BEIRUT, June 2

American University of Beirut (AUB) President John Waterbury has been named the first Distinguished Senior Public Policy Fellow at the Issam Fares Institute (IFI) for Public Policy and International Affairs at AUB. Waterbury will take up his appointment as of August 1, after he steps down from the AUB presidency that he has held for the past ten years.

 "We're privileged to have a scholar of the caliber, experience and reputation of John Waterbury joining our institute, where he will contribute to ongoing public policy-related research programs while also mentoring younger scholars," IFI director Rami G. Khouri said in announcing the appointment.

Waterbury brings to IFI over 40 years of research and publishing experience in the Middle East, Asia and South America, with a strong emphasis on water, agriculture and the political economy of the Middle East. He had stints at Columbia University, the University of Michigan, and Princeton University before joining AUB as president and professor of political science in 1998.

Commenting on his appointment, Waterbury said: "I am delighted to have the opportunity to resume my research in public policy and political economy, and to engage in the exciting collegial research and analysis work being done by the Issam Fares Institute's growing roster of scholars. I look forward to contributing as I can to IFI' exciting research on climate change and the environment, food systems, youth issues, and the impact of research and think tanks on public
policy-making."