Taste of Lebanon: Talk Summary

Our colloquium series are typified by presentations by geoscientists conducting high-level research, experts from within “the industry” and our graduate community sharing the results of their thesis work. This feeds and broadens the our scientific scope and allows us to check in with each other about our scientific pursuits, but rarely do we venture outside of this space and engage more personally. Hanan Abou Ali provided us with the opportunity to stick our toes outside of the science bubble in which we ferociously work and occupy with her talk, “A taste of Lebanon”.

Hanan Abou Ali, a Lebanese Fulbright Scholar in ISU Geosciences, talks about her country and cultural heritage.

Hanan is a Lebanese Fulbright Scholar, selected from amongst students from nine Lebanese International Universities. Her studies at ISU are deeply rooted in her sense of place. Potatoes are a major export crop of the Lebanon, whose landscape and climate closely resembles that of the Portneuf Valley. Her work with department drone guru Donna Delparte aims to integrate remote sensing data gathered from UAV’s with agricultural practices to improve yield. Work at ISU (and during her future Ph.D.) will enable her to return to Lebanon to help work on challenges surrounding food security. The tools and experience through our GIS department are not easily accessible or available in Lebanon, which makes her studies in the U.S. critical.  

                  Lebanon is a country with a rich history. Records of the Phoenician (older than 1050 BC) alphabet are preserved in Lebanon, as are Roman temple ruins and a wealth of ancient archeological structures. The value of this heritage is high for the Lebanese; during the Civil War (1975-1990), fighters agreed to leave the national museum in Beirut alone, such that this common history could be preserved. In the aftermath of the civil war, Lebanon has sought to create a stable political system and economy; one that respects and acknowledges religious differences, but does not allow them to interfere with a national sense of unity and identity. The flag of Lebanon symbolizes memory of struggles and violence of the past, but also embodies the contemporary efforts for peace, symbolized by the cedar of Lebanon.

                  Hanan’s talk traversed many topics and was punctuated with the circulation of delicious snacks. Throughout the presentation, Hanan emphasized that she strives to be a voice for Lebanon, sharing her culture and experiences for audiences that would not otherwise be familiar. She shines as this voice and we are all thankful to have her amongst our community.