2017 August Beacon

August 2017 Thul-Qedah, 1438 Volume 8, Issue No. 8 ‫جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية‬

‫ المملكة العربية السعودية‬،‫ثول‬

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

www.kaust.edu.sa

‫تكريم أعضاء هيئة التدريس‬ 2017 ‫الحاصلين على ترقيات‬

2017 promoted faculty recognized Page 6

Innovating for the Kingdom’s future Page 26

TAQADAM startup showcase Page 12 Addressing the CFD challenge Page 14 The next generation of sensing platforms Page 16 Pioneering materials science Page 18

University celebrates 2017 Spring Graduation Page 22 Alumni focus Page 24 Software aims to help advance research Page 28 ANSYS, Saudi Aramco and KAUST achieve a new supercomputing milestone Page 30

In brief

The University Library offers a variety of trainings and classes designed to help researchers and students get the most from the Library’s wide array of resources and to improve their research skills. Sessions are available to all members of the KAUST community. To reserve your seat, visit libguides.kaust.edu.sa/libtraining.

Community Life launched its new intranet site accessible at communitylife.kaust.edu.sa. The site is a source of information and news on all things related to the community and provides information about community services, programs and activities, the people of KAUST, the KAUST Community Advisory Committee and how to get engaged to make the community even better. For more information, contact GetEngaged@KAUST.edu.sa.

A group of KAUST students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty members attended the 9th International Conference on Materials for Advanced Technologies (ICMAT 2017) in Singapore from June 18 to 23. The conference was sponsored by the Materials Research Society (MRS) of Singapore. The conference also included a poster presentation session in which KAUST students participated.

Dr. J. K. Vijayakumar was appointed director of the KAUST University Library as of July 1, 2017. Vijayakumar joined KAUST in 2009 and has contributed to the Library’s growth in many leadership roles, including working as senior subject specialist, research and reference manager, collections and information service manager and acting director. He also has over 20 years of professional experience from different academic and research libraries in the Middle East, the Americas and India.

The Beacon Volume 8, Issue No.8 PUBLISHED BY MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The Beacon Staff Managing Editor: Nicholas Demille Arabic Editor: Salah Sindi English Editor: Caitlin Clark Writers: David Murphy, Meres J. Weche Translator: Adel Alrefaie Photographers: Ginger Lisanti, Lilit Hovhannisyan The Beacon is published monthly. © 2017 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

2

THE BEACON | AUGUST 2017

Information Security and HR Learning and Development jointly organized two Security Awareness open sessions for KAUST staff and community members on June 12 and 14 to cover areas including cyber attacks and work computer security.

A number of exciting summer camps held

by Recreation Services took place for KAUST kids on campus over the summer.

The Summer Activity Camp at the Island Recreation Center featured games, art, swimming and more. The Summer Youth Sports Camp at the Harbor Sports Club included sports, fitness classes and games like dodgeball and water polo, and the Summer Gymnastics Club at the Racquet Club was for more advanced gymnasts.

Did you miss any of the past academic year's Enrichment Program activities? Read up on and remember these exciting and enriching moments in the July special edition of The Beacon that covers "A year of enrichment."

Scan the QR code above to check it out.

The University will hold the 8th Academic Convocation on August 22 at 3:00 p.m. in the Auditorium. Join faculty speaker Jeff Shamma, professor of electrical engineering, and student speaker Samah Mohamed, a Ph.D. candidate in chemical engineering, to welcome new and returning students to another academic year at KAUST.

Government Affairs organized and held an Explore Saudi Arabia trip to Souk Okaz in Taif on July 21. The trip included a visit to Souk Okaz Festival 2017 and visits to a rose factory, the local Alshareef museum, a fruit and vegetable market and a camel race.

Get familiar with the University Library's hidden resources and become inspired on your research journey. The Library will host an Open House on September 27 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Highlights will include the services and resources available at the Library; partner division booths; games and competitions; tours; giveaways; iPads to be won; and refreshments. Library staff will also be available to answer whatever questions you may have. The event is open to all members of the KAUST community. See you there!

Save the date: “Designing Tomorrow,� the Enrichment in the Fall program chaired by KAUST Professor Gilles Lubineau, will be held from October 20 to 25 this year. Stay tuned at enrichment.kaust.edu.sa.

The Office of the Arts will host two exciting events in August and September. On August 27, a Sunset Concert featuring the community's musicians will take place from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the University Library. On September 18, a Vocal Gala will take place in the Auditorium from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Visit artsoffice.kaust.edu.sa for more information about other upcoming events.

www.kaust.edu.sa

3

1

Accolades KAUST Ph.D. student wins American Statistical Association paper competition Sabrina Vettori, a Ph.D. student in KAUST Professor Marc Genton’s Spatio-Temporal Statistics & Data Science group, won the 2017 Student Paper Competition sponsored by the Section on Statistics and the Environment (ENVR) of the American Statistical Association (ASA).

1. Sabrina Vettori, a KAUST Ph.D.

student, won the 2017 Student Paper Competition sponsored by the Section on Statistics and the Environment of the American Statistical Association. File photo.

2. KAUST alumna Aubrie

O'Rourke (Ph.D. '15) received a two-year Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Award Fellowship with NASA to study bacteria found in soil and water. Photo courtesy of Aubrie O'Rourke.

3. KAUST Ph.D. student Sheikha

Lardhi won a poster award at the 2017 Spring Meeting and Exhibit of the European Materials Society.

Photo by Meres J. Weche.

Eligible papers focused on environmental statistics, and the four competition winners presented their papers at an ENVR-sponsored session at the 2017 Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM), held from July 29 to August 3 in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. JSM is the largest North American gathering of statisticians, and includes participants from ASA, the Statistical Society of Canada, the International Chinese Statistical Association, the International Indian Statistical Association, the Royal Statistical Society, the Korean International Statistical Society and the International Statistical Institute.

Vettori’s winning paper entitled “Bayesian clustering and dimension reduction in multivariate air pollution extremes” was co-authored by Genton and Raphaël Huser, KAUST assistant professor of applied mathematics and computational science.

“I was the first student in the statistics program at KAUST, and it has been amazing to see the statistics group growing over the past three years,” Vettori noted. “I joined KAUST after completing my master’s degree in Italy because of the relevance of the research done here and the environmental statistics applications. What matters to me is being part of projects with a strong social impact dedicated to the protection of the environment and to the improvement of human lives.”

KAUST alumna pioneers research from sea to space KAUST alumna Aubrie O’Rourke (Ph.D. ’15 in marine science) recently received a two-year Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Award Fellowship with the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to study the Burkholderia cepacia or B. cepacia bacterial group or complex of bacteria that are found in soil and water.

O'Rourke will work at the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) in La Jolla, in her native California.

The fellowship, which is awarded by the NASA Space Biology Program, "broadly focuses on the built environment in the context of the space station. The field explores how we shape the bacteria that live among us and in turn how they shape us,” O’Rourke said.

The B. cepacia bacterial group or complex of bacteria are often resistant to common antibiotics, which has triggered interest in understanding why these bacteria have been isolated in the potable water system on the International Space Station (ISS).

O’Rourke will receive 67 samples, including isolates of Burkholderia cepacia, Burkholderia multivorans and Ralstonia species, from the potable water system of the ISS across 22 missions. She will then sequence the respective genomes from the potable water system of the ISS and that of a terrestrial control strain to then mine for pathogenicity islands and any indicators of potential for enhanced virulence. She will also “assess their antibiotic drug resistance, tolerance or persistence and finally use transposon sequencing to identify the genes which contribute to their ability to sustain in the ISS water system,” she noted.

"I'm very excited to work on a water organism such as Burkholderia from an environment as unique as the ISS. The whole project is a dream come true. It is an honor to work for NASA at JCVI,” O’Rourke said.

4

THE BEACON | AUGUST 2017

2

3

KAUST Ph.D. student wins poster award at European Materials Society Spring Meeting Sheikha Lardhi, a Ph.D. student in chemical science and KAUST master’s degree graduate (M.S. ’12) working under the supervision of Professor Luigi Cavallo, won the sustainable energy and fuels poster award at the 2017 Spring Meeting and Exhibit of the European Materials Society (E-MRS) that took place in Strasbourg, France, from May 22 to 26 this year.

Lardhi’s poster entitled "Ab initio Assessment of Bi1-xRExCuOS (RE=La, Gd, Y, Lu) Solid Solution for Water Splitting" came in first place among all 77 student and postdoctoral fellow posters submitted for consideration.

“I didn’t expect that I would win, and the jury spent four hours interviewing the participants and in detailed discussion,” Lardhi said. “When they announced my name, I was stunned. I was happy and proud to represent KAUST at such a big conference.”

“The University provides us with the resources and skills to be good scientists," she continued. "I would never meet the same amount of experienced international scientists and professors in one place somewhere else. KAUST also gives us opportunities to present our work at important conferences and the chance to build collaborations and network with people from academia and industry worldwide.”

This month's Accolades section features three talented female KAUST scientists. Learn about the work of other talented women in science by following the Twitter accounts of these international women scientists.

May-Britt Moser (@MayBrittMoser) won the Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) in Physiology or Medicine in 2014 along with colleagues John O'Keefe and Edvard Moser for their work in discovering cells that constitute a positioning system in the brain.

Moser is currently a professor of neuroscience at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and is the director of the Centre for Neural Computation at the Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience in Norway.

Athene Donald (@athenedonald) is a professor of experimental physics at the University of Cambridge (@Cambridge_Uni), a Fellow of the Royal Society (@royalsociety) and a Dame Commander (DBE), Order of the British Empire. She works in the field of soft matter and physics at the interface of biology and has published over 250 papers in these areas.

Carolyn Porco (@carolynporco) is a planetary scientist and a visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley (@UCBerkeley). She researches the outer solar system and conducted imaging work on the Voyager missions to Jupiter, Neptune, Saturn and Uranus. Porco currently leads a team of imaging scientists for the unmanned Cassini-Huygens mission in orbit around Saturn and was named one of Time magazine's "25 Most Influential People in Space" in 2012.

Sylvia McLain (@DrSylviaMcLain) runs the McLain research group at Oxford University (@UniofOxford) and is also a biochemistry lecturer at Oxford. Her research concentrates on the biophysics of real biological systems and how they function and form on the atomic and molecular level. She has also worked as a bicycle mechanic, in a fishery and taught English in China, giving her a diverse background for her tweets and her blog articles for The Guardian Science (@guardianscience).

Joanne Manaster (@sciencegoddess) once worked as an international model and is now a faculty lecturer in biology at the University of Illinois (@Illinois_Alma). Manaster combined her love of science with her love of reading and communications, creating a science website, blog and videos to help everyone learn about science. She continues to experiment with different media platforms in her quest to share scientific knowledge and thinking with the world.

/KaustOfficial

kaustofficial

@KAUST_News

/kaust

/kaustedu

/company/kaust

kaustofficial

KAUST Official

www.kaust.edu.sa

5

2017 promoted faculty recognized Ten faculty members were promoted at a dinner ceremony on the evening of May 8. KAUST President Jean-Lou Chameau and members of University leadership honored the accomplishments of the faculty by announcing faculty promotions and by awarding the first KAUST Teaching Award.

“Congratulations to our promoted faculty. Through your endeavors and discoveries, the University's reputation for excellence continues to be elevated both locally and globally," stated Chameau. "Your achievements as well as the caliber of talent in our academic community continue to shape KAUST as a destination for passion, curiosity, innovation and impact.”

Mohamed Eddaoudi, chemical science— recognized as a distinguished professor KAUST Professor Mohamed Eddaoudi is regarded as one of the world leaders in the field of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which are used to make significant strides in the realm of energy storage and environmental control. Eddaoudi was the first to prove that MOFs can be permanently porous, after which he introduced another seminal contribution, disclosing that MOFs with unprecedented surface areas can be easily activated. With his team at the KAUST Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Center (AMPM), Eddaoudi has produced a range of innovations, including a novel battery-electrode separator using metal-organic materials for performance improvements in batteries and electrochemical cells.

Eddaoudi has received many honors and awards in his scientific career, including the National Science Foundation Career Award and selection as one of the Talented Young Crystallographers in the world. He has been selected as a Highly Cited Researcher and as one of the world’s most influential scientific minds by Thomson Reuters IP & Science for the last three years.

Marc Genton, applied mathematics and computational science—recognized as a distinguished professor KAUST Professor Marc Genton’s research focuses on statistical analysis, flexible modeling, prediction and uncertainty quantification of spatio-temporal data with applications in environmental and climate science, renewable energies, geophysics and marine science. He is a fellow of several scientific associations, such as the American Statistical Association, the Institute of Mathematical Statistics and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He was also an elected member of the International Statistical Institute.

In 2010, he received the El-Shaarawi Award for Excellence from the International Environmetrics Society and the Distinguished

6

THE BEACON | AUGUST 2017

1 Achievement Award from the Section on Statistics and the Environment of the American Statistical Association.

Genton’s scientific production includes 195 articles in scientific journals, a book on multivariate skew-elliptical distributions and over 300 presentations at conferences and universities worldwide. He is also editor-in-chief of the journal Stat.

Nikos Hadjichristidis, chemical science— recognized as a distinguished professor KAUST Professor Nikos Hadjichristidis contributed to the design and synthesis of an unprecedented collection of flawfree, narrowly distributed macromolecular architectures and well-defined mesostructures by pioneering original synthetic methods. These polymers can help scientists carrying out research on other disciplines, including membranes, solar and fuel cells and biomaterials. At KAUST, he is working with non-metal (green or environmental friendly) anionic polymerization and using phosphazene bases for the fast and controlled polymerization of a wide range of monomers.

He is also developing novel strategies for preparing welldefined polyethylene-based copolymers (catalytic living polymerization).

Congratulations to our promoted faculty. Through your endeavors and discoveries, the University's reputation for excellence continues to be elevated both locally and globally."

-K AUST President Jean-Lou Chameau Hadjichristidis was awarded the 2016 Macro Group U.K. Medal for Continued Outstanding Achievement in Polymer Science and the 2015 American Chemical Society National Award for Polymer Chemistry (sponsored by ExxonMobil Chemical Company). He also received the International Award of the Society of Polymer Science from Japan in 2007. He is the founding member and past president of the European Polymer Federation. He has also published more than 400 peerreviewed manuscripts and has 19 patents to his credit.

