In a significant milestone, two groundbreaking projects from the Department of Chemical Engineering under the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Balamand have been shortlisted for the prestigious LIRA Program 2024. The first project titled "Sustainable Conversion of Organic Waste to Organic Fertilizers using Clean Energy" is overseen by Lead Supervisor Dr. Makram El Bachawati and Lead Student Daniel Nasr. In collaboration with Cedar Environmental L.L.C, the first team comprised four Chemical Engineering students besides Daniel: Mabelle Wehbe, Jason Kazzi, Ralph Dgheim, and Nour Al Sarraf.

The second project, managed by Lead Supervisor Dr. Jean Claude Assaf, Co-Lead Supervisor Mrs. Mantoura Nakad and Lead Student Pauline Zaatar. The project title is “Sustainable Precision Agriculture with Robotic System: Assessment of Air, Soil, and Water Quality” and is conducted in collaboration with ELKsarl Single Partner.

After a rigorous evaluation process by an esteemed committee, both groundbreaking initiatives stood out for their innovative approach and potential to address pressing environmental challenges. Both teams’ dedication and ingenuity in proposing solutions for sustainable waste management are commendable and align perfectly with the program's objectives.

This selection enabled both teams and their supervisors to participate in the Capacity Building Phase that took place on April 22nd and 23rd, 2024 at Padova Hotel, Beirut. This workshop offered the participants invaluable training in innovation management, commercialization, and the establishment of spin-off companies. Participants had the opportunity to engage in workshops on commercialization management and innovation, discussions, and networking sessions with industry experts and fellow participants, culminating in a pitching session on Monday, April 29th 2024.

Vice President for Internationalization and Engagement, and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Professor Rami Abboud expressed heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Makram El Bachawati and Dr. Jean Claude Assaf and their team members on this well-deserved achievement. He emphasized the significance of their project's selection for the prestigious LIRA Program 2024, highlighting its alignment with the university's commitment to innovation and sustainable development. He commended the two teams recognizing their contributions to advancing solutions for pressing environmental challenges.

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