domain,” Kazandjian said.

Kazandjian added that the most significant skills he learned at LAU are public speaking and negotiations, which he developed through his membership in the university’s Model United Nations (MUN) program. As a high school student at the Beirut Evangelical School for Girls and Boys, Kazandjian was selected from among thousands of students to enroll in the program. He then made it all the way to New York to take part in sessions that simulate UN meetings. Kazandjian, who is now a trainer for the program, says that his experience at MUN has equipped him with motivation and confidence. These skills, in addition to the knowledge that he has acquired from his finance classes, have proved invaluable to the budding entrepreneur.

After presenting FindMyDoc to investors at Smart ESA, an incubator and accelerator at the Ecole Supérieure des Affaires Business School, Kazandjian and his team attracted eight potential investors. He is hoping to secure the funds he needs to launch the app in the next few months. After a trial period in Lebanon, the plan is to expand to the Gulf region, starting with Dubai and Qatar, growth that will be facilitated through a recently signed partnership with Syncwise, an enterprise that offers mobility solutions to businesses.

Entrepreneur Andy Kazandjian is currently majoring in banking and finance.

Career opportunities for professional translators go well beyond simply interpreting text from one language to another; there are exciting options out there – especially in the Middle East. That was one of the major messages to come out of International Translation Day, held earlier this month by the Translation Program in the Department of Humanities.

“Globalization has brought nations of the world closer together, thus necessitating successful communication through the help of translators,” said event organizer and Associate Professor of English and Applied Linguistics Nuwar Diab.

The event was attended by SAS Interim Dean Dr. Constantine Daher and Department of Humanities Chairperson Dr. Vahid Behmardi, who were among a host of students and professional translators eager to learn more about options in the field.

Keynote speakers Habib Sayegh, CEO of Librairie du Liban Publishers and Educational Research Center, and Chair of St. Joseph University’s Department of Translation Mary Yazbeck touched on career paths for translators and the innovative nature of the profession, respectively.

Dr. Behmardi said the department is a “major contributor” to LAU’s objective to foster dialogue, understanding and cooperation, and to one of the main principles in its mission, which is “‘the education of the whole person and the formation of leaders in a diverse world.’”

For his part, Dr. Daher stressed the role of educational institutions in preparing their students for the challenges of the job market, especially in a profession as pivotal as translation.

Here is where LAU has forged “a strong relationship with the job market industry,” he said.

“If you follow the latest statistics, across Lebanon only 25 percent of graduating students find jobs in the market. Yet at LAU, our students’ employability is among the highest in the world at about 82 percent, according to the latest ranking release by the Times Higher Education and QS,” he added.

In his speech, Sayegh celebrated translators as “unsung heroes whose role has become pivotal in building generations of critical thinkers and innovators.” He described translators as the leaders of “educational reform in the Arab world.”

Translators, he said, are rapidly evolving to occupy a plethora of positions, including senior editors, project managers, and leaders of major educational projects in the Arab world.

Sayegh told students that today it is these young men and women who are becoming managers and decision makers in his companies. “They are now experts in education, experts in curriculum design, experts in the professional development of teachers, in addition to core skills in publishing, authorship, editorial, design and very importantly, project management.”

Dr. Diab stressed that the profession of translation is still very much alive and in demand today, despite the advancement of instant e-translation tools.

Nowhere is that truer than in the Middle East, she said, due to the ongoing political instability and conflicts. “As a result, there is a huge demand for translators who translate documents from and into Arabic more than there is for those who work with other languages.”

Dr. Diab also underlined the need for specialized translators who are experts in specific disciplines in at least two languages. Such needs are recognized by the Translation Program at LAU, she noted, as students are required to take courses in business and economic translation, UN and international conferences, audiovisual translation, and medical and pharmaceutical texts, among others.

When Dr. Yazbeck took the stage, she discussed translation from the viewpoint of creativity and innovation. She said that while translators are obliged to remain as true as possible to the original text, they are not passive receptors, as they can adapt texts based on how they receive and comprehend it. In the end, a translator “is keen to convey his or her emotions and to add a personal touch by being transparent with the reader.”

