George Ayyoub Receives First Outstanding Professor Award at AUB

Left to right: Waterbury, Ayoub, and Hajj

Anyone going through the main entrance of the Bechtel building can now see the name of Professor George Ayyoub inscribed on a board that will eventually include future outstanding award recipients at AUB. Initiated by the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture (FEA), this prestigious recognition of exceptional academic contribution was established in 2007 at AUB to honor FEA professors for their service and contributions.

According to FEA Dean Ibrahim Hajj, the award idea was formulated through collective efforts during one of the faculty's weekly meetings. Nominations from any person in the FEA deemed worthy of merit are presented to an award committee, formed especially to assess whether the nominations follow the award criteria, including length of service at FEA, quality of teaching, and research contributions, as well as an outstanding record of achievements within FEA and AUB.

"The process of selection is not about competition between different candidates, rather an examination of presented nominations. It is not a periodic event, but a merit-driven activity that will only take place once deserving nominations prove to be award-worthy," continued Hajj. The high standards of professional life-long contributions and significant benefits rendered by Ayyoub, the first award recipient, provide testament to the value of such an award.

"It is important to recognize professors who dedicated their lives to teaching, research, and service at AUB, and a good number of professors (some unfortunately retired by now) also deserve such an honor," commented Ayyoub.

One glance at Ayyoub's extensive resume is sufficient to understand why he is indisputably the first and only deserving recipient for the award. His achievements include over forty years of instructing, mentoring, and supervising countless students at both undergraduate and graduate levels. He chaired the Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) Department for twelve years, producing numerous top-notch publications in international journals and significant research work, as well as invaluable consulting services, especially in the fields of water and wastewater treatment, in which he is a leading expert and a source of authority.