November 2011

KAUST 2011

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

BEACON

RED SEA

November 2011 / Thul-Hijjah 1432 Volume 2, Issue No.3

the

EXPEDITION pages 4–5

www.kaust.edu.sa

a close up with PHOTO BY Anastasia Khrenova

david keyes

The sensors were manufactured by the Core Lab Electronics Workshop under the supervision of Engineer Guodong Li from March 2011 to date.

‫العميد ديفيد كيز يتأمل في الوقت‬ ‫الذي أمضاه في جامعة امللك عبدالله‬ .‫ويتطلع إلى مستقبل باهر‬ Founding faculty member, David Keyes, has a passion for the development of higher education within the Kingdom that is clearly evident when he speaks about the future of KAUST. “There is so much to take advantage of here,” says this former head of Applied Mathematics at Columbia University, “I love the ambition evident in this country. For a professional in higher education, few, if any, locations in the world are more fascinating at the moment.” During the interview with The Beacon, Professor Keyes touched on subjects ranging from making optimal use of Shaheen

On-campus pilot project

.‫برنامج جتريبي لإلنذار بالفيضان وأحوال املرور يجري تنفيذه في حرم اجلامعة‬

(the University’s supercomputer and part of the Core Laboratories), the emergence of data-driven research in science and engineer-

In 2011 alone, there have been several natural disasters and in particular, significant flooding occurrences. From the January floods in Australia that destroyed

ing, and research areas in which KAUST can

vast amounts of valuable farmland, to the recent floods in the Philippines, whose monsoon season is the worst seen in 50 years and has affected more than

make immediate contributions of value to the

2 million people. Flooding is an issue across continents: during this past year there has been flooding of historic proportions in Angola, Australia, Brazil,

Kingdom, such as cybersecurity and opera-

Colombia, Germany, Indonesia, The Philippines, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and several parts of the United States. Even western Saudi Arabia isn’t

tions research applicable to the petrochemical

immune to this natural disaster often only associated with excessive rainfall. Unusually heavy rains have affected Jeddah in recent years, causing fatalities and

industry.

millions of dollars of property damage. The desert terrain is such that any heavy rain falling 50 km or more from the city travels swiftly in the wadis and can

Arriving here in July 2009, Prof. Keyes was lifted out of specialized work with the US

cause flooding in Jeddah, where one meter of gradient can be significant. So much of the desert is unpopulated that there is often no warning of the imminent danger. In order to prevent any recurrence, King Abdullah issued a royal decree to address the flooding problem in the city following last winter’s flooding.

Department of Energy on which he had focused for the previous 10 years. He took up his role

Arriving at KAUST last fall and witness to the heavy rains, Christian

which uniquely form distributed computing platforms using two modes:

here as inaugural Dean of Mathematical and

Claudel, Assistant Professor in Electrical Engineering, felt a social

ultrasound detectors and infrared temperature sensors. The sonars track

Computer Sciences and Engineering, where

responsibility to use his scientific knowledge to help local communi-

the number of passing vehicles and their speed while the infrared sen-

he has been intellectually broadened by the

ties. Prof. Claudel and his multidisciplinary team are currently piloting

sors confirm this data by sensing the coolness of an air-conditioned

scope of the programs he oversees, and by

a traffic and flood integrated wireless sensor network on campus. The

vehicle in contrast to the hot tarmac. The sensor network processes raw

brilliant young faculty all around him in

project involves academic input from electrical engineering, software

data in a distributed fashion using an exact formulation of the inverse

MCSE. He is thrilled to see the combination

engineering, applied mathematics, and visualization as well as facili-

modeling problem based on Linear Programing and Hamilton-Jacobi

of demographics of the Kingdom (some 40%

tation from colleagues in KAUST security, facility and community,

equations prior to central assimilation. Real time data is vital in these

of Saudis are under the age of fifteen) and the

occupational health and safety, and government affairs. “I am a sys-

situations. This aggregates the computational power and speeds up the

thirst of Saudi students for training in com-

tems engineer,” Prof. Claudel explained, “and systems engineers think

data assimilation allowing the system to refresh with more frequency,

puter science, especially artificial intelligence

laterally.”

