AUB@Work

American University of Beirut
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AUB@Work is the American University of Beirut’s monthly audio newsletter spotlighting the university’s most compelling research and expert commentary. Each month features four curated stories that highlight AUB’s cutting-edge innovations and timely insights from faculty on global developments. Designed for media professionals, think tanks, and curious readers alike, AUB@Work keeps you informed and inspired by AUB’s contributions to today’s most pressing conversations.

  1. Oct 15

    Can We Prevent the Next Pandemic?

    Can We Prevent the Next Pandemic?AUB@Work | The Audio Read Is another global pandemic inevitable? And if we can't prevent the next outbreak, can we at least stop it from becoming a worldwide catastrophe? Salim Adib, professor of public health practice at the American University of Beirut (AUB), examines why infectious diseases can spread across borders faster than ever—and what governments, researchers, and public health institutions can do to stay ahead of emerging threats. Drawing on lessons from COVID-19 and advances in disease surveillance, Adib explains how early detection, international information-sharing, and new technologies could help identify outbreaks before they spiral out of control. He also explores how faster vaccine development and more coordinated public health responses could dramatically reduce the human toll of future pandemics. The message is clear: We may not be able to prevent the next pandemic, but how quickly we recognize and respond to it could make all the difference. Read the full article: Can We Prevent the Next Pandemic? — AUB@Work About The Audio ReadThe Audio Read brings stories from AUB@Work to life in audio format, exploring the research, ideas, and expertise of American University of Beirut faculty and experts. Keywords: Pandemic preparedness, infectious diseases, epidemiology, Salim Adib, American University of Beirut, AUB, public health, disease surveillance, global health, World Health Organization, COVID-19, early detection, outbreak prevention, vaccine development, health emergencies.

    Can We Prevent the Next Pandemic?

  2. Oct 15

    Reversing a Psychiatric Crisis

    Reversing a Psychiatric CrisisAUB@Work | The Audio Read What happens when a physical illness causes a sudden psychiatric crisis? And can treating the underlying medical condition help patients recover their sense of self? Rita Khoury, a psychiatrist at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), studies how infections, strokes, surgical complications, and other serious medical conditions can trigger delirium, catatonia, or both—dramatically altering patients' behavior, awareness, and responsiveness. Her research focuses on DeliCat syndrome, the simultaneous occurrence of delirium and catatonia, and its potential connections to medical vulnerability and patient outcomes. Her work recently earned her the Intissar Ahdab Award for Women's Excellence and Impact in Research. Khoury explains how psychiatric symptoms can offer important clues about a patient's physical condition, why treating overlapping psychiatric disorders requires particular care, and how patients experiencing profound changes in behavior can sometimes make remarkable recoveries as their underlying illnesses improve. Read the full article: Reversing a Psychiatric Crisis — AUB@Work About The Audio ReadThe Audio Read brings stories from AUB@Work to life in audio format, exploring the research, ideas, and expertise of American University of Beirut faculty and experts. Keywords: Psychiatry, delirium, catatonia, DeliCat syndrome, Rita Khoury, American University of Beirut, AUBMC, mental health, medical research, patient recovery, brain health.

    Reversing a Psychiatric Crisis

  3. Oct 15

    The Hidden Forces Shaping Our Health

    The Hidden Forces Shaping Our HealthAUB@Work | The Audio Read How much control do we really have over the choices that shape our health? And how do the companies behind everyday products, advertising, and information influence what we consider healthy, necessary, or desirable? Jihad (Judy) Makhoul, professor of public health at the American University of Beirut (AUB), explores the commercial determinants of health—the ways corporate practices, financial interests, and industry influence can shape our well-being, often without us realizing it. Drawing on her research into corporate funding, humanitarian aid, and the broader forces shaping public health, Makhoul offers five practical ways to recognize and question commercial influences in everyday life. From looking beyond product labels and following corporate money to scrutinizing the information we consume, she explains why making informed choices matters—and why protecting public health ultimately requires more than individual responsibility. Read the full article: The Hidden Forces Shaping Our Health — AUB@Work About The Audio ReadThe Audio Read brings stories from AUB@Work to life in audio format, exploring the research, ideas, and expertise of American University of Beirut faculty and experts. Keywords: Public health, commercial determinants of health, Jihad Makhoul, Judy Makhoul, American University of Beirut, AUB, corporate influence, consumer behavior, health misinformation, corporate social responsibility, conflicts of interest, health equity, public health policy.

