Winter Enrichment Program (WEP)
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology at Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
BEACON 2012 January 2012 / Safar 1433 Volume 2, Issue No.5
the
turn to pages 4 – 5
www.kaust.edu.sa
Student contribution key to new dragon system
Student Speaker Ali Al-Dawood
Two KAUST PhD students are among the shared first authors on a recent paper published in Guest Speak Dr. Charles Vest
Bioinformatics, the leading journal in the field, which describes the development of a new system to further identify poly(A) motifs in human DNA: the Dragon PolyA Spotter (DPS). The DPS system is accessible as a free web-based tool. While recognizing poly(A) signals in RNA is relatively straightforward, the task of identifying poly(A) motifs in the primary genomic DNA sequence that correspond to poly(A) signals in RNA presents a far more challenging problem. Recognition of the poly(A) motifs is important for better gene annotation and understanding of the gene reg-
Commencement 2011
ulation mechanisms. The accuracy of predictions by the KAUSTdeveloped DPS system constitutes a distinct improvement over the existing solutions. Not only does DPS achieve higher sensitivity and specificity, it also provides a more consistent
“I was having lunch in the dining hall at Edinburgh University . . .
level of accuracy for 12 poly(A) motif variants.
when I heard two postgraduate students talking about a fast-spread-
Distinguished KAUST Trustee, Professor Charles Vest, President
Already colleagues at the BC Cancer Agency,
ing email they had received about a graduate-level research university
of the National Academy of Engineering, President Emeritus of
Genome Sciences Centre, Vancouver, Canada,
called KAUST,” recalled Ali Al-Dawood, in his speech at the 2011
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and distinguished guest
have requested a version to use in one of their
Commencement Ceremony. “Intrigued, I googled KAUST later that day
speaker, shared with the students the advice of another former MIT
large-scale studies.
and found, to my total amazement, that a research university was open-
President, Professor Jerome Wiesner. He recounted, “One day long
hold the promise, in turn, to shape our collective future.”
Manal Kalkatawi, a Saudi computer science
ing in Saudi Arabia. This did not seem possible to me . . . I’d been
after his (Prof. Wiesner’s) service came to an end, an MIT alumnus
graduate who completed her undergraduate
searching for the best master’s programs in the world, but I had never
approached him, asking ‘Professor Wiesner, do you remember me?
studies at King AbdulAziz University in Jeddah
considered that I could find such a program at home.”
You shook my hand as I walked across the stage at my graduation
and her master’s by thesis at KAUST, was
For Al-Dawood, returning to Saudi Arabia to continue his gradu-
ceremony several years ago and you gave me some profound advice.'
one of the scholarship students in the KAUST
ate studies was something
“Now Professor Wiesner
founding class. Upon her arrival at KAUST,
he’d never seriously contem-
had shaken the hands of thou-
Kalkatawi switched the focus of her major from
plated. Now as a member of
computer systems to bioinformatics after she
the Class of 2011, he looks
took a class in artificial intelligence; in fact the
back on his experience at
topic of her master’s thesis was related to rec-
KAUST as one of inspired
ognition of poly(A) motifs. The paper evolved
discovery, intense learning,
from graduate seminar research that she and
and a dream fulfilled—a jour-
co-author Farania Rangkuti began during
ney that culminated in standing before the KAUST Board of Trustees,
“‘You looked at me,’ the alumnus replied, ‘you shook my hand, you
their second semester at KAUST. Kalkatawi
University leadership and faculty, and fellow graduates, as the Class of
waved your arm, and said, “Keep on moving, keep on moving!”’ And that's
and Rangkuti played key roles in the project
2011 Student Speaker.
my advice to you new KAUST alumni, keep on moving, keep on moving."
“This is it . . . the moment we have all waited for and worked so hard to enjoy.”
sands of graduates in his term as president and couldn't remember the alumnus, but he very diplomatically asked,
— Ali Al-Dawood, MS ‘11 Student Commencement Speaker
‘Well, what was this profound advice?'
by discovering and using new characteris-
A total of 244 graduates were conferred master's degrees at the
Graduates and KAUST family alike were heartened by Prof. Vest’s
tics and features to describe the problem and
University’s second Commencement Ceremony on Friday, December 16,
humorous anecdote, an apropos reminder at a time when many might
develop related artificial neural network pre-
2011. Amid applause, cheering, smiles, and the tears of proud parents,
be tempted to slacken their pace to “keep on moving,” whether it is in
dictive models. “I particularly enjoyed the
students and their families, University staff, faculty, and members of the
the studies, research, or work of the individual continuing on the jour-
challenge of building the system,” Kalkatawi
community gathered together for this memorable ceremony to recog-
ney to shape our collective future.
told The Beacon. “While this tool has proved
nize the accomplishments of the new graduates.
The feelings of attainment and accomplishment were captured when
more effective for human DNA, in my further
University President, Professor Choon Fong Shih, congratulated the Class
Al-Dawood closed reflecting, “This is it . . . the moment we have all
studies I will be investigating a similar prob-
of 2011 and remarked, “As you give your best in all that you do, I see your
waited for and worked so hard to enjoy . . . Believe me, it's not only the
lem with Arabidopsis Thaliana, a plant widely
KAUST education multiplying through the people you work with and come
certificate that matters. It’s the science and knowledge that we obtained;
used as a model in biology whose poly(A)
to influence positively. I see your education also multiplying through your
it’s the skills of problem solving and communications that will make
characteristics are very different than those
children, through your children’s children, and for future generations to
us competent professionals. Our degrees are keys to open doors to the
in humans.”
come. Indeed, your ideas and values, shaped by your KAUST education,
many opportunities and challenges waiting for us.”