lessening the energy requirements and thus curbing costs. Additionally,

and high performance computing. He believes

The scope of the project isn’t limited to flooding, but includes traf-

the system architecture is more flexible: multiple independent sensor

that with the national R&D budget likely to

fic issues as well. Traffic congestion costs worldwide are significant

networks can be deployed without the need for a central database or a

increase tenfold and the promise of a growing

(estimated as 10% of GDP in many developed countries). They include

central computer server for data assimilation.

number of Saudis with the appropriate exper-

incremental delay, vehicular costs including fuel and wear and tear, air

The flood sensor builds on the traffic sensor technology but is also

tise, Saudi Arabia has a chance be a key player

pollutant emissions, and the stress that we all experience when caught

able to detect any difference in the distance between the sensor and

in these emerging disciplines, where some of

up in a traffic jam. Congestion can be regular, occurring on a daily,

the road surface that would be caused by floodwater. Aided by fund-

the research frontiers are so new that even well

weekly, or annual cycle (such as during Ramadan) or non-recurrent,

ing from the Office of the Provost and the VP for Research, the pilot

established universities are not far ahead. He

when a road traffic accident occurs for example.

project will demonstrate proof of concept of the invention. Campus

anticipates rewarding relationships with other

The proposed traffic monitoring system uses solar-powered sensors

residents may have noticed the seven pole-mounted ultrasound

DAVID KEYES | Continued on p.2

INSIDE:

PILOT PROJECT | Continued on p.2

News 1-3

Red Sea Expedition 4-5

Research 6–7

Community 8

2

News

November 2011

The Beacon

This edition comes to you on the heels of Eid Al Adha, a feast of sacrifice in which

but notice the critical role played by our Core Labs, in providing and initiating inspired

traditionally the lamb is divided into three parts: for family; for friends, neighbors and

and imaginative research. This is, of course, in no small part due to Dr. Tony Eastham,

relatives; and for the poor and needy. Such sharing in a community makes it stronger,

a founding member of KAUST's family, who joined us from Hong Kong's University of

richer, and more humane. And so it is with many of the subjects of these articles. The

Science & Technology and soon will be taking a much deserved retirement. We salute

promise of KAUST's vision to incorporate transdisciplinarity in its very DNA, from its

his extraordinary accomplishment, and that of his team, in building these unique, world-

Administrators (SRA)

very inception, across academic divisions, programs, research centers, and core labs,

class facilities. There are many unsung people whose contributions, due to limited space

International Symposium

can begin to be seen in much of the exciting work we cover. As our management works

in the newspaper or sometimes simple omission, are unfortunately left unmentioned.

to restructure to strengthen these relationships and provide invigorated leadership, we

We welcome your stories of the work you are doing and the results you are generating.

can expect enhanced results leading to greater efficiencies and energy. One can't help

Thank you.

In brief Society of Research

—THE BEACON Editorial

The Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 3, November 2011. Published by The Communications Department, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.

Contact Salah Sindi salah.sindi@kaust.edu.sa, or Michelle D'Antoni michelle.dantoni@kaust.edu.sa © King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. Printed on partially recycled paper.

DAVID KEYES | Continued from p.1

local initiatives such as the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KACARE) and is excited to see

From the top left: Jiming Jiang, Edward Canepa, Ahmad Dehwah, Christian Claudel, Samuel Castaneda, Shanwen Qiu, Fadl Abdellatif. Seated from left: Pablo Carrasco, Mustafa Mousa, Mohannad Abdelaziz

Dr. Mustafa Al-Ali with poster authors On October 26, representa-

industries beginning to build their research centers in the

tives from KAUST’s Office of

KAUST Research Park. “While some of the potential oppor-

Competitive Research presented

tunities for computational collaborations may take years to

their poster entitled, “Models

develop, only a few need ripen each year to keep pace with

of Success for International

KAUST’s own capacity to expand through highest quality

Research Collaborations,” at the

appointments and programs,” he emphasizes.

SRA International Conference in

This past summer, he spent his “happiest week thus

Montreal. The poster is competing

far in Kingdom” teaching promising high school stu-

for the 2011 Best Poster of the Year

dents mathematics as part of the Saudi Research Science

Award and authors include Negin

Institute (SRSI) program. “In those inquiring and atten-

Sobhani, Moody Altamimi, Dillon

tive young people, I could see the Kingdom’s future and

Fritz, Christina Guindy, and Jennifer

KAUST’s,” he commented. And in Prof. Keyes, those stu-

Boyd. The SRA International Symposium is an annual event

dents found a visionary scholar and inspirational lecturer.