‫‪1. Pictured (from left to right), front row: Mohamed‬‬ ‫‪Eddaoudi, Taous-Meriem Laleg-Kirati, KAUST‬‬ ‫‪President Jean-Lou Chameau, Nikos Hadjichristidis,‬‬ ‫‪Xianglang Zhang. Second row: Ying Wu, Vice‬‬ ‫‪President for Academic Affairs James Calvin, Yu Han,‬‬ ‫)‪Muhammad Hussain, Marc Genton, Lain-Jong (Lance‬‬ ‫‪Li. Back row: Dean Yves Gnanou, Mani Sarathy, Dean‬‬ ‫‪Mootaz Elnozahy, Dean Pierre Magistretti. Photo by‬‬ ‫‪Ginger Lisanti.‬‬ ‫‪2. Dean Yves Gnanou (left) congratulates KAUST‬‬

‫‪Professor Mani Sarathy on his promotion to associate‬‬ ‫‪professor.‬‬

‫تكريم أعضاء هيئة التدريس‬ ‫الحاصلين على ترقيات ‪2017‬‬ ‫هنأ رئيس جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية‪ ،‬الدكتور جان‪-‬لو شامو أعضاء‬ ‫هيئة التدريس لدى حص‪،‬لهم على ترقيات‪ .‬وأشاد شامو بمساعي واكتشافات‬ ‫األعضاء التي من شأنها النهوض بالجامعة على الصعيدين المحلي والعالمي‪.‬‬ ‫"إن إنجازاتكم المتميزة والمواهب الزاخرة في مجتمعنا األكاديمي تؤكد على‬ ‫مكانة جامعة الملك عبد العزيز للعلوم والتقنية كوجهة للشغف والفضول‬ ‫العلمي واالبتكار والتأثير"‪.‬‬

‫محمد الداودي‪ ،‬العلوم الكيميائية – تكريم كأستاذ متميز‬ ‫ً‬ ‫رواد العالم في مجال تقنية األطر المعدنية‬ ‫يعد البروفيسور الداودي‬ ‫واحدا من ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫العضوية (‪ ،)MOFs‬المستخدمة في تقنيات تخزين الطاقة وضبط البيئة‪ .‬كان‬ ‫أول من أثبت أن خزانات المياه يمكن أن تكون مسامية بشكل دائم بعد أن قدم‬ ‫مساهمة أساسية أخرى حيث كشف أن من الممكن تفعيل ‪ MOFs‬مع مناطق‬ ‫سطحية غير مسبوقة‪ .‬وقد حقق البروفيسور الداودي مجموعة من االبتكارات‪،‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫جديدا يستخدم مواد عضوية معدنية لتحسين األداء في‬ ‫فاصال‬ ‫بما في ذلك‬ ‫البطاريات والخاليا الكهروكيميائية‪.‬‬ ‫حظي البروفيسور الداودي خالل مسيرته العلمية بالعديد من التكريم ونال‬ ‫العديد من الجوائز‪ ،‬منها جائزة مؤسسة العلوم الوطنية‪ ،‬واختياره كواحد من‬ ‫علماء ّ‬ ‫البلورات الموهوبين الشباب في العالم‪ .‬وقد اختير كباحث مرجعي‬ ‫ً‬ ‫وكأحد أكثر العقول العلمية تأثيرا من قبل مؤسسة تومسون رويترز للملكية‬ ‫الفكرية والعلوم على مدى السنوات الثالث الماضية‪.‬‬

‫مارك جينتون‪ ،‬الرياضيات التطبيقية والعلوم الحاسوبية‪-‬‬ ‫تكريم كأستاذ متميز‬

‫ّ‬ ‫تركز أبحاث البروفيسور جنتون على التحليل اإلحصائي والنمذجة المرنة والتنبؤ‬ ‫الكمي للبيانات المكانية الزمانية مع تطبيقاتها في العلوم البيئية والمناخية‬ ‫والطاقات المتجددة والجيوفيزياء والعلوم البحرية‪ .‬وهو زميل في عدة جمعيات‬ ‫علمية‪ ،‬مثل الرابطة اإلحصائية األمريكية‪ ،‬ومعهد اإلحصاء الرياضي‪ ،‬والرابطة‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫منتخبا في المعهد اإلحصائي‬ ‫عضوا‬ ‫أيضا‬ ‫األمريكية للنهوض بالعلوم‪ .‬وكان‬ ‫الدولي‪ .‬حصل في ‪ 2010‬على جائزة الشعراوي للتميز من جمعية البيئة الدولية‬ ‫وجائزة اإلنجاز المتميز من قسم اإلحصاء والبيئة للجمعية اإلحصائية األمريكية‪.‬‬ ‫ويشمل اإلنتاج العلمي لألستاذ جنتون ‪ 195‬مادة علمية منشورة في المجالت‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫عرضا في مؤتمرات وملتقيات وجامعات‬ ‫علميا‪ ،‬وأكثر من ‪300‬‬ ‫وكتابا‬ ‫العلمية‪،‬‬ ‫في جميع أنحاء العالم‪ .‬وهو أيضا رئيس تحرير المجلة العلمية ستات (‪.)Stat‬‬

‫‪7‬‬

‫‪www.kaust.edu.sa‬‬

‫‪2‬‬

‫نيكوس حاجي خريستيديس‪ ،‬العلوم الكيميائية‪ -‬تكريم‬ ‫كأستاذ متميز‬

‫ساهم حاجي خريستيديس في تصميم وتوليف مجموعة غير مسبوقة من‬ ‫هياكل البوليمرات المجهرية الضيقة الخالية من العيوب والموزعة بشكل‬ ‫دقيق بأساليب اصطناعية رائدة‪ .‬يمكن لهذه البوليمرات أن تساعد علماء أبحاث‬ ‫التخصصات األخرى‪ ،‬بما في ذلك األغشية والخاليا الشمسية والوقود والمواد‬ ‫الحيوية‪ .‬يعمل في جامعة الملك عبداهلل على البلمرة األيونية غير المعدنية‬ ‫(الصديقة للبيئة) واستخدام قواعد الفوسفازين للبلمرة السريعة لمجموعة‬ ‫واسعة من المونومرات‪ .‬يطور استراتيجيات جديدة إلعداد البوليمرات القائمة‬ ‫ً‬ ‫المحفزة الحية)‪.‬‬ ‫جيدا (البلمرة‬ ‫على البولي إثيلين المحددة‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫حصل البروفيسور حاجي خريستيديس على جائزة "ماكرو غروب ‪ "2016‬عن‬ ‫إنجازاته المتميزة في علوم البوليمر والجائزة الوطنية للجمعية الكيميائية‬ ‫األمريكية للعام ‪ 2015‬لبوليمر الكيمياء‪ ،‬برعاية شركة إكسون موبيل‬ ‫للكيماويات‪ .‬كما حصل على الجائزة الدولية لجمعية علوم البوليمر من اليابان‬ ‫في ‪ .2007‬وهو عضو مؤسس ورئيس سابق لالتحاد األوروبي للبوليمر‪ .‬نشر‬ ‫البروفيسور حاجي خريستيديس أكثر من ‪ 400‬دراسة علمية ولديه ‪ 19‬براءة‬ ‫اختراع باسمه‪.‬‬

‫لين جونغ (النس) لي‪ ،‬علوم وهندسة المواد‪ -‬ترقية إلى‬

‫رتبة بروفيسور‬

‫انضم البروفيسور لي إلى جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية في ‪2014‬‬ ‫بعد أن شغل منصب زميل باحث في معهد العلوم الذرية والجزيئية‪ ،‬في‬ ‫أكاديمية سينيكا في تايوان‪ .‬لديه عدة سنوات من الخبرة في العمل مع شركة‬ ‫تايوان لتصنيع أشباه الموصالت‪ .‬حصل على درجة الدكتوراه في الفيزياء من‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫وتحديدا‬ ‫رائدا في ‪،TMDs‬‬ ‫جامعة أكسفورد في ‪ .2006‬كان البروفيسور لي‬ ‫في ‪ MoS2‬و‪ We2‬أحاديات الطبقات بواسطة ترسيب األبخرة الكيميائية‬ ‫ً‬ ‫عالميا بوصفها أفضل طريقة إلنتاج مواد‬ ‫(‪ ،)CVD‬وهي طريقة معترف بها‬ ‫أحادية الطبقات عالية الجودة‪ .‬حفز عمله كل أبحاث ‪ ،TMDs‬التي تظهر خصائص‬ ‫إلكترونية تجعلها مناسبة للجيل القادم من اإللكترونيات المرنة‪ .‬طور بطاريات‬ ‫ليثيوم ‪ Li-s‬التي تظهر قدرات أعلى بكثير من بطاريات ‪ ،Li-ion‬وهو اآلن في‬ ‫طور تسويقها‪.‬‬ ‫نشر في مجالت مرموقة‪ ،‬بما في ذلك ‪ ،Science‬و‪،Nature Nanotechnology‬‬ ‫و‪ ،Nature Physics‬و‪ ،Nature Communications‬و‪.Advanced Materials‬‬ ‫وحصل على العديد من الجوائز‪ ،‬مثل زمالة بحوث هومبولت للبحوث ذات الخبرة‬ ‫ً‬ ‫متحدثا‬ ‫في ‪ .2011‬وقدم العديد من المحاضرات في مختلف المؤتمرات وكان‬ ‫ً‬ ‫مدعوا في أكثر من ‪ 60‬ندوة دولية‪ .‬وهو محرر ‪ ،FlatChem‬المجلة العلمية‬ ‫التي تركز على كيمياء المواد المسطحة وأحادية الطبقات وتطبيقاتها‪.‬‬

4

3 Lain-Jong (Lance) Li, material science and engineering—promoted to the rank of professor KAUST Professor Lain-Jong (Lance) Li joined the University in 2014 after holding a research fellow position at the Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica in Taiwan. He has several years of work experience in industry with the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. He obtained his Ph.D. in condensed matter physics from the University of Oxford in 2006.

Li pioneered the growth of 2-D transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs)—namely MoS2 and WSe2 monolayers—by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), a method recognized across the world as the best to produce high-quality 2-D materials. His work has stimulated the whole TMDs, which exhibit electronic properties that make them suitable for the next generation of flexible electronics. He also developed Li-S batteries that exhibit much higher capacities than Li-ion batteries and is in the process of commercializing these batteries.

He publishes in prestigious journals, including Science, Nature Nanotechnology, Nature Physics, Nature Communications and Advanced Materials, and he has received several awards, including the Humboldt Research Fellowship for Experienced Research in 2011. He has presented numerous lectures at various conferences and was an invited speaker at more than 60 international symposia. He is also the editor of FlatChem, an Elsevier journal focusing on the chemistry of 2-D and flat materials, and is the CTO of a company that produces graphenebased thermal dissipating sheets for electronics.

Yu Han, chemical science—promoted to the rank of professor KAUST Professor Yu Han received his Ph.D. in inorganic synthesis and preparative chemistry from Jilin University in 2003. He joined KAUST in 2009 as an assistant professor and was promoted to associate professor in 2011. Han is a solid-state chemist whose scientific interests and expertise lie in the design of novel porous and nanostructured materials. His research focuses on synthesis and characterization of novel mesoporous and microporous materials. Finely tuned porous materials find widespread use in heterogeneous catalysis and gas separation applications. His group synthesized the first tri-continuous mesoporous material that possesses three identical interpenetrating channels.

8

THE BEACON | AUGUST 2017

Han is also a specialist in transmission electron microscopy (TEM), a necessary tool to elucidate the highly complicated nanostructures of polymeric and inorganic porous materials.

He publishes in top scientific journals such as Science, Nature Materials, JACS and Energy and Environmental Science. He was listed as an Asian Rising Star at the 15th Asian Chemical Congress and was awarded the Cheung Kong Scholar award in 2016 by the Chinese Ministry of Education.

Muhammad Hussain, electrical engineering— promoted to the rank of professor KAUST Professor Muhammad Hussain received his Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from The University of Texas at Austin in December of 2005. He came to KAUST in 2009 following several years of working in industry with Texas Instruments and SEMATECH. Hussain is an innovative leader in the area of flexible and stretchable complementary metal-oxidesemiconductor (CMOS) electronics and nanoelectronics (for example, wearable computers and sensors), and has shown that CMOS devices can be successfully used in flexible electronics.

His work has received extensive media attention, including a 2016 Washington Post article concluding that research that takes place in his group can usher in a new global era of technology accessibility.

Hussain serves as an associate editor of IEEE Transactions on Electronic Devices and is editor-in-chief for Applied Nanoscience.

He is also a fellow of the American Physical Society and the Institute of Physics (U.K.), and has received 40 international recognitions and awards.

Taous-Meriem Laleg-Kirati, electrical engineering—promoted to the rank of associate professor KAUST Professor Taous-Meriem Laleg-Kirati joined the University in 2011 after being a postdoctoral fellow and a researcher at INRIA Bordeaux (France). She received her Ph.D. in applied mathematics in 2008 from INRIA and Versailles University.

Laleg-Kirati’s work is in the general area of mathematical control theory, systems modeling and their applications. She has also worked and collaborated on a variety of applications for infinitedimensional systems, including desalination, medical imaging and solar-distributed collectors.

‫‪3. Dean Mootaz Elnozahy (left) congratulates‬‬

‫‪KAUST Professor Taous-Meriem Laleg-Kirati on her‬‬ ‫‪promotion to associate professor.‬‬

‫‪4. Dean Yves Gnanou (left) stands with KAUST‬‬

‫‪Professor Yu Han after Han received his promotion‬‬ ‫‪to professor.‬‬

‫‪5. Dean Mootaz Elnozahy (right) congratulates‬‬ ‫‪KAUST Professor Ying Wu on her promotion to‬‬ ‫‪associate professor.‬‬

‫‪5‬‬ ‫البروفيسور يو هان‪ ،‬العلوم الكيميائية ‪ -‬ترقية إلى رتبة‬

‫تاوس مريم الليج‪ -‬كيراتي‪ ،‬الهندسة الكهربائية‪ -‬ترقية إلى‬

‫نال البروفسور هان شهادة الدكتوراه في الكيمياء غير العضوية والكيمياء‬ ‫التحضيرية من جامعة جيلين في ‪ .2003‬التحق بجامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم‬ ‫والتقنية في ‪ 2009‬كأستاذ مساعد وتمت ترقيته إلى أستاذ مشارك في ‪.2011‬‬ ‫وتنصب اهتماماته‬ ‫البروفيسور هان كيميائي متخصص بالحالة الصلبة للمواد‪،‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫العلمية وخبرته على تصميم مواد مسامية ونانوية جديدة‪ .‬تركز أبحاثه على‬ ‫تصنيع وتوصيف مواد مسامية جديدة تستخدم في تطبيقات الحفز غير المتجانس‬ ‫وفصل الغاز‪ .‬جمعت مجموعته أول ثالثة مواد مسامية (ميسوبورووس) مستمرة‬ ‫ً‬ ‫أيضا في المجهر‬ ‫تمتلك ثالث قنوات متشابكة متطابقة‪ .‬الدكتور هان متخصص‬ ‫يعد أداة ضرورية لتوضيح البنية النانوية المعقدة‬ ‫اإللكتروني (‪ ،)TEM‬الذي ّ‬ ‫للغاية في المواد المسامية البوليمرية وغير العضوية‪ .‬نشر أبحاثه في مجالت‬ ‫علمية مرموقة مثل‪ ،Science :‬و‪ ،Nature Materials‬و‪ ،JACS‬و‪Energy and‬‬ ‫‪ .Environmental Science‬وقد تم إدراجه كنجم آسيوي صاعد فى المؤتمر‬ ‫الكيماوي اآلسيوي الـ‪ ،15‬وحصل على جائزة تشيونج كونج فى ‪ 2016‬من قبل‬ ‫وزارة التعليم الصينية‪.‬‬