STUDENT PAPER | Continued on p.2
INSIDE:
News 1-3
Winter Enrichment Program 4-5
Research 6–7
Community 8
2
News
January 2012
The Beacon
As we congratulate the most recent crop of KAUST graduates, and look
Nor for myself--my own rebellious self in thee?
forward to what 2012 brings, the following poem by American poet Walt
Down, down, proud gorge!--though choking thee;
Whitman reminds us that to whom much is given, much is expected.
Thy bearded throat and high-borne forehead to the gutter;
To the Pending Year
Crouch low thy neck to eleemosynary gifts. — Walt Whitman (1819-1892)
Have I no weapon-word for thee--some message brief and fierce? (Have I fought out and done indeed the battle?) Is there no shot left,
For all thy affectations, lisps, scorns, manifold silliness?
— THE BEACON Editorial
The Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 5, January 2012. Published by The Communications Department, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. Contact Salah Sindi salah.sindi@kaust.edu.sa, or Michelle D'Antoni michelle.dantoni@kaust.edu.sa | © King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. Printed on partially recycled paper.
STUDENT PAPER | Continued from p.1
Fellow student co-author, Michael Schramm, was study-
‘Random Forrest’ paradigm and integrating it into the web
which many do. Although this is somewhat unorthodox, he
ing for his undergraduate degree in computer science at
tool: the part of the process that he finds the most challenging
feels that it is an effective and pragmatic way for students to
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität (LMU) in Munich when he
and exciting.
focus in on one of the various projects that they tackle.
read an article about KAUST, which sparked his interest and
Director of Computational Bioscience Research Center and
Both Kalkatawi and Schramm are continuing their doctoral
led to his successful application for postgraduate study in
Professor of Applied Mathematics and Computational Science,
studies at KAUST. Special congratulations go to Kalkatawi,
Saudi Arabia. In this project, he focused on developing a new
Professor Vladimir Bajic who was supervisor to both, encour-
who in May, married fellow Saudi student Zuhair Khayyat,
predictive model of poly(A) motifs based on the so-called
ages his students to publish as part of their master’s studies,
also studying computer science at KAUST.
In brief
timeframe, develop an entrepreneurial mindset, obtain a unique startup
Chemical Company, IBM, SABIC, and Saudi Aramco, who explained what
experience, and create a product to benefit KAUST, its community, and
inspired them to become involved with KAUST and their hopes for the
possibly the Kingdom.
future, opening the door to stimulating discussions about industry, aca-
Teams were allowed five minutes for the actual presentation
Saudi Water and Power Forum KAUST played a significant role in the recent Saudi Water and Power
demia, and applied research.
with a further two minutes to allow the judges to ask questions.
Applied research continued as a major focus with presentations by Prof.
The judges were Loay Nazer, Executive Partner at Malaz Capital and
Helmut Pottmann (Director of the Geometric Modeling and Scientific
Chairman of BUPA Arabia; Samer Hamadeh, Senior General Manager
Visualization Center), Prof. Vladimir Bajic (Director of the Computational
at Abdul Latif Jameel Company Ltd.; Terry Leighton, KAUST CFO; and
Bioscience Research Center and Professor of Applied Mathematics and
Mohamed-Slim Alouini, KAUST Dean of the Physical Sciences and
Computational Science), and Prof. Gilles Lubineau (Associate Professor of
Engineering Division and Professor of Electrical Engineering. There
Mechanical Engineering).
were two winning teams, NOMADD and Moleculinux. NOMADD is a
KIAB attendees enjoyed discussions and preview demonstrations of
solar panel cleaning device that requires little power and no water to
16 promising KAUST inventions in development and their enthusiastic
Forum (SWPF) held in Jeddah in early December, and hosted by the Moya
George Eitelhuber, of the winning VentureLab team, NOMADD
Bushnak Group. The funding requirement for the expansion in the water and power industries is estimated to exceed 500 billion Saudi Riyals ($130
support was evident. KAUST Students Make Strong Showing at the 2011 Energy Dialogue in Riyadh
billion) over the next ten years. This was an opportunity for participants to network with government representatives, major state companies, devel-
On November 20, 2011, His Excellency Ali I. Al-Naimi, Minister of
opers and investors, as well as suppliers and innovators.
Petroleum and Mineral Resources, opened the King Abdullah Petroleum
As part of the program, 30 SWPF delegates visited KAUST gaining
Studies and Research Center’s inaugural Energy Dialogue in Riyadh. Two
insight into the new solutions being developed, including a tour of the
dozen graduate students from KAUST attended the three-day event with the theme “Partnering for a Sustainable Future.”
Water Desalination and Reuse Center and Adsorption Desalination pilot facility as well as a visit to the New Energy Oasis and the Museum of
function and was presented by KAUST Schools physics teacher, Georg
The Dialogue attracted more than 700 delegates from around the
Science and Technology in Islam.
Eitelhuber. Moleculinux is intelligent chemical drawing and invento-
world and keynote speakers included His Excellency Ibrahim Al-Assaf,
Professor Nina Federoff, former Science and Technology Adviser
ry software designed and created by Assistant Professor of Chemical
Minister of Finance; Khalid A. Al-Falih, President and Chief Executive
to the US Secretary of State, was a speaker at the forum and a panel
Science, Valentin Rodionov. This competition format, organized by
Officer of Saudi Aramco; Rex Tillerson, Chairman and Chief Executive
member in a discussion which considered how sustainable water and
KAUST Entrepreneurship Center, for the first time provided an alter-
Officer of ExxonMobil Corporation; and Maria van der Hoeven, Executive
food supplies can be achieved in the Kingdom as well as the challenge of
native ‘fast pass’ to apply for university seed funding.
Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Eminent Saudi and international session chairs and speakers pre-
water and food security and ways to raise the efficiency of agricultural water use. Director of the Water Desalination and Reuse Research Center,
KICP holds its 3rd Annual KIAB Meeting
sented perspectives on critical contemporary issues throughout the eight
Professor Gary Amy also participated in a panel discussion on the "green-
Twenty-two KAUST Industry Collaboration Program (KICP) Strategic
sessions. Topical discussions included the role of petroleum in a carbon-
ing" of water desalination technologies.
