At LAU, diversity is not skin-deep.

It goes to the heart of what we do.

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 14 | issue nº 2 | Summer 2012

CONTENTS FEATURES 8 UMC–RH’s metamorphosis 4 The Wild Green 10 Donor profile: Antoun Sehnaoui Yonder 11 SOP reaccreditation Ecotourism awakens at the edges of 16 Major theater production: Fantasia Opus3 Lebanon’s urban sprawl 17 LAU Trustee Paul Boulos From mountain trekking to village visits, ecotourism is a growth industry in Lebanon, and one with high hopes of 18 Interprofessional Education protecting the environment as well as rural economies. 19 Faculty profile: Ahmad Houri Muriel Kahwagi reports. 24 LAU gala dinner 12 Waste Knot 26 Ecotourism lecture and workshop Recyclers big and small take on the 27 OARC robot competition nation’s trash problem 28 UMC-RH new appointment Large-scale recycling is still in its infancy in Lebanon, 29 Staff on the move despite the country’s conspicuous solid-waste problem, but informal gleaning is ubiquitous. Jessica Hollows looks 30 Faculty on the move into the offices of the big firms and the underworld of 36 New U.S. alumni chapters enterprising zabbaleen. 37 Gulf galas raise scholarship funds 38 Vice President Rumsey’s farewell 20 No Stroll in the Park 39 Faculty profile: Brigitte Wex The challenges of greening a concrete city 40 Campus Notes Beirut is a “heat island” notoriously lacking in parks 44 Library open house and public gardens, but assorted architects, activists, 45 Staff profile: Karam Karam and visionaries are presenting blueprints for the greening of a gray city. Emily Morris has the details. 46 Donor profile: George Abboud 47 Op-ed: Ketty Sarouphim 32 Water Foul 48 Alumni profile: Elie Abs 49 Student profile: Karen Shammas An upstream battle to protect Lebanon’s waterways 50 Alumni Film Festival Illegal dumping has contaminated Lebanese rivers and 52 Alumni Events streams for years, with consequences for both human 54 Alumni News health and biodiversity. Calls for a better environmental future may be answered soon, writes Marc Abizeid. 56 Why I Give Back

page 1 LAU Magazine & Alumni Bulletin Volume 14 | issue nº 2 | Summer 2012

President Wherever You Go Joseph G. Jabbra Editorial Advisory Board LAU Magazine is your platform to share photos and news Richard A. Rumsey, Vice President, University about yourself, your family and your friends. We encourage you Advancement to update us on your professional and personal activities and Peggy Hanna, Assistant Vice President, MarCom achievements—from wherever you are! Abdallah Al Khal, Executive Director, Alumni Relations Gregory Houle, Manager, Advancement Communications Edward Shiner, Director, Alumni and Special Projects Managing Editor Curtis Brown Associate Editor Zeina Abdallah Contributing Staff Writers Curtis Brown Linda Dahdah Gregory Houle Muriel Kahwagi Emily Morris Contributors Marc Abi Zeid Sana Kouatly Nayla Abou Merhi Moujaes John Jeha Jessica Hollows LAU Beirut campus Rita Sayyah Help Tell Our History Editorial Assistants Farrah Berrou We welcome news from alumni, friends, supporters and current Chrystelle Hobeika Alan Keyrouz and former faculty and staff representing all the university’s current Reem Stetieh and former schools and colleges. Submit your stories and photos for Graphic Designer inclusion in LAU’s online and print publications. Marianne Amkieh Siblini Photographers Submit to: Yousra Ajouz [email protected], or Youssef El Zein Bassam Lahoud Marketing and Communications Department New York Office Yehia Malla Lebanese American University Lebanese American University Emily Morris P.O. Box 13-5053/F24 475 Riverside Drive #1846 Anthony Saoud Chouran, Beirut 1102-2801, Lebanon New York, NY 10115-0065 Cover Illustration Wassim Melki

Letters to the Editor LAU Magazine is published quarterly by the “What a great issue! Congratulations! My compliments to all the staff.” Marketing and Communications Department at LAU and is distributed free of charge to alumni, —Dr. Zeinab Mirza Jabban students, staff, faculty, friends and supporters worldwide. “ I love Lebanon, LAU, and this magazine. It radiates excellence—not simply in its Direct comments can be sent to editorial standards but in the stories it tells about its people and their life’s work. A [email protected]. real window into the robustness, high standards, and humanitarian nature of Lebanon LAU Magazine & Alumni Bulletin and the Lebanese. This magazine takes me home, and only then is my heart reunited Marketing and Communications Department Lebanese American University with what I left behind in my beloved Beirut. Thank you so much.” P.O. Box 13-5053/F24 —Marianne H. Hraibi, BUC faculty 1977–1984 Chouran, Beirut 1102-2801 – Lebanon Tel. +961 1 786 456 ext 1940 /1917 Fax. +961 1 786 470 Corrections for LAU Magazine, Volume 14, Number 1, Spring 2012. New York Office 475 Riverside Drive #1846 The article on LAU’s revamped E.M.B.A. program (“Master Class,” page 47) misidentified New York, NY 10115-0065 the manager of the corporate office of INDEVCO’s Interstate Resources Inc. as “Rita Tel. +1 212 870 2592 - Fax +1 212 870 2762 Farah.” Her name is Rima Farah. Please send changes of address to: [email protected] +961/1-786-456 ext 1341 / 1136 The “Alumni News” section (page 57) stated incorrectly that Arminee Choukassizian received the A.A.S. degree from BCW in 1961. In fact, she graduated that year with The Lebanese American University is an a B.A. American institution operating in Lebanon and chartered by the Board of Regents of The State University of New York.

Connect with LAU through: President Joseph G. Jabbra To appreciatewhattheydoistoseeourresponsibilityinanewlight. challenges weface, andacelebrationoftheintelligence, creativityandmoralvisionofthosegrapplingwiththem. This issueofLAU Magazineand Alumni Bulletinisbothawake-upcallaboutthegravityofenvironmental to environmentalcausesingreaternumbersthaneverbefore. alike —infieldsrangingfromthehumanitiestonaturalsciencesaredevotingtheirpassionandexpertise Engagement Unitiscultivatingandchanneling environmentalactivisminmultipleways, andstudentsfaculty introducing majorsinenvironmentalengineeringanddesign.Meanwhile, ourOutreach andCivic for implementationby2016.Ourenvironmentalscienceminorisanincreasingdraw, andweareconsidering construction projectweundertake, andweare designingacampussustainabilityaudittoproducepilotprojects and thecurricula.Energyefficiencyuseofrenewablematerialsareacoreconsiderationinevery part ofthesolution.Ournewfive-yearstrategicplanincludesprovisions aimedatgreeningboththecampus As arisinguniversityinthemidstofitsgreatestinstitutionaltransformation, LAU isdoublycommittedtobeing disciplines acrosstheboard. to environmentaleconomicssustainabilityinarchitecture andengineering, webeholda “greening” ofacademic shaping fundamentalresearch questions inavarietyoffields. From theecocriticismmovement inliterarystudies At thesametime, environmentalawarenessincreasingly suffuseslecturehalls, libraries, andconferencerooms, the valuesofsocietythatsustainsus, and no civicresponsibilityisgreaterthanthatofprotectingtheplanet. Universities have auniqueroleinthisawakening, aroleatonceethicalandintellectual. We areguardiansof issues, dauntingastheyare. are seeinganawakeningofthewill, thestirringofanewspiritingenuityandresourcefulnessinfacing the consciousness. Inpoliticsandpopularcultureasmuch asincorporate, professionalandacademiccircles, we to addressit.Ifpollution, emissionsandhabitatdestructionareatanall-timehigh, so is environmental also yieldingtheinnovation, intellectualdynamismandconceptualbreakthroughsneededinorderseriously It isaparadoxofmodernitythatthetechnological progressposingthisenvironmentthreatinthefirstplaceis unprecedented urgency. scientists regardasaharbingerofthingstocome, thequestionofourfutureecologicalbalanceisposedwith of thedevelopingworldaccelerates, andwewitnessawaveofclimate-change-related naturaldisastersmost and waterthatsustainus. Insomecasesthedamageisreversible;inothers itisn’t.Meanwhile, asindustrialization — forallitsincalculablecultural, technological andeconomicbenefits—hascome atgravecosttotheearth, air We allknowthatthisisacriticaljunctureinthehistoryofourplanet.ModernizationsinceIndustrialRevolution Dear friends, From thePresident’s Desk page 3 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 14 | issue nº 2 | Summer 2012 The Wild

FEATURE Green Yonder Ecotourism awakens at the edges of Lebanon’s urban sprawl By Muriel Kahwagi

Lebanon Mountain Trail Association tour through Kfar Bnine, in Dinnieh, North Lebanon page 4 Destroyed seven times in its long history, now rounding out a fourth decade of sustained political volatility, Beirut is a city whose identity — matter and spirit — has been recreated time and again.

Its reversals of fortune can indeed be dizzying. Badly crippled in the war of 2006, by 2009 Beirut was crowned the top destination for travelers by The New York Times, and voted as one of the ten liveliest cities in the world by Lonely Planet, the largest travel guidebook and digital media publisher in the world. In the eyes of the world as well as those of Lebanese, the city has in this sense become a synecdoche for the country. So much so that Lebanon’s immense natural endowments — its rich landscapes, valleys, snowcapped mountains, coastlines and natural reserves — tend to be overlooked, or worse, malignly neglected. In recent years, however, cultural and ecological tourism in Lebanon have been on the rise, and Beirut is no longer the country’s sole attraction. Interest in Lebanon’s rugged and ravishing — if damaged and ever-threatened — hinterland is surging not only among tourists and expats but also among locals. History’s knock-on effects have not been kind to what’s left of Lebanon’s wilderness. Numerous wars and periodic political conflicts have, in several ways, accelerated urbanization and triggered dramatic population shifts from rural areas to the country’s burgeoning cities. While these shifts may have economic and cultural upsides, they have ineluctably fostered neglect and exploitation of Lebanon’s natural gifts. A backlash against this neglect, however, is beginning to make itself felt. Considerable efforts have been directed — and resources dedicated — to highlighting the essentiality of Lebanon’s scarce green spaces. In fact, there is a budding environmentalist movement to promote ecological and responsible tourism in the country, which contributes not only to the preservation of natural reserves but to the welfare of local communities rooted within them. The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) defines ecotourism as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the wellbeing of local people.” Indeed the two goals are closely, even symbiotically related. The more viable local communities are, the greater the incentive to ecological conservation; the healthier Lebanon’s wild and rural areas become, the more vital — economically and culturally — its

communities grow. BULLETIN & ALUMNI Ecotourism following TIES’ definition is palpably taking shape

in Lebanon, with outdoor activities such as hiking, rafting, | Summer 2012 14 | issue nº 2 VOLUME snowshoeing, caving and mountain climbing slowly but surely gaining popularity among the country’s youth. “Ecotourism is economically beneficial — it can be practiced all year — and it fosters interaction between tourists and local populations,” says Karim El-Jisr, president of the Lebanon Mountain Trail Association, which promotes responsible tourism by maintaining and protecting the 440-kilometer national trail extending from Al-Qbaiyat to Marjaayoun. “It sensitizes people to the importance of natural heritage and the need to protect it.”

Lebanon Mountain Trail Association tour through Kfar Bnine, in Dinnieh, North Lebanon page 5 FEATURE

The Wild Green Yonder

But the incentive for ecotourism stretches beyond the as well as local levels. As vital as it is to safeguard the environment established intent to conserve the environment and enhance and preserve traditional communities, ecotourism may help to the locals residents’ wellbeing, according to Jad Abou Arrage, a achieve even more important goals on a larger scale. volunteer at Arc En Ciel, a Lebanese NGO whose primary goal is Seventy percent of the Lebanese population currently resides in to nurture durable development at the environmental, social and cities rather than villages, an imbalance that is only increasing. The economical levels. numbers are dramatic, and with good reason: people are moving from rural villages due to serious shortfalls in job opportunities “ Ecotourism is economically beneficial — it can and access to education. According to Chaker Noun, founder of Baldati (“My Village” be practiced all year — and it fosters interaction in Arabic), a Lebanese NGO that aims to revive Lebanese villages, between tourists and local populations.” reunite their communities and support their institutions, — Karim El-Jisr, president of the Lebanon Mountain Trail ecotourism can act as a tool to reanimate rural villages and break Association away from the pattern of urban centralization. Established in 2003, Baldati organizes hiking, snowshoeing, and “Although allowing local communities to actively participate winery trips (among other activities), with hiking being the most in ecotourism activities is essential, another really important popular of these activities. In fact, Baldati has organized over 700 determinant of ecotourism is environmental education, which hiking trips in about 500 villages to date — although hiking itself, should be factored in as often as possible,” says Abou Arrage, who maintains Noun, is not the highlight of these excursions. also teaches ecotourism and alternative ecotourism courses at the “Baldati’s hiking club is not primarily about practicing the University of Balamand and the Lebanese University. sport,” says Noun, who is also an expert on green architecture and Arc En Ciel’s contribution to the ecotourism industry came to renewable energy. “It is a portal to our main objectives — and it light in 2005, when the NGO began working on the construction of complements the idea of Baldati, which is to help to rebuild these Taanayel Ecolodge, an environmentally friendly and architecturally villages.” traditional youth hostel located in the heart of the Bekaa and built With so many Lebanese increasingly based in cities, emotional entirely from local materials. attachment to their original villages is predictably fading. While Taanayel Ecolodge allows tourists to enjoy stunning scenery homesickness may be enough to lure people back to their in the area Taanayel village area, while exploring and immersing hometowns for a visit, it is not going to precipitate a large-scale, themselves in the conventional customs of the Bekaa residents. It became fully operational in 2007, being shaped around the notion of the existing, but often overlooked, symbiotic and synergetic relationship between mankind and the environment. “Taanayel Ecolodge is a community-based project, managed in partnership with the people of Taanayel and Zahle,” says Abou Arrage. “All those who have participated in the building and the running of the site are from the area.” Indeed, the local community’s involvement in Taanayel Ecolodge is key to the prospering of the project — the residents of the area, that is, are not a cosmetic supplement to the ecolodge, but a critical component lying at its very core. “They own the resources, and thus the project should be managed by them. They play a major role in protecting and conserving the site, as well as being its cultural guides to the visitors,” says Abou Arrage. In point of fact, the local community currently manages Taanayel Ecolodge in every respect, making it a separate, but sister NGO to Arc En Ciel. The most striking aspect of Taanayel Ecolodge is the cooperative interplay it fosters between tourists and locals. While vacationers benefit from fresh mountain air, a traditional Lebanese breakfast (a delicious combination of omelets, Baladi cheese and jam) and an all-embracing understanding of the ecolodges’ authentic and rudimentary architecture and history, the local community have the chance to promote and increase awareness of their cultural heritage — and the architecture and natural setting in which it’s rooted — as well as reap the financial revenues necessary to conserve it. “This type of ecotourism appeals to many people because it combines the natural and environmental aspects of tourism with the human and social aspects of it,” says Abou Arrage. Ecotourism aims to diversify the tourism market on the global Hikers walking along Sin Ehden, a ridge overlooking Ehden in North Lebanon page 6 long-term reversal of urban sprawl or return to rural life in Lebanon. “The reserve is like their own backyard, a garden they deeply “Sentimentality and nostalgia are great, but they will not solve treasure,” says Dr. Ahmad Houri, associate professor of chemistry the problem. Wadih el Safi and Fairuz’s romantic, patriotic songs in LAU’s Department of Natural Sciences. “This emotional bond is will not solve the problem,” says Noun. precisely what drives them to care for it and protect it.” “People are seeking real jobs and real work opportunities. You But love of one’s garden is not enough, notes Houri. No matter have to provide these basic needs to the residents of rural areas so how romantic we may be about village life and natural splendor, they can stay there, and so that those who left them would return. monetary benefits constitute any sustainability project’s bottom We need to aim for decentralization,” he adds. line. Indeed, ecotourism is an industry in itself. Any burgeoning Indeed, the Chouf cedar nature reserve encourages local business needs capital to survive — whether it’s gasoline, communities to sell their own goods — honey, marmalade, keshek, petroleum, or money. Similarly, ecotourism, from a business yoghurt — at a shop located in the reserve, which also forms part standpoint, also requires certain resources, and these are plentiful of the financial infrastructure of neighboring villages. in Lebanon: the pleasant climate, the rich landscapes, the “You won’t find chips, chocolate or soda at the shop,” multiculturalism and famed hospitality of the Lebanese people. explains Houri. “Only homemade goods produced by the local “Every city and every town in Lebanon has a different identity, communities.” even when it’s within the same region. Lebanon is a melting pot In short, the Chouf townspeople protect the reserve not only of cultures and customs, and this is exactly what tourists seek the because of its national relevance and significance, but also because most,” says Noun. of the economical safety net it provides them. Indeed, ecotourism activities in Lebanon draw almost as many “The number of activities you can do outdoors is so huge, you foreigners as they do locals, especially during the warmer seasons. are bound to find something that suits you. But the question is: The Chouf cedar nature reserve is particularly popular. are you willing to get out of bed, and do something other than sit Comprising six cedar forests stretching over 50,000 hectares in in a café and smoke arguileh on a Saturday afternoon?” asks Houri. the Mount Lebanon range, the Chouf cedar nature reserve is the How to spend one’s weekend leisure hours may seem the largest nature reserve in Lebanon, hosting a plethora of bird and epitome of a small-stakes question, but — for those investing in plans species, as well as wild mammals. ecotourism’s chances of shoring up what remains of Lebanon’s The reserve is surrounded by a small number of villages, the wilds — a great deal indeed may ride on it. residents of which consider the reserve to be part of their home. & ALUMNI BULLETIN & ALUMNI VOLUME 14 | issue nº 2 | Summer 2012 14 | issue nº 2 VOLUME

Hikers walking along Sin Ehden, a ridge overlooking Ehden in North Lebanon page 7 Out of the Chrysalis