‫انضمت البروفيسورة الليج‪-‬كيراتي إلى جامعة الملك عبداهلل في ‪ 2011‬بعد أن‬ ‫كانت باحثة ما بعد الدكتوراه وباحثة في معهد إنريا بوردو في فرنسا‪ .‬حصلت‬ ‫على الدكتوراه في الرياضيات التطبيقية في ‪ 2008‬من جامعة إنريا وفرساي‪.‬‬ ‫عملت البروفيسورة الليج‪-‬كيراتي في المجال العام لنظرية التحكم الرياضي‪،‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫أيضا وتعاونت في مجموعة متنوعة من‬ ‫ونمذجة النظم وتطبيقاتها‪ .‬وعملت‬ ‫تطبيقات نظم تحلية المياه والتصوير الطبي والطاقة الشمسية‪ .‬تنشر البروفيسورة‬ ‫الليج‪-‬كيراتي في مجالت علمية مرموقة‪ ،‬مثل ‪SIAM Journal on Scientific‬‬ ‫‪ ،Computing‬و‪ ،Solar Energy‬و‪ ،Journal of Mathematical Biology‬و‪Journal‬‬ ‫‪ ،of Neuroscience‬و‪ .IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control‬تم ترقيتها‬ ‫إلى عضو في ‪ IEEE‬في ‪ ،2015‬وهو العام نفسه الذي فازت فيه بجائزة أفضل‬ ‫ورقة في مؤتمر ‪ IEEE‬الدولي عن هندسة التحكم وتقنية المعلومات مع أحد‬ ‫طلبتها‪ .‬تشارك الليج‪-‬كيرتي في العديد من المؤسسات األكاديمية في المملكة‪،‬‬ ‫بما في ذلك جامعة الملك فهد للبترول والمعادن ومركز الملك عبداهلل للتصوير‬ ‫فعاال ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫جدا لطلبتها‪.‬‬ ‫توجيها‬ ‫تقدم‬ ‫الطبي‪ ،‬كما ّ‬

‫محمد مصطفى حسين‪ ،‬الهندسة الكهربائية‪-‬ترقية إلى رتبة‬

‫زيانغالنغ زانغ‪ ،‬علوم الحاسب اآللي‪ -‬ترقية إلى رتبة‬

‫تلقى البروفيسور محمد حسين درجة الدكتوراه في الهندسة الكهربائية وهندسة‬ ‫الكمبيوتر من جامعة تكساس في أوستن في ديسمبر ‪ .2005‬التحق بجامعة‬ ‫الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية في ‪ 2009‬بعد عدة سنوات من العمل مع‬ ‫شركة تكساس إنسترومنتس وسيماتيك‪ .‬البروفيسور حسين رائد مبتكر في مجال‬ ‫اإللكترونيات المرنة والمتكاملة ‪ ،CMOS‬واإللكترونيات النانوية (مثل الكمبيوترات‬ ‫وأجهزة االستشعار التي يمكن ارتداؤها) حيث أثبت أن أجهزة ‪ CMOS‬يمكن‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫واسعا من وسائل‬ ‫اهتماما‬ ‫استخدامها بنجاح في اإللكترونيات المرنة‪ .‬القى عمله‬ ‫اإلعالم‪ ،‬بما في ذلك مقال نشرته صحيفة واشنطن بوست في ‪ ،2016‬خلص إلى‬ ‫ً‬ ‫عصرا‬ ‫أن األبحاث التي تجري في مجموعة البروفيسور حسين يمكن أن تستهل‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫جديدا‪.‬‬ ‫عالميا‬ ‫تقنيا‬

‫حصلت البروفيسورة تشانغ على درجة الدكتوراه في علوم الحاسب اآللي من إنريا‬ ‫في ‪ ،2010‬وكانت عالمة زائرة في ‪ IBM‬قبل انضمامها إلى جامعة الملك عبداهلل‬ ‫كأستاذ مساعد في ‪ .2011‬بحثت البروفيسورة تشانغ في مجال التعلم اآللي‬ ‫واستخراج البيانات‪ ،‬وهي متخصصة في تحليل البيانات الزمانية (مثل حركة البيانات‬ ‫وتطور خوارزميات‬ ‫والبيانات التي تنطوي على حركة مستخدمي الهواتف النقالة)‪،‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫لتمثيل وتحليل البيانات الخام‪ .‬تشمل أبحاث البروفيسورة تشانغ العمل مع شركة‬ ‫‪ IBM‬على الحوسبة السحابية‪ ،‬والعمل مع مركز أبحاث البحر األحمر لدراسة سلوك‬ ‫وتتبع المخلفات البالستيكية في مياه البحر‪ .‬وهي تشارك في‬ ‫الحيوانات البحرية ّ‬ ‫أعلى المجالت العلمية في هذا المجال‪ ،‬مثل‪IEEE Transactions on Knowledge :‬‬ ‫‪ ،and Data Engineering‬و‪ ،Journal of Very Large Data Bases‬وكذلك في أبرز‬ ‫المؤتمرات‪ ،‬مثل‪،Conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining :‬‬ ‫و‪ .Conference on Information and Knowledge Management‬ويشار إلى‬ ‫ً‬ ‫فعاليتها العالية في‬ ‫البروفيسورة تشانغ‬ ‫أيضا كأستاذة ذات شعبية كبيرة‪ ،‬بفضل ّ‬ ‫الجمع بين النظرية والممارسة في دروسها‪.‬‬

‫بروفيسور‬

‫بروفيسور‬

‫يعمل البروفيسور حسين كمحرر مشارك في مطبوعة ‪IEEE Transactions on‬‬ ‫‪ ،Electronic Devices‬ويرأس تحرير ‪ .Applied Nanoscience‬وهو زميل في‬ ‫الجمعية الفيزيائية األمريكية ومعهد الفيزياء (المملكة المتحدة)‪ ،‬وحائز على ‪40‬‬ ‫شهادة تقدير وجائزة عالمية‪.‬‬

‫‪9‬‬

‫‪www.kaust.edu.sa‬‬

‫رتبة بروفيسور مشارك‬

‫بروفيسور مشارك‬

6

Laleg-Kirati publishes in top-ranked journals, including SIAM Journal on Scientific Computing, Solar Energy, Journal of Mathematical Biology, Journal of Neuroscience and IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control. She was elevated to an IEEE senior member in 2015, the same year she won the best paper award at the IEEE International Conference on Control Engineering and Information Technology with one of her students. She is a valuable collaborator in the Kingdom with several organizations, including KFUPM and King Abdullah Medical Imaging Center, and is a very effective mentor to her students.

joining KAUST in 2012. Working in the University's Clean Combustion Research Center, he develops state-of-the-art comprehensive chemical kinetic models to simulate fuel combustion in automotive, aviation and stationary powergeneration engines. His research involves developing complex chemical-reaction networks with associated kinetic, thermodynamic and transport parameters to predict combustion processes. Various fundamental experiments are conducted in his laboratories to develop cleaner burning fuels. His group is also developing a combustion cyber infrastructure for public access to their fuel design tools.

Xiangliang Zhang, computer science— promoted to the rank of associate professor

Sarathy was selected as a Highly Cited Researcher in 2015 by Thomson Reuters and publishes in internationally recognized combustion science and engineering journals. He is an associate editor for Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, an editorial board member for Combustion and Flame and has served as a colloquium co-chair for the 36th International Combustion Symposium for the Combustion Institute in 2016.

He has several pending U.S. patents.

KAUST Professor Xiangliang Zhang obtained her Ph.D. in computer science from INRIA in 2010 and was a visiting scientist at IBM before she joined KAUST as an assistant professor in 2011. Zhang’s research is in the field of machine learning and data mining, and she specializes in analyzing temporal data like traffic data and data involving movement of mobile phone users. She develops algorithms to more efficiently represent the knowledge found in raw data and to analyze this data.

Zhang’s research collaborations include work with IBM on cloud computing and work with the KAUST Red Sea Research Center on the behavior of sea animals and on tracking plastic debris in seawater. She publishes in top journals in the field, such as IEEE Transactions on Knowledge and Data Engineering and Journal of Very Large Data Bases, as well as in the proceedings of top conferences, such as in the Conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining and the Conference on Information and Knowledge Management. Zhang is also a popular professor who is extremely effective at combining both theory and practice in her courses.

Mani Sarathy, chemical and biological engineering—promoted to the rank of associate professor KAUST Professor Mani Sarathy obtained his Ph.D. in chemical engineering in 2010 from the University of Toronto. He spent two years at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory before

10

THE BEACON | AUGUST 2017

Ying Wu, applied mathematics and computational science—promoted to the rank of associate professor KAUST Professor Ying Wu joined the University in 2010 after completing a visiting scholar position at Stanford University.

She obtained her Ph.D. in physics in 2008 from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, which was followed by a two-year postdoctoral fellowship. She works in the fields of modeling and computing classical wave propagation in complex systems, with a particular focus on homogenization schemes of complex heterogeneous media, metamaterials and Dirac and Dirac-like cones in periodic systems. Her contributions to the effective medium theory have pushed forward the state-of-the-art in this field, and her theory has been successfully used to design the first double-zero-index material.

Her publications appear in highly selective and prestigious journals in physics, such as Nature Materials, Physical Review and Applied Physics Letters. She is regularly invited to speak at major conferences and other venues, and is a gifted and highly effective teacher with strong involvement with her students and postdoctoral fellows. Notably, one of her students was selected to attend the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting this year.

‫‪7‬‬

‫ماني سراثي‪ ،‬الهندسة الكيميائية والبيولوجية ‪ -‬ترقية إلى رتبة‬

‫)‪6. KAUST President Jean-Lou Chameau (center‬‬ ‫)‪and Dean Mootaz Elnozahy (third from left‬‬ ‫‪congratulate promoted professors at the dinner‬‬ ‫‪event on May 8.‬‬ ‫‪7. The Faculty Recognition Dinner on May 8‬‬

‫‪recognized the achievements of the University's‬‬ ‫‪talented professors.‬‬

‫بروفيسور مشارك‬

‫حصل البروفيسور سراثي على درجة الدكتوراه في الهندسة الكيميائية في ‪ 2010‬من جامعة‬ ‫تورونتو‪ .‬أمضى سنتين في مختبر لورانس ليفرمور الوطني قبل انضمامه إلى جامعة الملك‬ ‫عبداهلل في ‪ .2012‬يعمل في مركز أبحاث االحتراق النظيف‪ ،‬ويطور أحدث النماذج الحركية‬ ‫الكيميائية الشاملة لمحاكاة احتراق الوقود في السيارات والطيران ومحركات الطاقة الثابتة‪.‬‬ ‫تشمل أبحاثه تطوير شبكات كيميائية تفاعلية معقدة مع البارامترات الحركية والحرارية‬ ‫الديناميكية للتنبؤ بعمليات االحتراق‪ .‬وتُ جرى في مختبره تجارب أساسية مختلفة لتطوير وقود‬ ‫ً‬ ‫أيضا بتطوير بنية تحتية سايبرية لغرفة االحتراق‪.‬‬ ‫احتراق أكثر نظافة‪ .‬وتقوم مجموعته‬ ‫اختير البروفيسور ساراثي كباحث مرجعي في ‪ 2015‬من قبل مؤسسة طومسون رويترز‪ ،‬وهو‬ ‫ينشر في مجالت علمية مرموقة متخصصة بشؤون االحتراق والهندسة‪ .‬وهو محرر مشارك لدى‬ ‫‪ ،Proceedings of the Combustion Institute‬وعضو هيئة تحرير ‪،Combustion and Flame‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫سابقا مهمة الرئيس المشارك للدورة ‪ 36‬من ندوة االحتراق الدولي‪ ،‬التي أقامها معهد‬ ‫وشغل‬ ‫االحتراق في ‪ .2016‬ولدى البروفيسور ساراثي عدة براءات اختراع أمريكية‪.‬‬

‫ينغ وه‪ ،‬الرياضيات التطبيقية والعلوم الحسابية‪ -‬ترقية إلى رتبة‬

‫بروفيسور مشارك‬

‫انضمت البروفيسورة وه إلى جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية في ‪ 2010‬بعد أن شغلت‬ ‫منصب باحث زائر في جامعة ستانفورد‪ .‬حصلت على الدكتوراه في الفيزياء في ‪ 2008‬من جامعة‬ ‫هونغ كونغ للعلوم والتكنولوجيا تلتها زمالة ما بعد الدكتوراه لمدة عامين‪ .‬تعمل البروفيسورة‬ ‫وه في مجاالت نمذجة وحوسبة انتشار الموجات الكالسيكية في النظم المعقدة‪ .‬مساهماتها‬ ‫التقدم في هذا المجال‪ ،‬وقد استخدمت نظريتها‬ ‫في نظرية الوسائط الفعالة دفعت بشكل واضح‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫بنجاح لتصميم أول مادة ذات مؤشر ثنائي األصفار‪.‬‬ ‫تظهر مساهماتها في مجالت علمية مرموقة ‪ ،‬مثل‪ ،Nature Materials :‬و‪،Physical Review‬‬ ‫وتتلقى بانتظام الدعوات إلى التحدث في المؤتمرات الرئيسية‬ ‫و‪.Applied Physics Letters‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫مدرسة موهوبة وفعالة للغاية‪ ،‬تشارك بقوة‬ ‫وغيرها من األنشطة العلمية‪ّ .‬‬ ‫تعد البروفيسورة وه ّ‬ ‫مع طلبتها وزمالء ما بعد الدكتوراه‪ .‬ومن الجدير بالذكر أن أحد طلبتها كان ضمن الباحثين الشباب‬ ‫المتميزين الذي جرى اختيارهم لحضور اجتماع لينداو للحائزين على جائزة نوبل‪.‬‬

‫‪11‬‬

‫‪www.kaust.edu.sa‬‬

TAQADAM startup showcase An audience of 250 guests saw 13 Saudi university startup teams pitch at the first TAQADAM University Entrepreneur Accelerator program showcase held at KAUST on May 11. The six-month-long TAQADAM startup program, which is based at the University and is sponsored by the Saudi British Bank (SABB), aims to develop early stage entrepreneurs and their concepts into new high-potential startups from universities across Saudi Arabia. It is the only multi-university startup accelerator in the Middle East.

"The TAQADAM program...drives innovation and supports the SME sector of the Saudi economy. It is an investment in our country’s youth."

- Ahmed Bin Saeed, marketing manager at SABB

the KAUST Entrepreneurship Center. “The winning teams on the day represented three different Saudi universities as well as a range of different technology and business model solutions.”

Kingdom-wide entrepreneurs The early stage startups that presented at the showcase included entrepreneurs from KAUST, King Abdulaziz University, Umm al-Qura University, Effat University, Taibah University and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM).