At the end of the event, Sayegh was presented with a commemorative gift in recognition of his company’s endowment fund supporting financially disadvantaged and deserving students in the Translation Program.

The audience included a host of students and professional translators eager to learn more about options in the field.

Chair of St. Joseph University’s Department of Translation Mary Yazbeck discussed translation from the viewpoint of creativity and innovation.

From left: Dr. Behmardi, Dr. Daher presenting the commemorative gift to keynote speaker Habib Sayegh, and Dr. Diab.

On the International Day of the Girl, which falls on October 11 of every year, child and gender-rights organizations focus on the danger of child marriage to vulnerable populations of girls across the world. This is work that LAU’s Institute for Women’s Studies in the Arab World (IWSAW), conducts year round, with research and outreach activities aimed at raising awareness of this form of violence against girls and ultimately reducing the number of child marriages in Lebanon.

It is not a small problem. According to a 2016 UNICEF study, six percent of young Lebanese women were married before turning 18. Among the refugee population in Lebanon, which is estimated to be as high as 1.5 million, up to a third of girls are married off before they turn 18, according to a 2017 UN Population Fund report.

But numbers do not illustrate the full picture. “We too easily speak of numbers, dollars and programs, though this is about people first – this is about girls first,” says IWSAW Director Lina Abirafeh, who has over 20 years of experience working on all forms of gender-based violence in countries around the world, including child marriage.

Abirafeh notes that while Lebanon has ratified the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, child marriage is not illegal here. Family matters in Lebanon are decided based on the law of the sect an individual belongs to, and efforts by activists and sympathetic politicians to reform personal status laws have been unsuccessful thus far.

IWSAW researcher and past LAU instructor Gabriella Nassif provides a brief illustration. “While some sects do have a minimum legal age of marriage, the law often defers to the permission of a parent or guardian, which can significantly lower the age of marriage,” she says.

Nassif explains that child marriage is a violation of girls’ bodily autonomy. “It goes without saying that if these young girls cannot legally consent to the marriage itself, then they cannot legally consent to intimate relations – sex. This puts them at a much higher risk of suffering sexual assault and physical violence at the hands of their partners.” 

She adds that girls who get married are usually pulled out of school upon their nuptials and often begin having children, putting strain on their bodies, as they are still growing themselves.  Without completing their education, these young girls face the risk of exploitation, malnutrition and other health issues, and a lack of knowledge and resources about raising their own infants. In fact, the vast majority of these girls come from families too poor to provide for them, which is often the main reason their guardians marry them off in the first place.  

So what can be done to protect girls from being married off before they are adults? In 2014, IWSAW, in collaboration with the National Commission for Lebanese Women, organized an advocacy campaign called Protect Underage Girls from Early Marriage. IWSAW is also currently working with the Women’s Refugee Commission and Johns Hopkins University to complete a research project on child marriage among Syrian refugees in Lebanon. This will be one of the first prevalence studies on early and child marriage done in South Lebanon and will be published next year.

Advocates have also been shining a light on the problem through art. IWSAW held screenings in both Lebanon and New York of Nour, a film by LAU alumnus Khalil Dreyfus Zaarour about a teenager who is forced to marry an older man, ending her prospects for an education and independence.

Dr. Abirafeh takes pride in IWSAW’s work on child marriage and related topics such as gender-based violence and the now-successful efforts to repeal Article 522 of the Lebanese law, often referred to as the “marry your rapist law.”

“The rights of children – specifically the girl-child – are non-negotiable, and child marriage is a violation of human rights and bodily integrity,” says Abirafeh, also a champion of the global movement SheDecides, whose work is to promote, provide, protect and enhance the fundamental rights of every woman and girl to decide what to do with her body and her life.

However, she adds, “We need to confirm that the prerequisites are in place to ensure girls have the agency to decide. The very environment they are in should allow them to exercise their choices, so it is our responsibility to lay the groundwork for legal reform and cultural change to make this a reality.”