Out of the Chrysalis The metamorphosis of UMC–RH By LAU Staff

Renovating a well-known city hospital that has been both a It’s much better for patients and for the billing and insurance landmark and a lifeline for generations of Lebanese requires side,” says Roy Majdalani, Chairman of the UMC–RH Board of equal parts teamwork, ingenuity, and patience. “Patient safety and Directors. comfort is at the core of our concerns,” says Dr. Elie Badr, member Majdalani, with his expertise in information technology, has of the UMC–RH Board of Directors and Interim Dean of the spearheaded the IT transformation of UMC–RH, implementing School of Architecture and Design, explaining that renovations an advanced IT infrastructure that includes a wired and wireless are carefully synchronized to minimize disturbances. network, telecommunications and multimedia throughout most “The main challenge for the design team has been the of the complex, a modern nurse call system, and a state-of-the- design of a functional Master Plan that will eventually get UMC- art data center with redundant and powerful servers. In addition, RH accredited by The Joint Commission International (JCI),” he new medical and business IT applications are being planned and says. “We have designed the Master Plan in coordination with JCI implemented, including a new Picture Archiving System (PACS) consultants who already visited the hospital on two occasions.” and Radiology Information System (RIS) as a first step to installing The major projects transforming UMC–RH into a world- a leading Hospital Information System (HIS) and a comprehensive class 21st century facility are numerous. So far the following Enterprise Resources Planning (ERP) system that automates all departments have been completed: a new dialysis unit, Radiology clinical and administrative processes. Center, GI/endoscopy unit, Dermatology and Varicose Vein Clinic, “Our mission is to provide robust, reliable and secure IT Billing Center, and 3rd floor patient wards. There are new HVAC systems and services that foster a productive environment for systems with advanced infection control, data management UMC-RH patients, medical, nursing and administrative staff,” he centers, new high-tech equipment and electronic resources. And says. while various floors and units get their — often simultaneous The vision for the hospital renovation, according to Dr. Maroun — state-of-the-art makeovers, the hospital has remained fully El-Daccache, chairman of the Department of Architecture and operational. Interior Design and lead designer at UMC-RH, was to have a Commitment to excellence in patient care has brought together distinctive design, unlike those found in traditional hospitals. “The the hospital leadership with LAU faculty and administrators across strategy was to create a new image and configuration unique to schools and disciplines, from the School of Medicine to the School UMC–RH. Departments are identified through different design of Architecture and Design, to the Finance and IT Departments. configurations.” The results speak for themselves. A new central billing area in Badr expressed admiration for his colleague’s design the main lobby in the connector between building A and B acts leadership, and graciously noted that several young graduates of as a one-stop shop for patients who come for outpatient testing, LAU’s architecture program — Natalie Bou Reslan, Joelle Merchak X-rays, labs and procedures. and Raed El Hajj Hussain — form the team El-Daccache heads. “There are insurance representatives at the station so if you “As interim dean, how much prouder could I be?” Badr says. have tests to do, you walk into the insurance office, get your “This is clear testimony to the quality of architects that El- approval through billing, pay at the cashier and you’re done. Daccache and the department’s faculty are graduating.” page 8 UMC-RH’s newly renovated 3rd floor surgical recovery unit

Upgrading the infrastructure and equipment is only part of a Might it be easier to build a new hospital from scratch? greater shift within the hospital. When LAU acquired the facility, “Much easier,” Zreik wryly jokes. the staff was operating under a French system in which RNs “In the purely bricks-and-mortar sense, yes,” Majdalani gamely weren’t allowed to conduct physical assessments (patient exams concurs. “But Rizk Hospital is an iconic community hospital for before the physician visits the room). “In the American system generations of Beirutis. LAU’s approach to medicine is about we’re implementing, RNs will do this routinely, and feel as a result fusing advanced technology and expertise with deep-rooted more empowered in administering patient care,” says Nader. community care and trust.” “The whole approach is multidisciplinary,” she adds. “Physicians “As medical practitioners, as architects, as university leaders, consult and cooperate with nurses, physical therapists, pharmacy, we’re here to transform, not demolish,” adds Badr. and so on.” Training is ongoing, according to Dr. Tony Zreik, Chief Medical Officer with thousands of hours devoted to acquainting nursing staff with the new devices, zones, and policies. Medical staff at UMC-RH check on a patient after surgery So what’s next? Current renovations on the second floor (OB/ GYN and maternity wing) are almost complete, and work will begin on the first floor of building A. The Radiology and Imaging Department on the ground and -1 floors of building A will soon be open to the public. “This will be not among the best, but the best in the Middle East,” says Zreik. “We partnered with a group of New York radiologists and have equipment that is only the second machine of its kind in the world.” BULLETIN & ALUMNI With each new renovation, the UMC–RH steering committee

must take into account the requirements of JCI (Joint Commission | Summer 2012 14 | issue nº 2 VOLUME International), an international hospital accreditation body. “We must get approval for everything,” says Zreik. “They are coming periodically to visit the grounds to check what’s happening on various fronts — from patient care to renovations and safe designs, among other things.” Majdalani acknowledges the challenges in turning a privately- owned, for-profit hospital into a university teaching hospital with the latest technologies that support excellence throughout the complex. “It requires raising the standards of care in all aspects of the hospital operations,” he says.

page 9 Donor ProfileProfile Education of Body and Mind Visionary donor endows major sports facility at LAU Byblos By LAU Staff

Why would a leading banker with no investment firms, and played a key role in affiliation to LAU donate $6 million to the unprecedented success of SGBL after the university to construct, of all things, a being appointed chairman in 2007. sports facility? The donation was welcomed by LAU Antoun Sehnaoui, chairman and CEO with enormous gratitude and enthusiasm. of Société Générale de Banque au Liban, Joe Moujaes, director of athletics for the has built a reputation for his philanthropic Byblos campus, where the facility will be efforts in Lebanon, supporting cultural located, described it as a “necessity.” projects that include the Beirut “An athletic sports center on the Byblos International Film Festival and the Beirut campus is a must, not only for our student Art Center. athletes who have for years endured the “It is conventional to support the hassle of transportation to and from development of universities as providers of rented facilities,” Moujaes explains, “but knowledge,” he says. “Their sports activities more importantly, for the great campus life however are still generally perceived as a the center will bring to the university.” the poor relative — despite the fact that The sports center itself will be they contribute fundamentally to the monumental, consisting of a three- human being’s fulfillment.” level, 9,000-square-meter building at A proper campus sports facility, he says, the northeastern edge of the Byblos is critical for students to maintain a healthy campus. It will feature a semi-Olympic mind and body. But promotion of health sized swimming pool as well as an indoor is only part of the picture. For Sehnaoui, multipurpose court, surrounded by two who saw the worst of the civil war years, a sets of bleachers with the capacity to sports center can bring together students accommodate about 500 people. from all backgrounds to interact, to build It will also include outdoor mini-football, trust, form lasting bonds and discover the tennis and basketball fields on its top importance of unity — all of which are at level, using artificial turf to allow for year- the core of his philanthropic mission. round use. The lower floors will probably “Having knowledge, sports and house a gymnasium, dance rooms, squash entertainment grouped on a single site courts, exercise rooms, a spa, cafeteria, promotes social ties, especially among administrative offices and other needed young people from different communities,” facilities. At this point, the projected “Having knowledge, sports he says. “And it ensures the strength and completion date lies somewhere during permanence of such ties.” the 2015-2016 academic year. and entertainment grouped The donation indeed speaks to “This center speaks to the heart of on a single site promotes Sehnaoui’s own active nature and our mission at LAU when we talk about ambitious spirit. Having celebrated his the education of the whole person,” says social ties, especially among fortieth birthday only this year, Sehnaoui LAU President Dr. Joseph Jabbra. “It is young people from different has an impressive list of accomplishments not enough to merely educate in the to his name. classroom, to expand the minds of the communities,” he says. “And Upon completing his B.S. in young through instruction. It is also our it ensures the strength and international financing and banking from duty to ensure their access to facilities the University of Southern California in to participate in physical recreation permanence of such ties.” 1994, Sehnaoui returned to Lebanon to — a fundamental component of their found News Media, a publishing house development, and therefore of any serious that created Executive, Lebanon’s leading university.” English-language business magazine. He also took over FIDUS, transforming it into one of the country’s leading financial

page 10 pnes ad rnprny e operate on,” we Zallouaaffirms. transparency and openness, enthusiasm, the witnessed and felt, saw, them, improve andcontributed tothereport.” to worked learned standards, the all about “We Abdallah. Jad Dr. Dean accreditation,”this on the Assistant Acting says collaborated in faculty “All success. school’s instrumental proved faculty members among inclusiveness concerted of theiroverall strategy. corethe and at process monitoring the putting evolution effective its guaranteeing data, comprehensive around program the tailored staff SOP excellence, of standards Zalloua. demanding,” observes and high extremely “People are proactive insteadofreactive.” ago. months four Michigan of University the from LAU to came who Btaiche, Imad Dr. Dean Associate here,” notes students and staff, faculty, among of energy lot positive is rigorous “There process. the reorganization facilitating dedication, its things how at could moveforward,” look herecalled. innovative an take encyclopedic report. an compile ACPE and 26 standards all with compliance colleagues ensure his to with intensively working the effort, reaccreditation the in led 2010, of Pharmacy fall of School the of dean outside theUnitedStates. course ACPE-approved only the soliciting Pharmacy students with throng of to continues School re-accreditation (SOP) the January, successful this 2002.Following in program Pharmacy D.) (Pharm. of Pharmacy Doctor the its for certified when (ACPE) Education Council milestone a Accreditation cleared LAU By Jessica Hollows Distinguished Pharm. D. program granted fullsix-year term Reaccreditation Milestone for of School Pharmacy We te CE epe ae they came, people ACPE the “When and communication Straightforward these with up keep to order are In standards ACPE “Naturally, redoubled school the Zalloua Under to able was I outside, from “Coming interim became Dr.who Zalloua,Pierre xmlfe itricpiay cooperation. interdisciplinary exemplifies of healthcare disciplines,” Btaichenotes. School the Nursing, with Medicine,of School the other and levels student and favor.faculty the at involved is school “The its in point another was bent professional school’s the of internal assessmentscheme. depth and breadth the its saluted report ACPE’s guaranteeing evolution. effective data, comprehensive have was, colors.” withflying to it renewed meticulously and — so renewed accreditation worked and staff hard and so students faculty, the his to message Zalloua, community. “Dr. a Pierre university in Jabbra G. Joseph President LAU Pharmacy,” said of School renewed and accreditation for afullsix-year term. compliance, was excellent school the in that determined ACPE h SPs urah program outreach SOP’s The inter- program’s D. Pharm. The programaroundtheir tailored staff SOP our for coup a quite really is “This inspection, 2012 January the During Dr. Pierre Zalloua andSOPfaculty during thewhite coat ceremony members et col f hray n h region,” the says Zalloua. in pharmacy of school best hospital setting. a in pharmacy practice to graduates SOP equip will experience medications,practical this future, the In on Zalloua. students,” says teach pharmacists consult and care, clinical where deliver into hospital UMC–RH transforma to Lebanon. want in “We field nascent a pharmacy, researchand clinical pharmacypractice.” education, arenas: major in excellencethree for shoot to it use to now need We “ Btaiche. a says pad,” is “Accreditationlaunching respite. no taking is every Thursday. the at Shatila in (VOC) Clinic Outreach careVolunteer supervised provide schools Medicine hands-on and Nursing, Pharmacy, LAU’s and fromunderstanding, students community expertise invaluable technical with experience Combining “We want to be — and remain — the — remain and — be to want “We clinical spearheading is school The SOP the laurel, with lucent more Once S.O.P. page 11 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 14 | issue nº 2 | Summer 2012 Waste Knot Recyclers big and small take

FEATURE on the nation’s trash problem By Jessica Hollows

page 12 carcasses. full of bottles, boxes, crushed cans and pools swimming Olympic-size 160 of averages 400 000 tons, dreck the equivalent daily country’s The collector. waste freelance 33-year-old a says trash,”Saleh, collecting for Lebanon “You will never find a better place than and industrialists onthespot. to out shelling before substratum sordid gold” “black a consortium. into forebears of generations four at follow out to 15 dropping describes he diplomas, full forged office an impeccably in of ease At Shoueifat. and Beirut in locales after according tointernationalmarkets. Jackpot crop copper scores four times more. Rates Mondays,shift kilo. per $1.20 roughly at paydirt procurable is sums.Aluminum with evident pride. Zain Syrian-made,” says becomes motor Italian-made an hands,price.my market “In their beyond souk,values represent and all sundry.Restored of trouvés,objets reapwhich Sabra profitat 50% a shatters motley the from recombinants marketable comes for through tea, afterhours TV, andtinkering. Now decamped down the with block his wife and daughter, Saleh to landfill. doomed otherwise devices for cash petty proffers he works, he be fixed,” says 39-year-old Zain. Talking with voluble animation as “After seeing so many old motors, we figured out which ones could and somethingofaregional ecoguru. LAU at chemistry of professor associate Houri, Dr. Ahmad says Lebanon are — unfortunately — these informal trash collectors,” zabbaleen are nonesuch conservationists. “The major recyclers in hardware, amplescrap begetting metalandelectricsonthefritz. regionwide. Saline tap water and power cuts take inimical tolls on to $1000cash. rewards.upforages fruitless,high proveyield some others While spell hauls big but hurting, are feet and backs Their handcarts. mere with resources jettisoned of kilograms 500 to up salvage Dahiyeh, Tayouneh and Achrafieh. Spirited beasts of burden, they to explore dumpstersandrubble. Beirut’s nor streetlights neither pavement. with Together with brothers, graced cousins and backstreetfriends, he set out Sabra a down ago,discountdigsyears in 16 alighted Syria Saleh quitting Upon vr mrig Brih ot ad egs mrabrs of smorgasbords weighs and sorts Barbish morning, Every sought- oversees Barbish Wael middleman metal Recycled slighterfor scrapyards to irreparableschlock vend Zabbaleen forging remodel, and deconstruct doggedly cronies The Zain is one of 10 tenants sleeping Saleh’s makeshift apartment. Seasoned the perils, environmental by unmoved largely nation a In rag-pickers entices infrastructure beleaguered Lebanon’s through confreres the take footslogs daily Thirty-kilometer evolve into self-taught grease monkeys.grease self-taught into evolve zabbaleen ,zabbaleen landowners page 13 page

& alumni bulletin VOLUME 14 | issue nº 2 | Summer 2012 FEATURE

Waste Knot

Forty employees dismember investments into distinct Last year, the non-profit amassed 457,470 tons of paper from materials. Professional wrecker Abdal Salam sunders at least a 323 contributors. Remuneration from Solicar’s Wadi Chahrour ton of trash on his circadian shift. Prefatory butchering involves fact funded 7777 tree plantings, offsetting carbon footprints and levying large claw cranes for oversized bounty and sedulously 1226 square meters of landfill. LAU’s Beirut campus recycled a extracting wire filaments. commendable 10,015 kilograms of paper, with numbers set to Salam then feeds fragments to the industrial scruncher, which spike following Byblos campus’ recent enlistment as part of a emits stackable cuboids. Sometimes he receives DIYers in search large-scale eco-stratagem. of one-of-a-kind fittings. “Many people come looking for just the Alan Kairouz, program coordinator for the Office of the Dean right doorframe or tap,” explains Salam, who retains requisite of Students at LAU Byblos, administered the masterstroke. “Two bric-a-brac for his own on-site lodging. huge can compactors, some 20 can bins, and over 100 paper Walk-in containers crammed with pulverized stock sail to recycling bins were distributed around the campus, cafeteria and Europe, China, and beyond. Barbish’s business bounced back dorms,” he says, intimating that the project was no mean feat. effortlessly after 2008. “It was difficult to find the right companies to collect and Dr. Houri deems reprocessing recyclables for local markets recycle papers and cans, as not many would venture this far to equally lucrative. Companies like Soliver crush and cast used collect resources,” says Kairouz, who has yet to locate a plastic glass into bespoke bottles of all forms and shades. A Kfarchima bottle collection service. “But the biggest challenge is motivating outfit transmogrifies soda cans into window frames, while Bekaa our students to use the bins for the right purpose.” manufacturers produce vegetable crates from shredded water bottles. “ The major recyclers in Lebanon are — “Lebanon has facilities to recycle, or compress for export, unfortunately — informal trash collectors.” every material,” says activist Zahi Boustany, of environmental — Dr. Ahmad Houri, associate professor of chemistry non-profit T.E.R.R.E. Liban. “The problem is that many factories are in deficit. Not enough people are providing them with the at LAU Beirut materials they need to work.” Efficient composting could treat organic leftovers, obviating Last fall, inauguratory high jinks goaded scholars into action. 60 to 90 percent of Lebanon’s solid waste output. Yet existing “A band played soft rock music, and an announcement and facilities in Tyr and Nabatieh operate at one-fourth capacity demonstration were presented about the bins and compactors,” — at best. “When you build such factories, you have to plan Kairouz recalls. “Posters and small video sketches about for fuel, manpower, and maintenance,” explains Boustany. environmental awareness were placed around campus and on “International donors gave big money to cover construction, the e-boards.” but nothing for ongoing costs, and the population was not The coordinator continues to update posters on a biweekly trained to compost.” basis, and stresses the need for extensive publicity to boost Plastic and paper plants pay chump change per ton, scarcely environmental awareness throughout Lebanon. incentivizing anyone except commercial printers and zabbaleen. T.E.R.R.E. Liban aspires to glass, plastic, and aluminum T.E.R.R.E. Liban offers paper receptacles and collection services recuperation schemes to grease the wheels of future efforts. to help Lebanon’s academic and commercial institutions move Some locals already deliver bottle tops, batteries, labneh boxes slowly toward the recycling efficiency of its scavengers. and detergent containers to the NGO’s Baabda garden.