The TAQADAM cohort teams work in a wide range of technologies and industries, including healthcare, bioinformatics, new materials, the internet of things and software. The entrepreneurs were accepted into the TAQADAM cohort after participating in a highly competitive application process at the end of 2016.

“Right after the announcement of Vision 2030, we came up with an initiative that will help in driving the success of the vision—the TAQADAM program, which drives innovation and supports the SME sector of the Saudi economy. It is an investment in our country’s youth," said Ahmed Bin Saeed, marketing manager at SABB.

Winners announced

Ongoing support for the graduates

The overall winner of the first startup pitch competition was Telaa, which offers an intellectual property-based anti-corrosion protective coating that uses an innovative application of recycled crumb rubber. In second place was bioTags, which offers a novel proprietary technology to provide a platform for highly specific yet versatile in vivo protein modifications for research and industrial production.

Each year, the TAQADAM program chooses up to 30 startup teams from universities across Saudi Arabia. These successful teams receive up to $20,000 each in seed funding as part of the program. The accelerator offers a mentor-led development program that includes access to office space at the KAUST Entrepreneurship Center, support from members of the KAUST international mentor group and training to help launch and scale their new ventures.

In third place was Zayer, an online tour guide marketplace for private tours to historical and Islamic attractions in Madinah.

The audience award went to Al Maha Systems from KAUST, which provides an "internet of things" livestock health tracking system for farmers.

“Thirteen startups were competitively chosen from the total of 26 in the TAQADAM cohort to present for the first time to a public audience during this showcase,” said Amal Dokhan from

12

1

THE BEACON | AUGUST 2017

The most promising startups from the overall cohort of 26 teams are eligible for additional seed funding up to an aggregate total of $600,000 from the KAUST Innovation Fund that will be matched by an equal amount from SABB. The next application process will open in late September for the 2017/18 cohort. For more information, contact the Entrepreneurship Center at entrepreneurship@kaust.edu.sa.

‫‪1. Judges sit to hear pitches from 13 Saudi university‬‬ ‫‪startup teams at the first TAQADAM University‬‬ ‫‪Entrepreneur Accelerator program showcase held at‬‬ ‫‪KAUST on May 11.‬‬

‫‪2. Christos Tzivanakis from startup One Omega‬‬ ‫‪Seismics pitches for the startup during the TAQADAM‬‬ ‫‪event.‬‬ ‫‪3. Hussain Al-Dabbagh from startup Loger pitches for‬‬ ‫‪the startup at the TAQADAM event.‬‬

‫‪4. Startup Telaa won the first place, Judge's Award,‬‬ ‫‪during the TAQADAM University Entrepreneur‬‬ ‫‪Accelerator program showcase.‬‬

‫‪2‬‬ ‫‪3‬‬

‫‪4‬‬

‫منافسات قوية يشهدها برنامج "تَ َق َّدم"‬ ‫لتسريع المشاريع واألعمال الناشئة‬ ‫"تهانينا القلبية ألعضاء هيئة التدريس الذين حصلوا على ترقيات‪ .‬فمن خالل‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫فريقا للشركات الناشئة‪،‬‬ ‫ضيفا‪ ،‬تابعوا ‪13‬‬ ‫في بحضور جمهور من ‪250‬‬ ‫من الجامعات السعودية‪ ،‬تنافسوا في النسخة األولى من مسابقات‬ ‫برنامج "تَ َق َّدم" لتسريع المشاريع واألعمال الناشئة‪ ،‬أجرتها جامعة الملك‬ ‫عبداهلل في الحادي عشر من مايو هذا العام‪ .‬يمتد برنامج "تَ َق َّدم" لتسريع‬ ‫المشاريع واألعمال الناشئة‪ ،‬الذي يقام في الجامعة برعاية البنك السعودي‬ ‫البريطاني (ساب)‪ ،‬على مدى ستة أشهر‪ .‬ويهدف البرنامج إلى رعاية رواد‬ ‫األعمال الناشئة من مختلف الجامعات السعودية‪ ،‬وتطوير مفاهيمهم‬ ‫ورؤاهم للوصول بها إلى شركات ناشئة جديدة واعدة‪ .‬ويعد "تقدم" برنامج‬ ‫التسريع الوحيد متعدد الجامعات في الشرق األوسط‪.‬‬

‫اإلعالن عن الفائزين‬ ‫ً‬ ‫واقيا‬ ‫طالء‬ ‫كان الفائز في أول مسابقة هو مشروع "طالء"‪ ،‬الذي يقدم‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫مبتكرا أعيد تدويره‪ .‬وحل في المرتبة‬ ‫مطاطا‬ ‫مضادا للتآكل‪ ،‬ويستخدم‬ ‫منصة‬ ‫يقدم تقنية خاصة جديدة ّ‬ ‫توفر ّ‬ ‫الثانية مشروع "‪ ،"bioTags‬الذي ّ‬ ‫متطورة لتعديالت البروتين المتنوعة وفائقة التحديد في الجسم الحي‪،‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ألغراض البحث واإلنتاج الصناعي‪.‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫وحل في المركز الثالث "زائر"‪ ،‬وهو دليل سياحي عبر اإلنترنت لجوالت‬ ‫خاصة إلى مناطق الجذب التاريخية واإلسالمية في المدينة المنورة‪ .‬فيما‬ ‫ذهبت جائزة الجمهور إلى مشروع "أنظمة المها" من جامعة الملك عبداهلل‬ ‫ً‬ ‫لتتبع ورصد صحة‬ ‫للعلوم والتقنية‪ ،‬والتي توفر‬ ‫نظاما بتقنية "إنترنت األشياء" ّ‬ ‫الماشية في المزارع‪.‬‬ ‫وفي هذا اإلطار‪ ،‬تقول أمل دخان‪ ،‬من مركز ريادة األعمال في جامعة‬ ‫ً‬ ‫فريقا للشركات الناشئة‪ ،‬جرى‬ ‫الملك عبداهلل‪" :‬شملت المنافسة ثالثة عشر‬ ‫ً‬ ‫قدموا مشاريعهم ألول مرة أمام الجمهور‬ ‫اختيارها من إجمالي ‪26‬‬ ‫فريقا‪ّ ،‬‬ ‫خالل هذا المعرض"‪ .‬وتضيف‪" :‬تمثل الفرق الفائزة اليوم ثالث جامعات‬ ‫ً‬ ‫فضال عن مجموعة من الحلول المختلفة في مجال‬ ‫سعودية مختلفة‪،‬‬ ‫التقنيات واألعمال"‪.‬‬

‫‪13‬‬

‫‪www.kaust.edu.sa‬‬

‫رواد أعمال على مستوى المملكة‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫شملت المشاريع الناشئة التي جرى عرضها رواد أعمال من جامعة الملك‬ ‫عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية‪ ،‬وجامعة الملك عبدالعزيز‪ ،‬وجامعة أم القرى‪،‬‬ ‫وجامعة عفت‪ ،‬وجامعة طيبة‪ ،‬وجامعة الملك فهد للبترول والمعادن‪.‬‬ ‫وتعمل الفرق المشاركة في برنامج "تَ َق َّدم" في مجموعة واسعة من‬ ‫المجاالت تشمل التقنيات والصناعات‪ ،‬بما في ذلك الرعاية الصحية‪،‬‬ ‫والبيولوجيا الحاسوبية‪ ،‬والمواد الجديدة‪ ،‬وإنترنت األشياء‪ ،‬والبرمجيات‪.‬‬ ‫"تقدم" بعد المشاركة في عملية‬ ‫وقد تم قبول رواد األعمال في برنامج‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫تنافسية دقيقة بدأت مع نهاية العام ‪.2016‬‬ ‫يقول أحمد بن سعيد‪ ،‬مدير التسويق في ساب‪" :‬بعد اإلعالن عن رؤية‬ ‫‪ ،2030‬توصلنا إلى مبادرة من شأنها أن تواكب وتدعم هذه الرؤية‪ ،‬فكان‬ ‫برنامج "تقدم" الذي يدفع عجلة االبتكار‪ ،‬ويدعم قطاع الشركات الصغيرة‬ ‫والمتوسطة في االقتصاد السعودي"‪ .‬ويضيف‪" :‬إنه استثمار في قدرات‬ ‫وطاقات شبابنا"‪.‬‬

‫الدعم المستمر للخريجين‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ناشئا من شتى جامعات‬ ‫فريقا‬ ‫"تقدم" في كل عام نحو ‪30‬‬ ‫يختار برنامج‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫أساسيا لبدء مشاريعها‬ ‫تمويال‬ ‫المملكة العربية السعودية‪ .‬تتلقى هذه الفرق‬ ‫يصل إلى ‪ 20‬ألف دوالر كجزء من البرنامج ومن ثم ضمها إلى برنامج تطوير‬ ‫إرشادي يقدم لها مساحات عمل مكتبية مع كامل دعم ومساندة المدربين‬ ‫الدوليين في مركز ريادة األعمال في جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية‪،‬‬ ‫وتدريب للمساعدة في إطالق مشاريعها الجديدة وتوسيع نطاقها‪.‬‬ ‫وتحظى المشاريع الواعدة األبرز التي تتأهل في المنافسة‪ ،‬والمكونة من‬ ‫ً‬ ‫يقدمه صندوق‬ ‫‪26‬‬ ‫فريقا‪ ،‬بتمويل إضافي يصل مجموعه إلى ‪ 600‬ألف دوالر‪ّ ،‬‬ ‫االبتكار في جامعة الملك عبداهلل‪ ،‬وبتمويل مماثل من ساب‪.‬‬ ‫يفتح باب الترشح وتقديم الطلبات في النسخة الثانية من البرنامج أواخر‬ ‫سبتمبر المقبل‪ ،‬للعام الجامعي ‪ .2018/2017‬للحصول على مزيد من‬ ‫المعلومات يرجى االتصال بمركز ريادة األعمال‪.‬‬

Addressing the CFD challenge 1

By David Murphy Although computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is arguably the oldest area of computational science, it remains one of the most challenging and most occupied. CFD is widely used to supplement experiment and to interpolate between experimental scenarios. Globally, many research centers and labs in the private sector, government and academia are focused on developing and applying CFD algorithms.

The case studies discussed during the event highlighted the many research groups and centers at KAUST, including applied mathematics and computational science, computational science and engineering, mechanical engineering, earth science and engineering and environmental science.

Due to the growing numbers of problems—where live experiments are impossible, dangerous and/or too costly— CFD is increasingly applied to scenarios where it must be a predictive tool in its own right. This predictiveness requires a precision that is made possible by both algorithmic and hardware advances. At KAUST, many groups are researching CFD algorithms in various contexts, including those of Professors Im, Ketcheson, Keyes, Parsani, Samtaney, Stenchikov, Sun and others.

Phillip Colella, a professor in the mechanical engineering department at the University of California, Berkeley, and a staff scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, gave the opening keynote address of the conference. His talk centered on the design of numerical algorithms for partial differential equations on next-generation computer architectures.

Computational fluid dynamics [CFD] really has been driven by advances in computing power, and even from the very earliest of days, CFD has been predictive.”

- Freddie Witherden, postdoctoral fellow, Stanford University The University recently brought together the aforementioned researchers with local and international CFD scientists from academia and industry to discuss and present their latest work and findings at the KAUST Research Conference: Predictive Complex Computational Fluid Dynamics (PCCFD). The multidisciplinary conference held from May 22 to 24 highlighted ongoing efforts in applied mathematics, numerical analysis and computer science that are crucial to the next generation of algorithms for CFD. In particular, the event focused on cuttingedge research applied in the field of algorithmic development for CFD and multi-scale, complex flow simulations.

Combining the ‘DNA of KAUST’ Topics covered during the conference included variable-order, nonlinearly stable algorithms for compressible flows in complex geometries; efficient and robust adaptive mesh refinement (AMR); fluid-structure interaction; positivity preservation; stability of laminar flows and transition to turbulence; uncertainty quantification and global sensitivity analysis in CFD; predictive flow simulation of natural and built environments; and the importance of CFD in the aerospace and oil industry.

14

THE BEACON | AUGUST 2017

‘Dissipation or dispersion’

Colella gave several examples of how these new architectures lead to tradeoffs in the design of numerical algorithms for PDE, trading flops for bytes in a way that reduces the overall data traffic and memory footprint required to obtain a given level of accuracy in a calculation.

“We need to throw away one piece of hardware wisdom from the last century, which is that flops are expensive and you have to minimize them. Dollars per flop will decrease by a factor of 100 over a 10 year period, and this opens up a huge opportunity.

However, we need to improve and reduce our communications cost and we need to get closer to the engineering for high performance,” Colella said.

“One flop per byte is the best we can possibly do and we might not even achieve that. To get more flops per core, you have to do a lot of hard programming work or development. For underresolved features, there are only two choices, dissipation or dispersion, and dispersion is generally worse,” he noted.

Alliances between research and industry Since the University’s opening, the flow of patents and technologies has become a bedrock of shared interests and collaboration between KAUST and its global industrial partners.

Director of the University’s Extreme Computing Research Center David Keyes highlighted this ongoing partnership through his introduction of Brian Mitchell, a senior principal engineer at GE GLOBAL Research. Mitchell was invited to share his and GE’s research in CFD. “We are very pleased to have Brian here today representing the alliance between KAUST and industry,” Keyes noted.

“GE has a long history of innovation from light bulbs to jet engines, and we are constantly reinventing the industries we're impacting. GE has a core competency in aerodynamics.

Aerodynamics is a very competitive and highly technical field—the world demands better performance, and we have to provide by hook or by crook,” Mitchell said.

1.

Director of the University’s Extreme Computing Research Center David Keyes addresses attendees at the recent PCCFD Conference.

2. KAUST Research Scientist Andrew Litvinenko (left) from the University's Extreme Computing Research Center discusses a poster with a PCCFD Conference attendee.

2 “We leverage our partnerships with many academic organizations and our various partners, including KAUST. A lot of what we've done is in the details—lots and lots of details—and organizational success requires integrated strategy,” he noted.

Predicting future challenges Amanda Randles, assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Duke University, opened the second day of the conference with her keynote entitled “Treatment Planning and the Movement of Circulating Tumor Cells in the Bloodstream.”

Randles’ talk focused on the role hemodynamic forces have in the localization and development of a disease. She discussed computational approaches that can extend the computational models to include physiologically accurate hematocrit levels in large regions of the circulatory system. These image-based models yield insight into the underlying mechanisms driving disease progression and inform surgical planning or the design of next-generation drug delivery systems.

“We try to predict where metastasis may occur and we want to give doctors more predictive power—we build patient-specific computational models. Currently, cardiovascular disease is one of the highest burden diseases in the U.S. and metastasis is responsible for over 90 percent of cancer-related deaths,” Randles said.

“At Duke, we want to understand the fluid dynamics and add in some of our cell models and also biochemistry. With all these optimizations, we've been able to make drastic improvements,” she said.

Following on from Randles, Matteo Parsani, KAUST assistant professor of applied mathematics and computational science, spoke on sustained petascale production-mode DNS of secondary flows with a very high-order IMEX solver on three of the most powerful supercomputers in the world. Parsani discussed whether Reynolds numbers greater than 30,000 strengthen or dampen the secondary flows and how flow properties are affected.