    The Hidden Forces Shaping Our Health

  4. Oct 15

    What Makes a University Relevant?

    What Makes a University Relevant?AUB@Work | The Audio Read What role should universities play beyond the classroom? And how can they prepare students to tackle real-world challenges while making a meaningful difference in their communities? Rabih Shibli, executive director of the Center for Community Engagement at the American University of Beirut (AUB), discusses how AUB is rethinking community engagement by making it a core part of the undergraduate experience. Through a mandatory general education course, students connect theory with practice, learning from their peers and working directly with communities to address pressing social challenges. Shibli explains what makes AUB's approach distinctive, why community engagement must respond to local needs, and how experiential learning can change the way students understand their role in the world. Read the full article: What Makes a University Relevant? About The Audio Read The Audio Read brings stories from AUB@Work to life in audio format, exploring the research, ideas, and expertise of American University of Beirut faculty and experts. Keywords: Higher education, community engagement, experiential learning, service learning, Rabih Shibli, American University of Beirut, AUB, student engagement, social impact.

    What Makes a University Relevant?

  5. Sep 10

    Do E-bikes Deliver Enough Value to Justify Their Cost?

    Do E-bikes Deliver Enough Value to Justify Their Cost? A good e-bike can cost around $2,000 before maintenance, safety equipment, insurance, and charging. So is the investment actually worth it? In this episode, AUB’s Nabil Nehme looks beyond the upfront price tag to examine the broader economic value of e-bikes. Drawing on research into their costs and benefits over a seven-year life cycle, he explains how e-bikes can save riders money, reduce emissions and air pollution, ease congestion, and make everyday transportation more efficient. He also explores what cities need to do to make those benefits possible—from protected cycling routes and better transit connections to subsidies and policies that lower the cost of adoption. About the expert Nabil Nehme is a senior lecturer in industrial engineering and management at AUB’s Maroun Semaan Faculty of Engineering and Architecture. His research focuses on sustainable transportation and green investment. In this episode: Why the true value of an e-bike goes beyond its purchase priceHow e-bikes compare with cars and conventional bicyclesThe economic value of reduced emissions, pollution, and congestionWhy infrastructure and public policy matter for e-bike adoptionWhat widespread e-bike use could mean globally by 2030 Learn more about research and expertise from the American University of Beirut at AUB@Work.

    Do E-bikes Deliver Enough Value to Justify Their Cost?

  6. Sep 10

    New Guidelines Add Women’s Reproductive History to the Cardiac Risk Equation

    New Guidelines Add Women’s Reproductive History to the Cardiac Risk EquationFor decades, women’s reproductive health and cardiovascular health were often treated as separate areas of medicine. New clinical guidelines are beginning to change that. Pregnancy complications, early menopause, endometriosis, and other reproductive conditions can provide important clues about a woman’s future risk of heart disease and stroke. In this episode, Faysal El Kak, associate professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology and director of the Women’s Integrated Sexual Health Program at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC), explains why a woman’s reproductive history should also be considered part of her cardiovascular history. El Kak explores how experiences such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes can reveal underlying vascular and metabolic risks, why early menopause and certain reproductive conditions may warrant earlier cardiovascular monitoring, and how new guidelines from leading medical organizations are changing the way clinicians assess women’s long-term heart health. You’ll also hear what women should make sure their doctors know, what clinicians should be asking, and how recognizing these risk factors earlier can create new opportunities for prevention. In this audioreadWhy reproductive history can provide valuable information about cardiovascular riskWhat pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes, may reveal about future health?How early menopause, endometriosis, and PMOS can affect long-term cardiovascular risk?Why traditional cardiovascular assessments may underestimate risk in some womenHow new guidelines are changing prevention and cholesterol managementWhen additional testing, including ApoB, Lp(a), or coronary artery calcium screening, may be consideredWhat women can do to make sure their reproductive history becomes part of their cardiovascular care About the ExpertFaysal El Kak is associate professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology and director of the Women’s Integrated Sexual Health Program at the American University of Beirut Medical Center. He is also president of the World Association for Sexual Health.