page 14 Pltcl upr fr mto o srig n rccig is recycling procurement of five incineratorshand-me-down and from the United retrograde sorting government’s of the heeding Boustany, urgent,” method avers a for support “Political be colored politically,” than rather environment, saysBoustany. the of that umbrella, one under organic farmers and recycling plant proprietors. “We want to stay joining forces with environmentalists including NGO’s, botanists, recalls. labels,” he no were there environment, the to came it feelings. “When hard residual harmonize could concerns ecofriendly build anewfangledtrash. highway onseaborne to proposals Boustany, lambasting nature,” says with compete never can “Youwaves. 13-meter by displaced and eroded were naturalshorefromthe meters blood.300 erected Buildings bad of reasons security.personal for anonymous remain to wished who activist, an and in filled the space with garbage to create new land,” explains then they built an underwater wall some distance from the coast for meter.the waterfront enclave. square foundations per festering $33,000 at ofviews satellite lay prohibitLebanesepre-2000 networks accessto valued to estate real sea downtown the into Normandy urban of banner the the under killing Frankenstein rejuvenation. a in freeholders international rake and violating coastline dumpsite and But conventions. waters Mediterranean fouling countries. allthewaytoneighboring leaks flotsam slagheap,infamous Saida’s whichand river junk-choked Akkar’s environment, especially the water supply,” says Houri, referring to an hourly1200cubicmetersofmethanebyDr. Houri’scount. emits which landfill,noxious Naameh’s brim harvests miasmal tons.Most400 at sorting circadian caps manpower meager but sharing soyasnacks. courteously whilst York,” laments New he in $50 to compared ton per $170 and $150 world, between the costing in anywhere funds from diverting community developmentandgreen initiatives. potentially coffers, municipal some of fifths two for cheap.comeaccounttrashfeescollection not says do Boustany services invaluable Unfortunately, Sukleen’s foundation. firm’s marquee waste managers in 1994, a mere three months after the government-backed macerators abscond withtheirkeep. lest Sukleen, of ahead step one shrewdly give sorters waste maverick failures toraise publicconsciousness, headds. by stymied were recycling large-scale at environmental efforts benefits.” their Past of awareness raising in succeed projects when happen to beginning is “It says. return,” Houri financial Alas, concrete centralized progress requires legislative input.legislative requires progresscentralized concreteAlas, T.E.R.R.E. Liban continues to work across political boundaries, hoping 1994, in recycling for campaigning began Boustany up whipped seafront Karantina’s of expansion Analogous extracted,were metals valuable crushed,all was “Everything wasteland quondam Beirut’s yesteryear,swept In developers for Lebanon criticize regularly Greece and Turkey, Cyprus, the for bad very are that locations in trashthrowing are “We plant, processing waste Karantina their at recycles Sukleen than expensive more is Lebanon in collection “Waste Lebanon’s Mount and Beirut contracted were that Powers dumpsters, alongside recyclables extricated depositing By a expecting without recycle will people some rare,but is “It a leg up. The latter stays latter up.The leg a zabbaleen Lebanon,” Abichaker says. plants in the pipeline, and we are approaching Beirut and Mount continues to gain on Sukleen’s stronghold. “We have a few more a have he reports. even “We reuse. boards,” panel into bags for plastic turning for technology patented plastics shredding and bottles eco- the explains agriculture,”entrepreneur. organic grade for high affordable certified very fertilizer a producing by value adding and Composting out burnt Dynamic and provender novelties in record time. “We are solving a Abichaker’s major issue, surplus pollution blenderize to use Technology garburators steel operating underazero wastemantra. Wedon’tneedalandfill.” roof,”one under ones of careonly taken the is aresays. “We he truck waste solid municipal a from comes that anything where waste dilemma. “We like to build local waste management plants, asarankbegan outsider inthesolid-wastemanagementrace. Environmental, Cedar brainchild, technology. His revolutionary in rich resumé a with 1999 in University Rutgers fromLebanon leave to production,” he says. organizedwaste and consumption providewater minimize to incentives to financial need “We fees. wastewater and tipping adds. States. “Without it, we will remain a small and weak minority,” he Outside, cops adilatoryzabbaleen half-light pickings. Environmental Cedar facilities, southerly operative 11 With materials,bailing inorganic unsnarl hands hired Abichaker’s RecoveryMaterial In Facilities from Kfarsir,to Jbaa enormous Lebanon’s to solution decentralized a promotes Abichaker placed well stands contender alternative an Meanwhile, regulated like solutions collective advocates also Houri ih n dy Za Aihkr eund to returned Abichaker Ziad dry. and high zabbaleen page 15 page

& alumni bulletin VOLUME 14 | issue nº 2 | Summer 2012 LAU Major Theater Production

Stage of Adolescence Abyad production invokes the muse of childhood memory By Muriel Kahwagi

The child in us may never die; sadly, however, it sometimes of what to expect from the play, which is why the colors of the set goes into hibernation. Fantasia Opus3, LAU’s major theater are very soft and light,” she says. “This is a very light play.” production for the spring, is at once a lavish, colorful spectacle Light as it is, Fantasia Opus3 is not devoid of the melancholy, and a bittersweet reminiscence of boyhood designed to awaken the trace of sadness that can tinge youth as it it’s lived and as even the most dormant inner child. it’s remembered. Directed by assistant professor of communication arts Dr. In one scene, the actors — scattered on the stage, dressed Lina Abyad, Fantasia Opus3 turned the Gulbenkian Theater into in technicolor garments, and holding cardboard cages — are a time machine, transporting the audience to their schooldays standing on doormats, miming the vehement, sometimes even and fatuous first loves, revisiting adolescent pipe dreams tyrannical tone of parents trying to edify their children. through the lens of adult desire. Comments that seem benign in the individual instance — The production initially took shape almost entirely through “remember to say thank you,” “don’t pick your nose,” or even improvisation (Fantasia Opus3 is the third Abyad production to “don’t mention that you’re doing theater in front of grandma” be composed this way, hence the title). The first draft of the — become oppressive in the aggregate, and can leave an script was composed by Abyad as a kind of collage of the actors’ elusive scar on youngsters, one they may obsessively revisit as impromptu recollections of their earliest memories. they grow older. “We didn’t really know what the play would be about at first,” In another scene a young woman draped in white wanders she recalls, “but we talked a lot about childhood, schooldays, the stage recalling the 2006 war in Lebanon — fondly, as and longing for love. We taped everything, and finally identified paradox would have it, because awful as it was, it brought her the recurrent themes and began working on them.” and her family closer together, and taught her to appreciate The result weaves together embarrassing fracases, haunting life’s small blessings. insecurities, ingenuous crushes, and sensory firsts — at once “It is practically impossible to talk about memories in ephemeral and indelible — into a tapestry of nostalgia and pain. a Lebanese context and not evoke one war or another,” Curiously enough, the Communication Arts Department’s explains Abyad. “I provoked the actors, and the result of those very first productions in the early 1960’s were children’s plays, provocations was the play’s raw material. All I did was edit, notes Dr. Mona A. Knio, associate professor of theater and the rearrange and design it into a script.” department’s chairperson. “Abyad’s improv-based production Theater-goers and members of the university drama was ultimately — and uncannily — reminiscent of the community praised Abyad’s compositional method. “The department’s early theatrical work,” Knio says. authenticity creates audience intimacy — people can relate to it The surreal set — the stage is draped in white and pastels almost immediately,” says LAU theater coordinator Hala Masri. and lit by lanterns — was designed, says Abyad, to invite the Peter Matar, an architecture student at Académie Libanaise audience to be part of the play, to send them into reverie. des Beaux Arts (ALBA), concurred. “I felt the actors themselves “You have to give them — from the very beginning — an idea were my memories,” Matar said.

page 16 Glass Half Full

We’ve all heard that water may be “the oil of the 21st century,” but the news has yet to sink in. For all we read about the havoc wrought by urbanization, burgeoning demand, and climate change on global supplies, we still tend to think of water as one turn of the faucet away. As president and chief operating officer of Innovyze, which specializes in software for “wet infrastructure,” Dr. Paul Boulos has a more watchful eye on the horizon. He describes decay of the “invisible” infrastructure of water distribution worldwide as posing the primary water-related challenge in the near and mid-term future. A prominent expert on water resources engineering and drinking water distribution engineering, Boulos has co-authored nine books and more than 100 scientific publications. His work on distribution systems water quality modeling has become the global industry standard. Boulos is a trustee of LAU, and has chaired the university’s board of international advisors.

How have environmental and climate- What are your proudest moments, change issues shaped the work of personally and professionally? Innovyze since its founding in 1996? Personally, my wedding day and the day Our clients face significant environmental my daughter, Daria, the noor of my life, and economic pressures caused by was born. resource scarcity, population growth and My first major business accomplishment climate change; we provide solutions that was founding Innovyze. In just 15 years, Glass Half Full benefit both the environment and their we’ve become the world’s leading provider LAU trustee brings bottom line. We help them strengthen of water and wastewater modeling and and sustain the world’s hydraulic simulation technology. Our clients now solutions to the infrastructures and prepare for increasing include all the water utilities in the UK, demand on diminishing supplies. Our work most of the largest Australasian, East water-supply covers critical areas from water security to Asian, and North American cities, many of climate change and carbon management Europe and GCC largest utilities, and ENR conundrum to green cities planning to real-time flood top-rated design firms — a total of more By Greg Houle forecasting. than 10,000 progressive customers in 60 Like all dedicated engineers, we countries and territories. We’re not only measure the value of our work by what meeting our clients’ needs; we’re helping it contributes to future happiness and people across the globe live happier, the wellbeing of others. The need for safe healthier, more satisfying lives. drinking water — worldwide — is greater The second was my 2009-2011 stint today than ever before. It is imperative as president of MWH Middle East (July to sustainable economic growth and 2009 to June 2011). Against the backdrop improved quality of life. Our employees of a deep recession and a challenging have made a climate change commitment business environment, we opened a new that includes educational outreach, and regional office in Dubai, successfully last year we volunteered personal time resolved the company’s legacy problems, to help young students — over 5000 of favorably settled doubtful debts, instituted them — understand their own impact on rigorous risk management and compliance climate change. We are thrilled to leave a programs, established strong commercial

lasting impression on future leaders. and project disciplines, improved AR BULLETIN & ALUMNI collection and reduced DSO by 57% to

an all-time record low. We returned the | Summer 2012 14 | issue nº 2 VOLUME company to profitability and placed it on a path to sustainable solid growth, renewed our commitment to local economies and job creation, and fostered opportunity for personal and societal advancement. Entrepreneurial ethics means aspiring to be valued by customers as a trusted partner, and by society as a responsible enterprise.

page 17 Integrated Care, Integrated Classrooms

Integrated Care, Integrated Classrooms Interprofessional Education Program synthesizes the fields of healthcare By Muriel Kahwagi This new approach has in turn triggered to learn from this session about the a more integrated approach to medical integration of social workers with other education. The term “interprofessional healthcare professionals,” said Nadine education,” or IPE, is now in wide use Abdul Sater, a first-year social work to refer to interdisciplinary learning student. environments involving students and Faculty presentations highlighted the faculty from multiple professions in health role of their respective professions in and social care. The goal of IPE is to ensuring the success of IPE. Potential facilitate integrated professional practices challenges to collaboration and integration Enormous scientific and that improve the quality of healthcare as — competition, lack of a common well as the social wellbeing of patients. professional language and failure to solicit technological advances in The Interprofessional Education (IPE) the input of other professionals — were Western medicine in the past Program work group at LAU offered two also discussed. introductory sessions in April to introduce “It’s not enough to deal only with century were accompanied, and acquaint the students enrolled in medical causes of a patient’s condition,” all too often, by a more the health and social programs with the said Dr. Hassan Hammoud, associate concept of IPE and its growing relevance to professor of social welfare in the clinically detached approach their future practice. Department of Social Sciences at LAU. to the healing arts; the “Students can use the knowledge and “Health affects all aspects of a person’s skills they learn in IPE in any clinical life, and social workers are here precisely country doctor who knew setting and work efficiently with other to bridge the gap between the individual his community intimately health professionals. Collaboration is and his social environment.” gave way to the white-coated foundational to all health care work,” says The April 4 “STEP 2” session tackled Dr. Nancy Hoffart, founding dean of LAU’s more advanced IPE concepts, drawing surgical-masked lab technician. Alice Ramez Chaghoury School of Nursing extensively on students’ clinical The 21st-century emphasis and chair of the IPE work group. experiences. The forum was attended by LAU’s IPE program was launched in a total of 145 third-year medical, third- on “patient-centered” spring 2011, and brings together students and fourth-year professional pharmacy, health care — an integrated from nursing, medicine, pharmacy, second-year nursing and third-year social nutrition, and social work programs, work students. approach taking into account to take part in learning experiences in Hoffart emphasizes not only the cultural traditions, personal classroom, laboratory and clinical settings. benefits of IPE for the wellbeing of The IPE introductory sessions took patients and communities, but also the preferences, family situations place in the Selina Korban Theatre on the competitive advantage it confers on future and community contexts — is Byblos campus, two days apart. The April professionals. 2 “STEP 1” session was attended by a total “When our students present their in large part a reaction to this. of 135 students. These included first-year portfolios to prospective employers,” she medical, first-year professional pharmacy, says, “their interprofessional learning first-year nursing, third-year nutrition experience will link them to globally and first-year social work students, none recognized standards such as those of whom had substantial prior clinical or of the Joint Commission, a U.S.-based field learning experiences. organization that accredits hospitals “We’re new to IPE, so there’s so much around the world.” page 18 Faculty Profile Inexhaustible Energy Dr. Ahmad Houri brings eco-dynamism to the Department of Natural Sciences By Curtis Brown

On paper, Dr. Ahmad Houri is a widely “An executive M.B.A. makes me stronger published associate professor of chemistry in saying ‘this is the feasibility of such-and- with research interests in a host of such project’. I’m better placed to persuade environmental issues, most deeply and people, to get things done.” consistently that of renewable energy. The response is a window into his In person, he is slightly harder to classify. mind, into the mercurial shifts of tone Spry and nimble-minded, he speaks a and register. Like any successful advocate, babel of professional languages, shifting he knows the value of speaking multiple from academic jargon to casual banter to tongues. He was publishing articles with dollars-and-sense, bottom-line reasoning to titles like “Application of Zr-Catalalyzed the lyricism of a naturalist. Carbomagnesation and Mo-Catalyzed Houri “was not a born environmentalist.” Macrocyclic Ring Closing Metathesis in His interest was aroused during his Asymmetric Synthesis” when he joined LAU American postdoctoral years, by things in the 1990s. “Prospects and Challenges he read and places — a wind farm, a of Using Hydropower for Electricity sustainable house — he visited. It took Generation in Lebanon” is representative of hold firmly when he returned to Lebanon, more recent work. where his love of the natural world grew Houri is gratified when work he has alongside a love of photography. contributed to leads to policy initiatives, “I came to environmentalism through citing as recent examples the efficient- my senses, through a whole sensory world,” lighting campaign, a solar water-heater he recalls. initiative, a biomass strategy assessment, In addition to wind power, solar energy and the creation of a wind atlas of and biofuels, he is involved in wastewater Lebanon. treatment and pollution monitoring in Houri is especially sanguine about coastal rivers. He collaborates with national the implementation of a “feed-in tariff,” and international organizations to advance which subsidizes individuals who produce environmental initiatives, regularly renewable energy and feed it back into traveling abroad to present his research. the power grid. “For this to work, we need He serves on the board of trustees of the regulation. But it can change the face of International Solar Energy Society. He and this country.” his wife are recognized authorities on Houri considers renewable energy Lebanese wildflowers. the most exciting area of environmental It is dizzying to keep track of his degrees. research — “everyone knows oil is going to Graduating in chemistry from AUB in run out, whether in ten years or a hundred, 1990, Houri completed his Ph.D. in organic and there are many alternatives to explore” chemistry at Boston College five years — but says that ultimately, his wife’s field later, going from there to a postdoctoral of habitat destruction and biodiversity may fellowship under the Nobel laureate Karl be more important. BULLETIN & ALUMNI Barry Sharpless at the Scripps Research “Once you infringe on virginal habitat,

Institute in California. Four years ago, he it’s gone,” he says. | Summer 2012 14 | issue nº 2 VOLUME completed his M.Sc. in renewable energy at Passionate as Houri is about research, the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland, there is a sense with him that his real and is today completing his E.M.B.A. at LAU. laboratory is the classroom. Asked why one of the most recognized “All of this knowledge translates into academic environmentalists in the country teaching — that’s the beauty of research,” keeps enrolling in graduate programs, Houri he says. “Ultimately, this is why we do it.” Houri’s personal nature photographs replies: “A degree gives you more than knowledge — it gives you a methodology, a way of organizing your thoughts.

page 19 No Stroll in

FEATURE the Park The challenges of greening a concrete city By Emily Morris

Horsh Beirut, courtesy of Green Line page 20 Horsh Beirut, courtesy ofGreen Line sites andcar-choked streets. notoriously tangled with construction sunny day is a rare in gift Beirut, a city or lying under the shade of a tree on a toes your between grass the Feeling the lungsandevenenterbloodstream.” in locations deep reach can they ones,largeras than dangerous more are particles smaller the that noted be should “It AQRU. and example) for diseases,the mortality,”at assistant research Massoud,senior Rawad pulmonary says of and increase (heart with morbidity particles these linking studies international different around locations thecity. three in — μm,respectively 2.5 and (micrometers) μm 10 than — (PM) matter PM2.5,and particulate PM10 lessof aerodynamic diameter with particles or of sizes two measured group The pollution.air Beirut’s of extent startling University,the revealed project between the American University of Beirut and St. Joseph them.” against acting entities government the than pace faster much a at working areLebanon in environment the destroying polluters — things greenforLebanon’sspaces.improvementpublic lobbies of “The other among — which organization, governmental non- environmental Beirut-based a Line, Green at campaigner the ever-increasing onLebanese traffic roads. building,nor rampant from spawned pollution air of effects the green spaces to open the public aren’t nearly enough to mitigate reshaping of scattering dramaticallyand street tree-lined occasional landscape.The the development after development with water quality.” andgreenhouse gasemissions, heat-related illnessandmortality, pollution and air costs, conditioning air demand, energy peak “summertime increase can Agency, U.S. Protection the Environmental to according islands, Heat land. replace open and structures vegetation heat-absorbing other and roads, of when buildings, occurs disparity that areas significant urban and the rural between — temperature effect island” “heat so-called illnesses. development,preventingpromotingand as living well healthy as community and cohesion social fostering by progresseconomic and social to contributing ways, subtle more in beneficial also dust.areand spaces Green pollutants of it oxygen, out filter and giving dioxideand removingcarbon breatheby we air the purify capita.meters per Theimplications ofthisare vast. square meters is optimal. Beirut only has an estimated 0.8 15square capita,although per space green of meters square 9 least at have should city Organization,a Health World the to According “Our selection of these sizes is based on findings from different A recent study by the Air Quality Research Unit (AQRU), a joint project Fakih, Fadel here,” says time against racing are “We 1990s,sincethe decline steady a on been have lungs Beirut’s the mitigate help they standpoint, environmental an From lungs.They green city’s a called often are gardens and Parks page 21 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 14 | issue nº 2 | Summer 2012 FEATURE