Manuel Torrilhon, professor of mathematics at RWTH Aachen University, delivered the closing presentation of the conference's second day. Torrilhon’s talk was focused on the steady linearized Boltzmann equation using Hermite discretization.

“We are facing a challenge when you look at the two extremes.

You need to go back in certain situations to close the system and solve the problem. Solving Boltzmann is at least as difficult as CFD,” Torrilhon stated.

Advances in computing power Catherine Gorle, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering from Stanford University, opened the final day of the conference by highlighting the increasing use of CFD to inform design decisions for buildings and cities. Gorle drew attention to the fact that CFD enables the detailed investigation of flow

and dispersion patterns and can be used to design for optimal pedestrian wind comfort, air quality, thermal comfort, renewable energy resources and wind loading.

“By 2030, almost 60 percent of the world's population will live in urban areas. The world's cities occupy just 3 percent of the Earth's land but account for 60 to 80 percent of energy consumption and 75 percent of carbon emissions. There is a known connection between air pollution and respiratory and cardiovascular disease,” Gorle said.

“Implementing natural ventilation strategies could halve building energy consumption worldwide. Through our research, we distinguish between two types of uncertainties, and we want to ensure numerical errors are as small as they could possibly be,” she added.

The emergence of CFD Freddie Witherden, a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford University, spoke on behalf of Antony Jameson, professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Stanford. The presentation reviewed the evolution of CFD over the last four decades and covered the transition to progressively higher fidelity models and progressively more complex geometry. Industrial applications of CFD and some current developments of high order methods using unstructured meshes were also discussed.

“The emergence of CFD in the 1965 to 2005 period depended on a combination of advances in computer power and algorithms.

In 1960, the underlying principles of fluid dynamics and the formulation of the governing equations (potential flow, Euler, RANS) were well-established,” Witherden said.

“CFD really has been driven by advances in computing power, and even from the very earliest of days, CFD has been predictive,” Witherden added.

The scope to adapt In the closing address of the conference, Keyes explored the topic of algorithmic adaptations to extreme scale and specifically the contributions of the PCCFD workshop talks to the agenda of exascale algorithms.

“While obtaining the next order of magnitude of performance, we need another order of performance efficiency. If we could just keep weak scaling with memory and memory bandwidth to go along with the extra computing capacity as we have for the past three decades, we would be in good shape. However, we now have to do more computing with less power per operation delivered to the application through strong scaling, which will be very challenging,” Keyes said. “Fortunately, this part of the challenge—to make CFD more predictive—is one that is shared with many applications and is being addressed by all of the G8 countries engaged in supercomputing at the scale of KAUST and its partners.”

www.kaust.edu.sa

15

The next generation of sensing platforms

1

By Caitlin Clark

The University welcomed 70 delegates to the third annual KAUST Sensor Initiative, held on campus from May 7 to 8.

The interdisciplinary meeting aimed to transform sensor technologies and explore novel applications, create a global group of sensor pioneers and mentor a new generation of sensor experts.

The Sensor Initiative gave me an excellent opportunity to interact not just with chemists but also with material scientists and engineers from all over the world who converged at KAUST to lead the next generation of extremely sensitive and industrially relevant sensing platforms."

- Niveen Khashab, KAUST associate professor of chemical science To achieve these goals, teams of researchers came together from across the University’s three divisions with support from experts from universities and institutes around the world, including from MIT, UCLA, Brown University, Georgia Tech, TU Delft, Swansea University, the University of Regensburg and the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS).

Developing devices, building collaborations Dr. Manus Ward from the KAUST Office of Sponsored Research (OSR) opened the symposium, which was chaired

by Khaled Salama, KAUST associate professor of electrical

16

THE BEACON | AUGUST 2017

engineering. In his opening presentation “A research center without walls,” Salama commented on the unique nature of the initiative, in which 18 KAUST faculty members and 13 international experts worked towards a common vision.

The symposium featured five parallel project workshops, with the second day including a series of plenary presentations. The meeting’s discussions covered a diverse range of subjects such as perpetual wireless sensor networks, chemical sensors, magnetic sensors and sensing tools, “smart” programmable nanomaterials and organic electronic materials for health monitoring. The event’s poster presentation session highlighted the significant involvement of students in the symposium, providing them with an opportunity to showcase their research and discuss it with world-leading experts.

Notable KAUST talks included “Development of FET-based CNT Chemical Sensors,” featuring collaborative work between KAUST Professors Xixiang Zhang and Khaled Salama and MIT’s Professor Timothy Swager; and “Coupled Animal and Artificial Sensing for Sustainable Ecosystems,” a project chaired by KAUST Professor Carlos Duarte that included KAUST Professors Jurgen Kosel, Muhammad Mustafa Hussain, Atif Shamim, Burton Jones and Xiangliang Zhang and external collaborators Professors Victor Equiluz (IFISC), Michael Strano (MIT), Mani Srivastava (UCLA), Rory Wilson (Swansea University) and Mark Meekan (AIMS).

New opportunities KAUST Associate Professor Niveen Khashab noted her talk “Design, synthesis and applications of ‘smart’ programmable materials” gave her an “excellent opportunity to interact not just with chemists but also with material scientists and engineers from all over the world who converged at KAUST to lead the next generation of extremely sensitive and industrially relevant sensing platforms.”

3

2

4 Workshop speaker Atif Shamim, KAUST associate professor of electrical engineering, stated that “the event was like a crash course in advanced multidisciplinary sensor systems.

It was amazing to participate in the Sensor Initiative with so many specialists from so many different fields and renowned institutions, and I learned much during the two days from the presentations and my interactions with other participants.”

“At KAUST, we try to leverage the properties of organic electronic materials in the growing field of bioelectronics,” said conference speaker Sahika Inal, KAUST assistant professor of bioscience. “My event talk ‘Organic electronic materials and devices for clinical health monitoring and therapeutic applications’ was well-received.”

“The Sensor Initiative is a program where I once more witnessed and appreciated the fact that we as KAUST faculty are encouraged to come together to make impactful research,” she continued. “This is the spirit of my own research group—an interdisciplinary team of people who complement each other.”

5 1. Over 70 delegates participated in the

KAUST Sensor Initiative held on campus from May 7 to 8.

2. KAUST Ph.D. student Zhenwei Wang (left) listens to a fellow researcher discuss his work during the poster session as part of the recent KAUST Sensor Initiative.

3. KAUST Associate Professor of Chemical

Science Niveen Khashab gives a talk entitled “Design, synthesis and applications of ‘smart’ programmable materials” during the KAUST Sensor Initiative.

4. Aram Amassian, KAUST associate professor of material science and engineering, presents his research work as part of the KAUST Sensor Initiative.

5. Muhammad Mustafa Hussain, KAUST professor of electrical engineering, gives a talk on his research during the KAUST Sensor Initiative.

The next Sensor Initiative will take place from May 6 to 7, 2018.

www.kaust.edu.sa

17

Pioneering materials science

1

By Caitlin Clark

For 12 KAUST students and postdoctoral fellows and 11 University faculty members, the 2017 Materials Research Society (MRS) Spring Meeting & Exhibit in Phoenix, Arizona, U.S., held from April 17 to 21, proved an outstanding venue to learn more about key materials science topics, network with other researchers and students and spend some time out of the lab.

“Being in MRS is an experience that makes your Ph.D. more memorable,” he continued. “There are many societies on campus, but the MRS student chapter keeps students in touch with science and provides an opportunity to organize external events. These opportunities are seldom available for Ph.D. students.”

Science reporting

At the Materials Research Society conferences, we learn more, represent KAUST and get to meet the pioneers of materials science. All of these experiences enable us—and KAUST—to excel in research.”

- KAUST Ph.D. student Rahim Munir MRS holds two major meetings per year in the spring and the fall, convening materials science researchers and experts from around the world to share their work and learn about career opportunities. KAUST students, postdocs and faculty members often take part in these meetings, bringing their unique perspectives and experience to the events.

KAUST students and MRS KAUST student participation was a special part of the 2016 MRS Fall Meeting & Exhibit in Boston, Massachusetts, during which KAUST MRS student chapter members Ahmed Mansour (Ph.D. ’16), Guy Olivier Ngongang Ndjawa (Ph.D. ’16), Rahim Munir, Maha Alamoudi and Sanaa Alshammari and KAUST Professor Husam Alshareef gathered a series of experts together for the Student-Organized Events, a three-day series of seminars and workshops covering writing and publishing skills.

Munir represented the KAUST student chapter at the Spring 2017 event, attending a university chapters luncheon to recap the Fall 2016 communication seminars for attendees.

“After the success of our Student-Organized Events last year, I felt great to represent the KAUST MRS student chapter in Arizona to motivate other students to follow their creativity,” Munir said. “I believe our work at the 2016 Fall Meeting & Exhibit spoke louder than my talk at the luncheon. Every time I represent KAUST either through my work or in an extracurricular framework, I feel honored and humble at the same time.”

18

THE BEACON | AUGUST 2017

KAUST material science and engineering (MSE) Ph.D. student Ahmad Kirmani had a unique role at the Spring 2017 event— not only did he present his research work in highly efficient air-stable scalable colloidal quantum dot (CQD) solar cells fabricated in a high-humidity environment—but he also acted as a science writer and reporter for the MRS blog Meeting Scene, covering 20 research presentations from the conference.

“I’ve attended several other international conferences during my Ph.D. at KAUST, but the MRS conference was a different affair for me because of my science reporter role,” he said. “My reports aimed to present some of the latest breakthroughs in the field of materials science to the broader materials research community, and my experience as a writer there led me to start my own blog on science writing.”

Kirmani has also been a member of the KAUST MRS student chapter for three years.

“I feel the student chapter is the materials science face of KAUST MSE students for the world,” he added. “It is important the chapter keeps going, as it gives the University’s MSE students an identity at international conferences and in research activities.”

Valuable career connections The Spring 2017 event was the first MRS conference KAUST postdoctoral fellow Yuliar Firdaus attended.

“My conference talk discussed the principles that guide the selection of polymer donors for bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells based on non-fullerene acceptors. The work has broader implications for further studies on the optimization of BHJ solar cell efficiencies with polymer donors and a wider range of nonfullerene acceptors,” Firdaus said.

“We had good work to present, and at the Spring 2017 conference, we were able to communicate and discuss this work with the relevant communities,” he noted. “This was the first time I had an oral presentation at a big international conference, so it was a valuable experience for me as part of my training as a scientist. I was also able to make career connections that will be valuable for my life after KAUST.”

‫‪1. Ahmad Kirmani (left), a KAUST Ph.D. student in material‬‬ ‫‪science and engineering, and KAUST Ph.D. student Rahim‬‬ ‫‪Munir attended the 2017 MRS Spring Meeting & Exhibit in‬‬ ‫‪Phoenix, Arizona. Photo by Caitlin Clark.‬‬ ‫‪2. KAUST Professors Luigi Cavallo (left) and Kazuhiro Takanabe‬‬ ‫‪attended the MRS Spring 2017 Meeting & Exhibit to give talks‬‬ ‫‪covering their research areas. Photo by Caitlin Clark.‬‬

‫‪2‬‬

‫الريادة في علوم المواد‬ ‫تعقد جمعية أبحاث المواد (‪ ،)MRS‬وهي منظمة أمريكية غير ربحية‪،‬‬ ‫متخصصة تضم باحثين وعلماء ومهندسين في مجال علوم المواد‪،‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫سنويا في فصل الربيع وفصل الخريف‪ ،‬ويتم‬ ‫تعقد لقاءين رئيسيين‬ ‫خاللهما دعوة الباحثين والخبراء في علم المواد من جميع أنحاء‬ ‫العالم للنقاش وتبادل األفكار والخبرات في مجال علوم المواد‬ ‫والتعرف على الفرص الوظيفية المتاحة‪.‬‬ ‫وأقيم الملتقى والمعرض الربيعي للجمعية في هذا العام في‬ ‫مدينة فينيكس بوالية أريزونا االمريكية‪ ،‬في الفترة من ‪ 17‬إلى ‪21‬‬ ‫أبريل بمشاركة ‪ 12‬من طلبة جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية‬ ‫وزمالء ما بعد الدكتوراه و ‪ 11‬من أعضاء هيئة التدريس بالجامعة‪.‬‬ ‫وشكلت هذه المناسبة فرصة فريدة لفريق الجامعة لزيادة المعرفة‬ ‫ً‬ ‫فضال عن التواصل مع‬ ‫في موضوعات علوم المواد الرئيسية‪،‬‬ ‫الباحثين والطلبة من المؤسسات البحثية األخرى وقضاء بعض‬ ‫الوقت خارج المختبر‪.‬‬

‫مشاركة طلبة الجامعة في ملتقى جمعية أبحاث‬ ‫المواد‬ ‫كانت مشاركة طلبة جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية في‬ ‫ً‬ ‫استكماال لسابقتها التي كانت في خريف ‪2016‬‬ ‫ملتقى هذا العام‬ ‫في مدينة بوسطن بوالية ماساتشوستس‪ ،‬بمشاركة أعضاء من فرع‬ ‫طلبة جمعية أبحاث المواد في الجامعة وأعضاء من هيئة التدريس‬ ‫والموظفين والطلبة من التخصصات المختلفة‪ .‬حيث نظم الطلبة‬ ‫أحمد منصور (درجة الدكتوراه ‪ ،)2016‬وغاي أوليفر (درجة الدكتوراه‬

‫‪19‬‬

‫‪www.kaust.edu.sa‬‬

‫‪ ،)2016‬ورحيم منير‪ ،‬ومها العمودي‪ ،‬وسناء الشمري‪ ،‬والبروفيسور‬ ‫حسام الشريف سلسلة من الندوات وورش العمل لمدة ثالثة أيام‬ ‫تغطي مهارات الكتابة والنشر‪.‬‬ ‫وفي هذا العام‪ ،‬قام الطالب رحيم منير بتمثيل طلبة فرع جمعية‬ ‫أبحاث المواد في جامعة الملك عبداهلل وقال بهذه المناسبة‪:‬‬ ‫"قدم النجاح الذي حققته فعالياتنا التي نظمناها في العام‬ ‫الماضي دفعة قوية لي كي أمثل فرع طلبة جمعية أبحاث‬ ‫المواد في جامعة الملك عبداهلل في هذا العام في والية‬ ‫اريزونا وذلك لتحفيز الطلبة اآلخرين على متابعة إبداعهم‪ .‬وأنا‬ ‫أشعر بفخر كبير في كل مرة أمثل فيها جامعة الملك عبداهلل‬ ‫سواء من خالل عملي أو في خارج إطار المناهج الدراسية‪".‬‬

‫الكتابة العلمية‬ ‫وكانت مشاركة طالب الدكتوراه في جامعة الملك عبداهلل أحمد‬ ‫كيرماني‪ ،‬من بين المشاركات المتميزة في فعاليات ملتقى الربيع‬ ‫لجمعية أبحاث المواد لعام ‪ ،2017‬حيث استعرض بحثه عن الخاليا‬ ‫الشمسية كوانتم دوت القابلة للتحجيم (‪ )CQD‬التي تم تصنيعها‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ومراسال لمدونة‬ ‫علميا‬ ‫كاتبا‬ ‫في بيئة عالية الرطوبة‪ ،‬كما أنه عمل‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫اجتماعات الجمعية التي اشتملت على ‪ 20‬عرضا تقديميا من أبحاث‬ ‫المؤتمر‪.‬‬ ‫يقول الطالب أحمد كيرماني‪" :‬لقد حضرت العديد من المؤتمرات‬ ‫الدولية األخرى خالل دراستي في جامعة الملك عبد اهلل للعلوم‬

3 Networking for high-impact research MSE Ph.D. student Ibrahim Dursun, part of the KAUST Functional Nanomaterials Lab, presented his work on using perovskite material as a color converter for simultaneous solid-state lighting and data communication at the conference.

