Lebanese Rana Nicola, finalist of space journey

In its issue of today, An Nahar spotlighted Rana Nicolas, a physician and lecturer at LAU, as well as a researcher in the Atomic Energy Authority in France, who was chosen among the finalists to the ‘Astronaut’ program. Indeed, and among 500 participants of academics and pilots, 12 persons, including Nicolas, were shortlisted to partake in the program aired on Dubai TV show. Speaking to the newspaper, Nicolas said she did not expect to reach the finals, “Yet I tried to do everything in my power to promote the image of Lebanon, specifically the image of the strong, ambitious, impulsive and successful woman.” I always felt exhausted but persevered until I made it to the finals, she boasted. (An Nahar, December 19, 2019)