From the successful campaign against Article 522. (Photo credit: ABAAD)

A sensor that detects levels of waste in a recycling bin, a pesticide sprayer that works according to each plant’s needs – even clothes that change color according to the wearer’s mood. These are all examples of technologies that are made possible by artificial intelligence (AI). On Tuesday October 9, the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society of the Adnan Kassar School of Business (AKSOB) hosted a talk by LAU alumnus Ali Rebaie (BS '11) on the future of AI and its potential impact on jobs, society and culture.

“AI will contribute €12.8 million [over $14 million] to the global economy by 2030, while 29 percent of tasks across 12 industries will be handled by machines,” said Rebaie, who is a data science anthropologist and founder of Rebaie Analytics Group. He is also an international keynote speaker, recognized as one of the Top 50 Big Data Influencers worldwide, and is the author of several publications.

Rebaie noted that the number of academic papers published on AI is increasing rapidly, while governments around the world are competing to become the leaders in the field.

For AI to take hold in an industry, a number of disruptions must take place, one of which is in communication, he explained. After noting how communication evolved from the time of the Silk Road to today’s mobile Internet and machine-to-machine communications, he said, “We are now heading to the era of Tactile Internet, or 5G connection, through which a doctor can perform an operation on a patient while being in a different country,” adding, “Things we didn’t accept in the past are becoming the norm.”

Rebaie believes that businesses must keep up with these advances if they are to survive. “Industries are shifting toward personalized production, and this is where robots are most needed,” he said.

In terms of its potential as a career prospect for today’s students, Rebaie assured the crowd that AI is not restricted to one area. “There is no area that is not affected by AI.” Indeed, the technology is used in agriculture, autism detection, policy-making, prevention of natural disasters, travel experience, language generation, lipreading, cars, fashion, and waste management.

In order to tap this emerging field, Rebaie encouraged students to enter data science, a job in high demand. “AI researchers and data analysts have the most highly paid jobs across all industries,” he said. “As a data scientist, you should have an analytical mind and the curiosity to solve problems.”

On the relatively common fear that most jobs in the future will be taken by robots, Rebaie said that machines could never replace humans.

“Every time you introduce a new technology, there is fear of change,” he said.

“Robots are only a tool that helps us live in a better way,” added Assistant Professor of Information Technology Abbas Tarhini, who organized the lecture. “The main difference between humans and robots is that we can dream, and dreaming is what takes us to where robots can’t go.”

From left: Dr. Tarhini, Ali Rebaie, LAU students and AKSOB Accreditation and Continuous Improvement Coordinator Samar Aad-Makhoul.

First-year LAU biology student Jean Paul Khairallah won the Middle East/Africa Championship in the Breakthrough Junior Challenge 2018 for his three-minute video explaining Alzheimer’s disease.

The challenge, founded by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is an international contest for young science enthusiasts. Participants must submit a video explaining a topic or theme related to life sciences, physics or math in a creative and innovative way. This year 12,000 participants from 190 countries competed.

Khairallah’s video on Alzheimer’s reached the semi-finals, ranking among the top 30 entries in the world, and he was named champion of the Middle East and Africa after a popular vote on Facebook. Khairallah had submitted the same video for the 2017 version of the challenge.

“My participation in this challenge was way more important than fixing my eyes on the prize,” Khairallah said. “I have to turn it into something that can somehow make a change around me.”

According to a 2017 World Health Organization report, around 50 million people worldwide suffer from dementia, and 60 to 70 percent of those cases from Alzheimer’s.

“Lebanon has a high prevalence of dementia with crude prevalence of 7.4 percent and an age-standardized prevalence of 9.0 percent for those above 65 years,” according to a recent pilot study in Lebanon, said Visiting Assistant Professor of Nutrition Berna Rahi.

“These numbers put Lebanon within the higher end of the global range of dementia prevalence,” added Dr. Rahi, whose research interests at LAU include finding dietary patterns that can prevent or slow the progression of Alzheimer's.

