The Faculty of Engineering (FE) at Notre Dame University-Louaize (NDU) hosted the 5th International Conference on Advances in Computational Tools for Engineering Applications (ACTEA’23) and the 6th International Conference on Renewable Energy for Developing Countries (REDEC’23), the latter in partnership with the Saint Joseph University (USJ), the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), and the Lebanese University (LU). The welcome session was attended by the NDU President, Fr. Bechara Khoury, the Vice President for Finance and Administration, Abbot Semaan Abou Abdou, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Michel El Hayek, Vice Presidents, Deans, faculty, staff, students, and various guests. Mr. Majed Bou Hadir, Director of Public Affairs and Protocol, moderated the opening ceremony.
In the Friends Hall, the ACTEA’23 General Chair and Dean of the FE, Dr. Jacques Harb, introduced the conferences and the implications of the research being presented, particularly given the variety of topics being discussed, from artificial intelligence (AI) to sustainable practices. “We are proud to say that we have accepted research papers from leading academics across 22 countries,” he stated. “It is important that such innovative research be widely shared, and we are honored to be hosting this platform for researchers to present their findings, experiences, and the exciting possibilities in their respective fields moving forward.” The conference proceedings will be published in the next edition of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ (IEEE) digital database, IEEE Xplore.
The REDEC’23 General Chair and Professor at USJ, Dr. Hadi Kanaan, gave the second speech at the opening, providing a brief background into REDEC’s history as “a forum where experts and research gather to discuss, explore, and implement new ideas in renewable energy.” As sustainability has established itself as a perennial concern in several research disciplines, promoting ideas to create new avenues for energy-conservation is a necessity. Kanaan said of the joint conference meetings: “We are glad to be here at NDU to convene in this space of engineering, science, technology, and fellowship.”
The Father President took to the podium next, offering his appreciation for the extensive work put into organizing both ACTEA’23 and REDEC’23, referencing the vital expertise that researchers provide in these fields. “This is the first conference of this kind after the launch of ChatGPT,” noted Fr. Khoury, “which just goes to show how volatile computational tools really are. Whatever research being presented here today may well be obsolete tomorrow.” The NDU President’s words carried weight as he scanned the room. He continued: “I see figures from other Faculties here, who, like myself, are unfamiliar with the gravity of these issues but are here today to look to the engineers for the right solutions.”
Fr. Khoury addressed the duty of a university to focus all its efforts for a better tomorrow. “This is a dynamic situation to be in, and it is gratifying to be with all of you here in this room. We are proud to be your platform.” With the conclusion of the President’s speech, trophies of recognition were distributed to the various organizations and sponsors of the two-day event as tokens of appreciation for their consistent support in bringing ACTEA’23 and REDEC’23 to fruition.
The conference officially begun, then, with the day’s first Keynote Lecture from Dr. Abdulmotaleb El Saddik, Distinguished Professor at the University of Ottawa, who covered the timely topic of the metaverse and digital twins. After a series of sessions all over Campus, divided between the Friends Hall, Projection Room, and the Pierre Abou Khater Auditorium, attendees enjoyed a presentation from Dr. Marcelo Sanchez, Invited Guest, Professor at the Texas A&M University, Austin, and prominent figure in geo-environmental engineering. Running until the evening, ACTEA’23 and REDEC’23 picked up again where they left off the next morning, with the second Keynote Lecture from Dr. Marc Ballouz, the President of the International Society of Soil Mechanics & Geotechnical Engineering (ISSMGE). Day Two kept with the lively pace of the event, concluding with a dinner that evening for all the contributing researchers for yet another successful meeting of the minds.