Partners attended KAUST for the annual KAUST Industry Advisory Board
constrained world, transportation technologies and fuels in emerging
(KIAB) meeting in early December. The objective of this board is to help
economies, and the critical nexus of water and energy, while strategic
Gulf Seismic Forum from Jan 22-25, 2012
KAUST to review, analyze, and further strengthen shared research pro-
sessions covered oil price drivers, solar energy technologies and market
The Gulf Seismic Forum, held every two years, will take place in Jeddah
grams in line with the needs of industry and the opportunities that KAUST
incentives, energy efficiency, and carbon capture and storage.
at the Park Hyatt Hotel. Locally organized by the Saudi Geological
offers its scientists and students.
KAUST students were active throughout the conference, participating
Society (SGS), Martin Mai, Professor of Earth Science and Engineering, is
In his welcoming remarks, President Choon Fong Shih saluted the
strongly in the final interactive session, ‘harvesting other research ideas
in charge of the scientific program. KAUST will be showcasing its work
desire of many KAUST graduates to remain in the Kingdom, employed by
and anticipating the “Black Swans.”’ This followed a presentation on
in this area, and operating an information booth to highlight KAUST
Saudi and Saudi-based international companies. Prof. Shih encouraged
global scenarios by Daniel Yergin, author of “The Prize” and “The Quest.”
research and education programs.
KICP members to increase their involvement and “find new ways to work
The discussion focused on high-impact, hard-to-predict, and rare events
together as we face new challenges in this part of the world.”
that could alter the future of the energy industry. The students were
The United States Geological Survey, Saudi Aramco, King Abdulaziz University, and other companies and institutions in the Earth Science
Dr. Mohamed Samaha, Chairman of the KIAB Board and Senior VP
sector will be in attendance. Over 150 talks/posters will be pre-
of the Economic and Technology Division shared some of the year’s
sented to the 300 participants expected to attend and there will be
highlights including the establishment of SABIC’s R&D facility; the infra-
Graduate Student Muhammed Sameed commented on the “opportu-
workshops as well as a field trip. More information can be found at:
structural investment in the 3M m2 Research Park being developed as a
nity to meet a wide variety of individuals from both academia and the
http://www.7gsf.info.
Science Town; the occupancy by industry of nearly all of the available
energy industry. The informal discussions we had over lunch and dinner
office and lab space in the Innovation Cluster; and further pilot demon-
were particularly fruitful.”
VentureLab Startup Showcase
research.
stration units in the New Energy Oasis.
On December 5, 2011, five VentureLab teams comprising students, staff,
Provost Stefan Catsicas believes that the practice of involving the stu-
and faculty, presented their formal business pitches around novel products
dents in core industry projects through the Research Centers helps them
to a panel of judges in order to secure a bid for seed funds. VentureLab is
to adapt more easily to commercial research and science; he is delighted
a KAUST Entrepreneurship Center program that empowers its participants
that so many companies are already collaborating with KAUST.
to validate research projects and ideas within a compressed three-month
eager to give their feedback, and spoke of their involvement in relevant
There were hallmark presentations by four industry partners: the Dow Participating KAUST graduate students with Khalil Al-Shafei, Interim President, King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center.
News
www.kaust.edu.sa
January 2012
In early December, the Dow Water & Process Solutions
desalinating and filtering an extraordinary 30 m2 per
Ultrafiltration and Reverse Osmosis pilot plant was inaugu-
hour. The project will allow four different combina-
rated at KAUST. The facility will initially be used for application
tions of membranes and filters to explore, refine, and
development on the waters of the Red Sea, with the objective
optimize desalination.
of developing an optimized low-cost, lower-energy, membrane-
"This exciting desalination project, which we are con-
based desalination process that can meet the challenge of
ducting in partnership with KAUST, is a great example
desalination in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and beyond.
of Research & Development in action," said Henk Pool.
In 2009, Dow entered into a comprehensive Research and
"Our water pilot plant showcases the capabilities of R&D
Development (R&D) collaboration agreement with KAUST and
in supporting business objectives, leveraging Dow's best-
this pilot is another milestone in the partnership.
available technology, and the unparalleled geographic
The inauguration ceremony, which included presentations
Inauguration participants in front of the Dow pilot plant
Henk Pool, R&D Director (far left), and attendees tour the pilot plant
access and research facilities available to us at KAUST."
on Dow and the pilot plant itself, was attended by Henk Pool,
"Our latest collaborative project with KAUST allows
R&D Director, Middle East & Africa; Nasir Moosa, Operations
us to work together to develop innovative solutions that
Leader; and Tarek Waly, Research Scientist. KAUST representa-
directly address regional water challenges, which is at
tives included Gary Amy, Director of the Water Desalination and
the very heart of our partnership with the university,"
Reuse Center, and Denis Gauvreau, Commercial Manager of the
said Ilham Kadri, Commercial Director for Europe, Middle
Research Park and Industry Collaboration.
East, and Africa, Dow Water & Process Solutions. The water pilot plant will remain at KAUST for approxi-
followed by a visit to the new Dow facility, which is actually
mately six months, after which a 12-month R&D program
housed in a small unit near the main plant, and is capable of
will follow with a key Saudi water producer.
Operations Leader Nasir Moosa and Director of the Water Desalination and Reuse Center Gary Amy inaugurate the pilot plant
Photos by Jessica Boumeester
Afterwards, attendees toured the water desalination plant,
Leg 5 team
The ROV
Final Leg of the 2011 KAUST Red Sea Expedition The final leg of the 2011 KAUST Red Sea Expedition (KRSE)
such depths and at the twilight zone (low light zone) of coral
returned on December 14 after successfully exploring the deep
reefs close to KAUST, at depths of between 50 and 300 m.
waters in different areas up to 120 km from the Thuwal shores.