No Stroll in the Park

The WHO has set limits of 20 μg/m3 (micrograms per cubic 60,000 trees/shrubs, their installation plus seasonal maintenance meter of air) for PM10 and 10 μg/m3 for PM2.5. The AQRU study for three years, and campaign and management costs. found yearly averages of PM10 were over three times WHO’s The cost to Beirutis? Nothing. “The funding will be provided recommendation at one of the locations, while yearly averages by private sector sponsors, so neither the residents nor the of PM2.5 were around two times the limit at all three sites. government will have to pay anything,” Melki says. “However we It also showed that sources of air pollution in Beirut were expect the municipality and the Ministry of Finance to offer tax more related to anthropogenic sources — i.e. human activities, reductions for buildings that maintain the trees well.” including fuel burning and resuspension of dust from cars, The proposal has received mostly positive feedback, including brakes and tires. Vegetation, says Massoud, “can reduce the over 8,000 “likes” on Facebook, spurring Melki to create the resuspension of dust from non-planted areas. In addition, several NGO ReAct to push for its implementation. “The prime minister other studies have shown that trees could capture PM.” himself, Mr. Najib Mikati, is fully supportive of the project and we According to Fakih, 0.01 km2 of trees can annually remove are currently working with him, the Ministry of the Environment, 13,000 tons of toxic gases and particles from the air, and 762 and potential influential sponsors on a complete strategy to m2 of green areas release enough oxygen for a family of four actually turn this into a reality,” he says. members to breathe (the size of a standard football pitch is 7140 m², for example). “ Sustainability is not only the right thing to do Armed with these telling statistics and a growing (however slowly) public consciousness about the environment, groups of — it’s essential to good design.” dedicated individuals — architects, educators, urban planners and — Dr. Nada El-Khoury, assistant professor of architecture, LAU activists, like Fakih — are working hard to green Beirut’s grey. Beirut One of the more creative projects in the pipeline is the Beirut Wonder Forest, a grassroots initiative on a sky-high mission to The issue of water usage is addressed in the BWF proposal, turn the city’s rooftops into, as its name implies, a dreamlike which suggests the installation of a basic rainwater collection treescape that is also accessible, cheap and easily maintained. system expected to harvest enough per building to irrigate Lofty as it may seem, the concept is very simple, according to the trees throughout the summer. “Most conventional rooftop Wassim Melki (B.A.’08), architect, urban designer and the brains gardens are very complex, and require a specific type of behind BWF. Each of Beirut’s buildings would be required to insulation and drainage, and a study should be conducted on place and take care of a couple of potted trees and shrubs on the slab and how much weight it could support,” explains Melki. their rooftops, and also on their balconies on a smaller scale. “Since many of Beirut’s buildings are more than 50 years old, “In Beirut alone, without the suburbs of greater Beirut, there planting the trees in relatively large pots/planters will solve are around 18,500 buildings,” says Melki. “If only one tree is the issue of the added weight as well as that of drainage and planted on each, we’d have an amount of trees equivalent to insulation.” Central Park in New York City.” Although some critics of BWF have pointed out that solar But Melki hopes each building will have three to six trees, panels would be more effective conduits for reducing CO2 which would make Beirut upwards of 100,000 trees richer. He emissions, Melki points out that there’s no either/or choice, and and his colleagues are still developing the feasibility study for the that green roofing may for many Beirutis be a more financially project, but thus far cost is ranging between $3.5-4 million for feasible first step.

What Beirut could like, courtesy of Wassim Melki page 22 and installing low-flow toilets.”and installinglow-flow carpools, adding green spaces, building green roofs or green walls trips,car organizing of number the reducing measures,as “such effective but simple through body student its of consciousness their “greening by home teaching andencouraging sustainabilityintheiractions.” point this drive to hoping are SArD design.” essential togood only therightthingtodo—it’s not is “Sustainability says. buzzwords,” she trendy just not are practices environmentally-friendly and recycling, development, evaluate. raison its factor,d’être, one and to thatquantify a being it’s difficult the difficulty economic critical architecture’s sustainable energy costs reduced.” out,and laid better,efficiently more be spaces will airliving quality The architecture. sustainable for argument the precisely is this “And says. life,” she of quality optimize and improve to is onasustainabledesignlikepeople BWF. sell to is it difficult how knows (SArD), Design and Architecture big the of piece small environmental puzzle.” a just is panels “BWF solar adds. future,” of he the installation in the for left space of plenty be will building.” per solar panels 10 average an to us brings two or panel solar a needs building a in apartment each that “Knowing trees/shrubs,” says. 140 he 100- costof the to equal is installation its and panel solar one of Cultivated, spacious and verdant, both the Beirut and Byblos and Beirut the verdant, both and Cultivated, spacious the shape can LAU says, El-Khoury institution, an As the in colleagues her and El-Khoury level, university the At sustainable that however understand to people need “We is El-Khoury, says sense, this in life of quality Long-term mission design’s and architecture of school a general, “In of School LAU’s at professor assistant El-Khoury, Nada Dr. garden,a into thereroof whole the turning not are we “Since to “Ideally have we solar also panels,want people but the cost f osblt, s og s h Lbns bcm acmlcs in helping rather thanhindering itsrealization. accomplices become Lebanese the as long as possibility, of percent, for example.”15 nearly by emissions CO2 down see cut you could cars we streets, our sports on or SUVs large the of instead — yet bike a would drive smaller cars — we’re not asking them to walk or take people Lebanese only if ‘authorities,’ “But the etc.,” Melki. says from incentives ecological more production, energy alternative succeeded,” says we Fakih. and Line, Green to next up stood people of “Alot lot. parking a into Sanayeh in Garden Mouawad Rene it.”the excuseofnotknowingabout thethem save and — get shoulders government’s the and on responsibility job our do let’s least “At Fakih. happening,” says abuse environmental any of government the inform to country intelligent andinformed planning atthestatelevel. urban much for need stricter the enforcement of building on regulations, agree and in general, issue more the on Experts done. be to things many yesterday.are Therebegan future the lungs,green the future.” save to are we if workforce,”mobilize must El-Khoury.“We says and progressive attitudes in order to become members of a green a sustainable green campus.” building and ecosystems campus the “enhancing for calling clause a including subject, the to devoted is plan strategic year to commitment but its environmental sustainability, show surroundings, an entire To section of LAU’s new five- improvement. their for room to is contrast there a already are campuses In other words, a greener tomorrow is not outside the realm the outside not is tomorrow greener words,a other In systems, transport proper be should there course “Of popular the turn to place in plan a was there when recalls He this in citizen every and each on falls responsibility “The deteriorating Beirut’s reviving of case the in Unfortunately, skills new knowledge, cutting-edge need will students “Our What Beirut looks likeWhat Beirut looks now, aerialview, courtesy of Wassim Melki page 23 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 14 | issue nº 2 | Summer 2012 page 24 The Great, the Good, and the Gala LAU’s first Beirut gala dinner gathers hundreds, raises millions By Linda Dahdah Douaihy

LAU held its first ever gala dinner in Lebanon in late March at Biel. The event was held in honor of major university supporters, whose contributions have helped LAU make higher education accessible to needy and deserving students.

The event drew more than 850 people friends of the university. Antoun N. Sehnaoui, chairman and CEO of Société Générale Attendees included prominent political, economic, academic, de Banque au Liban, donated a staggering $6 million for an and cultural figures. athletic center to be built on the Byblos campus. The center “I am honored by your presence here tonight and by your will bear his name and that of the bank. Other lavish donations steadfast support for the university at a critical phase in its included $500, 000 from Edgar and Daniele de Picciotto. renaissance,” said Joseph G. Jabbra, president of LAU. In thanking LAU’s supporters, Jabbra situated the university’s Jabbra stressed the university’s growth in recent years, both in goal of making quality higher education accessible to all within terms of inaugurating new schools and major research facilities the context of its larger societal mission. as well as successfully pursuing accreditations. “Your commitment supports our university in its mission “This event is significant insofar as it reflects your generosity of providing academic excellence, and incentives — at the and your commitment to the vision of the university,” he added. individual and societal level — towards prosperity and progress,” If the $7.5 million raised was anything to go by, that said Jabbra. “These are the values we seek: a cultivated society commitment indeed ran deep. where nobody is above the law in, where human behavior is led The gala’s organizers raised $297,000 through an auction by innovation and achievement.” of five antique pieces and two paintings by the internationally The gala dinner was held on the same weekend as the renowned Lebanese artists Chaouki Chamoun (associate meetings of LAU’s Board of Trustees and Board of International professor of art at the School of Architecture and Design) Advisors, and many members of both attended. All proceeds and Rana Raouda (B.A. ’83). LAU Trustee Ambassador Gilbert directly produced by the dinner will go toward the university’s Chagoury and his wife Rose-Marie were the winning bidders for Endowment Scholarship Fund. many of the items.

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alumni & VOLUME 14 | issue nº 2 | Summer 2012 14 | issue nº 2 VOLUME

page 25 The World and the Word

The World and the Word Humanities Department introduces ecocriticism to LAU Beirut By Curtis Brown

How can literature help us see relationships between our individual lives and large-scale environmental phenomena? What kinds of environmental expression transcend cultural differences, and what forms are unique to specific places in the world? These are the sorts of questions addressed by the burgeoning field of literary scholarship known as “ecocriticism,” introduced in a lecture and seminar by Dr. Scott Slovic, professor of literature and environment at the University of Nevada, Reno, to a rapt multidisciplinary audience at LAU Beirut in March. Slovic, himself a seminal figure in the field, offered several definitions of ecocriticism (short for environmental literary criticism) in the first part of his lecture, beginning broadly with “the study of the relationship between literature and the physical world.” Ecocriticism takes an interdisciplinary approach to literary texts, combining traditional aesthetic interpretation with philosophy and formal training in the natural sciences. It is typically characterized Pointing out that such pools merely reflect fluctuations of the by a strong ethical stance regarding the intrinsic value of the underlying water table, Slovic argued that the poem’s emotional natural world. tone of regret is balanced by an aesthetic understanding of Slovic stressed that it includes “the scrutiny of ecological nature’s cyclicality. implications and human-nature relations in any literary text,” not “If you know ecology, you know the water is there, but you just only explicitly environmentalist ones. can’t see it,” Slovic said. Indeed, while the field’s pioneers tended to be scholars of the Dr. Vahid Behmardi, associate professor of Arabic and Persian British Romantic poets or American transcendentalists — 19th- literature and chair of the humanities department, expressed century writers whose central subject was in fact nature — major appreciation for insights made possible by ecocriticism, but ecocritical studies have since been published on writers ranging wondered if the approach — especially when brought to bear on from Shakespeare to Khalil Gibran. classical texts — carried the risk of anachronism. The events were organized by the Graduate Program in “Is this faithful to the concepts that were in the mind of the Comparative Literature at the Department of Humanities. poet when the poem was in fact composed?” Introductory remarks by Dr. Philippe Frossard, dean of the Dr. Samira Aghacy, professor of English and comparative School of Arts and Sciences, described the rise of ecocriticism literature, approached the question of anachronism from a as representative of a broader intellectual shift Frossard different angle, suggesting that someone like William Wordsworth, heartily welcomed, away from “over-specialization” and toward a 19th-century British poet who wrote extensively about “the mind interdisciplinarity and holistic thinking. of man vis-à-vis external nature,” might be regarded not merely as Ecocriticism is a perfect example of this shift,” Frossard said, a subject for ecocritics but an ecocritic himself. going on to cite genomics as an example from his own field, Slovic urgec fellow academics to not talk merely “to ourselves medicine. Practitioners are “in the position of classical or medieval and with each other” — to move, that is, not only between scholars, navigating several disciplines at once.” disciplines but beyond them. Slovic analyzed “Spring Pools,” by the American poet Robert “It’s not just people in the university — in literature, in the Frost, to demonstrate how the approach can alter our experience sciences — who ‘own’ the knowledge,” he concluded. “People who of even a well-known work of literature. Addressed to snow-fed live in close, daily contact with the natural world often have a deep seasonal ponds — a familiar feature of the New England landscape, wisdom that we need to learn from.” they appear and disappear rapidly — Frost’s poem is traditionally read as a lament about the ephemerality of experience.

page 26 Droid Rage

Droid Rage Youth robot games rivet LAU Byblos By Muriel Kahwagi

In the second week of March, hundreds of robots descended on LAU Beirut from all over the Arab world. In an atmosphere formally courteous but fiercely competitive, the took turns besting one another in everything from line tracking to ball collecting to food delivery, while others cleared the mats and grappled with each other sumo-style. They didn’t make the journey alone. They were accompanied by their creators, some 400 budding young scientists and engineers, all under the age of 20, who came for the 5th Open Arab Robotics Championship (OARC). Hosted by LAU, in collaboration with the First Lego League (FLL) Lebanon and under the patronage of Lebanese President General Michel Suleiman, the event marked the first time Lebanon between the original Ford ‘Model A’ Champions respectively, were rewarded hosted the prestigious competition. automobile and the Wright brothers’ with scholarships covering 50% of Participants built and programmed first airplane, it would have been close their undergraduate studies at LAU. robots in order to compete in four — but a horse would have beaten them Both teams, N.X.T Leaders and Dawn of different tournaments: the First Lego both,” said the competition’s mission Innovation 2, subsequently qualified for League (subdivided into Robot Missions, statement, reminding contestants that the Food Factor World Festival, which will Robot Design, Core Values and Project), they should think big, that visionary take place April 25-28. the Line Tracking Robot Competition, the potential was sometimes more important “At LEGO we see you, the students Sumo Robot Competition and the Ball than technical point-scoring. involved in FLL, as the coolest kids in the Collector Competition. The meticulous conception of fully World — keep it as a secret,” said Gerharrd “We tried our best to improve our functional, independent droids is not the Bjerrum-Andersen, representing FLL model — to have its weight equally competition’s sole purpose; OARC also World Challenge, in lighthearted remarks distributed on its four legs to optimize aims at promoting the skills, experience, to OARC contestants. its performance,” said Omar Al Daqaq, a and career opportunities of its young “I am impressed by your energy and 14-year-old Syrian contestant. participants. commitment — you are ambassadors of Al Daqaq, whose team came fresh Indeed, remarked Dean of the School FLL. You are all winners just by coming from a robotics championship in Syria, of Engineering Dr. George E. Nasr during here,” he added.

described participating in OARC as an the opening ceremony, OARC seeks This year’s competition was sponsored “honor and a privilege.” to promote not only creativity and by Roadster Diner, Cisco, Samsung, Hawat “This is an opportunity for talented technological advancement but also Trading Co., NRJ, and the municipalities bulletin Arab youth — robotics champions in leadership skills and commitment to civil of Blat and Byblos. their homelands — to get to know one society. alumni another in a setting both educational and “Knowledge and technology intersect & cultural,” said Dr. Ramy Harik, president in a milieu fostering both innovation and

of the OARC organizing committee and sociability,” says Nasr. | Summer 2012 14 | issue nº 2 VOLUME assistant professor of industrial and The jury consisted of faculty from mechanical engineering at LAU. various Lebanese universities, including The competition has a central theme LAU, the American University of Beirut each year. Previous years’ challenges have (AUB), Université Saint Joseph (USJ), focused on topics such as nanotechnology, Notre Dame University (NDU), and the climate, and quality of life for the Hariri Canadian University (HCU). handicapped; this year’s tackled safe Farah Shaddad from Jordan and delivery of food — through every stage of Abdel Rahman El-Zein, from Lebanon, the production process. whose teams were crowned the 2012 “If a race were held in late 1903, Arab Champions and the Robot Missions

page 27 UMC-RH Appointment Surgical Pioneer Dr. Chahine Assi heads orthopedic surgery at UMC–RH By Curtis Brown

Dr. Chahine Assi has been appointed In his years at UMC–RH, Assi head of orthopedic surgery at the distinguished himself by performing University Medical Center — Rizk advanced surgeries — including lumbar Hospital (UMC–RH). Assi, an assistant spine disc replacement, vertebral professor in the School of Medicine at corpectomy by thoracoscopy, minimally LAU Byblos, first joined the orthopedic invasive technique for total hip division at Rizk Hospital in 2003. replacement — that had not previously Assi completed his M.D. at Université been executed in the Middle East. Claude Bernard, France in 1992. He A French-Lebanese dual national, Assi then specialized in orthopedic surgery describes joining LAU and UMC–RH at the Faculté de Medecine Montpellier, as “the natural progression” from his finishing in 1999. decade of experience as a university- From 1999 to 2002 he was head based physician in Montpellier. “It was surgical group, while each of us excels of the orthopedic clinic at Le a great opportunity to reintroduce in a sub-specialization,” he says. “In this Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de academia into my practice,” he says. way we combine state-of-the-art patient Montpellier, and for a brief stint in 2001 Assi speaks with passion and care with excellent medical student and was a visiting surgeon in orthopedics conviction about his clinic’s role in resident education and training, while and trauma surgery at Utah Hospital in regional orthopedics. “Our strength lies becoming the first referral center for the United States. in the fact that we function as cohesive orthopedic surgery in the Middle East.”

page 28 Human Resource

Semaan becomes COO of UMC–RH Former HR director brings wealth of experience with him By Curtis Brown

After ten years of service as director of the Finance Department. He is known Human Resources at LAU, Nabil Joseph by virtually the entire LAU community; Semaan has been appointed chief in a decade of exponential institutional operating officer at UMC–RH. In his growth, all newly hired faculty and staff new position, he will be responsible for passed through his former office, where overseeing Human Resources, Facilities they found an unfailingly courteous host. Management, Information Technology, Semaan completed his B.S. in Quality, Marketing and Development, as biochemistry from AUB and an M.B.A. in well as various service departments. The management from LAU. Before joining appointment became effective February 1. LAU in 2002, he held managerial positions “Mr. Semaan will employ his rich at a number of local and multinational experience in the corporate and academic corporations, including Eastman Kodak world to best serve the hospital and its in Lebanon and the Gulf. He has further to the university, as has helping all constituents,” said the hospital’s board experience as a teacher, consultant, departments achieve their individual of directors in an enthusiastic welcome creative writer and translator, and has missions. message. participated in seminars, workshops, “Every business is a value delivery Semaan made an indelible mark during conferences and exhibitions in more than system,” he says. “Every link in the his time at Human Resources, revising 20 countries around the world. chain should be stimulated — through the job classification and compensation Helping to instill an equal opportunity training and awareness — to fortify the systems following a detailed study, employment culture and make LAU an overall system, and allow it to deliver the and implementing Oracle HRMS with “employer of choice in the Lebanese promised value.” segregation of duties between HR and market” has defined Semaan’s service Decades of Service Draw to a Close Registrar and founder of computer science program retires By Curtis Brown

