Preparing for Tomorrow’s Environmental Challenges: Sustainability, Technologies, Innovation
This course is originally published on the Civil Society Incubator's Alternative Academy.
The Alternative Academy is a new joint programme of open courses launched by Lebanon Support and Jibal within the Civil Society Incubator, is a multi-disciplinary space for critical thinking, discussion, and debate, whilst maintaining a solid scientific basis. It offers a wide array of courses, ranging from CSO management, to social sciences, to environmental and natural sciences, to communication and technology, among others. For more information, visit this link.
Synopsis: We will discuss what the environmental crisis is made of, and where are the myths and the realities. Is there really plastic in our food? How is climate change affecting us? We will try to take distance from emotions and see the factual picture. We will then discuss what are the challenges and how they can be transformed in opportunities.
Course description: The course will include the following:
- Nature and its cycles, humans and how they work.
- Focus on trash and waste (plastic, food).
- Energy.
- Technical innovations and entrepreneurship.
Number of sessions: 4
Dates of sessions: Starting February 21, every other week.
Language: Slides in English, Lebanese Arabic spoken.
Instructor name(s): Ounsi El Daif, Nadia Moukaddem
Instructor(s) Bio(s):
Dr. Ounsi El Daif:
is cofounder of the Lebanese NGO Jibal, and is the CEO of Eedama, company based in the UAE that does education and training to sustainable development. He is originally a physicist who studied in France and Switzerland, he got his PhD in 2007 from the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL, Switzerland). Until 20015 he was researcher in the field of solar photovoltaic energy in world-class scientific labs (EPFL, Lyon nanotechnology Institute in France, IMEC in Belgium, QEERI in Qatar) as well as University lecturer (Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi and the American University of Beirut). He has authored and co-authored more than 30 publications in scientific peer-reviewed journals, and 10 in broad audience media. He is president and board member of Lebanon Support. Since he cofounded Eedama and Jibal, stopped traditional university work, and decided to use his scientific knowledge for the broadest audiences possible.
Nadia Moukaddem:
(Science-Po and HEC business school, Paris, Boston University) has been working with entrepreneurs for the past 6 years, supporting, mentoring and helping SMEs and start-ups develop, grow and expand, with a strong focus on companies with a social and environmental impact. She strongly believes that the private sector can and must work hand in hand with states and public authorities to solve tomorrow’s greatest challenges with regards to climate change, social inequalities, food security etc. She is currently working in a leading Venture Capital Fund based in Beirut and investing throughout the MENA region as well as in Europe and the US. Throughout the year, she has been acquiring and developing a strong knowledge on entrepreneurship and businesses in emerging markets that she will share during the program.
Contact Email: [email protected]
How to contact: Please add the name of the course you’re interested to inquire about in the subject line. Note that registration is done via the form.
Participation Fees:
- Standard Fee: 100 $
- Reduced** Fee: 60 $
- Solidarity* Fee: 140 $
*This fee enables to fund the reduced fee difference and allow concerned persons to have access to the course.
** For salaries under 1000$/month and having to pay house rental. If you do not fall under this categorie and still believe you should have the reduced fee, please contact us. The reduced rate is applicable for limited number of participants.