Even though this degenerative disease is widespread, the majority of people do not know enough about it. Khairallah, however, knows firsthand about the impact of the disease on victims and their loved ones. His grandmother suffered from Alzheimer’s for a decade before she passed away on September 28, a week after World Alzheimer’s Day and on the day the Breakthrough Junior Challenge results were announced.

“I just took on the responsibility of spreading awareness about Alzheimer’s in my environment, among my peers, my school and university, my country, and the entire world in general,” he said.

Khairallah’s video was viewed 27,000 times in 2018 and 81,000 times in 2017, and was shared by groups such as the Alzheimer's Association of Lebanon.

The video is just the first step in Khairallah’s research interests, which include neurology and neuroscience, and which, he said, is why he chose to study at LAU.

He said he was particularly grateful for the support and encouragement he received from his professors, and the Student Activities and Dean of Students offices. “LAU is not only dedicated to academic excellence,” he added, “but also to advanced research, which a huge part of my future career will be built upon.”

Khairallah’s video was shared by groups such as the Alzheimer’s Association of Lebanon.

Fouad El-Abd, the founder and president of leading canned food company California Gardens, and LAU President Joseph G. Jabbra cut the ribbon of the university’s Fouad El-Abd Food Innovation Lab earlier this week on Byblos campus. Marking the official inauguration of the campus’ newest facility, the special events on October 15 drew in dozens of supporters, faculty, staff and students to celebrate and tour the nearly 100-square meter functional space, which is comprised of a core kitchen lab, a support lab service room and meeting room.

The cutting-edge lab, located on the ground floor of the Science Building, was made possible by El-Abd’s substantial donation to LAU two years ago. Thanking the donor for his generosity, Dr. Jabbra said during the inauguration’s signing ceremony, “On behalf of the LAU family, including faculty and Nutrition Program students, I would like to thank you from the depths of our hearts for your generous gift and what you have done for our community.”

El-Abd shared with attendees his vision for his namesake lab. “The tahini and hummus business in the United States is a billion-dollar business, which is incredible. And with the Lebanese and Arab cuisine having a vast menu of food that is becoming very popular around the world, there is so much potential for students who can use the lab to innovate and keep all our dreams and traditions alive,” he said. He later presented Dr. Jabbra with a can of hummus that went to outer space as part of California Gardens’ partnership with NASA to supply the food to the International Space Station.

After the signing ceremony, the donor and attendees visited the Fouad El-Abd Food Innovation Lab to see the facility firsthand. Associate Professor Nadine Zeeni, who is also the coordinator of LAU’s Nutrition Program, was on hand to discuss specifications of the lab with attendees.  

“The lab will enhance LAU’s positioning in the nutrition field, giving an edge to the program in terms of hands-on practice to relate culinary, nutritional and food-safety theory to practical applications,” she said.

In addition to being a huge asset for the Nutrition Department, the multifunctional lab will be used by students in the Department of Hospitality Management and Marketing, as well as by external entities at a cost, enabling the university to generate profit from the space. 

“From time to time, we get approached by local food industries to help them carry out research and development projects. This will be a paid service, and as such it is a win-win collaboration for the industry and LAU,” said Hussein F. Hassan, associate professor of food science and technology, and associate chairperson of the Department of Natural Sciences.

The university’s Facilities Management team was also present to provide attendees with an overview of the new lab and the great effort it took to develop the high-tech space.

“Because the original premises did not have the adequate logistical requirements for housing a state-of-the-art food lab intended for academic and research activities, design and execution were extremely challenging. But we were able to find special solutions to address functional, architectural and safety-related challenges,” explained Assistant Vice President for Facilities Management Georges S. Hamouche, who thanked his team, consultants Mario Azzi & Partners, contractor TCC, and Vresso, which supplied the high-end kitchen equipment, for the project’s successful outcome.   