Student Bouwmeester told The Beacon that she had enjoyed
The Symposium on Coral Reef Conservation in the Red Sea
Studying the deeper reefs was a team comprising PhD student
“an amazing experience. On the last day, I had a submersible
was held January 8-10. The Opening Session was held at the
Jessica Bouwmeester, who was chief scientist of leg 5, and
driving lesson, during which I encountered two sharks, who were
Hyatt Park Hotel in Jeddah on Jan 8, with the technical ses-
master’s student Mehreen Mughal, who were joined at various
very surprised when our round yellow submersible appeared!”
sions at the KAUST campus on Jan 9 and 10.
times by Assistant Professors Michael Berumen and Christian
The 2011 KAUST Red Sea Research Expedition would not have
KAUST, and the Red Sea Research Center faculty and stu-
Voolstra, as well as postdoctoral scientist Cornelia Roder. By
been possible without the support of Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Suwailem,
dents in particular, actively participated in the presentations.
deploying a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), which is able to
Manager of the Coastal and Marine Resources Core Laboratory
Representatives from major organizations and universities
broadcast live high definition images from depths down to 800
(CMOR), and his team, for all the logistics of the expedition. These
in Saudi Arabia and other countries in the region also took
m to the research vessel using a cable, the entire scientific team
include the detailed preparation and planning of all aspects of
part in the presentations and discussions. In addition to the
was able to share the experience. The Aegaeo was able to stay
the cruise including the lease of the research vessel, the Aegaeo,
scientific significance of the themes and papers presented,
away from shallower reefs but nevertheless explore them by
the recruitment of scientific partners, the expedition plan, and
the symposium was a major event that brought together
using an independent two-manned submersible, Thetis. This
the training of personnel, not to mention organizing visas for all
relevant stakeholders to discuss regional and international
allowed researchers a close look at the deeper topography and
the external visitors and governmental permissions for the vessel
collaboration for the conservation of coral reef in the Red
how the substrate and the coral communities alter with increas-
and research operations.
Sea as well as other more general aspects of marine research.
ing depth, as well as a close view of the creatures that live at
Photos by OMAR BHUKARI
Dow Chemical Company Inaugurates Water Pilot Plant at KAUST
3
4
January 2012
Winter Enrichment Program
The Beacon
The 2012 Winter Enrichment Program (WEP) will take place January 14
courses and events, but you can also interact with the speakers. Registration
- 29. Please visit the WEP 2012 official website at http://wep.acadox.com
also generates a convenient personal calendar that you can access or print.
for extensive information about upcoming courses and events including speaker biographies. By using Acadox, which is a novel program developed by two KAUST graduates, you will not only be able to register and follow any updates of
The Community Information Center (CIC), located in the Discovery Square, next to the FedEx Office, will be used as the Information Desk during WEP. If you have any questions about WEP courses/events, please refer to the website or visit the CIC, which will be open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER HIGHLIGHTS Please visit the WEP website to view the full list of keynote lectures.
Lecture by Abdulaziz Ali Al Turki, Chairman of Rawabi Holding Monday, January 16 Auditorium, building 20, from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Mr. Abdulaziz Ali Al Turki has been the Chairman of Rawabi Holding since its inception. Under his skilled leadership, the company has expanded and continues to advance. Mr. Al Turki is also Chairman of Gulf Union Cooperative Insurance Company and Energy Capital Group. He is on the Board of Trustees at Lebanese American University (LAU) and is actively involved in
OPENING NIGHT
many civic activities.
Friday, January 13 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Dr. Adnan Soufi, CEO of SEDCO Holding, KSA
Discovery Walk Spine, in front of the University Library
Tuesday, January 17 from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Join us for Arabian coffee and desserts and enjoy classical oud music in a traditional atmosphere.
OPENING KEYNOTE LECTURE
Engineering Science Hall, building 9, Lecture Hall 2322 Dr. Adnan Soufi is the CEO of SEDCO Holding since January 2010, and a Board member of SEDCO Capital. Dr. Soufi held the position of professor of Finance and International Business during 1984-1994 at King AbdulAziz University (KAU) in Jeddah, and was the Dean of the
Saturday, January 14 from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Faculty of Economics and Administration during 1995-1998. A Senior Associate Member of
Auditorium, building 20
Oxford University’s St. Antony’s College, Dr. Soufi is a Fulbright scholar, who holds a PhD in
Prof. Rolf-Dieter Heuer, Director of European Organization of Nuclear Research will present
Business Administration and International Finance from George
his talk, "Research at CERN – From the Highest Energies to the Smallest Particles." Following
Washington University.
the keynote lecture, Dr. Abdullah Almojel, VP of University Development, will officially open a
ART EXHIBITIONS AND LECTURES
Bertrand Piccard, Initiator and President of the Solar Impulse Project “ Solar Impulse: A New Vision of Sustainable Development”
Schedule subject to change, please visit
Tuesday, January 17
special poster exhibit, “Living Gifts: Acknowledging a Year of Giving at KAUST.”
http://wep.acadox.com for the most up-to-date information, as well as locations.
Tingatinga Lecture Sunday, January 15 from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Auditorium, building 20, from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Bertrand Piccard follows a long line of explorers and scientists, and carries on his father's and grandfather’s legacy of adventure. As a scientist, psychiatrist, aeronaut, renowned lecturer, and chairman of the Winds of Hope humanitarian foundation and goodwill ambassador for the United Nations, he uses his family heritage to deal with today’s global challenges. A pioneer of
Pascal Bogaert, a Belgian visual arts teacher
ultralight flying in the 70s, an airplane and glider pilot, Piccard achieved in 1999 the first ever
who has lived and worked in East Africa since
non-stop round the world balloon flight, the longest flight in terms of duration and distance in
1988, will present this lecture focusing on the
the history of aviation. Combining exploration and protection of the environment, he initiated
history, social aspects, and cultural meaning of
the Solar Impulse project to promote renewable energies and new technologies.
