Undergraduate Research and Discovery Program
The Undergraduate Research and Discovery (URaD) Scholar Program is a one-year SoAS signature program that engages undergraduate students in research and/or artistic endeavors. The program sets up collaborations between research-active faculty and undergraduate students who undertake projects that engage with a topical issue.
Eligibility
This selective, competitive opportunity is open to students who are registered in an undergraduate program, in their junior year, registering their capstone project or undergraduate research course in the following year.
Application Process
Interested students should apply online to the Dean’s Office by April 21, 2025 of their junior year and shall be notified of the status of their applications by May 9, 2025. Applications will be reviewed by a committee chartered by the Dean and composed of a representative from each department. Selection will be based on originality, scientific rigor and feasibility. Participation is capped at 24 in the first year.
The program starts on May 26, 2025, for one week, one course per day.
Discovery Curriculum
The URaD Scholar Program offers a series of three- to four-hour courses (0 credits, free of charge) that need to be completed. The courses will be in-person on the Beirut campus. The curriculum includes the following:
- HIE 310: Literature Search and Review [3 hours].
This course provides essential skills for effective research and literature integration. The first segment focuses on developing search strategies, staying current with publications, and using bibliographic and citation management tools. The second segment emphasizes organizing research materials, critically reading papers, and synthesizing information into a coherent literature review, enhancing students’ academic writing and research competency.
- HIE 320: Research Methods [4 hours].
This course will take scholars through the process of planning and designing research studies using appropriate research methodologies and data analysis techniques. The first part will be common to all students, discussing theoretical frameworks. Scholars will then choose to take part in parallel sessions, divided by discipline, to discuss project-specific considerations and research methodologies.
- HIE 330: Writing a Research Proposal [3 hours].
This course guides scholars through the steps of writing a compelling research proposal. Students will explore different types of proposals and their critical components. They will learn to identify and articulate a research problem, provide context, evaluate ethical considerations, select appropriate methodologies, and present expected outcomes. By the end of the course, scholars will acquire the skills necessary to develop a persuasive research proposal, preparing them for successful funding applications and academic endeavors.
- HIE 340: Effective Communication [3 hours].
In this course, scholars will enhance their communication skills through targeted strategies. The first segment will explore the communication process, focusing on the impact of verbal and nonverbal styles on expression and interactions. Students will develop public speaking abilities, learning to engage audiences and convey messages clearly and confidently. By the end of the course, participants will gain a deeper understanding of their communication style and the skills to communicate effectively in diverse contexts.
- HIE 350: Power of Artificial Intelligence in Research [3 hours].
This interactive short course introduces scholars to the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the research process. From idea generation to literature reviews, data organization and academic writing support, students will explore how AI can enhance research efficiency and creativity when used ethically and effectively. The session will focus on hands-on experience with selected tools, along with guidance on crafting effective prompts to get meaningful outputs. Scholars will leave the course with practical skills for integrating AI tools into their academic research workflow and an understanding of the ethical considerations in using generative AI.
- HIE 399: Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Pitching your Idea [4 hours].
This course equips scholars with essential skills for innovation and entrepreneurship. It begins with an overview of the innovation process and notable examples. Students will explore customer service science and learn to create effective elevator pitches to attract investors. The course also covers startup terminology, including business models, market analysis, impact assessment, venture capital, funding rounds, and key performance indicators (KPIs). By the end, scholars will be ready to pitch their ideas confidently and effectively.
- Proposal [1 week].
Students will work closely with a mentor in developing a research proposal to be pursued during the academic year 2025-2026.
Each course is a High Impact Experiences (HIE) 0-credit course, showing on the student’s transcript. URaD scholars are also expected to complete the LAS 204 and LAS 301, after which they will receive a certificate of completion of the curriculum.
Faculty Involvement
Scholars will choose a faculty mentor who shall oversee their efforts. In addition to the URaD course leads, the mentor shall guide the scholar in writing and submitting a proposal, supervise their scholarly activity, and assist in the final report.
Deliverables
Students shall:
- Defend their proposal a week after the end of the program (June 6).
- Discuss their project and ongoing challenges (mid-November).
- Present their findings during the LAU research day* (end of April), with the expectation of an article or proceedings submission, a publication, an innovative product, an art exhibit or a performance.
*Program will be defined at a later stage.