After 35 years of service at LAU, first in mechanical engineering, and went on to the computer science department whose complete his master’s in computer science degree program he founded, and later as at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Beirut campus registrar, Vatche Papazian After stints in Madison as a computer has retired. science instructor and programmer for Papazian is a widely known and loved the university’s Space Astronomy Lab and figure at LAU, and news of his retirement its Space Science and Engineering Center, elicited warm accolades from academic he joined LAU as a part-time instructor and administrative colleagues as well as the in 1976, and became a full-time faculty university’s upper brass. member a year later. Since 2004, Papazian Dr. Elise Salem, vice president for has been university registrar and student Student Development and Enrollment system coordinator. Center and a former student of Papazian,

Management, described Papazian as a Characteristically modest, Papazian is remembers him as an exacting, demanding BULLETIN & ALUMNI “man of firm conviction, integrity and the sort of person who, in speaking with but humane teacher.

enviable calm.” a reporter about his career, neglects to Dr. Samer Habre, associate professor of | Summer 2012 14 | issue nº 2 VOLUME “He was a prime resource, and often the mention his time as a Fulbright Scholar mathematics and chair of the Department conscience of the university,” she added. in the United States, or the fact that he of Computer Science and Mathematics, Abdo Ghie, assistant vice president founded one of LAU’s most successful recalls — upon hearing news of Papazian’s for Enrollment Management, concurred, degree programs, the now-ABET-accredited administrative retirement — asking him to praising Papazian’s integrity and B.S. in computer science. consider teaching computer science again. meticulousness. “He conscientiously His reputation for dignity and self- “He demurred, saying he would need to observed academic rules and regulations, effacement extends from LAU’s update his knowledge of the field before and always reflected fully before giving his administrative halls to its classrooms returning to it,” Habre marvels. “It’s yet opinion or judgment,” Ghie said. to its departmental offices. Tarek Dana, another indication of his modesty, integrity Papazian graduated from AUB in supervisor of the Academic Computer and commitment to excellence.”

page 29 Faculty on the Move

DR. LUCA BARELLO Italian architect Dr. Luca Barello recently joined LAU’s School of Architecture and Design as visiting assistant professor. Barello graduated in architecture from the Politecnico di Torino, and holds a Ph.D. in architecture and building design. Prior to joining LAU, Barellow taught architecture and design courses at the Politecnico di Torino and at La Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti (NABA). He has also done research on open spaces, building in the alpine region, and the relationship between architecture and landscape. Barello hopes to give students at LAU the chance to better understand and deal with the complexity of architecture as a part of a natural or built environment.

ANDREW BOBROW Andrew Bobrow recently joined the Communication Arts department as an instructor, teaching courses in filmmaking, film as art, and history and theory of film. He holds a B.A. from New York University and an M.A. in media studies from The New School, where he was a member of the graduate faculty prior to joining LAU. Bobrow is an award-winning producer, writer, and director, whose work includes productions for cable networks, corporate videos, as well as interactive projects for the web and disc-based media. As feature editor for the Filmmakers Newsletter in the 1970s, he published interviews with John Schlesinger, Sven Nyqvist, Alan Pakula and other notable directors, cinematographers, and producers.

DR. NADER EL KHATIB Dr. Nader El Khatib recently joined LAU’s School of Arts and Sciences as assistant professor of applied and pure mathematics. He earned his Ph.D. in applied mathematics from the Université Claude Bernard – Lyon 1. Prior to joining LAU, El Khatib taught at the Ecole Centrale de Lyon and was a postdoctoral researcher at the French National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Control (INRIA). His research interests include applied mathematics, partial differential equations, mathematical modeling, bio- mathematics, modeling of cardiovascular diseases and modeling of pedestrian traffic. El Khatib aims to develop a multidisciplinary research record through collaboration with scholars from other departments and backgrounds.

DR. MAYA FARAH Dr. Maya Farah joined LAU’s School of Business in the spring of 2012 as assistant professor of marketing, teaching both at the undergraduate and the MBA levels. Farah holds a Ph.D. in marketing from the Manchester Business School. Her research interests include the socio-psychological approach to consumer behavior, and boycotting behavior from a cross-cultural and religious perspective. Farah actively participates in leading international conferences, and her work has appeared in top marketing journals. She has previously held academic appointments at the American University of Beirut’s Olayan School of Business, as well as the Toulouse Business School in France.

AFIF HACHEM Afif Hachem recently joined LAU’s School of Business as assistant instructor of hospitality and tourism management, bringing with him 15 years of culinary experience. Hachem earned his B.B.A. in culinary arts, and his Hospitality Department Trainer Certification (CHDT) from the American Hotel and Lodging Association in the United States in 2004. His teaching experience dates to 2001, and he has since taught at various established institutions, including the Collège Technique des Frères and the Technical Institute of Hotel Management. Hachem also operates and manages his own company, Feu Doux Catering.

page 30 DR. ALI IHAB Dr. Ali Ihab recently joined LAU’s School of Engineering as visiting assistant professor, teaching courses on sustainable energy and architecture, energy systems and heat transfer. He is concurrently the president and co-founder of Deeia Systems, an integrated hybrid wind and solar renewable energy company. Ihab has a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Maryland. He was previously the chief thermal architect at Apple, where he is credited for leading and innovating thermal technologies and design architectures for several of Apple’s flagship products. His research interests include electronics and buildings thermal management and sustainability, energy efficiency, renewable energy and environmental impact.

BASSEM SLIM Bassem Slim recently joined LAU’s School of Business as an instructor of hospitality and tourism management. Slim earned his B.S. in business accounting and economics from Beirut University College in 1991, and his master’s in hospitality management from the University of Houston two years later. Slim first joined LAU as a part-time instructor in 1999, after years of restaurant management experience in Houston. He has since returned to teach restaurant management and hotel operations classes at LAU, where he is also the supervisor of the Hospitality Club.

Education Across Borders

Operational since October 2010, LAU’s Outreach and Civic Engagement unit (OCE) aims to integrate civic engagement initiatives with the extra-curricular activities of LAU students on both campuses, and to encourage students to broaden their horizons both within and beyond Lebanon.

Because LAU strives to graduate distinguished professionals as well as future community leaders, OCE helps LAU students enrich their education and deepen their cultural experience by studying for a semester in an

accredited university abroad. BULLETIN & ALUMNI VOLUME 14 | issue nº 2 | Summer 2012 14 | issue nº 2 VOLUME Mindful both of LAU’s growing stature and Lebanon’s status as a symbiotic bridge between East and West, OCE provides guidance and support to international students coming to study here.

For additional information, please visit our webpage, http://students.lau.edu.lb/student-engagement/exchange.php, or contact the study abroad coordinator at [email protected]

page 31 Water Foul The upstream battle to protect

FEATURE Lebanese waterways By Marc Abizeid

page 32 the docks. of south throw stone’s a just airport, Beirut the at land to prepare they as overhead roar jets Passenger am. 6 by port fishing Ouzai checkpoints the at arrive to army two crosses and overalls gray stained, his sunrise, in pulls up before suits bed Majed of out Hadi himself morning Each water. the contaminate chemicals of types what discover to testing, further for Kingdom United the in Exeter of University the to coast.the imbalanceson Ph acidic weresentsamples then The revealed that site each from samples water collected members local of sanctity villagers.nearby presentedto and dangers habitats the Greenpeace compromised both has industry heavy campaign todraw attentiontoit. a undertook recently Lebanon,which Greenpeace by provided been has pollution industrial of extent the of picture fuller A of the Lebanese coastline suffer routine exposure to toxic waste. throughout the country, as rivers, streams and the entire stretch and thesituationcontinues inexorably toworsen. materialized, has nothing dumping, curtail to action planned about municipalities and government the from recentrhetoric tostopit.”has doneanything andgarbage. layers ofplasticbags the between nets their in trapped gets whatever for settle now during theday. hours on the water pursuing wee certain types the of fish spend that don’t am,and feed 3 and pm 7 between night the in out disarray.complete in industry fishing then,drift Back would he the left had era reconstruction rapid,post-war Beirut’s before making hisa14-hourworkday. our problems, itallcomes from thismud.” of all sea, opacity the in brown “Everything cream. with turbid splashed freshly coffee the on taken has which docks, the surrounding water the toward gesturing Majed, 40-something here,” dumped is it of all — trucks fromcementcome the says fromfurther theshore. bearded and further them the after chasing nets and hooks their drawingwith men away, backed have fish Lebanese the coastlines, contaminating dumping industrial unregulated of their and hazardoussewers flush waste into the sea. years After little a gets water coastal thicker with sludge and a lot sparser with fish, as cement trucks the seems, it morning, each And h ognzto vstd vr dzn osa sts where sites coastal dozen a over visited organization The The situation in Ouzai is but a snapshot of a problem endemic despite that here interject to quick are fishermen Other ago,”years eight about started all “This says.Majed one“No picky. be to afford himlonger like no Fishermen can he But days earlier the recalls Majed trade, the in years 15 After It wasn’talwayslike this. pm,8 before catch day’s a in wheel doesn’t he says Majed “Garbage, sewer water, mud, especially the mud and sand that page 33 page

& alumni bulletin VOLUME 14 | issue nº 2 | Summer 2012 FEATURE

Water Foul

In one case, Greenpeace activists filmed a seemingly Korfali, assistant professor of chemistry at LAU, who has neverending source of waste water jetting out from the backside undertaken extensive research into the contamination of of a chemical factory in Selaata, a coastal town in North Lebanon, drinking water. Toxic wastewater dumped into the sea has many directly into the sea. of its contaminants naturally filtered out ground seepage before “Most of the people we spoke to in Selaata were poor, weak, it enters the wells. Seawater itself — with its heavy calcium, they just live their lives day to day suffering from the pollution sodium, magnesium and other mineral content — is the major around them,” says Rayan Makarem, a campaigner from contaminant of coastal wells. Greenpeace Lebanon. “Sea water gets into wells for one simple reason: You are “You can smell the sulfur in the air,” he added. “The water pumping the wells underground which causes them to dry up, around the factory has been bleached. You have a 700 meter and due to a pressure difference, sea water will geologically radius around the company with no life there, and now the seep into the well,” Korfali explains. Toxic pollutants most likely village next to it has been abandoned and people had to move represent a minor factor in overall contamination, she adds. up the hill.” One of the least recognized but most serious sources of water The problem is old, dangerous and widespread, but it only pollution in Lebanon is the production of something few of its seems to catch public attention when something spectacular people could live without: olive oil. or ghoulish happens, such as cows washing up dead on the Summer is big business for olive oil producers across the beaches of Batroun, or the Beirut River turning suddenly and country who harvest and crush and squeeze the bitter fruit to biblically blood red, as happened in February of this year. satisfy the national appetite. Not many realize that about 80 The environmental ministry sent a team to collect samples percent of the total output of these mills is waste byproduct (30 from the red river, but weeks later, it had yet to determine the percent solid waste and 50 percent dense olive oil wastewater). substance or source of the pollutant, suggesting only that the While not toxic, this wastewater ranks among the earth’s most likely explanation was a factory dumping dye used to color least biodegradable substances. When dumped into rivers and clothing. streams, it changes the texture, density and opacity of the water, Contamination is a concern for anyone who uses running ultimately wreaking havoc on local habitats. water, not only for those living next to fouled waterways. Lebanon The cost of treatment is beyond the reach of most of small, has countless water wells along its coast, which are a major family-run mills. In search of a low-cost solution, Dr. Fouad source of the country’s running water. Because contamination of Hashwa, professor of microbiology and biotechnology at LAU these wells is a chronic problem, and because many of them are Byblos, and a team of student researchers established an located near wastewater outlets, many conclude that Lebanese experimental facility in Byblos that uses a process called aerobic water supplies are non-potable due to industrial pollution. treatment, which succeeded in reducing the pollution potential The truth is more complicated, according to Dr. Samira of the wastewater by about 75-80 percent.

Untreated sewage and industrial waste often enters Lebanese waterways directly page 34 evidence thatmuchmore done. facie needs tobe prima compelling is ground the on reality the wellness, environmental to commitment solid and effort proactive a of assurances genuine her and polluters, after going in ministry Notwithstanding Sassine’s palpable confidence in the role of the cessation oftheworkthere,” immediate order Sassineexplains. may which general director or minister the fromletter be find,will we there what accordingto happening; thoroughlyinvestigated. are of environment the complaints against and violations claims industrial citizen prosecuting all that insists in Resources, ineffectiveness environmental of Protection at the ministry’s Department specialist of Natural an its Sassine, Viviane criminals, for environmental Environment of little have incentive toprioritizetheenvironment overprofit. facilities treatment waste proper with companies newer laws,even environmental of enforcementfor significant precedent expensive without And in facilities. their invest retrofit to to equipment them legal require by would operate to that standards, wanted owners factory if even defense, the Among license.treat ofitswaste. andproperly dispose operating pass an to capability the has to it that prove earn must requirements,factory the order and in assessment requirements the environmental certain meet factories that ensures ministry The operate. to order in ministry environmental the by (EIA) Assessment Impact Environmental an throughoutindustries haveflourished thecountry. as years 12 last the over almost number significant a has by risen certainly figure The degradation. environmental of result a as GDP lost of amount total the of half over to measure factors water,two with the combined if study,but the in category own its constituted heritage cultural and zones problem.Coastal the of cause leading the be to proved pollution water degradation, around $565milliondollars. year 2000. The average of those the figures (3.4 in percent) GDP amounts country’sto the of percent 4 – 2.8 approximately to amounted Lebanon in degradation environmental of cost the delicate economy. Lebanon’s forA June consequences 2004 World broader Bank have report estimated that to found been has pollution habitats,water environmental and health human on havoc wreaking to addition ones.In ecological the as crippling economic benefits,” Hashwasaid. earn also but pollution, curb only not mills oil olive small and lucrative energy market. converting much of the waste into biogas which are sold on the absence ofaspecializedenforcementbody. environmental lawsmaylargelyboildowntothe The enforcementgapwithrespecttoLebanon’s Something at any rate is missing at the level of enforcement. “Whenever we receive complaints, we go on site to see what’s Ministry the against leveled criticisms mounting Despite their In capabilities. such lack factories older many But undergo to had has Lebanon in factory new 2000,every Since environment of study the in included factors the Among as be indeed can pollution water of costs economic The communities these help to project the use to wanted “We pollutants,removing than further even goes project the But they willthinktwice before repeating theoffense.” fined, being are polluters other that see they if and fined, are who those for violate environment specifically laws. record criminal of sort a aadel, el the environmentalattorney general offenders. togoafter by directed force single a into army and police Lebanese is sometimeinthenearfuture.expected vote parliamentary a year, and this earlier environment of passed finally through the council of ministers and the ministry sole whose environment enforceto environmentallaws. directivebe The would purpose the for general would attorney which an government create the by passed directive new a get environment.” the of protection the ensure to citizen every of duty the is “it has the right to a “everyone sound and stable that environment,” stipulates which three,moreover that article from reads and 444 number Law Environmental Lebanese of copy a up picks vigorously pursuepolluters. with the municipalities — who may be unfit and to ill-equipped lie enforcement of responsibilities the stand, currently things Asissues. environmental with specifically deal to backgroundtraining and proper the with body enforcement specialized of absence a the to down boil largely may laws environmental “You have to fine those who pollute,”they who says.“If those Zaarour fine to have “You Furthermore,sejel createalso would legislation the special a the of segments partition would legislation the passed, If to working been has party the explains, she years,four For “Okay,” shesays, “buthowamIgoingtoenforce this?” Party, Green Lebanese the of president Zaarour, the Nada thecase forBut thismaynotbe long. Lebanon’s to respect with gap enforcement The page 35 page

& alumni bulletin VOLUME 14 | issue nº 2 | Summer 2012 Born in the U.S.A.

