Safa Jafari Safa, Office of Communications, communications@aub.edu.lb
Emphasizing its commitment to teaching as a scholarly endeavor, the American University of Beirut (AUB) held its annual Teaching Excellence Award ceremony to recognize individuals who have exhibited excellence and effectiveness in the advancement of AUB's educational programs. This year, Dr. Pierre Karam and Dr. Sawsan Abdulrahim were honored for their outstanding contributions to instruction, mentoring, services and professional development, and innovation.
This year, 62 nominations were received by the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). Thirty-five nominations met the criteria of being full time faculty members with at least six semesters of teaching by the Fall of 2023. After deliberation, a Teaching Excellence Award committee of nine faculty members representing all faculties, a student, and an alumnus casted their votes for the winning professors.
“At AUB, we firmly believe in the pursuit of excellence in research, service, and teaching," said AUB President Fadlo Khuri at the awarding ceremony. “[This award] serves as a testament to our commitment to this honorable profession and mission, emphasizing the significance of outstanding pedagogy among our esteemed faculty members."
Dr. Pierre Karam¾associate professor at the Chemistry Department and associate dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences for academic initiatives, advising, and student placement¾has been honored by numerous accolades and is known for his dedication to community service. He was praised by his nominators “for his ability to read his students and adjust his teaching style accordingly and for being approachable and available in and outside his office hours." One testimonial read, “he pushed us to innovate on our own and helped us develop that bright scientific mind that he is well known to possess," while another student wrote, “I am very grateful for all the mentorship, guidance, and independence that Dr. Karam has invested in me, and I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this prestigious Teaching Excellence Award than Dr. Karam."
“My philosophy hinges on breaking barriers to empower students with knowledge, nurturing critical thinking to challenge the status quo, and fostering leadership skills for a future-ready generation," Dr. Karam said.
“I firmly believe in the transformative power of education as a means to address social and economic inequality [and] I strive to revive the joy by making science more accessible, integrating examples from everyday life, and transforming theoretical concepts into practical applications," he added. “Simultaneously, developing critical thinking is paramount… As a university professor, I've taken it upon myself to design and implement programs catering to these underserved communities, promoting lifelong learning, and encouraging students to become active agents of positive change."
Also honored was Dr. Sawsan Abdulrahim, associate professor in the Department of Health Promotion and Community Health at the Faculty of Health Sciences, and recipient of several research awards, with an extensive list of publications. Known by her students as an advocate for human rights through interdisciplinary scholarly research and action, Dr. Abdulrahim was described by her nominators as “an inspiring teacher, an excellent mentor and supervisor" who sees her students as young professionals as she offered qualified students opportunities to work along her side. Always available for help and support to anyone she comes across, she was said to be “the definition of an 'educator' whose teaching is rooted in critical reflective thinking and who views students as active agents in the learning process … that promote a deep understanding of health equity and justice."
Abdulrahim spoke about her passion for linking theory to real life experiences, “Public health touches upon every aspect of life, teaching public health is, in essence, a long conversation about the meaning and value of life."
“I am committed to progressive pedagogy that uses the classroom as a space to interrogate inequities and injustices that contribute to poor health. Although I believe that context should be at the center of any public health analysis, I often use discussions about US racism as an entry point to deliberate about discrimination, exclusion, and health inequities in Lebanon. I found that this approach “de-exceptionalizes" Lebanon and invites students to speak about similar issues in their own context."