CV

Address:

315, Dept. Of Biology
American University of Beirut
Bliss St., Beirut, Lebanon
Tel: 961-1-350 000 ext-3913
E-mail: imad.saoud@aub.edu.lb
Web page: https://sites.aub.edu.lb/is08
TED: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9wbgS-k-tE&sns=fb

Nationality: Lebanese / British
Date of Birth: 8 June, 1966

The present CV is summary of my professional life that is by necessity impersonal and does not truly reflect who I am. I see myself as a scholar-gentleman-farmer. I am the first born of an upper middle class family. I attended an all-boy boarding school from the age of six. The present resume of my career shows that I am a productive scientist. However, I am much more than that. I am an avid reader. I enjoy all kinds of learned discussions from philosophy and politics to ethics and evolution, history, art music. I love the outdoors and farming. I spend most of my free time working on the small family farm. I have been to more countries than most people have been to cities and still enjoy travelling and experiencing the varied cultural riches of our planet. Although I come from an affluent family, I chose not to take over the family business because I did not find it stimulating enough. Nevertheless, I did run the business with my father for four years in my twenties and the turnover of the business tripled during these years. I have also started several businesses in my life, several of which are still operating successfully. I just chose academia because I like teaching, research and discussions with educated people. I used to believe I could save the world. Now I believe I can help make it a better place for many.

Educational Background:

  • Post Doc. Aquaculture Nutrition. Auburn University. 2001-2003.
  • Ph.D. Aquaculture and Fisheries.  Auburn University.  2000
  • Ph.D. program in Zoology.  University of Hawaii.
  • Aquaculture special course.  MBL at Woods Hole, MA, USA.  1992
  • MS in Biological Marine Science / Environmental Physiology.  University of Southern Mississippi. 1992
  • B.Sc. in Biology.  American University of Beirut.  1987

Work Experience:

  • 2016  / 2019. Chairperson, Biology Dept. American University of Beirut.
  • 2014 / ongoing. Professor. American University of Beirut.
  • 2008 / 2014.  Associate Professor. American University of Beirut.
  • 2003 / 2008.  Assistant Professor. American University of Beirut.
  • 2006 / ongoing. Consultant in aquaculture development worldwide. 
  • 1996 / ongoing. CT Wildlife. Consultants in Wildlife and Farmland management in South Dakota. The company deals with grassland and wildlife conservation and manegement in cooperation with CRP, easement programs, Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited and SD Fish and Game. We also own a large farm, a lodge and run a hunting operation.
  • 1993 / 1996 Managing Director of HEA Ltd. (Forestry consultancy). HEA Ltd. was a forestry and aquaculture consultancy company in Ghana, West Africa.  The company was involved in assisting timber companies optimize forest harvest management; wood processing and treatment; local and export sales of timber products.
  • 1992 / 1996 Assistant Managing Director of PSS Ltd., Kumasi, Ghana. PSS was the premier lumber processing company in Ghana, specializing primarily in value added processing of tropical hardwoods.
  • 1994 / 1996 Major shareholder and managing director of Fruit Processing Co. Ltd. FPC was a fruit juice concentrate factory and a dried fruit processor in Tema, Ghana. 
  • 1989 / 1992 Research Assistant at NASA (Stennis Space Center), Mississippi, USA. 
  • 1986 / 1988 Shrimp culture research in Lebanon with United Sea Food. USF did research on maturation, spawning and intensive rearing of Penaeus japonicus in the Middle East and the Arab peninsula.  My responsibilities included brood stock maturation as well as algae and Artemia cultures.

Additional expertise:

  • Advanced SCUBA diving license and underwater work.
  • Navigation and work at sea, Alabama boat license.
  • Single engine propeller aircraft pilot (land and water license).

Professional awards:

  • Shoman Award for best Young Arab Scientist in Biology and Environment 2010.
  • Arab Fund Distinguished Scholar Award 2009.
  • Presidential Fellowship for Academic Excellence, Auburn University 1998.
  • H. S. Swingle Award for Outstanding Doctoral Student 2000, Auburn University.
  • Multicultural Certificate of Achievement for Academic Excellence in Agriculture for the 1999-2000 academic year.  Auburn University.

Languages:

  • Very fluent: English, Arabic, French
  • Limited understanding: Spanish, Tui