    New Guidelines Add Women’s Reproductive History to the Cardiac Risk Equation

  7. Sep 10

    The Global Appeal of Iranian Cinema

    The Global Appeal of Iranian CinemaIranian cinema has become a major presence in the international art-house world, earning acclaim at film festivals and reaching audiences far beyond Iran. But which films travel—and why—can shape how viewers understand the country itself. In this audio article, Blake Atwood, a scholar of media studies at the American University of Beirut, explores the global appeal of Iranian cinema and the complicated dynamics behind its international success. Atwood examines why Iranian films have resonated so strongly with American and European audiences, how cinema can offer a more intimate view of a country often encountered through news of conflict and crisis, and why the films that reach international screens are not necessarily representative of the full breadth of Iranian filmmaking. The episode also considers how festivals, distributors, geopolitical events, and audience expectations influence which stories circulate globally—and how even acclaimed films can sometimes reinforce familiar narratives about Iran and the wider Middle East. In this audioreadWhy Iranian cinema has developed such a strong international followingHow Iranian filmmaking differs from mainstream Hollywood storytellingWhy only a small portion of Iran’s film output reaches American audiencesHow festivals and distributors influence which Iranian films travelThe tension between offering a more human view of Iran and reinforcing existing assumptionsHow geopolitical crises can change international interest in Iranian filmsWhy no single film should be treated as a definitive window onto a country or culture Key IdeaIranian cinema can reveal dimensions of life that rarely appear in international headlines. But understanding these films also means asking why certain stories reach global audiences while others do not—and what those choices shape our understanding of Iran.

    The Global Appeal of Iranian Cinema

  8. Sep 10

    When Good Strategy Means Breaking Your Own Rules

    When Good Strategy Means Breaking Your Own RulesDigital transformation needs a strategy—but following the plan too rigidly can sometimes create more risk than changing course. In this audio article, the American University of Beirut’s chief information officer and chief innovation and transformation officer reflects on a technology project that challenged some of her own longstanding principles about institutional change. Faced with an aging system, a difficult interim replacement, and an increasingly viable long-term solution, she had to decide whether to cut losses or continue down a seemingly less efficient path. The experience revealed an important distinction: strategy should define the destination, not dictate every step of the journey. Using the idea of strategy as a destination and implementation as the route, the article explores how leaders can remain committed to long-term goals while adapting to changing technologies, budgets, regulations, risks, and institutional needs. It also considers how rapid developments in artificial intelligence are making that kind of adaptability increasingly important. In this audioreadWhy a sound strategy sometimes requires departing from the original planThe difference between strategic direction and implementationHow leaders can distinguish thoughtful flexibility from indecisionWhy changing circumstances can alter the risk of staying the courseThe particular challenges of digital transformation in universitiesHow rapidly evolving technologies such as AI complicate long-term planningWhy the strength of a strategy may be measured by how useful it remains when circumstances change Key IdeaA strategy tells an institution where it is going. An implementation plan describes how it expects to get there. When conditions change, altering the route may sometimes be the best way to preserve the destination.

    When Good Strategy Means Breaking Your Own Rules
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About

AUB@Work is the American University of Beirut’s monthly audio newsletter spotlighting the university’s most compelling research and expert commentary. Each month features four curated stories that highlight AUB’s cutting-edge innovations and timely insights from faculty on global developments. Designed for media professionals, think tanks, and curious readers alike, AUB@Work keeps you informed and inspired by AUB’s contributions to today’s most pressing conversations.

Information

  • Creator
    American University of Beirut
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 American University of Beirut
  • Show Website
    AUB@Work