​On August 07, 2024, Dr. Wael Hamd, an esteemed Associate Professor in the Chemical Engineering Department at the University of Balamand (UOB), was awarded a prestigious scholarship by the Italian National Council for Research (I-CNR). Dr. Hamd earned this honor as one of the winners of the Call for Application LP224 Supporting Measures for the Lebanese and Palestinian Scientific Community Public Selection. 

This opportunity arose from a recent call by the Italian government aiming to support and promote the exchange of researchers between institutions, fostering the development of jointly agreed-upon research projects and individual academic activities.

Dr. Hamd was ranked 3rd amongst the 20 scholarship recipients who won the Call for Application LP224 and has been assigned to conduct his research at the Istituto di Ricerche sulle Acque (ISRA) IN Bari, Itali.  The research will focus on the energy consumption and footprint minimization in water treatment plants, remediation of recalcitrant compounds and emerging pollutants by using advanced oxidation processes technologies.

Reflecting on this award, Dr. Hamd stated: “I am deeply honored to have received the international award from CNR, and I wanted to extend my heartfelt thanks to the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, the Provost, the President and the entire UOB community. This recognition would not have been possible without their unwavering support, guidance, and leadership”. 

Vice President for Internationalization and Engagement and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Professor Rami Abboud extended his sincere congratulations to Dr. Hamd for receiving this International CNR scholarship. He emphasized that Dr. Hamd’s selection is a testament to his ongoing success in research grants, e.g. Horizon 2023, and the significant contributions to the field of Chemical Engineering, which also reflects the university's ongoing commitment to academic excellence in research and international collaborations.

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