In a sincere and heartfelt gesture, the Vice President for Internationalization and Engagement and the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, at the University of Balamand (UOB), Professor Rami Abboud extended a warm welcome to the 8 new Faculty of Engineering members in his office, to welcome them all on board. This kind gesture signifies not only the beginning of the academic year, but also the start of a new faculty structure and an exciting journey for these talented educators and researchers whom bring with them a new breath of fresh air and knowledge to complement our existing experienced faculty members. It is our strong belief to teach our students and the future engineers from applied research knowledge and hands on experience; and the new faculty will simply just do that.

As the university gears up for another year of academic excellence and community building, Professor Abboud's welcoming message sends a strong message of unity and multidisciplinary approach. The faculty members who have recently joined the Faculty of Engineering are:

1. Assaf, Jean-Claude (Chemical Engineering Department)
2. Barraj, Firas (Civil Engineering Department)
3. Ghannoum, Maria (Civil Engineering Department)
4. Jahami, Ali (Civil Engineering Department)
5. Lahoud, Chawki (Mechanical Engineering Department)
6. Mir(El), Abdul Kader (Civil Engineering Department)
7. Moussa, Maria (Electrical Engineering Department)
8. Wakim, David (Mechanical Engineering Department).

The new faculty members, representing various disciplines and backgrounds, shared their excitement and aspirations for the upcoming academic year. This diverse group of educators will contribute to the faculty's mission of delivering high-quality education and pushing the boundaries of knowledge through cutting-edge research.

Professor Abboud expressed his enthusiasm and optimism during the gathering, stating: "I am delighted to extend my warmest welcome to the 8 new members of our academic family. Each one of you brings a unique perspective, experience, and expertise that will undoubtedly enrich our educational community with your strong research pedigree. The Faculty of Engineering at UOB is dedicated to fostering an environment of learning and innovation, whilst considering sustainability as a major task for design and innovation, and I have no doubt that your contribution will play a crucial role in our continued success”. Professor Abboud further emphasized the need of placing our students at the heart of everything we do: “as their academic parents, it is our moral obligation to impart our academic knowledge to shape their future to be leaders of change. They are our future ambassadors to the world in a profession that is very critical in meeting the 17 SDGs for a sustainable world”.

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