On September 24 and 25, the Faculty of Engineering at Notre Dame University-Louaize (NDU) hosted the opening ceremony of the 6th International Conference on Advances in Computational Tools for Engineering Applications (ACTEA’25) and the 7th International Conference on Renewable Energy in Developing Countries (REDEC’25). The event was moderated by Mr. Majed Bou Hadir, Director of the Office of Public Affairs and Protocol. In attendance were Dr. Chadi Abdallah, Secretary-General of the National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS); Mr. Ziad Nahhas representing the President of the Order of Engineers and Architects, Mr. Fadi Hanna; Dr. Jean-Noel Baleo, the regional director of the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) in the Middle East; Mr. Michel Feghali representing the President of the Order of Engineers and Architects in Tripoli, Mr. Shawki Fattaf; Rev. Fr. Bechara Khoury, President of NDU; Rev. Fr. Charbel Haddad, Acting Vice President for Administration; Rev. Fr. Francois Akl, NDU-NLC Campus Director; Dr. Michel Hayek, Vice President for Academic Affairs; Dr. Najib Metni, Vice President for University Advancement; Dr. Antoine Farhat, Advisor to the President for Presidential Affairs; Dr. Jacques Harb, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, together with the University’s administrators, faculty, and students.
Dr. Harb spotlighted the drastic role of artificial intelligence in reshaping engineering design. While acknowledging growing concerns about automation and job displacement, he reassured the audience that NDU is preparing its engineers to thrive in this changing landscape, equipping them not only with strong technical foundations, but also with critical thinking and essential soft skills. He also celebrated the faculty’s achievements, including award-winning senior projects and impactful master’s research featured at ACTEA 2025.
The General Chair of REDEC’25, Dr. Hadi Kanaan, then provided an overview of REDEC’s history and mission, emphasizing its role as a platform for sharing knowledge and advancing renewable energy research. He noted that this edition aligns with pressing social and environmental challenges, promoting collaboration among universities, research centers, professional organizations, NGOs, and government institutions.
Dr. Nazih Moubayed, Head of the GiGP Research Unit, also expressed his gratitude for attending the conference, noting that ACTEA and REDEC prepare researchers and students in Lebanon and the region for the future of renewable energy and computational engineering. He highlighted IEEE’s global mission to advance technology for humanity and encourage interdisciplinary collaboration.
Dr. Jean-Noel Baleo then took the stage to express his pleasure at being part of the event. He emphasized that such conferences renew collaborations between AUF and partner organizations, including NDU. Events like ACTEA and REDEC also restore research exchanges, allow engineers to engage in social discussions, and address challenges such as limited support for renewable energy in Lebanon.
As for Dr. Chadi Abdallah, the Secretary-General of the Lebanese National Council for Scientific Research, he described the opening of the sixth ACTEA and seventh REDEC as an opportunity to show how computational tools and AI can solve real-world problems. He explained that the Council has been using machine learning and satellite data in Lebanon for over 20 years, initially for urban change studies and now to predict wildfires, monitor droughts, and manage energy. During the recent war, AI and crowdsourced data helped map damaged buildings, farms, and forests, guiding efforts with organizations like FAO and UNDP. He encouraged participants to build partnerships and keep innovation central to Lebanon’s recovery and regional progress.
After Dr. Abdallah’s address, Fr. Khoury warmly welcomed participants, pointing out that humanity stands at a turning point as AI challenges the balance between human creativity and machine efficiency. He described the conference as a platform to restore creativity in education and put the human spirit at the center of learning. Fr. Khoury praised NDU’s commitment to merit, international recognition, and leadership in research and education, emphasizing that education is the foundation for building a stronger Lebanon. Focusing on renewable energy, he reminded the audience that youth are the greatest source of energy and the future leaders, researchers, and educators. Through this conference, knowledge is renewed, ideas are shared, and the environment in which humanity thrives is strengthened. He concluded by urging participants to remember that investing in education and the next generation is the true path to Lebanon’s future.
During the two-day conference, keynote speakers discussed the latest advancements in engineering innovation. Prof. Charbel Farhat discussed digital twins, showing how AI and real-time data optimize aerospace systems, while Dr. Antonino Iannuzzo presented computational tools for sustainable construction, using AI to preserve historic masonry and guide energy-efficient designs. Moreover, Prof. Elie Hachem introduced a novel physics-driven framework for cardiovascular treatments, combining high-fidelity simulations with space-time Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) to power patient-specific digital twins in medicine.
Student researchers delivered a remarkable range of studies reflecting the diversity of ACTEA’s themes. In artificial intelligence and machine learning, projects included AI-based image categorization, deep learning models for kidney disease detection, intelligent phishing detection, neural networks for voltage prediction, and hybrid AI-assistance systems.
In renewable energy and sustainable systems, students presented on hybrid waste-to-energy and photovoltaic systems, power management strategies for cyber-physical systems, electric boiler integration, passive restoration of historic buildings, and Lebanon’s electricity regulatory challenges. The wireless and signal-processing track featured work on 5G network security, radar optimization through digital twins, advanced antenna design, and sustainability evaluation of construction materials.
Finally, in HVAC, transportation, and urban engineering, research spanned digital twins for building decarbonization, fluidized bed apparatus design, road safety regulations, thermal mapping for pipeline integrity, and computational tools for traffic intersection design.
ACTEA’25 and REDEC’25 marked a defining moment for engineering and renewable energy in the region. The conferences displayed latest innovations and trends, celebrated the ingenuity of student researchers, and demonstrated NDU’s central role in advancing technology and inspiring the development of practical solutions.