Tingatinga painting.
Tingatinga Exhibition Opening Reception Sunday, January 15 from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Zahi Hawass Saturday, January 28 Auditorium, building 20, from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Zahi Hawass is a world-renowned Egyptian archaeologist who currently serves as Secretary
Paintings will be on display until Tuesday
General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities as well as directing ongoing excavations at
evening, January 17, in the University Library.
Giza, Saqqara, and in the Valley of the Kings. Dr. Hawass is responsible for many exciting dis-
The Tingatinga exhibition will showcase the
coveries, including the Tombs of the Pyramid Builders at Giza and the Valley of the Golden
latest paintings by the four brothers: Mshana, Juma, Rashid, and Kipara Mzuguno. These works
Mummies at Bahariya Oasis. He led an Egyptian team in the examination of the mystery of King
have been created exclusively for the first KAUST Mzuguno-Tingatinga exhibition, and you will
Tutankhamun’s mummy through the use of a CT-scan and has carried out a major conservation
have the opportunity to meet both Juma and Mshama.
project on the Great Sphinx.
Tingatinga Painting Workshops Monday and Tuesday, January 16 and 17 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 - 5:30 p.m. Juma and Mshana Mzuguno will host four workshops, when you can learn how to create your own amazing Tingatinga-style paintings in exotic and attractively blended colors.
CANCELLED
Saudi Modern Art Exhibit Opening
Jane Goodall -“Making a Difference” lecture has been cancelled for the very best of
Saturday, January 28 from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.
reasons (for Jane!).
This exhibit in the University Library will showcase paintings and sculptures by Saudi artists
The documentary feature film Jane’s Journey has been shortlisted to the final 15 for an
from across the country. Come meet the artists at a special opening and find out more about their
Oscar, so Jane Goodall understandably has to travel to the US in January for related media
craft. The exhibit will run until February 5.
and premiere engagements. Dr. Goodall is sorry to disappoint the KAUST community, but hopes to find a future date to visit and bring her message to Saudi Arabia.
www.kaust.edu.sa
Winter Enrichment Program
January 2012
5
Winter Enrichment Program (WEP)
2012
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS For locations and to confirm date and time, please visit
Top Things to See and Do in Saudi Arabia
http://wep.acadox.com for the most up-to-date information.
Sunday, January 22 from 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
Storytelling Workshop: How to Create and Tell a Story Tuesday January 17 from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
SCIENCE FUN FAIR Wednesday, January 18 The Science Fun Fair is back with fascinating activities, handson exhibits, and entertaining presentations showcasing science, technology, and engineering.
Fun Experiments 3:00 - 6:30 p.m. Discovery Walk Spine, in front of the University Library Come and see amazing experiments presented by a creative
Which places should you try to visit and what should you aim to do before you leave Saudi Arabia to make the most of your experience in the Kingdom? Starting with a brief history of Saudi Arabia, participants will be offered a rare insight into
Participants in this workshop will learn how to create and
the Museum of the Two Holy Mosques (which houses some of
tell a story in a compelling way. They will leave with a story
the oldest surviving artifacts from Makkah and Madinah) and
they have created and told.
the Kiswa Factory (where the intricate cover for the Kaba in
This workshop is presented by well-known and engaging author, Brett Dillingham, who teaches and performs storytelling in North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Arabic Calligraphy Workshop Wednesday and Thursday, January 25 and 26 Beginners and Advanced Workshops Participants will learn and practice one of the most impor-
Makkah is made annually). Speaker Maaz Gazdar is an IT Manager at KAUST who has spent over twenty years in the Middle East including six years in Saudi Arabia. He has travelled around the world and has visited many Arab countries.
Legacy of Historical Jeddah
tant art forms in Islamic culture: Arabic calligraphy. Presenter
Saturday, January 14
Ali AlArrafi Ibraheem is an art teacher in the Ministry of
from 4:30-5:30 p.m.
collaboration of KAUST faculty, scientists, students, and high
Education, a teacher of Arabic Calligraphy in The Holy Mosque,
This presentation by
school students; participating institutions Mishkat Interactive
and the presenter of a TV show and author of a book about
Sami Nawar, Director
Center for Atomic and Renewable Energy and Effat University;
Arabic Calligraphy called MESHEQ.
of Jeddah Historical
as well as several industrial partners. Join us for this exciting
Municipal Branch, will
event and don’t forget to vote for your favorite experiment. Every
talk about Jeddah's
vote counts!
history, architecture, her-
•
How to crush a can without touching it
itage, development, and
•
Magic sand that never gets wet
its future.
•
The epic battle between gravity and magnetism
•
Real brand clothing will be designed live (brought to you by Effat University)
•
Nanosatellite launch at 5:00 p.m.
•
And many more engaging experiments…
Dr. Bunhead's Science Show
WEP Film Festival 2012
7:30 - 9:00 p.m. Auditorium, building 20
In addition to showcasing more than 15 fasci-
is a filmmaker and actress based in New York City
This famous TV scientist, described by the Sunday Times as a
nating documentaries and films, there will be an
whose short film, The Shoemaker, was premiered at
"burning, bubbling, exploding ball of fun" will deliver entertain-
opportunity to meet some of the filmmakers and pro-
the Dubai Film Festival in December 2009. In 2010, it
ing science through moments of madness and mayhem.
ducers in person.
won the Golden Aleph for Best Middle Eastern Short
Science Show: The Energy Around Us
The Shoemaker
The Mishkat Interactive Center for Atomic and Renewable Energy will present exciting demonstrations and experiments to explore energy—how we use it and what it means to us.
at the Beirut International Film Festival. Many more films will be presented, including: A
Q&A with the Director Ahd Kamel
Beautiful Mind, Who Killed the Electric Car?, Arabia,
Tuesday, January 24 from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.