“As a team, we developed a perovskite-based visible light communication color converter that has approximately 40 times better bandwidth than commercial converters and is nearly two times better than the best alternative converter,” he said. “Giving a talk on our work at such a big conference was a major motivator for my Ph.D. studies and also helped me to improve myself.”

“The conference gave me the opportunity to build my professional network and get to know other students in my field,” he continued. “Because there were so many people attending from all over the world, we were able to start new collaborations in our fields. The University’s generous funding enabling KAUST students to attend conferences is crucial for success in our work and future careers, as collaboration and networking are prerequisites for high impact research.”

A ‘great environment’ KAUST Associate Professor of Chemical Science and conference attendee Yu Han co-organized a symposium at the event entitled “Novel Catalytic Materials for Energy and Environment,” and gave a talk focusing on high resolution electron microscopy.

“MRS is the largest and the most prestigious conference for materials scientists,” noted Han. “Attendees definitely benefit from it because it is a very effective platform for discussion and communication. I was impressed to see the high attendance rate at the symposium and was impressed by the quality of presentations that took place.”

“The conference was a great environment this year,” echoed KAUST Assistant Professor of Bioscience Sahika Inal. “Every year at the MRS conferences we get to learn about recent research activities and discuss a variety of topics with colleagues from around the world. This tradition continued in Arizona.”

20

THE BEACON | AUGUST 2017

Inal presented her recently published work in bioelectronics— and specifically in conducting polymer scaffolds that can electrically communicate with mammalian cells—at the event.

“The scaffolds host cells and allow them to live in a 3-D physiologically relevant environment. Since they are electrically conducting, they can also pick up signals from the cells and convert these into an electrical output. This enables us to learn how the cells are doing within a tissue-like structure without destroying the tissue. The same scaffolds can also electrically stimulate the cells, and as such we can change the adhesion behavior of cells,” she explained.

Leaders in materials science KAUST Associate Professor of Chemical Science and conference speaker Kazuhiro Takanabe gave two invited talks at the event, “giving better visibility to both me and to KAUST,” he noted. “To gain even more visibility for the University, we need to continue participating in conferences like MRS, one of the largest audiences of experts you can expect to find at any event.”

“KAUST should be actively involved in organizing more symposiums and advertising the University as one of the fastestgrowing research universities at other upcoming MRS meetings,” added Han. “I hope to participate once more in the 2017 MRS Fall Meeting & Exhibit, which would be the last of my Ph.D. student career,” Munir said. “Because of the diverse learning opportunities, workshops and discussions, the conferences are always valuable for student life. At the MRS conferences, we learn more, represent KAUST and get to meet the pioneers of materials science. All of these experiences enable us—and KAUST—to excel in research.”

“Conferences like the Spring and Fall MRS events put us on the map for scientific activity and bring us abreast with the latest trends. In those respects, the Spring 2017 event was a great success,” Kirmani said.

4

‫‪3. (From left to right): Ahmed Mansour (Ph.D.‬‬ ‫‪'16), KAUST Professor Husam Alshareef,‬‬ ‫‪Ph.D. student Rahim Munir and Guy Olivier‬‬ ‫‪Ngongang Ndjawa (Ph.D. '16) set up the‬‬ ‫‪Student-Organized Events, a series of‬‬ ‫‪seminars and workshops on publishing and‬‬ ‫‪writing skills, at the 2016 MRS Fall Meeting‬‬ ‫‪& Exhibit in Boston, Massachusetts, as part‬‬ ‫‪of their work with the KAUST MRS student‬‬ ‫‪chapter. Photo by Nicholas Demille.‬‬ ‫)‪4. The 2017 Materials Research Society (MRS‬‬ ‫‪Spring Meeting & Exhibit in Phoenix, Arizona,‬‬ ‫‪was an important venue for KAUST students,‬‬ ‫‪postdoctoral fellows and faculty members to‬‬ ‫‪engage with other members of the materials‬‬ ‫‪science community. Photo by Caitlin Clark.‬‬

‫‪5. KAUST graduates Guy Olivier Ngongang‬‬ ‫‪Ndjawa (Ph.D. '16) (left) and Ahmed Mansour‬‬ ‫‪(Ph.D. '16) cite their experience as members‬‬ ‫‪of the University's MRS student chapter as an‬‬ ‫‪important part of their student careers. Photo‬‬ ‫‪by Helmy Al Sagaff.‬‬

‫‪5‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫كثيرا‬ ‫والتقنية‪ ،‬ولكن مؤتمر جمعية أبحاث المواد مختلف‬ ‫بالنسبة لي بسبب أنني عملت خالله كمراسل علمي أقدم‬ ‫تقارير علمية عن أحدث التقنيات واألبحاث في مجال علوم‬ ‫المواد للمجتمع البحثي في العالم‪ ،‬وقادتني هذه التجربة‬ ‫لعمل مدونتي الخاصة عن الكتابة العلمية‪".‬‬

‫تجربة قيمة‬ ‫يقول زميل ما بعد الدكتوراه في جامعة الملك عبداهلل يوليار‬ ‫فردوس‪" :‬كان هذا أول مؤتمر لجمعية أبحاث المواد أحضره‪،‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫شفهيا في مؤتمر‬ ‫طرحا‬ ‫وهي المرة األولى التي أقدم فيها‬ ‫دولي كبير‪ ،‬لذلك كانت تجربة قيمة بالنسبة لي للتواصل‬ ‫الوظيفي والنقاش وتبادل اآلراء واألفكار و كجزء أساسي من‬ ‫تدريبي كعالم‪".‬‬

‫التعارف والتعاون مع الطلبة الباحثين‬ ‫واستعرض طالب الدكتوراه إبراهيم دورسون من فرع‬ ‫طلبة جمعية أبحاث المواد في الجامعة ومختبر المواد‬ ‫النانوية الوظيفية التابع لجامعة الملك عبد اهلل للعلوم‬ ‫والتقنية‪ ،‬استعرض في المؤتمر بحثه حول استخدام مادة‬ ‫البيروفسكيت لتغيير لون إلضاءة بتقنية ‪ SSL‬واتصاالت‬ ‫البيانات‪ .‬ويقول الطالب إبراهيم‪" :‬كانت مشاركتي في‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫رئيسيا في دراستي لدرجة‬ ‫حافزا‬ ‫مثل هذا المؤتمر الكبير‬ ‫الدكتوراه وتطوير مهاراتي‪ ،‬لقد أعطاني المؤتمر الفرصة‬ ‫لبناء شبكتي المهنية والتعرف على الطلبة اآلخرين الذين‬ ‫لديهم نفس االهتمامات البحثية والنقاش وتبادل اآلراء‬ ‫والتعاون مع الباحثين والمتخصصين في مجال عملي‬ ‫من جميع أنحاء العالم‪ .‬وال شك أن إتاحة جامعة الملك‬ ‫عبداهلل لطلبتها الفرصة للحضور والمشاركة في مثل هذه‬ ‫المؤتمرات العالمية هو أمر بالغ األهمية للنجاح إذ أن‬ ‫التعارف وبناء الشراكات بين الباحثين هو شرط أساسي‬ ‫للخروج بأبحاث مؤثرة "‪.‬‬

‫‪21‬‬

‫‪www.kaust.edu.sa‬‬

‫بيئة مثالية‬ ‫كما حضر مؤتمر هذا العام األستاذ المشارك في العلوم‬ ‫الكيميائية في جامعة الملك عبداهلل البروفيسور يو هان‬ ‫الذي شارك بدوره في فعاليات المؤتمر من خالل تنظيم ندوة‬ ‫بعنوان "محفزات كيميائية جديدة للطاقة والبيئة"‪ ،‬وتحدث‬ ‫ً‬ ‫أيضا عن المجهر اإللكتروني عالي الدقة وقال بهذه المناسبة‪:‬‬ ‫"ملتقى جمعية أبحاث المواد هو أكبر وأعرق مؤتمر لعلماء‬ ‫المواد‪ ،‬وهو منصة فعالة ً‬ ‫جدا لطرح ومناقشة القضايا ذات‬ ‫ً‬ ‫فضال عن إتاحة الفرصة للتواصل ومشاركة األعمال‬ ‫العالقة‬ ‫واآلراء بين العلماء والباحثين‪ .‬لقد أعجبت بحجم الحضور الكبير‬ ‫في هذه الفعالية وجودة العروض التي قدمت"‪.‬‬

‫وعرضت البروفيسورة ساهيكا إينال‪ ،‬األستاذة المساعدة في‬ ‫العلوم البيولوجية في جامعة الملك عبد اهلل للعلوم والتقنية‬ ‫ً‬ ‫مؤخرا عن اإللكترونيات الحيوية في هذا‬ ‫أعمالها التي نشرت‬ ‫الحدث وقالت بهذه المناسبة‪" :‬ملتقى ومعرض جمعية أبحاث‬ ‫المواد هو بيئة مثالية ورائعة‪ ،‬حيث أننا نتعلم الشيء الكثير‬ ‫ونناقش أحدث األبحاث في مجال علوم المواد مع الزمالء‬ ‫والباحثين من حول العالم في كل مرة نشارك فيه‪".‬‬

‫القادة في علوم المواد‬ ‫كما تمت دعوة األستاذ المشارك في العلوم الكيميائية في‬ ‫جامعة الملك عبداهلل‪ ،‬وأحد متحدثي المؤتمر‪ ،‬البروفيسور‬ ‫كازوهيرو تاكانابى‪ ،‬في مناقشتين في هذا الحدث الذي‬ ‫وصفه بفرصة كبيرة للتعريف بأعماله وبأبحاث جامعة الملك‬ ‫عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية‪ ،‬وقال‪" :‬نحتاج إلى مواصلة المشاركة‬ ‫في ملتقى ومؤتمر جمعية أبحاث المواد الذي يعد من‬ ‫أكبر المؤتمرات العلمية من حيث نسبة الحضور ومشاركات‬ ‫الخبراء األمر الذي سيساهم بصورة كبيرة في تعريف المجتمع‬ ‫البحثي في العالم بجامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية‪".‬‬

University celebrates 2017 Spring Graduation 1

By David Murphy KAUST congratulated Spring 2017 graduates on May 25 at a formal luncheon as they became the newest class of University alumni. The 75 graduates take the total number of graduates in the alumni community up to 1,350.

No matter where you go or what you do, KAUST will always be a part of who you are."

-Lea Sublett, manager of Alumni Affairs

James Calvin, vice president for Academic Affairs, congratulated graduates on their academic achievement, persistence and passion, remarking, “You are the generation charged with finding solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing the world.”

Celebrating with family, fellow graduates and the academic community at the University Library, the newest alumni were invited by Brian Moran, dean of Graduate Affairs, to stay in touch and always think of KAUST as home.

“Whatever your next step—whether it’s further study or embarking on your career—we encourage you to stay in touch and remain involved in the life of KAUST through the many activities organized by Alumni Affairs,” Moran said.

‘KAUST never stops surprising me’ The Spring 2017 graduates shared their thoughts on how KAUST has helped—and in some cases continues to help—in their academic, career, personal and research goals.

"What I can say about graduating? It is a non-stop process, and you can never stop learning about the world and about yourself," Mayadah AlHashen (M.S. ’17, mechanical engineering) said.

"KAUST never stops surprising me because there are so many amazing people, interesting projects and facilities here.

22

THE BEACON | AUGUST 2017

Every day you get to know something new, and this is why I decided to continue with my studies right after getting a master's degree. I am very grateful for this opportunity, and I want to thank my advisor, colleagues, friends and family for inspiring and supporting me," said Jamilya Nauruzbayeva (M.S. ’17, environmental science and engineering), a current Ph.D. student in the University's Interfacial Laboratory.

‘KAUST is the best place to build my career' Joining KAUST as a medical laboratory technologist and working in stem cell biology, Asma Amoudi (M.S. ’17, bioscience) feels that she would not have learned what she did at KAUST anywhere else. Encouraged by KAUST faculty, staff and students, Amoudi feels her research was her everyday motivation, and specifically her work on enhancing the migration of hematopoietic stem cells by surface glycan engineering.

"My friends are my second family and the lab team is the best.

I am so lucky. KAUST is the best place to build my career and for innovation in my field,’’ Amoudi said.

Prestige and academic excellence at KAUST Sandra Patricia Gonzalez Lopez (M.S. '17, material science and engineering) was also quick to extol the role KAUST has played in her development and how it continues to push her daily.

"I fell in love with KAUST since the moment I arrived. I came as part of the VSRP program, and after some months I decided I wanted to become a student and be part of this amazing University," she said.

"KAUST is not only distinguished by its prestige and academic excellence, but it is also the most multicultural place I have ever seen. I like this place because I feel challenged constantly.

At KAUST, there is a necessity to improve my skills as a scientist every day, and beyond that, I am surrounded by people that continually defy my paradigms," Gonzalez Lopez added.

Lea Sublett, manager of Alumni Affairs, told alumni, “No matter where you go or what you do, KAUST will always be a part of who you are.”

