Jan-Feb 2005
Editorial
No.18
The Newsletter of the Initiative for Biodiversity Studies in Arid Regions
When I first joined the IBSAR team in October as a research assistant, I was perplexed to find that an organization, which was previously completely unknown to me, was so young and yet offered such a panoply of opportunities for research and economic development, and such possibilities for ramifications which permeate countless other entities, may they be governmental, non-governmental, academic, or business-related. Coming from a strictly academic background in dietetics and nutrition research, I couldn’t help but feel disoriented following my first meeting with Dr. Salma Talhouk, where she introduced me to IBSAR and gave me an overview of its vision and the numerous types of activities it undertakes in order to achieve its mission. Literally every aspect, angle, and principle by which IBSAR functions was foreign to me. Luckily, after extensive reading and research, and with the relentless assistance of Dr. Talhouk and Mrs. Mona Daouk, I was able to shape a clearer picture of the complex organization of IBSAR, the interrelationships that govern it internally, as well as its relationship with AUB and the outside world. Only a few months ago I was utterly ignorant of the concept of biodiversity! It was thus in many ways that I was enriched by what I have experienced working with IBSAR. I was able to fathom the level of complexity and the number of assets offered by multidisciplinary approaches to research, as well as the economic and ecologic impact of such research on our country and on the region. One major difficulty I had to face was extricating myself from a concept of research which I previously held, which was that academic achievements consisted solely of generating new ideas, foreseeing their potential benefits, determining their feasibility, and organizing their implementation. I saw research as a simple process of applying for a grant, setting up an experimental protocol, obtaining the necessary supplies and personnel and, finally, writing and discussing results. However, during the last few months, I have witnessed academicians from various disciplines such as biology, chemistry, agriculture, economics, and nutrition, share their visions and expertise, and concoct an amalgamation of tangible intellectual worth. I have learned that real innovative talent is measured by one’s ability to cultivate a holistic and all-encompassing view of research, and to grasp the intricacies that characterize far-reaching initiatives such as IBSAR. As an outsider at first, and later as a member of the family during my brief stay with IBSAR, I have had the opportunity to observe its burgeoning and evolution from an embryonic gathering of ambitious scientists into a full-fledged organization. IBSAR has achieved plenty, but still has a long way to go. The solidification and consolidation of the inner workings of IBSAR, as well as the widening of outreach and recognition by outside entities (the University, other NGOs, governmental bodies, and society at large),