For a growing university like LAU, communication arts graduate, and LAU Born in the opportunities inevitably arise for new Trustee Eva Farha that helped get the alumni chapters to spring up across the official organization off the ground. Shiner globe. Indeed, the alumni relations team met Awad at LAU’s 2011 homecoming U.S.A. is developing what they hope will become event in Beirut, discovered she had an alumni chapter in Ghana, the first LAU recently relocated to Houston, convinced Seattle, Houston, chapter on the African continent, and her to launch the chapter officially. there has been continuous expansion Farha meanwhile proved invaluable in and South Florida across the Middle East and into Europe connecting Awad with fellow alumni in in recent years as well. The most rapid eastern Texas. The chapter held elections alumni chapters growth, however, has been in the U.S., in January of this year and Awad became where new chapters were recently opened president. The chapter hosted an event for join the family in Seattle, Houston and South Florida. President Jabbra later that month, followed By Greg Houle Seattle, Washington is about as far from by a dinner and raffle for Valentine’s Day. Lebanon as the Earth’s surface permits, The university’s newest alumni chapter its weather an equally stark contrast to was born in March in Miami, Florida. For the sunshine of the Levant. Opportunity years the vast southern state had hosted a nevertheless knocks for a growing number single chapter. Florida-based alums Nadia of LAU alumni in America’s pacific Zahr and Elie Andary —working alongside northwest. Recent grads have found Shiner — took matters into their own themselves in or near Seattle working for hands and helped to get a new chapter Microsoft or Boeing — two of the region’s formed. An initial meeting was held in most prominent global corporations. With late February, and a leadership committee the assistance of New York-based Director will soon be selected. The group has also of Alumni Relations and Special Projects begun planning events. Ed Shiner, a group of alumni held its first “We have such a strong contingent meeting last September, and reconvened of alumni in Florida, and we wanted to again for a Yalla! 2011 event in November. make it easy for as many as possible to Things moved quickly from there, and in participate in events. Creating a new December chapter officers were elected chapter based in the southern part of and Georges El Khoury, a 2005 computer the state was the best option.” Shiner engineering graduate and a Florida said. “Fortunately we had the wonderful transplant, became president. assistance of Nadia and Elie, who helped Houston, Texas is a known hub for the process along. It wouldn’t have Lebanese expatriates, and LAU has long happened without their efforts — and the maintained an informal chapter there. work of all of our alumni in south Florida.” But it was the work of Dania Awad, a 1980 page 36 Gulf Galas Raise Scholarship Funds

Gulf Galas Raise Scholarship Funds By LAU Staff

The annual gala dinners of LAU alumni chapters in Abu Dhabi El Zein explained that the gala’s ultimate objective is to help and Dubai and Northern Emirates, held in mid-March, both drew LAU students in need of financial assistance. “It is our mission to record participation and raised large sums for student scholarships. raise scholarship funds to help them fulfill their ambitions, goals “Networking, getting alumni together, promoting LAU — all are and dreams,” he said. important outcomes of these annual dinners,” Abdallah Al Khal, For the evening’s entertainment, organizers hired Lebanese director of Alumni Relations, said. “But most importantly, they singers Maya Diab and Joseph Attieh. raise needed funds for student scholarships.” Local high-school principals from the UAE were invited for Abu Dhabi’s dinner — “From LAU to the World” — was held the first time to attend, both as a token of appreciation for their at the Rotana Beach Hotel. It honored four prominent supporters support of LAU and to offer them a sense of what the university of the university: Amal Hourani, Kameel Sarieddine, Salim Zyr and stands for. Salim Sfeir. “This reinforces and personalizes the relationship we have “Year after year more people are learning about LAU and what with these schools,” said Abdo Ghie, assistant vice president for we stand for, and they believe in what we are doing,” said chapter Enrollment Management. It was also the first time Ghie, along with president Naim Stephan. Nada Hajj and Michel Najjar, directors of admissions in Beirut and Promotion of LAU through local chapters has been crucial Byblos respectively, attended such galas as part of their outreach to spreading word of its mission and goals in recent years, but effort. Stephan points out that these efforts were largely made possible According to Ghie, parental interest in LAU far exceeded through the visionary leadership of Dr. Joseph G. Jabbra, president organizers’ expectations. “I discovered very quickly that attendees of LAU since 2004. were committed to LAU — they love it and speak extremely highly Jabbra, who attended both the Abu Dhabi and Dubai galas, of it,” he said. “They are eager to send their kids to us — in many was caught by surprise when Stephan — along with other chapter cases, their questions were simply logistical.” committee members — summoned him to the stage to receive an He added that Hajj and Najjar deserve credit for “cultivating award for his service to the university. personal and friendly” relationships with high schools in the UAE. “We felt it our duty to honor him for the achievements he Both events were sponsored by the Bank of Beirut. brought to LAU over the past few years,” Stephan said, pointing

out that Jabbra’s tenure has witnessed the establishment of the BULLETIN & ALUMNI medical and nursing schools, the purchase of Rizk Hospital, NEASC

accreditation and the accreditation of many degree programs. | Summer 2012 14 | issue nº 2 VOLUME The Dubai and Northern Emirates dinner took place at Al Bustan Rotana Hotel, and centered on a mother’s day theme. “From our mothers we learned how to love, how to care, and most importantly, how to give,” said chapter president Saad El Zein, toasting the hundreds who attended. The chapter honored Leila Solh Hamade, former Lebanese Minister of Industry, describing her as “personifying the values of the dearest person to our heart.” Solh Hamade also serves as vice president of the Alwaleed bin Talal Humanitarian Foundation, which has donated generously to LAU over the years.

page 37 Advancement Pauses for Goodbye

Advancement Pauses for Goodbye Richard Rumsey takes leave of LAU after transformative tenure By Greg Houle

After serving LAU for seven years as vice president for University Rumsey is credited with introducing systems bothing Advancement, Richard Rumsey resigned from his position in implement LAU’s strategic plans and helping Advancement mid-May. He has accepted a position at Project HOPE, a major function more effectively throughout the world. Whether working international organization that provides health education programs closely with Director of Advancement Services Amal Abdel and humanitarian assistance in areas of need. Massih and her team to keep LAU’s massive database running “LAU and Lebanon have changed me — and for that matter, smoothly, or helping guide Marge Pfleiderer, Executive Director for my entire family — forever,” said Rumsey in a statement to the Operations in New York, through the challenges of managing a university community. “The work we do here affects the lives of global institution, Rumsey is praised for collaborative agility and individuals, their families, communities, countries, and our world. I finesse. have been so blessed to be a part of that.” “Rich’s presence in New York was a great benefit to the team,” Rumsey oversaw a complete retooling of LAU’s development, says Pfleiderer. “His help in professionalizing and systematizing the alumni, marketing and communications, and public relations work we do has paid huge dividends to the entire university.” offices, leading their evolution into a flourishing division Colleagues say Rumsey will be remembered for his infectious representing LAU to key constituencies around the world. passion and affability, a current of energy joining Beirut, Byblos A signal achievement of Rumsey’s vice presidency was the and New York, and felt throughout the university community. implementation of the first comprehensive fundraising campaign “He is a good friend and I will miss the frequency of seeing in LAU’s history. Known as The Legacy and the Promise, the five- him,” Al-Khal said. year campaign proved so successful that it exceeded its $65 million Pfleiderer added that Rumsey “helped us understand that the goal a full year ahead of schedule. most important aspect of our job was building relationships.” “Richard’s commitment to LAU has been exemplary,” said LAU Those feelings extend far beyond his division. “In addition to his President Dr. Joseph G. Jabbra. valuable collaboration and insights, I will miss Rich’s extraordinary “His relationship with his colleagues and the members of friendliness and enthusiasm,” says Dr. Elise Salem, vice president of his division was warm, his hard work on the Legacy and Promise Student Development and Enrollment Management. campaign impeccable, and his overall impact on the university “His passion for LAU was contagious,” says LAU Trustee Ron extremely positive.” Cruikshank, concisely summing up the feelings of many, “and his Rumsey also oversaw the exponential growth of the university’s enthusiasm will be missed.” global alumni network, which more than doubled the number of chapters during his tenure. “Richard understands the importance of alumni to the university, and this recognition was behind the rapid development of the Alumni Relations Office and the Alumni Association,” said Abdallah Al-Khal, LAU’s Executive Director for Alumni Relations. In the marketing, communication and public relations arenas, Rumsey was central to the rebranding effort that introduced both a new visual identity for LAU and a more focused marketing and communications program. He shepherded LAU into social media, and a Facebook and Twitter presence now the largest of any higher education institution in Lebanon. Over the past seven years LAU has attracted more media coverage — within Lebanon, as well as regionally and nationally — than ever before. Richard Rumsey and the advancement team during his farewell reception page 38 Faculty Profile Conductor of Knowledge Brigitte Wex at the borderlands of biology and chemistry By Linda Dahdah Douaihy

Dr. Brigitte Wex joined LAU in displays for computers, mobile phones her Ph.D. in photochemistry at Bowling and the like). This research is carried out Green State University in Ohio, U.S.A. and Byblos as assistant professor in collaboration with researchers from AUB a post-doctoral fellowship at Arizona State of chemistry in the Natural and Georgia Institute of Technology, U.S.A. University on the design and preparation Wex’s research also touches on matters of optoelectronic devices. Sciences Department in 2006, of epidemiological importance. She makes She discusses her research with evident in the midst of a decade of use of a technique in mass spectrometry passion, and she expresses a wish to pass known as matrix-assisted laser desorption/ on the “virus” — the characteristic blend tremendous growth for the ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry of wonder, curiosity and enthusiasm that university as a whole. Wex to study microorganisms in very high scientists share with artists — to her resolution based on protein extracts in students. describes it as a period of collaboration with colleagues at LAU. “A good day for me is when a student transformation, recalling the “We use this to characterize the profiles comes back to me saying ‘here is what of microorganisms — their so-called you’ve taught me, here is what I have done, excitement as contagious. “I ‘fingerprints.’ We’re currently working this is the result and this is how I think it wanted to contribute any way on Staphylococcus aureus, which is should be interpreted,’” Wex explains. “This I could, I wanted to be part of responsible for serious infectious diseases is the transformation I look for as a teacher globally.” — students shifting from merely attending it,” she says. A third axis of her current research is class to actively, even zealously, taking part

the quantitation of picocyanobacteria, in research.” Indeed the keynote of Wex’s conversation ubiquitous in marine and freshwater Family is indeed her other great passion. — one realizes after talking with her even environments. “The methodology of Asked how she balances the demands bulletin for an hour — is transformation. It suffuses enumeration we’re developing in our lab of motherhood with those of research, her mode of thought, recurring in personal, can be used for environmental monitoring Wex notes that her adoptive Lebanon alumni professional, and intellectual registers. — as well as to monitor nutrient “is a country where education is really & The metamorphic motif is appropriate availability — in fresh and salt water valued,” and goes on to say she hopes

enough, given the nexus of her research bodies,” she explains, noting its relevance her three-year-old daughter will remain | Summer 2012 14 | issue nº 2 VOLUME interests and educational background. for ecological studies. This research is done here. “Lebanon has huge potential for Drawing on higher degrees in molecular in collaboration with researchers from development,” she says. biology and photochemistry, and Bowling Green State University in Ohio, Wex has published 15 papers in peer- postdoctoral work in optoelectronics (a U.S.A. reviewed international journals, and broad field including everything from Wex aptly describes herself as a participated in numerous international semiconductors to solar cells), Wex’s multidisciplinary researcher. Having conferences. She is an active member current research is at the threshold between completed her Vordiplom in biology at the of the Society for Optical Engineering, nature and technology, where organic Albert-Ludwigs-Universität in her native the American Chemical Society and the materials become semiconductors for Freiburg, Germany, she went on to complete German Chemical Society. opto-electronic devices (such as are found a master’s specializing in molecular biology,

page 39 Campus Notes

Campus For more details about these LAU activities, Edited by Linda Dahdah Douaihy NoTesvisit the news section of www.lau.edu.lb.

Cultural and Academic Exchange

Opening new academic doors to Europe In October 2011, LAU joined the WELCOME (Widening Egyptian and Lebanese Cooperation and Mobility with Europe) consortium, an exchange program which comprises 19 universities from the EU, Lebanon and Egypt, and is coordinated by Politecnico di Torino, Italy. The grant is worth €4 million (roughly $6.7 million), $600,000 of which was awarded to LAU, spanning a four year timeframe – from October 2011 to October 2015. Accepted candidates – undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students as well as post-doctoral faculty and staff – will spend between 6-36 months in a European partner university studying, training, teaching and/or researching. The MEDASTAR (Mediterranean Area for Science Technology And Research) project is similar to WELCOME in its objectives, details, and budget.

Rethinking paradigms on Arab autonomy Hot on the heels of the Egyptian revolution’s first anniversary, LAU’s Social Sciences and Humanities faculty convened on February 2 to discuss how the Arab uprisings have changed lines of inquiry vis-a-vis the Middle East and the Arab world, in academia, pedagogy, and policy-making. Dr. Tamirace Fakhoury, assistant professor in the Department of Social Sciences at LAU Byblos, moderated the intercampus videoconference. The panel also included LAU professors Dr. Habib Malik, Dr. Walid Mubarak, Dr. Makram Ouaiss, Dr. Marwan Rowayheb, and Dr. Jennifer Skulte-Ouaiss. Fakhoury invited Dr. Rosita Di Peri, from the University of Turin, to address potential European involvement.

Face to Face: Videoconference initiative exposes cultural stereotypes LAU students took part in a videoconference with peers at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) in Florida on February 12. This first Intercultural Dialogue Session deconstructed cultural stereotypes, fostering international understanding through face-to-face human contact. Dr. Marwan Rowayheb, assistant professor of political science and international affairs at the Department of Social Sciences at LAU Byblos, and NSU master’s student Christina Wyler organized the event, during which students from both universities proposed potential means of countering detrimental prejudices. Suggestions included peace education, cross-cultural approaches to discriminatory propaganda, and active political engagement. Until the next session, participants in the U.S. and Lebanon are strengthening newfound friendships via Facebook.

page 40 behind formingbehind constitutions. framework theoretical and process the into insight further gave Fahed-Sreih Josiane Dr.Management Professorof Associate brothers,and Director IFEB five while his with business in years 55 from insight personal with audience the Group,regaled Sakaily SAL-Debbane- Holding Desco of chairman Debbane, the Raphael to speaker generation Keynote next. one from structures governance on and passing principles, of business challenges values, and rewards the weigh to and gathered experiences community common business discuss family Lebanon’s of members Influential LAU Beirut. at 29 hosted March held Business discussion Entrepreneurial panel Constitutions,” and a Business Family Family “Building of Institute Business’s of School The Family Affairs initiatives from around theworldwere screened. collaborationin Rotaractthe with Byblos,of Club creative portraying fourtalks online by more than 90 students and professionals drawn to the “Dare to Dream” theme. Held LAU English instructor Reine Azzi organized a second TEDxLAU salon in April, attended from conflict resolutionlarge-scale to hurdles.personal The event was so thatpopular organization dedicatedSpreading.” to “Ideas Worth Speakers addressed topics ranging independently organized event complied with guidelines set out by TED, the nonprofit January, bringing in together over 70 students and faculty Salon to screen a series of inspirational speeches. TEDx The first the hosted Humanities of Department LAU’s TEDxLAU: Itonlytakes ONEidea Science, Technology and Engineering Business News nomtoa boh socsn clua ecag ad td ara opportunities,and advisedstudents, onscholarshipsavailabletothem. members faculty andstaff abroad study and exchange cultural showcasing booths informational up set countries these from RepresentativesStates. United the Republic,and Kingdom, United Czech Denmark, the Mexico, Germany, Canada, Ecuador, China, Brazil, Australia, France, Russia, Netherlands, the including Spain, world, the in destinations and was organized in collaboration with the of embassies many of the top study abroad LAU students, faculty and staff alike. The festive event included music and performances, creative international, civicengagement, leadership, for andstudyabroad opportunities Outreachof Culturaland AcrossExchange (OCEAN),Nations promotinginitiative new a Day on Wednesday, April 18, on the Beirut campus. The event marked the launch official The Outreach and Civic Engagement (OCE) unit hosted the university’s first Study Abroad Crossing theOCEAN industry needsand thejobmarket. related research projects and to make the engineering curriculum more responsive to industry- new foster Dr.to both expected is LAU with Hamze. Mouin partnership The Industrialists Lebanese of Research Scientific for Council National Association the of General SecretaryFrem, and Nehmat the of President Sabounjian, of Vrej Minister Industry including sector, industrial Lebanon’s from representatives welcomed industry, between President Dr. Research Joseph gap G. Jabbra and Dr. the Industrial George Nasr, bridge dean of of the Engineering,School Lebanese to academia, seeks with and research that centers. collaboration program In a a ceremony of held (LIRA),on April Achievements 5 agreement at the Beirut campus, an LAU signed LAU Industry andacademia unite page 41 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 14 | issue nº 2 | Summer 2012 Campus Notes

Click here for the future of learning A better grade is just a few clicks away, or at least that is the idea behind new clicker technology employed in Dr. Brigitte Wex’s science classes. Wex, an assistant professor of chemistry in the Natural Sciences Department, says that the clicker system creates an inclusive learning atmosphere and transforms students from passive to active learners. Two sets of 25 clickers, each with a receptor, are currently being used by the School of Arts and Sciences on both LAU campuses. The system, says Wex, is perfect for SAS because it’s mobile and “doesn’t take longer to set up than a PowerPoint presentation.”

A macro discovery at the microscopic level LAU biology majors Mees Al Otaibi and Karim Mohamed reached the final round of the Global Innovation in Science and Technology (GIST) Competition by using silver nanoparticles to sterilize milk and vegetables. Under the supervision of Professor of chemistry and Chair of LAU Beirut’s Natural Sciences Department Dr. Ahmad Kabbani, they found that milk treated with nanoparticles is markedly less perishable, lasting three days without spoiling. Mohamed says that their method could potentially revolutionize the way farmers are able to transport their products. To enter the GIST competition, the pair produced a short YouTube video, which got 567 “likes,” securing them a spot in the top 25 and an all-expenses-paid trip to Istanbul to attend the Global Entrepreneur Summit.

Career guidance

CEP takes on CPA Business graduates in Lebanon can now take part in a new CPA exam preparatory course offered by LAU’s Continuing Education Program (CEP). The course consists of 45 three-hour evening sessions with professional trainers, who provide the proper knowledge and requisite confidence to sit for the uncompromising 14-hour, four- part exam. Several speakers took turns detailing the added value of earning such a title during a CEP-organized ceremony held on March 5 at LAU Beirut to launch the new program. In a nutshell, a CPA designation is a highly regarded distinction in the business world, one sought by major companies worldwide.