and Taking Root: Wangari Mathai Story. To view the
Come and meet Ahd Kamel as she presents the
full schedule, please visit the WEP website.
film she directed. A native of Saudi Arabia, Kamel
For questions or suggestions please email
contactwep@kaust.edu.sa
6
Research
January 2012
at a glance
The Beacon
Center and the Geometric Modeling and Scientific Visualization
sponsored by the UNESCO Centre International de Mathématiques
Research Center are associated with MCSE. Here, The Beacon offers
Pures et Appliquées (CIMPA) and KAUST’s Office of Competitive
an introductory, but by no means exhaustive, snapshot of some of
Research Funds (OCRF). The lectures and talks aim to give junior
Armed with facilities such as Shaheen
the people involved and the work that is happening in this excit-
scientists and graduate students insight into the latest developments
(one of the world’s fastest super computers)
ing division. The QR code on page 7 will link you to a collection of
in applied mathematics and uncertainty quantification with top-
and the CORNEA Visualization Center, the
publications in these subject areas since January 2011.
ics including modern applications of uncertainty quantification in
Mathematical and Computer Sciences and
The KAUST-CIMPA Winter School in Applied Mathematics on
industry and society, partial differential equations, probabilistic mod-
Engineering (MCSE) Division is engaged in groundbreaking, inter-
Uncertainty Quantification, directed by Prof. Raul Tempone and
eling, and stochastic processes methods in applied mathematics for
disciplinary research. KAUST’s Computational Bioscience Research
Prof. Ibrahim Hoteit, will take place in early January 2012. It is
uncertainty quantification.
Andrea Fratalocchi
Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering Assistant Professor of Applied Mathematics and Computational Science
use of new data or improved models. KAUST has been so far an excellent environment to foster interdisciplinary collaborations in this direction and we hope that the new KAUST SRI Uncertainty Quantification Center will amplify these efforts.
David Ketcheson
Assistant Professor of Applied Mathematics and Computational Science
As well as publishing several papers, Professor Andrea Fratalocchi also published a book this year, “Energy Dynamics in Nonlinear Optical Lattices: A Journey on Waves in
Professor David Ketcheson feels strongly that remarkable
Periodic Media.” In his research group, Primalight (www.primalight.org), Prof. Fratalocchi’s team carries out sys-
progress can be made when expertise from different specialties
tematic studies of complex systems, those characterized by a large number of interacting degrees
is assembled for focused study in a single place such as KAUST.
of freedom that sustain the formation of various emergent properties. Among the research lines
Advancing science through computation requires a combina-
currently being developed is mathematical work on shock waves, with advanced mathematical
tion of knowledge from many disciplines, including numerical
frameworks combining several fields ranging from solitons, the thermodynamics of chaos, multista-
analysis, software and computer engineering, and physical knowledge of the application domain.
bility and wave collapse, time-reversibility, replica, spin-glass physics, and a possible unification of
Historically this knowledge has been found in separate silos in the traditional academic world, but
the idea of 'complexity' by the observation of some peculiar properties of nonlinear waves.
the transdisciplinary nature of the University’s academic structure combined with the dedicated
Prof. Fratalocchi finds KAUST a unique working environment, where the proximity of offices,
campus makes research nimble.
labs, home, and sporting facilities optimizes his working time and allows him to be extremely pro-
Prof. Ketcheson has always loved math because it allows things to be understood from a unified
ductive. “I have met some marvelous people here,” he told The Beacon. “The Romans used to say:
perspective. He studies the mathematics of waves and told The Beacon, “They exhibit a wonder-
mens sana in corpore sano (a sound mind in a healthy body), and I can honestly say that I found
ful richness of behavior and can take many forms, such as water waves, sound waves, and light
both of these in this unique place.”
waves. Yet all these waves and their behavior can be explained by one single, beautiful mathemati-
Ibrahim Hoteit
Assistant Professor of Earth Sciences and Engineering Assistant Professor of Applied Mathematics and Computational Science
cal framework.” KAUST has connected Prof. Ketcheson to new collaborators around the world allowing him to create powerful mathematical software that allows new innovations in numerical analysis immediately to be applied to compute solutions to challenging problems that require massive computational resources. Traditionally, it takes years for new numerical algorithms to mature, to be quickly and easily compared, and to be applied in meaningful ways. Without the resources that he can access at the University, he does not believe that he and his colleagues could have achieved all that they
KAUST was a refreshing change for Professor Ibrahim Hoteit and the University’s multidisciplinary atmosphere has encouraged him to consider different applications for his expertise. At the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Prof. Hoteit's research was devoted to the development
have in the last two years.
Belkacem Said-Houari Postdoctoral Fellow
of data assimilation systems for ocean monitoring and prediction. Now, by being able to harness the resources available to build a research program in data assimilation, he is gaining a better
Educated in Algeria, France, and Germany, Dr. Belkacem Said-
understanding of the historic and current state of the sea and, from this, able to anticipate future
Houari’s research interests encompass the analysis of hyperbolic
activity. Analysis of existing data sets both historic and in real-time including ocean tempera-
partial differential equations (PDEs) in thermoelasticity,
ture, salinity, sea surface height, circulation, atmospheric, and climatic information from multiple
Timoshenko systems, nonlinear wave equations), integro-dif-
monitoring sources (satellite, ocean arrays of buoys or deep water floats, etc.) are merged with a
ferential equations, parabolic, and hyperbolic-parabolic PDEs.
dynamic model of the ocean to predict what will happen.
Much of his work is interdisciplinary, embracing physical sys-
The acquisition of new data and high-resolution models increase the veracity of the predictions,
tems such as the stability of thermoelastic bodies under different laws of heat conduction, modeling
but its volume can be overwhelming. Prof. Hoteit takes full advantage of KAUST's supercomput-
radiation gas dynamics, and the existence and asymptotic behavior of the solutions of some systems
ing and visualization capabilities, Shaheen and CORNEA, in his daily task of forward and inverse
in the viscoelastic wave equation. He focuses on the challenge of providing mathematical proof of
modeling.
the stability or instability of the solutions to such systems demonstrating their evolution over time.
