The Faculty of Health Sciences at AUB announces a new Dean

Beirut, (June 2008) The Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) is proud to announce that Professor Iman Nuwayhid, MD, DrPH, has been appointed as Dean, effective September 1, 2008.

Dr. Nuwayhid, professor of occupational and environmental health at FHS, received his BSc. (1980) and his MD (1984) degrees from AUB. He received an MPH (1985) and a Doctor of Public Health in Occupational Health (1990) from the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health (now Bloomberg School of Public Health). He is American Board Certified in Occupational Medicine since 1990. Dr. Nuwayhid joined AUB as Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Health in 1991 and was promoted to Associate Professor in July 1998 and to Professor in July 2004.

Dr. Nuwayhid has served FHS as both Assistant Dean (1998-2004) and Associate Dean (2004-07). His leadership qualities, scholarship and experience are widely recognized by students and peers alike.

"This appointment is the culmination of an international search to fill the deanship. The experience, credentials, and quality of those who applied for this position were notable, which indicates the level to which FHS has risen internationally," said President John Waterbury.

Dr. Nuwayhid strongly believes in interdisciplinary and community-based research and has successfully bridged his three areas of specialization in medicine, general public health, and environmental and occupational health. His research focuses on the impact of environmental and work-related hazards on the health of children and working people. Most recently, in November 2007, he was awarded a $200,000 grant by the National Institute of Health, USA, to study the effects of solvents on working children in Lebanon. He is a strong advocate of outreach and public health practice activities and believes that public health programs should not be compartmentalized into "the three functions of Instruction, Research, and Service/Outreach" but looked at "as a unified living organism".

Dr. Nuwayhid's appointment will make him the eighth dean of FHS which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2004. In September 2006, the Graduate Public Health Program at FHS was accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). It is the first CEPH accredited public health program outside the North American Continent.

Dr. Nuwayhid succeeds Dr. Huda Zurayk, PhD who will enjoy research leave for one year before resuming the position of professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health at FHS.

FHS Deans 1978-present

Dean Eugene Gangarosa (1978-81)
A/Dean Haroutune Armenian (1981-83)
Dean Haroutune Armenian (1983-87)
A/Dean Huda Zurayk (1986-87)
A/Dean Adnan Mroueh (1987-91)
Dean Riad Tabbarah (1991-94)
A/Dean Makhluf Haddadin (1994-98)
Dean Huda Zurayk (1998-2008)
Dean Iman Nuwayhid (2008-present)