‫‪1. Attendees celebrated the Spring 2017 graduation‬‬ ‫‪luncheon held in the University Library on May 25.‬‬

‫‪2. James Calvin, vice president for Academic Affairs,‬‬ ‫‪speaks to attendees at the Spring 2017 graduation‬‬ ‫‪luncheon.‬‬

‫‪2‬‬

‫الجامعة تحتفل بخريجي فصل‬ ‫الربيع لعام ‪2017‬‬ ‫أقامت جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية مأدبة غداء بتاريخ ‪25‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫احتفاال بتخريج ‪ 75‬خريج وخريجة في فصل الربيع لهذا العام‬ ‫مايو ‪2017‬‬ ‫وانضمامهم إلى مجتمع خريجي الجامعة والذين وصل عددهم حتى اآلن‬ ‫إلى ‪ 1350‬خريج وخريجة‪.‬‬ ‫وأقيم االحتفال في مكتبة الجامعة بحضور الخريجين وعائالتهم‪ ،‬وهيئة‬ ‫التدريس والمجتمع األكاديمي في الجامعة‪ .‬وهنأ البروفيسور جيمس‬ ‫كالفن‪ ،‬نائب الرئيس للشؤون األكاديمية‪ ،‬الخريجين على إنجازهم‬ ‫ً‬ ‫قائال‪" :‬إننا نعقد عليكم اآلمال في‬ ‫األكاديمي ومثابرتهم وشغفهم‪،‬‬ ‫إيجاد الحلول ألكبر التحديات التي تواجه العالم اليوم"‪ .‬كما أشاد العميد‬ ‫براين موران‪ ،‬عميد شؤون الدراسات العليا بالخريجين الجدد وهنأهم على‬ ‫تخرجهم وحثهم على البقاء على تواصل مع الجامعة‪ ،‬وقال‪" :‬مهما كانت‬ ‫خطوتكم التالية‪ ،‬سواء مواصلة الدراسة أو الشروع في الحياة المهنية‪،‬‬ ‫فإننا نشجعكم على التواصل والمشاركة في األنشطة التي تنظمها‬ ‫جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية عبر مكتب شؤون الخريجين"‪.‬‬

‫ً‬ ‫مصدرا لإللهام العلمي‬ ‫جامعة الملك عبداهلل‬ ‫وأعرب مجموعة من خريجي ربيع ‪ 2017‬عن عميق سعادتهم بهذا اإلنجاز‬ ‫ً‬ ‫جهدا‬ ‫وامتنانهم لجامعة الملك عبد اهلل للعلوم والتقنية التي لم تدخر‬

‫لمساعدتهم في تحقيق أهدافهم األكاديمية والمهنية والشخصية‬ ‫والبحثية‪.‬‬

‫وتقول الخريجة ميادة الهشين (ماجستير هندسة ميكانيكية)‪" :‬التخرج‬ ‫عملية ال تتوقف‪ ،‬حيث ال يمكنك ً‬ ‫أبدا التوقف عن طلب العلم والمعرفة‪".‬‬

‫‪23‬‬

‫‪www.kaust.edu.sa‬‬

‫وقالت جاميليا ناوروزبايفا (خريجة ماجستير علوم وهندسة البيئية‪ ،‬وتدرس‬ ‫ً‬ ‫حاليا الدكتوراه في أحد مختبرات الجامعة)‪" :‬جامعة الملك عبداهلل كانت‬ ‫والزالت مصدر إلهام بالنسبة لي ألنها تضم العديد من العقول المدهشة‬ ‫والمشاريع والمرافق المتميزة والمعارف الجديدة في كل يوم‪ .‬لذلك‬ ‫قررت مواصلة دراستي فيها لدرجة الدكتوراه مباشرة بعد حصولي على‬ ‫درجة الماجستير‪ ،‬وأنا ً‬ ‫جدا ممتنة لهذه الفرصة‪ ،‬وأود أن أشكر مرشدي‬ ‫األكاديمي وزمالئي وأصدقائي وأسرتي على إلهامهم ودعمهم لي‪".‬‬

‫جامعة الملك عبداهلل المكان المثالي لبناء الحياة المهنية‬ ‫وأشادت الخريجة أسماء العمودي (ماجستير العلوم البيولوجية) بجامعة‬ ‫الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية حيث قالت إن العلوم والمعرفة التي‬ ‫اكتسبتها في الجامعة فريدة وال تتوفر في أي مكان آخر‪ .‬كما أن تشجيع‬ ‫ً‬ ‫حافزا لها بصورة‬ ‫أعضاء هيئة التدريس والموظفين وطلبة الجامعة كان‬ ‫ً‬ ‫خصوصا في بحثها العلمي في مجال تعزيز هجرة الخاليا الجذعية‪.‬‬ ‫يومية‬ ‫وقد انضمت أسماء إلى جامعة الملك عبد اهلل للعلوم والتقنية كخبيرة‬ ‫تقنية في المختبرات الطبية في مجال الخاليا الجذعية وتقول واصفة‬ ‫حياتها في الجامعة‪" :‬أنا محظوظة ً‬ ‫جدا بدراستي في جامعة الملك‬ ‫عبداهلل حيث أمتلك أصدقاء رائعين هم بمثابة عائلتي الثانية ولدينا فريق‬ ‫مختبر يعد من بين أفضل الفرق البحثية‪ .‬جامعة الملك عبد اهلل للعلوم‬ ‫والتقنية هي المكان المثالي لبناء حياتي المهنية وتحقيق االبتكار في‬ ‫مجال عملي‪".‬‬

1

Alumni focus

By David Murphy

Muna Khushaim

Mona Alsomali

Muna Khushaim is a material scientist and assistant professor in the physics department of Taibah University in Saudi Arabia. Khushaim completed her Ph.D. at KAUST in December of 2015 in material science and engineering. In 2007, she graduated with a master's degree in theoretical nuclear physics from King Abdulaziz University and completed her undergraduate degree in 2002 in science and education from Saudi Arabia's College of Education.

Mona Alsomali describes herself as an ambitious, energetic and optimistic person and as someone who loves a challenge.

Khushaim describes herself as “the only Saudi expert of a complicated analytical technique called atom probe tomography,” and noted that her time and use of the facilities at KAUST greatly benefited her by exposing her to many sophisticated analytical techniques and helping her to cultivate a higher level of knowledge.

“I came to KAUST because it is an ideal place to obtain a high level of knowledge in part due to the unique facilities. Moreover, KAUST is a family campus where I could study for my Ph.D., and at the same time my kids had good opportunities on campus to grow and obtain good educations,” she added.

Khushaim highlighted how beneficial her time at KAUST was on a professional and personal level, adding that she constantly “communicated, learned, honed skills and reshaped [her] personality."

“At KAUST, I learned different important concepts such as inspiration, patience, persistence and accepting challenges. These concepts helped to create a strong impact in my academic career as an assistant professor,” she said.

Her advice to current KAUST students is to make their time on campus productive and take advantage of the facilities and opportunities available to them.

“Don't waste your time—make your time in KAUST useful and at the same time enjoy everything on campus. The University is an ideal place for learning and developing your thinking,” she said.

24

THE BEACON | AUGUST 2017

“The thing that keeps my energy level up most of the time is making an impact—even if it’s a minor one. This can be through guiding others: mentoring, volunteering and making others see the good side in every situation in their lives,” she said.

Alsomali graduated in 2016 with a Ph.D. in biosciencemicrobial genomics from the University’s Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division (BESE).

She is currently working as a senior microbiologist at the Dow Middle East Innovation Center (MEIC)/ KAUST. She is also a member of the American Society for Microbiology, the Islamic Psychology Society and a board member of communications for the KAUST alumni student chapter. She is also a consulting member of the What Doctors Don’t Tell You (WDDTY) journal (the Arabic version).

“I enjoyed every single moment at KAUST. I am grateful for the good times I had there, and I definitely learned something from the bad ones—or maybe I should call them the stressful ones. KAUST helped shape my personality—I can say proudly that I am wiser and more patient, and I have developed emotional intelligence and have strengthened my self-control,” she noted.

On what prompted her to continue her academic career at KAUST, she said, “What made me come to KAUST is the fact that I read about it and about King Abdullah’s vision and also because I wanted to be closer to my family in Jeddah.”

Alsomali’s advice to current students is that they strive to do their best in their chosen careers and to never rush anything.

“Enjoy every moment of your life and don’t let your studies and research compromise your health. Get enough sleep and do not sweat the small stuff,” she said.

2

3

4

1. KAUST alumna Muna Khushaim 2. KAUST alumna Mona Alsomali 3. KAUST alumnus Muhammed Sameed 4. KAUST alumna Luisa Javier

Muhammed Sameed

Luisa Javier

Muhammed Sameed is an engineer and physicist by training. He specializes in atomic physics, plasma physics and antimatter research. Sameed graduated from KAUST in December of 2012 with a master’s degree in material science and engineering and is currently working as a research scientist at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, in Geneva, Switzerland. As part of CERN’s ALPHA experiment, he creates exotic “antimatter” particles in the laboratory and studies their properties.

Luisa Javier graduated from KAUST in 2011 with a master’s degree in environmental science and engineering. After graduating, she co-founded the startup Sin Acqua, a waterless biotech company, in her native country of Mexico. In 2017, she returned to KAUST to begin her Ph.D. studies in environmental science and engineering.

“My research efforts with the ALPHA experiment have returned excellent dividends so far: I presently have two publications in Nature and we are likely to publish at least two more high-impact articles before the end of the year. Antimatter research has just entered a new era of precision measurements, and I envisage excellent opportunities for KAUST students and graduates to be part of high-impact science at CERN in the coming years,” he said.

Sameed completed his undergraduate studies at Cornell University in New York before joining KAUST as a master’s student.

“My time at KAUST was one of intellectual self-awakening and finding my passion in research. Interacting and collaborating with students and faculty across disciplines, I had the good fortune of simultaneously experiencing research life from very diverse perspectives. This not only improved my communication skills but also enabled me to tap into the interdisciplinary intellectual capital available at KAUST. At CERN, I again find myself as an interdisciplinary researcher in a place where engineering, physics, mathematics and computing intersect at the cutting edge of science,” he said.

Sameed’s advice to students is to be fearless about pushing boundaries and seeking opportunities in the most unlikely of places, no matter how unconventional they seem.

“During my academic career, I noticed that most students put restrictions on themselves. They only benefit from the limited opportunities that are presented to them. My advice is to create new paths, because, in my opinion, the well-taken paths have little to offer," he noted.

Javier is currently hard at work with both her company and her studies to develop technologies to conserve water.

Through her work, she hopes to achieve her biggest life goal, which is to create a nonprofit organization that can provide potable water to people who lack or who have no access to fresh water supplies.

Javier describes herself as having two sides to her personality: one side loves science and the other loves soft skills topics.

“This duality in my personality connects me with my mission in life, which is integrating science, entrepreneurship and personal development in projects that protect the environment,” she said.

Prior to KAUST, Javier studied industrial engineering at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM) in Mexico. She chose to continue her studies at KAUST because the environment pushed her outside of her comfort zone and broadened her horizons.

“My time at KAUST helped me develop in many areas of my life. When I first came here, there were some meetings in which we were told that KAUST looked for people who can transform the world. I have to be honest and say that at that moment, it sounded to me a bit grandiose. However, after leaving KAUST and coming back again, I really believe KAUST prepares and gives you the resources for changing the world,” she said.

“In 2010, I struggled to find out what was the purpose of my research and studies,” Javier continued. “Now I understand why I had to undertake every single course, experiment, paper, etc. Maybe for current students right now a sense of plans and future structure is unclear, but always give 100 percent of yourself. Act on and look at building the necessary abilities in order to get the results you desire.

Once you find the purpose for what you are doing—think of the highest possible outcome you can achieve—you will have to work hard to transform yourself into the greatest version of the person you want to be.”

www.kaust.edu.sa

25

Innovating for the Kingdom’s future KAUST recently hosted the Innovation to Impact Roundtable, bringing together a cross section of academics and industry leaders from the United States and Saudi Arabia. Organized jointly by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEA) and KAUST, the gathering of thought leaders was aimed at developing collaboration opportunities between private, academic and government institutions in Saudi Arabia and the U.S. “Today we are in a new era focused on recasting the economy for the future,” said the event’s keynote speaker H.E. Khalid Al Falih, Saudi Arabia's minister of energy and mineral resources and chairman of the board of Saudi Aramco.

The Innovation to Impact Roundtable served as a precursor to the recent Saudi-U.S. CEO Forum in Riyadh as part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to the Kingdom.

“The future of all advanced economies will depend upon the success of the younger generation’s ability to evolve with the

26

THE BEACON | AUGUST 2017

1 remarkable technological changes that are happening around us,” said KAUST Vice President for Academic Affairs James Calvin.

A series of roundtables and panel discussions took place that focused on applying innovative solutions to advance the energy, agriculture, water, healthcare and education sectors, as well as in other areas.

“We want to push our people to be more creative, more innovative, and to come up with ideas to add value to the country,” said H.E. Dr. Khalid S. Al-Sutan, rector of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM).

An important aspect of these collaborative discussions involving industry leaders, academics, KAUST students and young entrepreneurs was to leverage global institutional partnerships that energize local talent. This is important because, as event participant and KAUST master's degree student Mohammed Al Sobay said, “We only deliver impact once these innovations and creations are in people’s hands.”

‫‪2‬‬

‫‪3‬‬

‫االبتكار لمستقبل المملكة‬ ‫في إطار تحضيرات منتدى "الرؤساء التنفيذيين" السعودي األمريكي األول‪ ،‬الذي‬ ‫احتضنته العاصمة الرياض‪ ،‬بمناسبة زيارة الرئيس األمريكي دونالد ترمب للملك العربية‬ ‫السعودية‪ ،‬انطلقت في ‪ 19‬مايو ‪ 2017‬أعمال حلقة نقاش االبتكار لتأثير فعال‬ ‫في جامعة الملك عبد اهلل للعلوم والتقنية‪ ،‬بمشاركة نخبة من رواد الفكر والقادة‬ ‫األكاديميين البارزين ورجال األعمال والطلبة من المملكة العربية السعودية والواليات‬ ‫المتحدة األمريكية‪.‬‬

‫‪1. H.E. Dr. Khalid S. Al-Sutan, rector of King‬‬

‫‪Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals‬‬ ‫‪(KFUPM), spoke to attendees via livestream at‬‬ ‫‪the recent Innovation to Impact Roundtable‬‬ ‫‪event.‬‬

‫‪2. The Innovation to Impact Roundtable‬‬ ‫‪keynote address was given by H.E. Khalid Al‬‬ ‫‪Falih, Saudi Arabia's minister of energy and‬‬ ‫‪mineral resources and chairman of the board‬‬ ‫‪of Saudi Aramco.‬‬ ‫‪3. An Innovation to Impact Roundtable session‬‬ ‫‪took place during the event with (left to‬‬ ‫‪right) James Calvin, KAUST vice president for‬‬ ‫‪Academic Affairs, Dr. Michael Crow, Arizona‬‬ ‫‪State University president, and Dr. L. Rafael‬‬ ‫‪Reif, MIT president (co-chair).‬‬