Building better career services for Iraqi students LAU’s Career Guidance Office held a workshop in January for a group of Iraqi university professors and administrators as part of a larger project sponsored by the International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX) to promote higher education reform in Iraq. The workshop covered various topics, highlighting the Iraqi educational sector before and after the 1991 uprisings, the different roles of traditional and modern career centers, and the advantages of career guidance services. At the core of the seminar was the career development process, which helps to identify the students’ interests, and pairs them with a career path that is compatible with their character while also keeping market needs in mind.

page 42 f itaee Plsiin Flpn, at ioee Ida, uks, n Kurdish and Turkish, Indian, Timorese, communities, tonameafew. East Filipino, Palestinian, Vietnamese, of LAU groundbreaking to experience the emigrant the illuminated Tabar, made and awardedanalyzed studies PaulCase possible. Dr. colloquium grant, and (IDRC) Skulte-Ouaiss Centre Jennifer Dr. Researchscholars Development International An society. the and economics, politics, explored domestic and discussion international on roundtable diasporas of a impact and lectures Conflict.” Twenty-four keynote & two Peace papers, and academic Identities, National State, and the ‘Homelands’ on their Impact and Their Diasporas between “Relationships entitled conference international an hosted (IMS) Studies Migration for Institute LAU’s 2-4,February On Scholarly migration Inside the Institutes Inside theInstitutes Father GabrielTabet, and Turk; representing Fouad Patriarch MarBechara Boutros al-Rahi. Ambassador Diab; Dr. Hassan Education Higher and Education of event Minister the figures,including religious and Sleiman, political prominent various by Michel attended was President Lebanese of patronage the under Organized Beirut.LAU at 31 January novelist,on ceremony anniversary and 10th center’s the poet over presided Lebanese renowned and director CLH Zoghaib, Henri heritage. Lebaneseto relatedlocate, material to preserverestore movement and forefront a of the at been has Heritage Lebanese2002,for Center LAU’sin establishment its Since The Center for Lebanese Heritageturns10 Architecture andDesign aps Fr inn suet Sr Aaa Hb Frs Mhod au ad Nour and Chamoun, timedealingwitha“real Daoud client.” itwasthefirst Mahmoud Fares, Hiba Awada, Sari of students Child winning For campus. from representatives and Beirut the at 5 Department March on contest month-long the of winners the announcedLebanon Design Graphic the of NGO. the for identity Members online new a create to contest a winning after rights, child in practices good promotes that organization non-governmental Lebanon,a of Child of website the revamp to selected been has students graphicLAUfourdesign group of A Designing for agrade cause andagood winning Egyptian-American columnist, andHanaaAl-Sayaghi, aYemeni activist. El-Tahawy,Mona activist,award- Egyptian an Mahfouz,an Asmaa that included panel history.The throughout audience revolutions popular the of vanguard told the at Beirut, been LAU often have at women communication of professor assistant and IWSAW of director Dabbous-Sensenig, Dr. Dima journalists. and celebrated activists academics, (IWSAW) World ArabSpring,”the featuredprominentand female Beirut ArabLAU at 5 March on place took the in Women,ahead: and Arabuprisings.“Challenges activism,media discussion The social Studies Women’s popular ongoing the in women roleof the highlighting by Day Women’s International for Institute LAU’s They saytheywantarevolution page 43 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 14 | issue nº 2 | Summer 2012 Surfing the Stacks

Surfing the Stacks Library Open House courts the Google generation By Linda Dahdah Douaihy

Introducing the world of libraries to the drawing for example 2500 students daily “It was a successful day overall,” said online generation is a tricky business. On the to the Riyad Nassar library on the Beirut Joseph Hage, director of the Byblos hand, books — actual paper-and-ink books campus. The smaller library at LAU Byblos Library. “One could really feel a greater — are quaint, even foreign to many. On the now sees such heavy use that it will be interaction between the students and the other hand, if the internet itself is a kind of relocated to the new School of Medicine library and its resources.” library, then the average 18-year-old in jeans building for larger space. This year’s open house was timed can scan its stacks faster than a tenured Under the heading “What’s UP@LAU to coincide with the Online Computer scholar in tweed. Libraries” — a reference to What’s App, Library Center Global Council’s first There is a great difference, of course, a popular networking application — the membership meeting in the MENA between searching and researching. event kicked off with a library treasure hunt region. (See sidebar) Regarding the latter, Google’s first employee on both campuses. Teams had to produce is on the record as saying it will be “about answers to questions using a variety of 300 years until computers are as good as, library search methods. say, your local reference library.” “I had forgotten what it is to actually use Habre elected LAU librarians had the careful courtship books,” Aseel Jalaleddine, a business and delegate to OCLC of this generation in mind when it planned marketing major, playfully conceded. “My its third annual Library Open House Day in friends and I mainly use the library to study, Cendrella Habre, director of the Riyad May. and the internet for our research,” she said. Nassar Library, has been elected as a Europe, “We wanted to introduce library resources Prizes included iPads, iPods, USB bracelets, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) delegate and services to students using their trips to Cyprus and various vouchers, all representing the Middle East and India to language,” said Cendrella Habre, director provided by the event’s 17 sponsors. the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) of the Riyad Nassar library in Beirut. “This “This is a smart way to attract students,” Global Council for the term beginning July is increasingly the language of social said Abdel Kareem Dagher, a second-year 1, 2012 and ending June 30, 2015. networking.” architecture student who won at the wheel Habre was also elected to the EMEA Colorful booths and exhibits were set up of fortune. “It’s playful, but we’ve learned Regional Council Executive Committee for in front of the libraries on both campuses a lot both in terms of general knowledge the same term. for the event, which drew students from all and about what the library has to offer,” he Founded in 1967, OCLC is a not-for- of LAU’s schools and a wide range of degree added. profit computer library service and research programs. While some browsed publishers Corporate presentations on the role of organization dedicated to sharing resources displays, others tried their hands at puzzles, technology in education were also held and reducing library costs. More than memory games and the wheel of fortune. throughout the day. Adkom, for example, 72,000 libraries in over 170 countries use In recent years, LAU’s libraries have turned a prominent firm in Lebanon’s computer OCLC services. to social media outlets such as Facebook industry, discussed the growing use of “This is an honor for me,” says Habre, and YouTube for promotional purposes. The tablet computers such as iPads and “and a great opportunity for the university approach has been effective, Habre says, Kindles. in terms of networking and exposure.” page 44 Staff Profile Green Thoughts in a Green Shade An afternoon with LAU Byblos’ constant gardener By John Jeha

Karam Karam kneels before one of many Both are palpable as we drive through flowers or trimming trees whose branches flowerbeds on LAU’s verdant Byblos campus. Karam points out a neat line of have grown unkempt by Karam’s exacting campus, meticulously inspecting the young pine trees, each about one and a half standards. petals. meters high. “You see those? I planted each “I get off to a happy start every morning,” “Every plant has to fit into place; you as a seed 20 years ago when I first arrived he says with a smile, “not with one foot can’t get it wrong.” here. Now look at them.” forward and one foot back, but with three Following Karam’s gaze as he surveys Much indeed has changed at LAU Byblos feet forward!” the trimmed trees, neatly planted lines of since then. The campus has expanded, His enthusiasm is matched only by his colorful blossoms and bushes precisely cut leaving Karam and his semi-permanent experience. Indeed as his daily round takes to resemble birds and other animals, one crew of two with a substantially larger him across campus, faculty members with realizes just how seriously LAU Byblos’ area to look after. Over the years, however, their own home gardens approach him resident landscaper takes his job. the university has both improved the asking for advice. “Ma3lim Karam! My Karam has been working for LAU since landscaping equipment he uses and petunias haven’t sprouted yet — what the early days of the Byblos campus. As increased his budget. should I do?” asks one. “Give it another the university sourced plants and trees A greenhouse filled with blossoming week, and try watering them a little less,” he from local nurseries for the new campus flowers and plants provides a vivid preview replies, not missing a beat. — which is considerably larger than LAU of what next spring has in store for the An afternoon with Karam restores your Beirut — it became evident that a full campus’s many flowerbeds. Karam clearly appreciation of the knowledge, skill and time staff member would be needed to loves what he does, and reiterates how effort it takes to keep the Byblos campus design, plant, maintain and sustain all the thankful he is to LAU. beautiful. From its sloping, manicured landscaping. “My wife always tells me that I keep lawns and vibrant sprays of spring flowers to Karam was working for one of the talking about the university,” he jokes self- newly developed parts of campus that seem local nurseries at the time, and his boss deprecatingly. “She says if only I could treat elegantly landscaped overnight — none is recommended him for the job. He has her as well as they treat me.” again likely to be taken for granted. since developed a reputation on campus Karam begins the workday with a for both his work ethic and his emotional morning meeting with his crew. Their attachment to the university. daily work usually consists of planting new

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alumni & VOLUME 14 | issue nº 2 | Summer 2012 14 | issue nº 2 VOLUME

page 45 Donor Profile George Abboud, founder of Earth Technologies By LAU Staff

George Abboud (BS ‘02) knew what he was Though only a few years old, doing when he donated solar photovoltaic Earth Technologies already boasts an systems to LAU’s Electrical Engineering impressive record of achievements in department last fall. He was supporting installing renewable energy systems in student research projects, yes, but he Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and several African was also championing a larger cause: the countries. Besides being ethically and environment. environmentally sound, Abboud explains, As founder of Earth Technologies, investing in renewable technologies a company dedicated to finding makes financial sense, since not only environmentally sound energy solutions hospitals, hotels, restaurants, factories for public and private sector industries, and industries at large, but also everyday Abboud understands that renewable households, save significant amounts of energy is not an option but an imperative money on energy bills. if we hope to preserve the delicate balance The adoption of such technologies in that sustains life on this earth. He saw LAU the Middle East is especially critical since as an ideal place to instill this message. the region receives so much sun and so “LAU holds a special place in my heart,” little water. he says. “I feel compelled to give back to “In a constantly evolving renewable the university that gave me the tools and energy market, and with the various knowledge to face the real world.” challenges facing conventional energy and fuel, having technical knowledge of solar energy in a place like Lebanon is a must,” he says. When asked what he most wished to convey to LAU students, Abboud was adamant about their need to understand that our habits in energy consumption matter. The earth, he stresses, is relying on them. “Becoming energy-aware is not an elective course,” he said. “It should be a requirement in each home. Humans thought that with their technologies they will conquer the cosmos, but unfortunately with their factories and fuel obsession and greed, they are destroying their own mother.” As a final point, Abboud encourages everyone to “consume less energy, become more efficient, waste less water, and use recycled products.” “Becoming energy-aware Abboud’s loyalty and commitment to is not an elective course. It his alma mater is clear and convincing, and in a visionary philanthropic sense should be a requirement in seems of a piece with his passion for each home.” environmentism. While his donation helps LAU in its educational mission by encouraging engineering students to learn and understand solar technologies, it is what those students do with that knowledge that will make a difference in the long run.

page 46 From Catharsis to Mimesis

Op-Ed From Catharsis to Mimesis Dr. Ketty M. Sarouphim assesses the effects of media violence on children’s behavior.

Sigmund Freud, the father of modern The side effects are numerous and such as gladiatorial combat, a practice psychology, maintained that human beings range from the startling to the serious, considered entertainment in ancient are born with a drive for violence. To prevent from tantrums to recurring nightmares Rome. In the face of this argument one acting on it, Freud recommended exposure and debilitating phobias. The younger cannot but be reminded of the Roman to simulated violence, in order to produce the viewer, the more impressionable. Empire’s decline and fall. Are we headed in what he called (drawing on Aristotle) Parents would be well advised to keep the that direction? Will the thrill we feel in the “catharsis,” the release of emotional TV and computer in the family room to presence of violence lead to our ultimate tension. Contemporary psychologists limit private access and ensure supervised extinction? Near the exit of the St. Louis conclude that this may instead encourage viewing, and more generally to keep lines zoo in the United States, visitors taking imitation, especially when the “aggressors” of communication open. Stay vigilant, I tell leave of the world’s most spectacularly are celebrities. Empirical research — from parents, and keep being in your children’s ferocious animals encounter a sign: “Homo Albert Bandura’s seminal and extremely lives, because prevention is always more Sapiens… the only species that kills when influential “Bobo doll” experiment in the effective than intervention. not hungry and the only species that kills early 1960s through to the present — When teaching about conflict-resolution, others of its own kind.” supports theories of learned aggression, I often reverse the situation and ask I believe that greater awareness will especially strongly in the case of children. students to brainstorm for ways of teaching lead to concerted action, to a call on An examination of entertainment in violence to others. They inevitably conclude governments to regulate media violence recent decades would undoubtedly reveal that the best technique is exposure to the way they regulate illicit drugs, for

an increase in both the frequency and violence; one does not need a degree example. If children are influenced by intensity of media violence. Its impact is in psychology to reach this conclusion. models, then they should be exposed to greatest on the young, especially those In light of this striking consensus — a models who engage in peaceful conflict bulletin (mostly males) who are already prone consensus comprising young and old, resolution, and thus stand a better chance to aggressive behavior. Children with experts and lay people — why does of maturing into adults who do not tolerate alumni

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder media violence continue to thrive? Why violence and who teach their own children, & (ADHD), Conduct Disorder (CD), and are there not more calls for its cessation, in turn, to live peacefully. Only then can we

Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD) are from parents, teachers, and government hope to survive and thrive as a species. | Summer 2012 14 | issue nº 2 VOLUME at a higher risk. Children who are abused officials? I am increasingly baffled by by their parents, as well as bullies and societal desensitization to violence. others who lack social skills, are also more Some argue that violence has in fact Ketty Sarouphim is an associate professor prone to emulating observed violence. decreased over the centuries. They claim of psychology and education at the Some psychologists believe that criminals that people have become more civil, Department of Social Sciences, LAU and serial killers have watched more media that the violence that continues in the Beirut. violence than average. The dangers involve present day, moreover, is more controlled. many factors and cutting across individuals Evidence for this argument includes the and populations. disappearance of certain forms of brutality,

page 47 Blueprint for Success

Alumni Profile Blueprint for Success Accent Design Group co-founder wins global accolades By LAU Staff

For Elie Abs (B.A.’97), architect and co- knowledge and experience I gained in founder of Accent Design Group (ADG), the Europe.” discipline and practice of architecture has “But I never thought of myself as a always straddled two domains, uneasily — teacher,” he says. “It was more like a design the commercial and the intellectual, the laboratory where we were experimenting superficial and the substantive. together with the students.” These days, he says, there is an acute After receiving his B.A. in Architecture need for architecture that “comes from from LAU, Abs went on to obtain a Master within,” that “responsibly answers to current of Architecture degree in architecture social, economic and environmental and urbanism from the Architectural challenges.” Association School of Architecture in This desire to create intuitively is at the London. Looking back, he attributes his heart of ADG, which since 2006 has striven interest in architecture to his father, who to find personalized design solutions for worked in design and construction and clients based on various facets of research, helped cultivate his passion for the field. while at the same time not sacrificing the “I believe that even within this complex aesthetics of their work. and competitive environment we’re living Their refreshing approach to design in, there are plenty of opportunities — we drew the attention of the international just have to look deeper,” Abs says about architecture community this past year, the current market for serious architecture. winning them a prestigious World “The challenge will always be to maintain Architecture News (WAN) award. “This quality.” is a major international competition celebrating and promoting the best in international architecture for residential use, attracting entries from all over the world,” says Abs. ADG won in the “unbuilt” category for the WAN Awards Residential Sector for their design of the 11,000m2 Beirut Observatory, a tower inspired by the urban form of Beirut. It is composed of a smoothly rising stack of glazed-unit apartments, “offering diversity while simultaneously creating a sense of unity,” says Abs. “Cantilevered balconies and terraces take their cue from the typology of Beirut’s existing urban fabric,” he explains, “thus transferring the previously horizontal spread into a vertical composition, with panoramic views of the city and the sea.” The client has approved the design concept, according to Abs, so it’s only a matter of time before the project goes ahead. Long before his company skyrocketed into the realm of international award winners, Abs walked the halls of LAU — first as a student, and then, since 2002, as a teacher. He attributes his desire to teach at LAU as “the natural thing to do, sharing page 48 On the Court and on the Mat Judo andbasketball starrepresents LAU oje, ietr f tltc a LAU at Byblos. Athletics of Director Moujaes, Joe says impossible,” is nothing believe them athletes,making student LAU other the leading team in scoring — she by is also encouraging team basketball varsity activities,”social sheadmits. other and trainingsessions my with along studies and classes my manage to hard trying am “I feat. easy no is load course on tuition. discount percent 15 a her with achievements acknowledged university The Club. Champville prestigious Mehdi’s El Dik for team at LAU Byblos, and continues to play addition to the women’s varsity basketball welcome a is routine.She sporting her to Shammas. training,” says gym to addition in day, a major twice train “Before tournaments,we international competitions. major to top ofgamesandgymwork-outs. on training, sports of hours 16 than less no in packs schedule weekly current her and five, age at biweekly judo practicing program. began training vigorousShe her 2010 Youth OlympicsinSingapore. Championships. She placed seventh in the Junior Asian the frombronze a and silver golds from the Arab Championships, and a Championships,two Asian West the from to thenationalteamin2006. recruited seven,”was Shammas,who says Lebanese Judo Championshipeveryyearsince Iwas the in place first won star. have “I young the for triumphs athletic of weightcompetition. gold intheopen and category weight kilogram 63 under the in bronze judo: Lebanese for medals the 12 from returned recently Shammas Karen First-yearadministrationbusiness student “Karen is not only helping our women’s full a and basketball, judo, Juggling basketball added Shammas 10, age At lead-up the in intensifies Training to success her attributes Shammas medals gold six holds 18-year-old The record the to adds victory double The th Pan-Arab Games in Qatar with two — andLebanon By Jessica Hollows t h 21 Sme Oypc, says Olympics,” Summer Moujaes. “She’llmake usproud.” 2012 the especially at LAU, and Lebanon represent Russia). (Tatarstan,Kazan in Universiade 2013 the Summer 2012 Olympics inLondon. the for judo — the qualified in competition selection had wild-card she a as that — spring late in me tothefloor.” weight difference, and trapped and pinned “In the of advantage minutes. took [Asselah] end, three the her almost hold for to ground managed who balance Shammas, keep me,”throw to to recalls throwingtried she time every tried different “I techniques. necessitated whose world Asselah, size Algerian Sonia medalist against bronze student LAU 78 over the kilogram weightcategory,” in final sheexplains. judoists and against semifinal games the playing was “I Advancing career.to the provedfinal exhilarating. her in time first the for category Qatar,where she in participated the open weight in Games Pan-Arab recent the in management iskey,” time proper headds. — schooling and sports — succeed.all and Toit time have same the at tasks various handle can who winner a is champion character. “Aimportantly, inner commitment, most and toughness,focus peace,mental mix perseverance, latter’s the champion of in a lies Shammas and like athlete ordinary an are essentialtoreach one’sgoals,” shesays. teamwork “Judo practice, and concentration, that persistence, me background. taught basketball athletic and her from “We are all behind Karen to best best to Karen behind all are “We at LAU represent also will Shammas news thrilling the received Shammas the pitted match final gripping The challenge new a on took Shammas between difference the says Moujaes ethic work strong a derives Shammas Student Profile page 49 page

& ALUMNI BULLETIN VOLUME 14 | issue nº 2 | Summer 2012 Down the Red Carpet

page 50 Down the Red Carpet First Alumni Film Festival celebrates the cineastes of LAU By Muriel Kahwagi

