LERC’s local and international teams meet with NDU President and the VPRD

Wednesday, 27th February, 2008. NDU.

Both the local and the international teams of the Lebanese Emigration Research Center met with Notre Dame University’s President Fr. Walid Moussa and the Vice President for Research and Development Dr. Assaad Eid.  

This followed on Dr. Assaad Eid’s inaugural visit to LERC, whereby the newly appointed Vice President for Research and Development was introduced to LERC staff and research infrastructure including the resource library, the archive and the museum as well as the electronic archive and database

The visit to the President has become a yearly event whereby LERC’s management, staff, local and visiting scholars, and research assistants meet with the President and VPRD get to know each other.

The meeting began with an introduction by LERC’s Associate Director Ms. Guita Hourani, who briefly summarized LERC’s main projects. She was followed by the Vice-President of Academic Affairs Dr. Assad Eid, who talked about LERC’s momentum especially in regard to the population and indexing of the Lebanese Archive and Database (LEAD) and LERC’s electronic research infrastructure tool, as well as the remarkable way that the Center manages to attract a very diverse group of researchers.

The President then welcomed all those present, saying that he appreciated them coming despite their research demand.

He went on to say that he followed all of LERC’s activities and endeavors with keen interest and was delighted with the way that LERC, as an NDU initiative, was marking out the way forward. The President then stated how pleased he was with the way LERC has continued to enhance the “image” of the University in Lebanon and abroad.  

The President ended by commenting that it was true that those who were interns and/or were volunteering at LERC were benefiting from the experience they were gaining, but LERC and NDU also were benefiting from them and for that he and NDU were grateful to them.

Following the President’s discourse, each participant introduced him/herself and explained what he/she was involved in at LERC. Following the event, Dr. Edward Alam, an Associate Professor at NDU, who has recently been seconded to work on a research paper on diaspora and religion said, “I must say that I am impressed by the diversity of people present, including NDU students, and with the fact that so many people are in essence ‘donating’ their time and effort to something they believe in.” 

Adjunct Research Associates Dr. Eugene Sensenig-Dabbous and Dr. Edward Alam, and Research Affiliates Dr. Salwa Karam, Roberto Khatlab, Dennis Kumetat, Wolf-Hagen von Angern, Dina Almisber von Angern, and Leonardo Schiocchet attended the meeting. Present also were Research Assistants Ali Hijazi, Sarah Al Hassrouny, Basma Abdel Khalek, Yara Maasri, and Joe Malkoun; LERC consultants Amin Nehme and Rudyard Kazan; LERC staff Ghada Khoury, Liliane Haddad and Elie Nabhan; and LERC NDU Student Assistants Neshan Emmiyan and Elie Hasrouti.

The meeting then adjourned to Dr. Eid’s study where refreshments were served, allowing all those attending the opportunity to get to know each other better in a very convivial environment.

LERC's international and local teams pose for a souvenir photo with NDU President and the VPRD