Attendees also took a brief tour of Byblos campus and attended a lunch hosted by Dr. Jabbra. The Fouad El-Abd Food Innovation Lab will be used this semester for quantity food production, meal planning, and food preparation courses.

Dr. Zeeni gives a tour of the new Fouad El-Abd Food Innovation Lab.

Fouad El-Abd, left, with Dr. Jabbra and Dr. Zeeni at the ribbon cutting for the new Fouad El-Abd Food Innovation Lab.

LAU has opened a new door for collaboration with Saint Mary’s University (SMU), one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in Canada, which will pave the way for academic and professional exchange, joint research and short-term academic programs, among other opportunities.

On October 9, President Joseph G. Jabbra welcomed SMU President Robert Summerby-Murray to sign an agreement between the two universities at the Jamil Iskandar Conference Room on Byblos campus. In line with LAU’s Third Strategic Plan (SPIII), this initiative is the most recent among a series of other agreements signed to transform LAU into a “university without borders."

When introducing SMU at the signing ceremony, Dr. Jabbra spoke sincerely of the university where his academic career was launched, having spent 19 years both as a faculty member and later as vice president.

“We, as a university, have not only the responsibility, but the obligation to instill in our students a culture of dialogue,” Dr. Jabbra told those present, including a delegation from SMU, a representative from the Canadian Embassy as well as LAU leadership, faculty and staff.

With roots dating back to 1802, SMU is regarded a national leader in international and intercultural education, boasting partnerships with 40 institutions worldwide. It is notably the only Canadian university to offer a BA in Entrepreneurship, and is considered a pioneer in mentoring and developing innovators and entrepreneurs across disciplines.

Jabbra pointed out how the two institutions have “striking similarities” in terms of vision and strategic plan, especially when it comes to fostering a “culture of civic mindedness" among students. 

In his statement, Dr. Summerby-Murray emphasized the importance of the collaboration. He felt that “the welcoming from LAU has been very heartening,” which came to complement “the strength of the connection that exists already.” He added that he looks forward to bringing this agreement to life, especially as “we have a very strong foundation to build on,” referencing support from the Canadian federal and provincial governments as well as deeply-rooted ties between Lebanon and Canada.

In fact, “a sizeable group of business leaders in Halifax hail from Lebanon,” noted SMU Admissions and Recruitment Director Marie Braswell. Passing on a message from the Lebanese Chamber of Commerce in Nova Scotia, she said that many of them “are waiting with open arms to welcome students from Lebanon.” After pointing out SMU’s close partnership with the Lebanese community and affiliation with the chamber, she spoke of the university’s spirit of diversity, with 29 percent of its students coming from 118 different countries.

The signing closed with an exchange of symbolic gifts between the two presidents as a token of gratitude for the partnership. Much to the excitement of everyone in the room, both presidents agreed that the partnership will be put into effect in the near future. By the end of this month, LAU’s Assistant Vice President for Student Development and Enrollment Management Abdo Ghié will be visiting SMU to start looking at program collaborations, student mobility, faculty and curricular exchange opportunities.

From left: Ms. Marie Braswell, Mrs. Summerby-Murray, President Summerby-Murray, President Jabbra and Provost Nasr.

President Summerby-Murray and President Jabbra agreed that the partnership should be put into effect in the near future.

Ali Tourba kicked off his final year as a marketing student on a successful note by earning a spot in the Harvard Crossroads Emerging Leaders Program. The Adnan Kassar School of Business student was chosen to represent LAU at the one-week program hosted by Harvard Business School of the GCC in Dubai. Tourba, who is also a University Scholarship Program (USP) student and member of the Beta Gamma Sigma international business honor society, was one of 71 young scholars selected from a pool of 1,572 applicants.

The Harvard Crossroads Emerging Leaders Program is geared toward students from the Middle East, Asia and Africa who are the first in their families to attend college. The fully funded program took place over one week at the Dubai International Financial Centre. Harvard instructors and Dubai Future Accelerators members took part in training the participants on developing entrepreneurial skills that can help them excel in the business world.   