LAU just hosted its first ever Alumni Film cinema such as Dima El-Horr, Zaid Abu Festival (AFF) in early spring of this year. Hamdan, Walid Fakhreddine, Khalil Dreifus The timing couldn’t have been better, Zaarour and Mahmoud Kaabour. given the number of breakthrough figures Super. Full, a short film by Niam Etani, in recent regional and international cinema who teaches screenwriting at LAU Beirut, got their start in LAU’s Department of tells the story of a poor worker who Communication Arts. promises to take his newlywed to dinner The program — which prepares students in a lavish hotel on her birthday, all the for careers in journalism, publishing, while chronicling the cordial routines of filmmaking and other media — is indeed their married life. one of the region’s oldest and most The film has screened at several renowned, and films by recent graduates international film festivals, including the have shown on Al Jazeera, featured at Seattle International Film Festival and the Doha Tribeca Film Festival and won prizes CFC Worldwide Short Film Festival, and at Cannes. won the MAISHA & DFI Screenwriting Lab AFF was organized by the Alumni Zanzibar award. Relations Office in collaboration with the “We are thrilled to see our graduates Communication Arts department (under excel and compete for key positions the School of Arts and Sciences), and held in the media industry,” said Dr. Mona April 2-5 at Irwin Theatre on the Beirut A. Knio, associate professor of theater campus. and chairperson of the Department of “Our goal in organizing this was to Communication Arts, at the festival’s promote our graduates through LAU and opening ceremony. to promote LAU through our graduates,” While some films were light and witty, says Abdallah Al Khal, executive director others centered on serious issues such as of alumni relations. “These are artists sexual harassment. of global reputation, moreover, whose The Adventures of Salwa, a three-minute success sets an example for our current animated short produced by Liliane students.” Hanbali, a part-time instructor of film The Alumni Relations Office has indeed editing at LAU, follows its titular character been bustling with activity in recent years. in various situations. Salwa was originally The 2011 Alumni Book Exhibition, a kind written and directed by Amanda Abou of precursor to the AFF, showcased the Abdallah as a PSA for sexual harassment, published works of 40 alumni writers, and gained popularity through an online drawing in graduates prominent in every campaign meant to raise awareness about sector of the publishing industry. like the domestic violence, pedophilia and sexual Lebanese-Armenian talk show host Zaven harassment in the workplace. Kouyoumdjian. “Alumni film festivals such as this one

“The arts are key to keeping a society can really motivate current students to BULLETIN & ALUMNI civilized,” said LAU President Joseph G. work to have their own films screened in

Jabbra at the festival’s opening ceremony. the future,” said Hanbali, who graduated | Summer 2012 14 | issue nº 2 VOLUME “If you want to understand the challenges from LAU in 1996. a society is facing, you have to go to the The festival also featured films produced theater, watch films, and read literature.” and/or directed by Sabine El Chamaa, The festival screened a total of 17 films, Sawsan Darwaza, Merva Faddoul, Elie including full-length features as well as Habib,Wafa’a Halawi, Farh Al Hashim, shorts, all produced and/or directed by Remi Itani, Lina Matta, Rakan Mayasi and LAU alumni. These included prominent Noura Sakkaf. and rising figures in regional and world

page 51 Alumni Events

January The secret to success lies in serving others

LAU President Dr. Joseph G. Jabbra presented an altruistically themed lecture “It is Never All About You, Ladies and Gentlemen: Serving others as key to your personal and professional success,” at the Beirut campus in late January. This was the second talk of the 2011-2012 academic year in the Alumni Relations Office’s “Keep Learning” lecture series. “Providing value, help, and support to others will provide more spiritual, psychological, financial, and other benefits than any self-improvement concept out there,” Jabbra told the audience. Over 150 alumni and friends attended the lecture, which was followed by a reception.

Election day for the Beirut Chapter

On January 9, the LAU Alumni Association - Beirut Chapter held elections, voting in seven new members to the 15-member committee.

February LBC editor-in-chief and news anchor talks to alumni

Georges Ghanem, editor-in-chief and news anchor at LBC, came to LAU Beirut on February 8 to deliver a lecture to over 100 alumni and friends of the university. The BCW Chapter organized the event, which was followed by a reception.

Byblos Chapter dinner

More than 120 alumni and friends dined at the restaurant Raclot in Jounieh on February 18. The Byblos Chapter organized the dinner, which counted Dr. Jabbra and former LAU President Dr. Riyad Nassar among the attendees.

Valentine’s Day-themed dinner in Houston

The Houston Chapter of the LAU Alumni Association held “Love You LAU” in honor of the upcoming Valentine’s Day holiday. The event drew more than 20 alumni and their loved ones to Houston’s Forno’s restaurant.

South Florida Chapter celebrates new beginnings

On February 26, alumni residing in South Florida, accompanied by Director of Alumni and Special Projects in North America Ed Shiner, organized their first gathering at Sawa restaurant, owned by alumna Nadia Zahr. The gathering was a success and a strong start to the establishment of the South Florida Chapter.

page 52 March Beirut Chapter honors mothers at Mandaloun Café

The Beirut Chapter organized a Mother’s Day Brunch at Mandaloun Café on March 24. More than 80 alumni brought their mothers and friends along to enjoy the cozy atmosphere.

Byblos Chapter hosts a pub dinner

More than 120 alumni and friends gathered at the Cockney Pub & Restaurant in Keserwan on March 24 for a dinner organized by the Byblos Chapter.

400 alumni gather in Kuwaiti desert

On March 9, the Kuwait Chapter organized an Open Day in the desert at Ahl Al Barr camp. The event attracted more than 400 alumni and their families. Everyone enjoyed the sunny weather and the games that the committee members organized for all ages.

Veils Exhibit arrives in Los Angeles

LAU’s Southern California Alumni Chapter, in conjunction with Loyola Marymount University (LMU) in Los Angeles, hosted the photographic exhibit “Veil(s),” produced by LAU’s Institute for Women’s Studies in the Arab World (IWSAW). A panel discussion titled “Veil(s): Perception(s) and Misperception(s),” which featured LMU faculty members Feryal & ALUMNI BULLETIN & ALUMNI Cherif, Amir Hussain, Nancy Jabbra and Rana Sharif, took place on March 14. The “Veil(s)” exhibit is now on its way to the San Diego Public Library and will open from June 3. VOLUME 14 | issue nº 2 | Summer 2012 14 | issue nº 2 VOLUME

Washington brunch

On March 31, LAU President Dr. Joseph G. Jabbra had the opportunity to meet the new officers of the Washington, DC Chapter at a Saturday morning brunch at the famous Old Ebbitt Grill next to the White House. Several SINARC alums also joined this gathering and Jabbra updated everyone on all the exciting developments at LAU.

page 53 Alumni News Rima Nasir Tarazi (A.A.’49) attended “Composing History,” an event Nadine Maktabi (B.S.’98, M.B.A.’01) moved back to Lebanon in 2006 held in March during which a short documentary about her life – after spending five years in Riyadh with husband Hassan and their three made by Sawsan Qaoud – was shown. children – Karen, Abdallah and Celina. Maktabi is a senior instructor of marketing research, promotional strategies and management topics at Dia Al-Azzawi Tayyarah (B.A.’72) recently joined a writing group American University of Science & Technology. organized by AUB’s University For Seniors (UFS) program. The goal of the ongoing workshop is to learn how to pen a memoir. Mazen O. Bekdash (B.S.’02) is now heading Kenyon International Emergency Services’ Regional Office in Beirut. Kenyon is the Vivian Baitie (A.A.S.’75) now lives on the East Coast of the U.S. where international leader in worldwide disaster management. Prior she has made contact with quite a few fellow alumni in the region and to joining Kenyon in 2010, Bekdash worked at Arab Air Carriers is always looking for opportunities to meet up with more. Organization (AACO) and numerous airlines. Mazen holds an M.B.A. in Aerospace Management from Toulouse Business School, and Dr. Ghada Hijjawi-Qaddumi (B.A.’76) is a multiple-degree holder and a Diploma in Aviation Security Management from Edith Cowan received her Ph.D. in History of Islamic Art from Harvard University in University and Emirates Aviation College, an IATA Diploma in Airline 1991. From 2004 to the present, she has served as vice president of Studies and is a certified Aviation Security Professional Manager by the World Crafts Council/Asia-Pacific Region (WCC/APR) for the West- ICAO and Concordia University. He and his wife Lama Mekdashi are Asia Sub-region. In 2009 the WCC/APR board members elected her proud parents to five-year-old Abdul Aziz and one-year-old Loulwa. senior vice president to the WCC/APR. She will attend and participate in the next WCC/APR Regional Assembly in Chennai (Madras), India in Dalal Ghadban (B.A.’02) has fond memories of her October 2012. She published two works in 2011, including an Arabic university days. She is now married and has two boys, translation of a book on the archaeological finds in an ancient site in Mohammad and Zayed. Failaka Island in Kuwait.

Henry Matthews (B.A.’80) has translated his passion for comics into Maya Harb Njeim (B.E.’02) had a baby girl in a career that has seen him organizing events to showcase Lebanese February of this year. comic books to producing the Encyclopedia of Lebanese Comics Publications in Arabic for the 2010 Beirut World Book Capital initiative. Tarek U. Chbaklo (B.S.’03) lives in Milford, Massachusetts with his family He hopes to establish an Arabic Comics Documentation Center, which and works at Diamond Diagnostics as a senior clinical service engineer would serve as the epicenter for comic book lovers and writers and and clinical process manager. He has two kids, Lea and Adam. would house old Arabic pulp novels and illustrated children books. Rana Haddad (M.B.A.’03) works for ADCB as a senior manager in George Wadih Wakim (Dual Degree’84) went to the University of Corporate Credit and has recently launched a new business with her Kentucky to pursue his civil engineering studies. He is an avid musician husband in Lebanon — a chocolate boutique named Augrey (in the who has played in all sorts of gigs around Kentucky. His brother, Pierre Naccache area). She lives in Abu Dhabi and has two boys, Marc and W. Wakim, works for LAU’s IT team. Michael.

Huda Naccache Akkari (B.A.’87) married Bassam Serge Jean-Paul Kandalaft (M.B.A.’03) was voted Administrator of Akkari in 1994 and has a son, Bassam Jr. the Year in 2011. He works as product manager of the Dry Section at Kallissi Trading Corporation and recently got married.

Linda Saab (R.C.D.’93) is a proud grandmother to two-year-old Dana Shatila (B.S.’03) lives in Dubai and is IT Tamara and one-year-old Yasmina. operations and planning manager at HSA Group. She got married in 2004 and has one boy. Samer Ghandour (B.A.’97) works as sales director of Choueiri Group in Jeddah. He and his wife Nisrine, and their two-year-old Yasmina, would like to share their happiness in welcoming their newborn baby Serge A. Andezian (M.B.A.’04) is senior internal girl, Tulai. auditor / IT auditor at Bank of Beirut and has numerous certifications to his credit. He isa Ahmad El Hamawi (B.S.’98) kicked off his member of the LACPA, ISACA, IIA and ACFE. He marketing and communications career in Dubai in composes and records music in his spare time at his 2000, working with leading communication firms studio PROSOUND STUDIOS, which he established and multinational companies. He has recently in 2006. explored an entrepreneurial venture with leading multinational firm Aprais, based in the UK, to Aoun Bassam Shaer (B.S.’04) has been promoted represent them in MENA region and Turkey. to media director at Initiative Media in Riyadh. He has a one-year-old baby girl named Mariam. Mohamad Hanbaly (M.B.A.’98) recently started a D.B.A. program at the University of Liverpool and has contributed to a book related to management in the Arab world.

page 54 Reina Jamhoury (B.Pharm.’05) owns Reina Pharmacy in Dekwaneh. Farah Al Hashim (B.A.’09) is currently working She has been married since 2006 and has two young girls, Lynn and on her narrative–feature film “Breakfast in Beirut,” Lea. to be shot in Beirut soon. She is currently in the pre-production process of the film in Hollywood, Jamal Maadad (M.B.A.’06) recently became a sales account manager California, and recently finished shooting the short at DELL Corporation – Middle East, based in Dubai. He will be handling film “Marilyn Monroe in New York,” which was sales and solutions for the education sector in the UAE, as well as screened at this year’s LAU Alumni Film Festival. enterprise accounts. Rana Shehadi (B.A.’09) married her sweetheart, Omar Baz Radwan (B.A.’02, M.A.’06) received an best friend and colleague of seven years Abed Zaher. M.A. in Comparative Literature from Dublin City The couple enjoyed a nice wedding surrounded by University, Ireland in 2009. He is currently working LAU friends. on a Ph.D. thesis in Comparative Literature at Dublin City University. Radwan is a published author of Firas Arab (B.S.’10) has been living in Barcelona for two years now two poetry collections – Amaranth and My Poetry where he finished a double-degree master’s in International Business. Room – and a part time English Literature instructor at LAU. He recently opened a company called Fly Foot, which flies people from the Middle East region to watch some of the best football games in Suad Matar El Houssami (B.S.’92, M.B.A.’07) Europe. See www.fly-foot.com. received a master’s degree in hospital management from Ecole Superieure des Affaires. He previously Patrick Helou (B.S.’10) is currently working at AAW (Ali Abdul Wahab worked at Rafic Hariri University Hospital as head of & Sons), a distributor for P&G. He is currently the district field assistant the Material and Purchasing Division. for TSC’s key account in Kuwait.

Norma M. Makarem (B.S.’07) is both a computer scientist and Lyne Ran Lakis (B.S.’10) was promoted to the published author. She currently works as an Oracle application role of customer team logistics manager at P&G consultant and launched a novel called “Experienced, not Defined” in Distributor in Kuwait. For five months in a row P&G April. The book employs clever analogies to simplify intricate ideas and has ranked her first CTLM in the Gulf. ultimately encourages the reader to be skeptical, tolerant and aware of the true meaning that lies within. Dima El-Masri Chaarani Nachabe (B.S.’08, M.B.A.’10) married fellow LAU alumnus Dany Joanna Daaboul (B.E.’08) recently received her Nachabe (B.S.’03) and has a young daughter Ph.D. from Ecole Centrale de Nantes, France. Her named Tala. She currently works at the American thesis focused on producing customized products at Community School as the high school administrative a cost similar to that of mass production (MP). assistant.

Alaa Minawi (B.A.’08) is a visual artist who has Hanine Charaf (B.A.’11) got a job at the Lebanese Embassy in worked in more than 150 performances in Lebanon Abu Dhabi after graduating with a degree in political science and and the Arab world as a lighting designer, technical international affairs. director, and performer since 2006. He participated in several local and international theater workshops and joined many festivals in Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and the U.S. Remembered with Love This year Minawi is preparing a series of installations that involve light as a breathing entity, and he recently collaborated on [a piano in my Laure Kourani Lunt (A.A.’43 Torch Award) pillow], a light and sound performance by Vladimir Kurumilian and passed away in April 2011. After graduating himself. from the Junior College for Girls, she earned her B.A. in Arabic Literature from AUB in Dana Soueid (B.S.’08) got married last year and moved to Riyadh with 1945. She then embarked on a career in her husband. teaching English that would last for almost

50 years. She taught at International College BULLETIN & ALUMNI Roeya Awada Hajj (B.A.’09) recently wrote and in Beirut and Broummana High School

published a children’s story in Arabic titled “Tito Al during the 1950s. Lunt briefly moved to | Summer 2012 14 | issue nº 2 VOLUME Asfour Al Momayaz.” In 2010 she and her husband England, where she hosted an Arabic-language program for BBC Samer welcomed their third child, Rama, who joins World Service which introduced western pop music to the Arab sisters Mageda and Sara. world. After returning to Lebanon in 1961, she resumed teaching English at IC for the next few decades until her retirement. Even Rita Hanna (B.S.’09) got married in August 2011 to after leaving IC, she taught at AUB, Saint Joseph University and Antranik Backlayan (B.E.’10) and lives in Achrafieh, Broummana High School until retiring, for the final time, in 1994. Beirut. Lunt is survived by her three children and six grandchildren. Her two daughters are BCW graduates Bernadette Lunt Ghorayeb (B.A.’70) and Irene Lunt Dahdah (B.A.’72).

page 55 Why I Give Back

WHY I GIVE BACK Hussain Sharaf B.S.’ 01

What did you study at LAU? I studied business marketing, and graduated on July 14th, 2001. I still remember the commencement and the graduation party that followed, at the Saint George Hotel. I see it as one of the most important days in my life.

Where do you live now? After graduation I returned to my native Bahrain, where I still live today.

What is your occupation? What have you been up to since your university years? I work at the National Bank of Bahrain (NBB), in the treasury and international banking department. I worked previously at the Bahrain Bourse, at the financial analysis department. I received a scholarship from the bourse to pursue my M.B.A. at DePaul University, in Chicago, where I graduated with an emphasis in marketing and managing change. My years at LAU and in Lebanon had a huge impact on me. I looked up the Alumni Bahrain Chapter after graduation and have been an active member since 2003. Today in fact I am chapter president. We continue to promote LAU and Lebanon’s image among the Bahraini community, in all aspects but mainly education, tourism, and health.

What message would you like to convey to fellow alumni and current students? I would like to tell alumni first: never stop qualifying for your profession, you can always improve. Secondly, one needn’t be a millionaire to donate.

a little bit from“ — ”ﺍﻟﻘﻠﻴﻞ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﻜﺜﻴﺮ ..... ﻛﺜﻴﺮ“ ,As we say in Arabic a lot is a lot.” I’d like to tell current students to make the most they can from LAU’s wealth of knowledge, and not to forget their alma mater after commencement.

How is LAU different today from when you were a student? In so many ways. The campuses are bigger, the student body larger, with more international students, more schools, faculties and degrees. It’s wonderful that we have schools of medicine and nursing now. It’s evidence of a very bright future for LAU, with continued growth and progress.

page 56 Driven by a passion for challenges, Fouad Makhzoumi has risen through the business world of Lebanon and beyond.

He created the Makhzoumi Foundation, which contributes to the development of civil society in Lebanon through vocational training, health care and micro-credit programs.

He and his wife May were moved by the loss of their son Rami to redouble their support for the youth of today, especially in the area of education.

Fouad Makhzoumi is the Legacy and the PRomise.

The founder and chairman of Future Group and Future Pipe Industries Group, and founder and honorary president of the Makhzoumi Foundation, Fouad Makhzoumi is a generous friend of LAU.

For more information, please contact: Beirut Development Office New York Development Office Tel. (961) 1 786456 Ext: 1323 Tel. (212) 870 2592 Fax (961) 1 803658 Fax (212) 870 2762 P.O. Box 13-5053 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1846 Scan this code with your Smartphone Chouran Beirut 1102 2801, Lebanon New York, NY 10115-0065, USA to go to our giving page Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Beirut Campus P.O. Box 13-5053 Chouran Beirut, 1102 2801 Lebanon Tel. +961 1 786456 / 64 Fax +961 1 867098

Byblos Campus P.O. Box 36, Byblos, Lebanon Tel. +961 9 547254 / 63 Fax +961 9 944851

New York Office 475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1846 New York, NY 10115 0065 USA Tel. +1 212 870 2592 Fax +1 212 870 2762 www.lau.edu.lb