After last November’s monumental win for Notre Dame University-Louaize’s (NDU) student team, Aberration, in the NASA Space Apps Challenge in Lebanon, the signing of a Letter of Collaboration (LoC) was held on Tuesday, June 6 to further the budding relationship between the University and the Lebanese Chapter of NASA Space Apps. The Chapter’s Local Lead, Mr. Antoine Tannous, met with the NDU President, Fr. Bechara Khoury, for the signing at the Main Campus. Additionally present were the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Michel El Hayek, the Vice President for University Advancement, Dr. Antoine Farhat, the Assistant Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, Dr. Ghazi Asmar, the Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, Dr. George Eid, the Chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dr. Bassem Sabra, and NDU fresh graduate and Aberration leader, Ralph Razzouk.
Astronomy in particular has begun gaining more traction on a national level after Aberration’s local win and worldwide honorable mention, rendering the LoC a natural next step in the organizations’ relationship. Within the framework of the LoC, both parties will be promoting the advancement of research in astronomy and astrophysics in the country.
The principal goal of the Collaboration is to ignite a widespread interest in space science, facilitated by the readily available data that can inspire innovative research in the field. The next generation of scientists have a unique opportunity in place where their intellect will put Lebanon on the map and consequently join a worldwide network in space tech, potentially building a viable space tech industry in the nation. NDU’s facilities, such as its Observatory, are prime tools to help the LoC’s objectives come to fruition.
The path to the LoC’s success has already been paved with Aberration’s remarkable accomplishment, in addition to the international network of NDU alumni that are prepared to help push the project forward. The LoC between NDU and NASA Space Apps is a channel to involve Lebanese youth in space research and establish a countrywide foundation of space tech. Over the course of 2023, the Collaboration will be wasting no time or resource to create a sizeable impact.