‫ونظم هذا اللقاء كل من مدينة الملك عبدالعزيز للعلوم والتقنية والهيئة العامة‬ ‫للمنشآت الصغيرة والمتوسطة وجامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية‪ .‬ويهدف هذا‬ ‫الحدث إلى مناقشة فرص التعاون الفكري وبناء الشراكات الالزمة في القطاعات‬ ‫األكاديمية‪ ،‬والخاصة والحكومية بين المملكة العربية السعودية والواليات المتحدة‬ ‫االمريكية لمواجهة التحديات المستقبلية الملحة‪.‬‬ ‫وافتتح معالي الوزير خالد الفالح‪ ،‬وزير الطاقة والصناعة والثروة المعدنية برامج حلقة‬ ‫النقاش بكلمة افتتاحية قال فيها‪ ":‬اليوم نحن على أعتاب حقبة جديدة‪ ،‬تركز على إعادة‬ ‫تشكيل اقتصاد المستقبل"‪.‬‬ ‫وقال البروفيسور جيمس كالفن‪ ،‬نائب الرئيس للشؤون األكاديمية بهذه المناسبة‪":‬‬ ‫سيعتمد مستقبل جميع االقتصادات المتقدمة على قدرة جيل الشباب على التطور‬ ‫ومواكبة التغيرات في التقنية التي تحدث من حولنا‪".‬‬ ‫وخالل الحدث تم عقد سلسلة من الجلسات وحلقات النقاش التي ركزت على تطبيق‬ ‫الحلول المبتكرة لتعزيز قطاعات الطاقة والزراعة والمياه والرعاية الصحية والتعليم‬ ‫وغيرها من المجاالت‪.‬‬ ‫وأشار معالي الدكتور خالد السلطان مدير جامعة الملك فهد للبترول والمعادن بالدور‬ ‫الكبير الذي تلعبه حلقة النقاش هذه لمستقبل البالد حيث قال‪" :‬نريد أن ندفع شبابنا ألن‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫وابتكارا‪ ،‬وأن نخرج من هذا الحدث بأفكار تخدم الوطن"‪.‬‬ ‫إبداعا‬ ‫يكونوا أكثر‬ ‫وأحد الجوانب المهمة في هذه المناقشات التعاونية هو االستفادة من الشراكات‬ ‫المؤسسية العالمية التي تحفز وتدعم المواهب المحلية‪ .‬ويوضح طالب درجة الماجستير‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫حقيقيا‬ ‫تأثيرا‬ ‫في جامعة الملك عبداهلل‪ ،‬محمد السباعي ذلك بقوله‪" :‬نستطيع أن نحدث‬ ‫عندما نتمكن من إيصال االبتكارات واالكتشافات الى أيدي الناس وهذا هو ما تسعى‬ ‫هذه الحلقة إلى تحقيقه"‪.‬‬

‫‪27‬‬

‫‪www.kaust.edu.sa‬‬

Software aims to help advance research Baker Hughes Incorporated recently announced their first major donation of technical software to KAUST as part of the company’s ongoing support of education initiatives to develop the next generation of innovators. Baker Hughes’ JewelSuite™ reservoir modeling software aims to enhance teaching, learning and research at the University.

“The scientists and students have already started to use the JewelSuite software for their research, and its use will spread to streamline and unify several workflows in the center,” said Tadeusz W. Patzek, director of the Ali I. Al-Naimi Petroleum Engineering Research Center at KAUST. “We are proud to work with Baker Hughes and look forward to using their technology to educate future leaders of the industry.”

The technology aids researchers by simplifying modeling and by streamlining the building of accurate 3-D models regardless of reservoir structural complexity. The suite of

28

THE BEACON | AUGUST 2017

software will allow students and faculty to gain a clearer picture of the subsurface and to predict how much oil or gas might exist in a given location.

The software will enable students and faculty to create complex 3-D models of underground oil reservoirs and integrate those models into engineering solutions. The software also lets users analyze subsurface data and provides refined tools to see the impact of different types of completions and stimulation techniques like hydraulic fracturing on models they have created to determine the most productive zones for fracture treatments.

“We are excited to provide a software gift that will help further KAUST research and educational mission,” said Martin Brudy, vice president, Technical Software, at Baker Hughes. “It’s important that we devote resources to help train top talent, and partnering with universities like KAUST is an excellent way to do that.”

‫‪1. A team from ANPERC and Baker Hughes‬‬

‫‪celebrate a major gift of software from‬‬ ‫‪Baker Hughes during an event on the KAUST‬‬ ‫‪campus.‬‬

‫‪1‬‬

‫تقنية لتعزيز األبحاث‬ ‫برمجيات‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫أعلنت شركة الخدمات الصناعية األمريكية بيكر هيوز في األول من يونيو ‪ 2017‬أنها تبرعت بما قيمته أكثر من ‪ 15‬مليون‬ ‫التقنية لجامعة الملك عبد اهلل للعلوم والتقنية‪ .‬ويأتي هذا التبرع كجزء من دعم الشركة المستمر‬ ‫دوالر من البرمجيات‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫للمبادرات التعليمية لتطوير الجيل القادم من المبتكرين عبر تعزيز التدريس والتعلم والبحث في الجامعات‪.‬‬ ‫وبهذه المناسبة قال البروفيسور تيد باتزيك‪ ،‬رئيس مركز أبحاث علي النعيمي لهندسة البترول في جامعة الملك عبداهلل‬ ‫‪ ":‬نتشرف بالعمل مع شركة بيكر هيوز العريقة ونتطلع إلى استخدام تقنياتها المتميزة لتثقيف وإعداد قادة الصناعة في‬ ‫المستقبل‪".‬‬ ‫التقنية المقدمة من شركة بيكر هيوز على برامج حاسوبية تبسط عملية النمذجة وتسمح للطلبة‬ ‫وتشمل حزمة البرمجيات‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ببناء نماذج ثالثية األبعاد عالية الدقة لمكامن النفط وبسرعة كبيرة‪ .‬وستتيح حزمة البرامج للطلبة وأعضاء هيئة التدريس في‬ ‫الجامعة الحصول على صورة أوضح لباطن األرض والتنبؤ بكميات النفط والغاز الموجودة في موقع معين‪ .‬كما تتيح هذه‬ ‫البرامج سهولة دمج النماذج ثالثية االبعاد المعقدة في الحلول الهندسية المختلفة وتحليل بيانات باطن األرض ورؤية تأثير‬ ‫العمليات وتقنيات الحفز المختلفة مثل التصديع المائي‪ ،‬على النماذج التي تم إنشاؤها لتحديد المناطق األكثر إنتاجية للنفط‬ ‫والغاز‪.‬‬ ‫التقنية في بيكر هيوز‪" :‬نحن متحمسون ً‬ ‫جدا إلهداء جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم‬ ‫وقال مارتين برودي‪ ،‬نائب الرئيس للبرامج‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫والتقنية هذه البرمجيات والتي نأمل أن تساهم في دعم جامعة الملك عبداهلل على تحقيق رسالتها البحثية واألكاديمية‪.‬‬ ‫ومن المهم أن نخصص مواردنا للمساعدة في تدريب المواهب المتفوقة‪ ،‬وإقامة الشراكات مع الجامعات المتميزة مثل‬ ‫جامعة الملك عبد اهلل للعلوم والتقنية "‬

‫‪29‬‬

‫‪www.kaust.edu.sa‬‬

ANSYS, Saudi Aramco and KAUST achieve a new supercomputing milestone ANSYS, Saudi Aramco and KAUST have achieved a new supercomputing milestone by scaling ANSYS Fluent to nearly 200,000 processor cores.

This record represents a more than five-fold increase over the record set just three years ago, which will enable organizations to make critical decisions faster and increase the overall efficiency of oil and gas production facilities.

The calculations were run on the Shaheen II, a Cray XC40 supercomputer, hosted at the KAUST Supercomputing Core Lab (KSL).

By leveraging high-performance computing (HPC), ANSYS, Saudi Aramco and the KSL sped up a complex simulation of a separation vessel from several weeks to an overnight run. This simulation is critical to all oil and gas production facilities—empowering organizations around the world to reduce design development time and better predict equipment performance under varying operational conditions. Saudi Aramco will apply this technology to make more-informed, timely decisions to retrofit separation vessels to optimize operation throughout an oil field's lifetime.

"Today's regulatory requirements and market expectations mean that manufacturers must develop products that are cleaner, safer, more efficient and more reliable," said Wim Slagter, director of HPC and cloud alliances at ANSYS. "To reach such targets, designers and engineers must understand product performance with higher accuracy than ever before—especially for separation technologies, where an improved separation performance can immediately increase the efficiency and profitability of an oil field. The supercomputing collaboration between ANSYS, Saudi Aramco and KSL enabled enhanced insight in complex

30

THE BEACON | AUGUST 2017

gas, water and crude-oil flows inside a separation vessel, which include liquid free-surface, phase mixing and droplets settling phenomena."

"Our oil and gas facilities are among the largest in the world. We selected a complex representative application—a multiphase gravity separation vessel—to confirm the value of HPC in reducing turnover time, which is critical to our industry," said Ehab Elsaadawy, computational modeling specialist and oil treatment team leader at Saudi Aramco's Research and Development Center. "By working with strategic partner, KAUST, we can now run these complex simulations in one day instead of weeks."

KSL's Shaheen II supercomputer is a Cray system composed of 6,174 nodes representing 197,568 processor cores tightly integrated with a richly layered memory hierarchy and interconnection network.

"Multiphase problems are complex and require multiple global synchronizations, making them harder to scale than single phase laminar or turbulent flow simulation. Unstructured mesh and complex geometry add further complexity," said Jysoo Lee, director, KSL. "Our scalability tests are not just designed for the sake of obtaining scalability at scale. This was a typical Aramco separation vessel with typical operation conditions, and larger core counts are added to reduce the time to solution. ANSYS provides a viable tool for Saudi Aramco to solve their design and analysis problems at full capacity of Shaheen. And for KAUST-Aramco R&D collaboration, this is our first development work. There are more projects in the pipeline."

‫إنجاز جديد لجامعة‬ ‫الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية‬ ‫في مجال الحوسبة الفائقة‬ ‫حققت كل من جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية وشركة أرامكو‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫كبيرا في مجال الحوسبة الفائقة‬ ‫إنجازا‬ ‫السعودية وشركة أنسيس األمريكية‬ ‫من خالل توسيع نطاق برمجيات محاكاة تدفق السوائل التابعة لشركة أنسيس‬ ‫والمعروفة بأنسيس فلوينت (‪ )ANSYS Fluent‬إلى ما يقرب من ‪200,000‬‬ ‫نواة معالجة‪ .‬ويمثل هذا الرقم القياسي زيادة أكثر بخمسة أضعاف عن الرقم‬ ‫القياسي السابق الذي تم تحقيقه قبل ثالث سنوات‪ ،‬األمر الذي سيمكن‬ ‫الشركات والمؤسسات العاملة في مجال إنتاج النفط والغاز من اتخاذ قرارات‬ ‫حاسمة بشكل أسرع ورفع الكفاءة العامة لمرافقها ومحطاتها التشغيلية‪.‬‬ ‫تم استخدام الحاسوب الخارق شاهين كراي ‪ XC40‬في مختبر جامعة الملك‬ ‫ً‬ ‫نظرا لما يتمتع به‬ ‫عبداهلل للحوسبة الفائقة لعمل المعالجة والحسابات المعقدة‬ ‫من قدرة حاسوبية عالية‪ ،‬حيث تم تسريع محاكاة معقدة لفصل السوائل والنفط‬ ‫داخل مرافق الفصل من عدة أسابيع إلى عدة ساعات‪ .‬وتعتبر هذه المحاكاة‬ ‫ذات أهمية كبيرة لجميع محطات ومرافق إنتاج النفط والغاز‪ ،‬إذ تمكن‬ ‫ً‬ ‫فضال‬ ‫الشركات في جميع أنحاء العالم من خفض الوقت الالزم لتطوير التصاميم‬ ‫عن التنبؤ الدقيق بأداء المعدات في ظل ظروف تشغيلية مختلفة‪ .‬وستقوم‬ ‫أرامكو السعودية بتطبيق هذه التقنية التخاذ قرارات سريعة وحاسمة من شأنها‬ ‫تحسين عمليات التشغيل في حقول النفط‪.‬‬ ‫يقول ويم سالجتر‪ ،‬مدير عام الحوسبة الفائقة والتحالفات السحابية في شركة‬ ‫أنسيس‪" :‬إن المتطلبات التنظيمية الحالية وتوقعات السوق تستوجب على‬ ‫ً‬ ‫وأمانا وكفاءة وموثوقية‪،‬‬ ‫الشركات المصنعة تطوير منتجات أكثر نظافة‬ ‫وللوصول إلى هذه األهداف‪ ،‬يجب على المصممين والمهندسين فهم أداء‬

‫‪31‬‬

‫‪www.kaust.edu.sa‬‬

‫المنتجات بدقة غير مسبوقة ‪ -‬وخاصة بالنسبة لتقنيات الفصل‪ ،‬حيث كلما تم‬ ‫تحسين أداء فصل السوائل والنفط سنتمكن من تحقيق كفاءة وربحية سريعة‬ ‫لحقول النفط‪ .‬ال شك أن التعاون في الحوسبة الفائقة بين أنسيس وأرامكو‬ ‫السعودية وجامعة الملك عبداهلل يقدم رؤية متعمقة عن طبيعة الغازات‬ ‫المعقدة والمياه وتدفقات النفط الخام داخل مرافق الفصل‪".‬‬ ‫وقال إيهاب السعداوي المتخصص في النمذجة الحسابية ورئيس فريق‬ ‫معالجة النفط في مركز البحث والتطوير التابع لشركة أرامكو السعودية‪:‬‬ ‫"إن منشآتنا للنفط والغاز هي من بين أكبر منشآت النفط والغاز في العالم‪،‬‬ ‫وقد قمنا باختيار محاكاة معقدة ً‬ ‫جدا داخل مرفق فصل متعدد المراحل وذلك‬ ‫لتأكيد القيم الناتجة وتحسين وقت وعملية الفصل‪ .‬وهو أمر بالغ األهمية‬ ‫بالنسبة إلى صناعتنا‪ .‬ونجحنا من خالل العمل مع شريكنا االستراتيجي‪ ،‬جامعة‬ ‫الملك عبد اهلل للعلوم والتقنية‪ ،‬من تشغيل هذه المحاكاة المعقدة في يوم‬ ‫واحد ً‬ ‫بدال من أسابيع"‪.‬‬ ‫وتحدث جيسو لي‪ ،‬مدير مختبر الحوسبة الفائقة في جامعة الملك عبداهلل‬ ‫للعلوم والتقنية بهذه المناسبة وقال‪" :‬تقدم شركة أنسيس برمجيات محاكاة‬ ‫متقدمة قابلة للتطبيق بواسطة أرامكو السعودية لحل مشكالتهم في مجال‬ ‫التصميم والتحليل باستخدام القدرات المتميزة لحاسوبنا الخارق شاهين‪ .‬ويعتبر‬ ‫هذا العمل أول أعمالنا التعاونية والتطويرية في مجال البحث والتطوير بين‬ ‫جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية وشركة أرامكو السعودية‪ .‬وهناك المزيد‬ ‫من المشاريع القادمة في المستقبل"‪.‬‬

1

2

Celebrating the second year of Where do you read The Beacon?

3

4

5

6

1. Arctic Station, Disko Island, Greenland 2. Longyearbyen, Svalbard, Norway 3. Pasabag (Monks Valley), Cappadocia, Turkey 4. Houston, Texas, U.S. 5. Potala Palace, Tibet Autonomous Region, China 6. Cape of Good Hope, South Africa 7. Tokyo, Japan

7 32

THE BEACON | AUGUST 2017