“As an LAU student, I’ve always been in pursuit of attending international summits that would help me gain experience and establish social and global networks,” Tourba said on his return to Beirut. “The knowledge that I’ve cultivated from these summits has helped me tremendously.”  

Each of LAU’s seven schools actively encourages students to engage with the outside community and other educational institutions as part of the university’s rounded approach to education. Students receive help from faculty and staff in finding and applying to programs that fit their academic and career goals.

In addition, USP supports community outreach while providing ambitious young scholars with a chance to study at LAU. “The academic excellence of the USP students is the pride of our program and proves that LAU has nurtured the talents of these scholars,” said Assistant Vice President for Outreach and Civic Engagement Elie Samia.

At the Harvard summit, Tourba worked on real case studies, analyzed them and reported his results throughout the week. “I became a member of Dubai Future Accelerators by working on a real case related to Dubai’s water, education and electrical system,” he said. As the leader of his group, he presented their solutions to the panel.

 “It was an unforgettable experience!” he added. “I got exposed to all the important trends that are taking place in the business world today. I learned the authentic way of pitching my ideas and how to master the art of speaking eloquently in front of an audience.”   

Tourba is excited to apply the skills he has acquired to his classes. “I now know which ideas are worth it and which ideas aren’t.” And on his hopes for a career after he graduates this spring, he said that he wanted to open a business and someday become a well-known presence in the market.

Tourba stressed the importance of all students applying to take part in international summits, where they can learn, gain experience and network with experts and students from around the world.

“Don’t let fear stop you from applying. These international summits give chances to up-and-comers, and anyone can be an eligible candidate if they work hard on themselves,” he said, adding, “Don’t ever give up! Let the sky be your limit.”

A USP student and member of the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society, Tourba was one of 71 young scholars selected from a pool of 1,572 applicants.

Together with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), LAU welcomed 66 new Ambassador Merit Scholars who recently started their academic journey at LAU under the University Scholarship Program (USP).

All 236 USP students currently enrolled at LAU gathered at the Wadad Khoury Student Center on October 18. As Vice President for Student Development and Enrollment Management Dr. Elise Salem noted, they are part of a larger group totaling 541 students who have studied at LAU since the program started in 2010. “Each of these numbers holds a special meaning – it signifies the incredible gift from the United States and the generosity of its people.”

Under USP, USAID provides eligible public high-school students and technical school graduates a scholarship package that includes full undergraduate tuition and board. While growing academically, USP scholars engage in community service, leadership and volunteer activities under close partnership with LAU’s Outreach and Civic Engagement (OCE) unit, headed by Assistant Vice President Elie Samia.

In his address, President Joseph G. Jabbra encouraged the scholars to make the most out of the opportunity that was granted to them – one that allows them to actively participate in “building and shepherding our global village to the shores of sanity, equality, peace and dialogue,” because, he said, without those, there’s no justice. On behalf of the students and the larger LAU community, Dr. Jabbra extended his gratitude to those present from the US Embassy and to the American people as “we firmly believe that the answer to the ills of the world is education.”

For US Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Mr. Edward White, “Today symbolizes America’s long-term and enduring commitment to Lebanon’s youth. USP is a symbol of the unwavering friendship between our two countries and our pledge to use education as a tool to make our communities – and the world – a better place.”

Following the speeches, it was time to hear from the scholars firsthand. A video testimony by LAU alumnus and USP scholar Majd El Fakih was played, in which he told his story, highlighting how he managed to engage across multiple student leadership opportunities, start a club and maintain a very high GPA – ultimately becoming his class Valedictorian speaker at the 2018 Commencement.

Three current USP scholars performed for the crowd. Math major Zeina Lezzaik sang while engineering student Georgio Yammine played the piano. Nutrition major Karen Zgheib danced a ballet, her hobby of 10 years that she has proudly brought with her to LAU.

The event closed with the scholars sharing their experiences with embassy officials and LAU leadership, faculty and staff. 

USP scholars pose for a group picture with LAU leadership and US Embassy officials.