The Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) at the American University of Beirut (AUB) held a tribute on February 15 in honor of founding dean of FHS, Dr. Eugene Gangarosa, and long-time professor, Dr. Nadim Haddad. Family and friends gathered to celebrate the lives of these two prominent figures whose work impacted the field of public health in Lebanon, the MENA region, and beyond. The tribute, moderated by Dr. Kassem Kassak, saw colleagues, friends, family members, and students express their deepest respect, admiration, and gratitude to Dean Gangarosa and Dr. Haddad through heartwarming testimonials.
Dean Abla Sibai welcomed the audience. She highlighted some common traits between Dean Gangarosa and Dr. Haddad that made them who they are—giants in their fields and yet humble human beings. “Both were visionaries and fighters, their lives were marked with a deep sense of altruism and philanthropy, there was no place for retirement in their dictionaries, and they both were surrounded by an abundance of social networks," said Dean Sibai.
In his opening remarks, President Khuri outlined the achievements of Dean Gangarosa and Dr. Haddad and their contributions to the field of public health and AUB. “All of that said, and much more left unsaid, it is fair to state that it is an absolute honor for AUB to be able to celebrate these two individuals as part of its eternal family, and its heritage," the president concluded.
Many colleagues of the honorands shared their stories and fond memories with the audience.
Dr. Huda Zurayk, former FHS dean (1998-2008), reflected on her experience as a junior faculty member under the leadership of Dean Gangarosa. She noted, “Reflecting back now with the hindsight and experience of 45 years, I find that the independence granted to public health away from the far larger Faculty of Medicine, gave little sister the chance to grow her own identity and develop her role as a complementary field of study which is highly needed in Lebanon and the region."
Dr. Iman Nuwayhid, former FHS dean (2008-2020), shared with the audience his personal encounters, which reflects the personality of Dr. Haddad— the wise, meticulous, and perfectionist Nadim Haddad who “puts his words into action," said Nuwayhid. “Dr. Haddad's obsession until the last day of his life was the public health professional. For him, it was all about those practicing public health in the real world. Are they properly trained? Do they have the needed skills and competencies? How can we assess if they do? How to keep them qualified? And what is the role of academic public health, and specifically FHS, in all of this?" Dr. Nuwayhid noted.
Dr. Nabil Kronfol, former professor of health management and policy at FHS reflected on the critical role that Dr. Nadim Haddad played in establishing strong connections between FHS/AUB with the Gulf region. These connections were instrumental in refocusing the teaching of public health at AUB in many areas, Dr. Kronfol noted. “To sum it all, Nadim was above all an unmatched gentleman, a man of virtues and ethical behavior. Professionally, he was an innovator, a man of plans and dreams that he worked hard to implement. His teachings and mentoring were always challenging. He was and will remain a model to us all (although hard to match) – whether in academics or in life," Dr. Kronfol concluded.
Dr. Haroutoune Armenian, another former FHS dean, shared a few memories of Dr. Gangarosa and Dr. Haddad that embody the essence of these two exceptional public health champions. In the words of Dr. Armenian, “Eugene Gangarosa was a member of a unique generation of epidemiologists and public health leaders at the CDC who made the CDC a world-class institution." On Dr. Nadim Haddad, Dr. Armenian noted, “Whether in Lebanon and or in Armenia, we have learned one important lesson: adversity is an opportunity for positive achievement. And Nadim gave us examples of such achievement with the many adversities in Lebanon and the region."
The tribute culminated with touching addresses from the honorands' families presented by Dr. Ray Gangarosa and Dr. Haitham Haddad.