WelcomeFounders!
H.E. Mousa Cardinal Daoud, Prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches, and most Reverend Archbishop Pietro Sambi, Apostolic Delegate to Jerusalem and Palestine and Chancellor of Bethlehem University, were welcomed by Brother Vincent.
Brother Alvaro Rodrfguez Echeverrfa, Superior General of the Brothers of the Christian Schools,toured the campus with Student Ambassadors and Faculty members discussing their concerns, challenges and hopes.
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Father Ray Webb Honored Fr. Ray Webb, priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago and Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of St. Mary of the Lake, was affiliated to the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, the highest honor the Brothers can bestow, in recognition of his close and long-standing support of Bethlehem University from its founding in 1973. Fr. Ray has taught in every summer session,lived in community with the Brothers, presided at daily liturgies, and participated fully in the life and mission of the Brothers in addition to mentoring young teachers and assisting many faculty in their researchprojects.
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Cooperation with Norway Vestfold University teacher training students visiting Bethlehem as part of an exchange program were hostedin the homes of faculty and students as they visited schools, refugee camps and the separationwall around Bethlehem. Mr. Omar Mousa also led Bethlehem students to Vestfold engaging in dialogue about Norway's teacher training programs and visiting schools there. In previous yearsDr. Sami Adwan, Acting Dean of Education, and Mr. Rizek Sleibi, have conducted similar exchangeprograms.
Faculty Developmentffighlighted Five daysof the Spring semesterwere devoted to faculty enrichmentand the developmentof academicstrategies.ProfessorBart McGettrick of the University of Glasgow addressedthe uniquemissionof a ChristianUniversityandthe placeof researchand scholarshipin developing the University. Dr. Muna Matar of Bethlehem University and Professor Ghislain Hoffman, Professor Martin Valcke, Mrs. Marianne Martens,and Mr. JanBoIs of the Universityof Ghent, led workshops on e-learning. Other faculty presented their researchand student advisingactivities
Congratulations Doctor Brother David! Brother David Scarpa completed his doctoral dissertation, Water Resources and the Sustainability of Towns and Villages in the Bethlehemand Hebron Governorates,Palestine, for the University of London, in which he examined water management,food security and job creation in the conflict situation of an occupied people.
Visiting Fulbright Specialist Dr. Qustandi Shomali was Visiting Fulbright Scholar at the International Institute, California State University, San Bernardino, working with faculty and promoting knowledge of Arab culture, media and values at California State University, Palm Desert Campus and Cal Poly, Pomona, laying a foundation for expanded institutional exchangesand links. 4
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Water and Soil Research Dr. Alfred Abed Rabbo and the team in the Water and Soil Environment ResearchUnit (WSERU) engagelocal authorities to ensure safe water for Palestinian communities and organize workshops enabling the villagers to purify their water, working especially with women's groups and in cooperation with local NGGs. Future research of WSERU with the Physics Departmentinvolves decreasingthe costof water purification using a unique solar energy assisted system. Development Cooperation Ireland, the Ford Foundation and the UK Department for International Development are among thosewho have supported WSERU projects.
Hereditary Gene Research Dr. Moien Kanaan and the Hereditary Research Lab (HRL) team conduct research in building a national Genome Strategic Resource Laboratory in addition to providing practical DNA knowhow for the academic and medical community and supporting new biotechnology enterprises with drug and gene therapy and combating genetic diseases. The HRL has been funded by the National Institute of Health, DGF Germany, the Wiezmann Institute of Science, Middle East Regional Cooperation (MERC), and Middle East Regional Genome Endeavor (MERGE).
Harnessingthe Sun Palestinian Economic Research "Public-Private Partnership and its Role in the Economic Development in Palestine"is the focus of the researchof Dr. Usamah Shahwan and Mr. Romell Soudah supported by the Palestinian American ResearchCenter (PARC). Addressing the cooperation between the formal bureaucracy and the private sector and the resulting impact on the economy, the research seeks to recommend new economic policies. Dr. Hanna Hallak of the Physics Department studies the sun's radiation and solar drying as a meansto harnessits enormous power for useful
domestic purposes. Three solar dryers of different designsand sizeshave beenconstructed (a room-sized dryer for olivewood drying is pictured). Dr. Hallak has had a sabbatical at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado and carried out work at the ESRF synchrotron at Grenoble in addition to collaborating with various groups around the world researching in this field. Bethlehem
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