His group is taking advantage of the opportunity for transdisciplinary work on new applications
Dr. Said-Houari believes that the excellence of the research environment at KAUST has allowed
such as studying and predicting the weather and climate over the Saudi Arabian peninsula, devel-
him to publish widely in well-respected journals since he arrived here in January 2011 as well as
oping forecasting capabilities for storm surge, and reservoir modeling in the petroleum industry. He
facilitating the opportunity to interact with people worldwide.
welcomes the chance to work "outside the box."
Raul Tempone
Associate Professor, Applied Mathematics and Computational Science
Rana Parshad
Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Rana Parshad focuses on the analysis and modeling of partial differential equations, and stochastic partial differential
Computational predictions often form the basis for critical
equations that arise in interdisciplinary applications. He has
decisions in engineering, financial markets, weather forecasts and
worked on equations ranging from those that describe fluid
disaster management among others. Indeed, the rapid develop-
flow in porous media, such as sand and clay, to those which
ment of computer hardware enables the simulation of more and
model financial instruments such as mortgage backed securities.
more complex phenomena. How reliable are these predictions?
Porous media flows find numerous applications in enhanced oil recovery and nuclear waste man-
Can they be trusted?
agement. His recent work at KAUST focuses at understanding “hyperbolic systems” with stochastic
Motivated by these questions, Prof. Tempone and his group have been working on Uncertainty
effects, systems which model waves, such as light or sound waves. They also describe shock
Quantification and particularly on a posteriori error estimates and adaptive algorithms for stochas-
waves, which are propagating disturbances, characterized by abrupt changes in state with major
tic differential equations. "Uncertainty" is meant either intrinsic variability of output quantities of a
applications in combustion and detonation phenomenon, as well as in the modeling of tsunamis.
given system or simply the lack of complete knowledge of their behavior. In this setting, the objec-
A further area of focus is the analysis of various biological systems, such as those that describe
tive is to quantify uncertainty and its sources and, if possible, to reduce it based on the selective
the patterns on animal coats or the interactions of multiple predators and prey, and others that Continued top of p.7
Research
www.kaust.edu.sa
January 2012
Continued from p.6
model the spread and control of invasive species. These have applications in conservation biology and are important ingredients for examining biodiversity. Dr. Parshad finds math an effective interdisciplinary tool and looks to furthering his interactions with colleagues in diverse subject areas at KAUST. He credits the remarkable university environment with facilitating such exchanges, as
Anthematica
well as allowing him to tackle this exacting work and still find time to unwind with his favorite sport: squash. Offered with gratitude and admiration
Xiangliang Zhang
to colleagues at KAUST (faculty, staff, students, and community):
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
to those who create new mathematics, to those who put mathematics to practical use,
Professor Zhang directs the research group Machine Intelligence and kNowledge
and to those who assist others to do either,
Engineering (MINE) which focuses on designing machine learning algorithms and
throughout time and space.
increasing knowledge in diverse application fields, especially where large, highspeed datasets are involved. The ongoing research includes the enabling of elastic computation in High Performance Computing (HPC) and the modeling of travel modes and purposes for transportation management (both in collaboration with IBM Watson). Elasticity is a key feature of cloud computing and the group is developing new resource management tech-
Joy abounds for all who dwell in realms quantitative, Who scale and estimate with ease, in any space are native, Who traverse rungs of abstraction, who logic navigate, Who sort and bin with insight, behaviors demarcate.
niques that will give users the ability to use HPC in a more flexible way that will benefit both providers and customers. An intelligent online transportation management system is vital for municipal services including planning and traffic control. Prof. Zhang’s group is designing algorithms to identify the travel modes (e.g., bus, bike, car, train, plane) and the travel purposes (e.g., home-to-work, home-to-school, home-to-shopping) of users, based on their GPS or cell phone
Nature’s laws have beauty stark, though nature coyly conceals them. But what resplendent beauty marks the tools with which we reveal them: An asymptotic limit; fields transformed, then unwound; The elegance of equals; the bulwark of a bound!
records as the first step of building such a system In a further project, which again involves learning more about the interests of users, the MINE group is working to build effective, efficient, and robust recommendation engines for movies and hotels, offering information that users are
Mathematics is the music of the conscious mind.
not necessarily actively seeking but that they may find interesting.
Music is the mathematics of the soul behind. Out of chaos, patterns form that all nature organize.
david keyes and alyn rockwood lead major january events
Fed with patterns, humans dream and must hypothesize. Brick by brick a house is built; we stand today on shoulders Of those who labored with less light, of those who moved the boulders. With chalk or with computer, our vantage do we grow. Vistas only glimpsed today will our students know.
David Keyes, Dean of Mathematical and Computer Sciences
Prof. Rockwood is the Director of KAUST’s Winter
and Engineering and Professor of Applied Mathematics and
Enrichment Program, January 14-29. He is known for
Transfers knowledge from one field to others in the circle.
Computational Science and Alyn Rockwood, Associate
his innovative research in computer graphics and geomet-
The queen is vibrant on the throne, her court illuminates.
Director of the Geometric Modeling and Scientific
ric modeling. Prof. Rockwood and his team are exploring
Bathed in light, the court at work her wisdom illustrates.
Visualization Research Center and Professor of Applied
the mathematics of the representation of objects using
Mathematics, each preside over major events in January.
a complex interface to create multidimensional images.
Mathematics is a scientific universal –
Human fashions come and go; wealth and power scatter.
Prof. Keyes is the lead organizer of a 40-person inter-
This evolving field has the potential to create a new
national workshop funded by the US National Science
medium for artistic expression as well as being of enor-
Foundation at Brown University's new Institute for
mous value in industry, problem solving, and novel design.
Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics
Projects in progress at KAUST include the development
(ICERM), January 8-13. The workshop is part of the techni-
of new modeling techniques for industrial design and
Mathematics is a scientific universal –
cal start-up activities of Prof. Keyes’ KAUST Presidential
animation, volume meshing for FE analysis, a new basis
Transfers knowledge from one field to others in the circle.
Strategic Initiative (SI) in Extreme Computing. It is entitled
for image processing, and engineering applications of
In KAUST do mathematics and her partners meet.
"Synchronization-Reducing and Communication-Reducing
Clifford Algebra.
The fellowship of pilgrims here is infinitely sweet.
Algorithms and Programming Models for Large-Scale
Prof. Rockwood spoke to The Beacon about his expe-
Simulations" and will be taking another four people from
riences as a child when he was pained by his inability
the SI; NSF and the computer industry are contributing
“to figure out how the spinning of the earth and its
a further 35 international participants. The workshop
revolution around the sun were so coordinated as to keep
focuses on challenges to mathematical algorithms common
from flinging (him) into space.” By learning about grav-
in today’s large-scale simulations that are endangered by
ity and being able to characterize it mathematically and
emerging hardware trends. The last three factors of a thou-
compute the force between masses, he feels he is “no closer
sand gain in computer power (from the 1970’s megaflop/s,
to understanding how it works, but worries less about
to the 1980’s gigaflop/s, to the 1990’s teraflop/s, to the
being flung into outer darkness!” He considers math-
2000’s petaflop/s) were accommodated within a single
ematics a literary form with equations the fundamental
paradigm known as “communicating sequential processes”
sentence structure of the language. He pointed out that
in distributed memory systems of up to one million pro-
an important development for digital arts came when
cessors. The next factor of one-thousand in computer
Descartes popularized an earlier discovery that geomet-
performance, to exaflop/s later this decade, requires a new
ric shapes could be represented by algebraic equations,
paradigm after thirty years of relative stability, since the
an idea now further facilitated by the computer (see
synchronization demands at a billion processor cores ren-
Bronze Age Fig. 1. the complex representation of a
der virtually all known algorithms inefficient. Prof. Keyes
simple equation).
also spoke on this topic, seeking to inspire the next genera-
Interestingly, mathematicians Keyes and Rockwood
tion of graduate students, at the International Conference
are both drawn to the arts, in which they find satisfy-
for Scientific Computing, January 3-7 in Hong Kong, at a
ing structure and through which they attempt to express
meeting to honor of the 60th birthday of computational
their passion for mathematics, for lay audiences. Prof.
mathematician and President of the Hong Kong University
Keyes composes music and lyrics (see the lyrics of his
of Science and Technology, Tony Chan. President Chan,
Anthematica to the right) and Prof. Rockwood expresses
who formerly directed the Division of Mathematical and
mathematical structure in graphic and artistic forms.
Physical Sciences of the National Science Foundation of
Prof. Rockwood is furthermore the author of a sci-
the USA, is a co-author with Prof. Keyes on scalable paral-
ence fiction novel, “How Noble in Reason” (2006, AK
lel algorithms, and is a new member of the KAUST Board
Peters, publisher).
of Trustees, as of December 2011.
Dogmas once allowed full sway now no longer matter. Mathematics from millennia past is, however, fresh. Across all cultures, in all tongues, her form and content “mesh.”
© 2007, 2011 by David E. Keyes All rights reserved.
Fig. 1 Bronze Age, a complex shape, simple equation.
Use this QR code to link to a list of 2010–2011 MCSE publication.
http://www.kaust.edu.sa/media/features/mcsepapers.html
7
Community
January 2012
Photos by Anastasia Khrenova
8
The Beacon
ThE kaust school winter concerts
Guitars, xylophones, flowers, and frogs…in December, the KAUST School students showcased their musical talent in several performances. At the Instrumental and Choir Concert at the Safaa Garden Secondary School, students demonstrated what they have
photo of the month
been learning in their music classes by singing and playing guitar, xylophone, and drums. Anastasia Krehnova took this photo of
background. As The Beacon celebrates its first 2012 issue, the
The elementary children presented two entertaining and
a Beacon reader on a blustery day near the
third year of its publication, some of the articles have again
animated Winter Concerts. At the Harbor East Elementary
Red Sea shore with the University land-
been more fully translated into Arabic to make it accessible to a
School, K3 to grade 2 students presented the Blue & Green
broader audience.
Concert, exploring ecology and environment-friendly actions.
mark of the same name prominent in the
Students sang about how to reduce, reuse, and recycle, while
accolade: Ghassan Jabbour
others celebrated the diversity and beauty of nature. Original songs, written by the children while on a field trip to the beach, were also shared.
Professor Ghassan Jabbour, Director of the Solar and
his role inside the optical community, his great support for the
At the Harbor West Elementary School, grades 3 – 5 rec-
Photovoltaic Engineering Research Center has recently been
European Optical Society, and especially for his contributions
reated a rainforest full of frogs, bees, monkeys, and flowers,
elected a Fellow of the European Optical Society. One of only 60
and innovations in printed and flexible nanothick photonics
through the telling of the story, The Great Kapok Tree.
such fellows, his election recognizes his “outstanding contribu-
and photovoltaics.” Prof. Jabbour will be presented with this
tion in the multidisciplinary fields of optics and photonics, for
honor in Aberdeen in September.
As an International Baccalaureate School, The KAUST School seeks to help children become citizens of the world in relation to culture, language, and learning to live together.
commencement photos
In particular, through performances such as these concerts, students become confident communicators and learn how to work effectively and willingly in collaboration with others.
جامعة امللك عبداهلل حتتفل بتخريج 244طالبًا ومتنحهم درجة املاجستري يف ختصصات متنوعة