The School of Arts and Sciences Honors Its Pillars of Progress
The School of Arts and Sciences (SoAS) at LAU held its second Annual Awards Ceremony on May 16, 2025, at the Irwin Hall Auditorium to recognize the individual and collective accomplishments of its faculty, alumni and staff.
Reaffirming its dedication to reinforcing an academic environment that nurtures engagement with the community and society at large, in the words of SoAS Dean Haidar Harmanani, the ceremony aimed to highlight the excellent contributions of these individuals in research, teaching, service and leadership at the school.
“At the heart of this ceremony is a recognition of the values that define the SoAS community,” he said in his welcoming speech. “Each effort is itself a testament to the shared commitment to education, as well as to the pursuit of scholarly inquiry and the common good.”
Reflecting on the challenges that have befallen the country, particularly the ongoing regional conflicts, Dr. Harmanani spoke of the school’s tributes to resilience. “A big portion of our gratitude goes not only to our community’s ability to endure hardship, but also their capacity to adapt, learn, and move forward with purpose,” he added.
Against this backdrop, each award values the ways in which the school’s collective body has contributed, individually, to the continued success of the university’s scholarly and professional caliber.
Associate Professor and Chair of the Biological Sciences Department Sama Sleiman, who emceed the event, expressed pride in the “collaborative spirit that is prevalent across the school,” emphasizing that the achievements being recognized that day “are not isolated successes, but the result of sustained mentorship and institutional support.”
The faculty awards, she added, serve to commend research breakthroughs and their real-world impact, as well as the innovative teaching methods that pave the way for a better student learning experience.
The Distinguished Achievement Award was handed to Professor Sima Tokajian and Associate Professor and Director of the Institute of Migration Studies Jasmin Lilian Diab for the notable and effective research strides they have made in their fields.
Dr. Tokajian is a prominent figure in microbial genomics, whose leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic helped strengthen Lebanon’s genomic surveillance by enabling timely responses to emerging variants.
From left: Dr. Sama Sleiman, Dr. Sima Tokajian and Dr. Haidar Harmanani.
Co-recipient of the award, Dr. Diab, was also lauded for her transformative work in migration and displacement studies, which intersects gender, conflict and international law. Her research recently earned her the prestigious Lisa Gilad Prize.
From left: Dr. Gretchen King, Dr. Jasmin Lilian Diab and Dr. Haidar Harmanani.
The Distinguished Service Award was presented to associate professors Marwan Rowayheb and Brigitte Wex, both of whom have made indelible marks on the university through dedication and leadership as previous chairs.
Dr. Rowayheb was recognized for his two decades of service, during which he played a key role in program development and student mentorship.
From left: Dr. Imad Salamey, Dr. Marwan Rowayheb and Dr. Haidar Harmanani.
Dr. Wex was honored for her purpose-driven efforts to enhance laboratory facilities and student research opportunities.
From left: Dr. Nathalie Hayeck, Dr. Brigitte Wex and Dr. Haidar Harmanani.
Introducing a new award this year, the Innovation in Teaching Award was handed to Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Liberal Arts and Sciences Program Nadine Zeeni for her implementation of innovative pedagogical approaches in the classroom.
From left: Dr. Rana Rizk, Dr. Nadine Zeeni and Dr. Haidar Harmanani.
In addition to faculty members, SoAS also celebrated LAU alumni both for their far-reaching influence in their fields—in media, science and even technology—and for leveraging their education at the university to address societal challenges while maintaining strong ties to their alma mater.
The Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to CEO and Vice Chair of the AlJadeed network Karma Khayat (BA ’01; MA ’05), Singer and Instructor at the American University of Beirut Rima Khcheich (BA ’97), Cancer Epidemiologist and Scientific Coordinator at the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer Michele Matta (BS ’15), and Vice President and General Manager of Snap Inc. MENA Hussein Freijeh (BS ’03).
From left: Karma Khayat, Rima Kcheicheh, Michele Matta and Hussein Freijeh.
The ceremony also paid tribute to staff whose years of dedicated service “are seen, appreciated and never taken for granted,” said Dr. Sleiman. The Outstanding Service Award went to Principal Biology Lab Supervisor Sawsan Jabi, who helped contribute to a well-organized and supportive lab environment for students.
From left: Dr. Sama Sleiman, Sawsan Jabi and Dr. Harmanani.