Program
Monday, May 26, 2025
| Date | Course Title and Description | Location | Course Lead/s |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00 - 09:15 |
Introduction to the Program and Breakfast |
Fouad Makhzoumi Innovation Center 701-706 |
Dr. Sandra Rizk-Jamati, Professor and Associate Dean |
|
09:30 - 10:30 10:45 - 12:45 |
HIE 310: Literature Search and Review [3 hours] The first part of this course will focus on tools to run search strategies, stay up to date with recent publications and findings, bibliographic annotation, and citation management. Scholars will be working on hands-on tools to facilitate their own search strategies. The second part of the course will focus on organizing the material, reading a paper critically, deciding which information to include before starting the writing process, and integrating and synthesizing the literature into a coherent literature review. |
Fouad Makhzoumi Innovation Center 701-706 |
Ms. Maya Nahra, Lead Librarian, Reference and Information Literacy Dr. Joseph Rebehmed, Associate Professor |
| 12:45 - 01:15 |
Lunch |
||
| 01:20 - 02:30 |
Meet the Mentors Mentors will share their experience in research, focusing on challenges and share top three tips for junior researchers. |
Webex |
Dr. Myriam El Khoury Malhame, Associate Professor |
Tuesday, May 27, 2025
| Date | Course Title and Description | Location | Course Lead/s |
|---|---|---|---|
|
09:30 - 11:30 12:00 - 02:00 |
HIE 320: Research Methods [4 hours] The third course will take scholars through the process of planning and designing research studies using appropriate research methodologies and data analysis techniques. The first part will be common to all students, discussing theoretical frameworks. Scholars will then choose to take part in parallel sessions, divided by discipline, to discuss project-specific considerations and research methodologies. |
Fouad Makhzoumi Innovation Center 701-706 |
Dr. Cory Rodgers, Assistant Professor Dr. Jana Jabbour, Assistant Professor Dr. Mohamad Rima, Assistant Professor |
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
| Date | Course Title and Description | Location | Course Lead/s |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00 - 12:00 |
HIE 330: Writing a Research Proposal [3 hours] This course will take scholars through the steps of writing a winning research proposal, including types of research proposals as well as components to include. Scholars will learn about identifying the research problem, contextualizing it, assessing and reviewing ethical considerations, choosing the methodology, and presenting expected results. |
Fouad Makhzoumi Innovation Center 701-706 | Dr. Elias Akoury, Assistant Professor |
| 12:00 - 12:30 |
Lunch |
||
| 12:30 - 03:30 |
HIE 350: Power of Artificial Intelligence in Research [3 hours] This course will introduce scholars to the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the research process, from idea generation to literature reviews, data organization and academic writing support. Students will also explore how AI can enhance research efficiency and creativity when used ethically and effectively. |
Fouad Makhzoumi Innovation Center 701-706 | Dr. Mohamed K. Watfa, Associate Professor |
Thursday, May 29, 2025
| Date | Course Title and Description | Location | Course Lead/s |
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:30 - 12:30 |
HIE 340: Effective Communication [3 hours] The next course will have a different focus, working with scholars on strategies to become better communicators. The first part will focus on exploring the communication process and how different communication styles, verbal and nonverbal, affect your personal style and helps build public speaking strategies. The second part will focus on topics such as empathy, asking the right questions, understanding the person’s viewpoint and non-verbal communication as a means to becoming an effective communicator in different contexts. |
Fouad Makhzoumi Innovation Center 701-706 |
Dr. Reine Azzi, Lecturer Dr. Nadra Assaf, Associate Professor |
| 01:00 - 02:00 |
Meet the Mentors Mentors will share their experience in research, focusing on challenges and share top three tips for junior researchers. |
Webex |
Dr. Pia Tohme, Assistant Professor and Chair of the Psychology and Education Department Dr. Sandra Rizk, Professor and Associate Dean Dr. Mohamad Rima, Assistant Professor |
Friday, May 30, 2025
| Date | Course Title and Description | Location | Course Lead/s |
|---|---|---|---|
|
09:30 - 11:30 12:00 - 02:00 |
HIE 399: Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Pitching your Idea [4 hours] The last course aims to teach scholars how to be innovative, build entrepreneurial skills, and pitch their ideas to attract funding, grants and investors. The first part will cover an overview of the key components in the innovation process and examples of major innovations. Then, scholars will go through customer service science and elevator pitching, ending with a focus on the language of start-ups, including business language and terminology, business model, market study, impact, venture capitalists, funding rounds and KPIs. |
Fouad Makhzoumi Innovation Center 701-706 |
Dr. Mohamed K. Watfa, Associate Professor Ms. Annie Seferian, Director of Fouad Makhzoumi Innovation Center |
Each course is a High Impact Experiences (HIE) 0-credit course, showing on the student’s transcript. URaD scholars are also expected to complete the LAS 204 and LAS 301, after which they will receive a certificate of completion of the Curriculum.
Scholars enrolled in the URaD have to be in their second year, planning to enroll in their program-specific research method course and capstone project/undergraduate research course in the following year. Their URaD proposal could form the basis for their 499 project/research.
June 6, 2025
Following the courses, scholars will have one week to work on their proposal with their mentor. The proposals will then be presented on June 6 on the Beirut campus. The aim of the proposal presentations is to refine the scholar’s idea in the presence of URaD course leads, URaD committee and other mentors. The program will be shared with all faculty and students for those interested to attend. Scholars will work closely with their mentor in further developing their research idea, to be pursued during the academic year 2025-2026.
November 2025
During November, the URaD committee will organize mid-year presentations for all URaD scholars to discuss updates and challenges they faced in their projects. URaD course leads, URaD committee and other mentors will be present for the presentations. The program will be shared with all faculty and students for those interested to attend.
April 2026
URaD scholars will be expected to present their findings and discuss their implications during the LAU Research Day.