As Yara Al-Shuwarikh, commented, "Prof. David Keyes is

PILOT PROJECT | Continued from p.1

that features contributed papers,

our favorite mathematician with a humorous twist. He is a

sensors (see Fig. 1) around Discovery Square, the KAUST Inn, Mosque Road, and Unity Boulevard.

posters, and abstracts related to

very humble person with an enormous amount of knowl-

These sensors will enable the project team to test and demonstrate the following:

the art and science of research

edge and wisdom... filled with generosity and enthusiasm."

The design of the physical sensor structure and how it withstands the harsh climate

Prof. Keyes has no doubt that some of these gifted and tal-

The strength and range of the wireless signal

ented students now have plans for their own postgraduate establishment: KAUST. To further stoke the pipeline and create in-Kingdom and international branding for KAUST, he looks forward to helping to develop an online course presence in the mathematical and computer sciences in the near future. He is willing to be among those to go first with his own courses.

Meanwhile, as he prepares to transfer the responsibilities of dean to another and return to research in parallel algorithms that he has put aside, he reflects on the rela-

The effectiveness of the embedded software looking first at discovery algorithms to automatically configure the network in a decentralized and asynchronous way; second, at routing algorithms to route data between nodes; and third, at the traffic between the nodes and the internet gateway The node energy management: nodes have two purposes: sensing and routing the data to the users. Since solar energy can be scarce and unreliable (especially in an urban setting), both roles will have to be adjusted as a function of local energy availability and of the importance of the data being collected. As data is combined with models, data generated from particular sensors can better communicate the true state of the system at any one time.

administration.  KICP Annual Strategic Study: promoting wastewater reclamation and reuse in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Professor Gary Amy introduced the second KICP Annual Strategic Study following opening remarks from SVP, Dr. Mohamed Samaha and Provost, Professor

tionships that he has helped to broker during the first 2.5

The data capture format and capacity for further analysis and development of the process-

Stefan Catsicas. Dr. Samaha

years of KAUST with national institutions including King

ing algorithm in order to allow data processing at the nodes, lessening network usage, and

thanked the KICP industry part-

Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), and

increasing reliability

ners warmly for their continuing support, while Prof. Catsicas chal-

internationally with IBM and several of KAUST’s 42 international research partners. KAUST’s own alumni are now

The system‘s objectives are both monitoring and forecasting, enabling the early implementation

lenged the audience to consider

facilitating these collaborations at their workplaces. He was

of safe and efficient evacuation plans, and organization of emergency services in the event of flood-

global partnerships around waste-

delighted to see a KAUST alumnus recruiting alongside the

ing. Data will also impact transportation engineering, urban planning, and hydrology for which no

water reuse. Prof. Amy recalled

President of the new King Abdullah Petroleum Studies And

high-resolution historical data is currently available.

King Abdullah’s recent remark that

Research Center (KAPSARC) at the October 2011 KAUST

Two provisional patent applications have already been filed by the Technology Transfer &

in the Kingdom, “Water security is

Career Fair. He looks forward to welcoming his replacement

Innovation (TTI) program to protect the core intellectual property of the system. TTI is also develop-

equivalent to national security.”

dean and hopes to guide further expansion of the Division

ing the commercialization strategy to develop a startup company and license data to government

He spoke of the dangers of further

in select areas of his expertise.

agencies, traffic police, hospitals, and web mapping service applications in line with KAUST’s mis-

depleting non-renewable ground-

sion to catalyze the local economy. 

water as well as the huge energy

A talented amateur musician, Prof. Keyes together with

required to pipe desalinated sea-

his professional musician wife, Wendy, feel “very comfortable” in Saudi Arabia, where they hope they can make

Harbor School West Harbor School East

contributions in many dimensions. In a campus concert in October, he offered with his a cappella quartet a recently composed anthem to “the joys of quantitative reasoning”

water to inland cities to meet their water demand. The audience was encouraged to consider Integrated Water Resources Management,

which celebrates the intimate connection of mathematics

which could involve decentralized

to music, its collaborative and interdisciplinary nature, and

solutions – less costly in terms

the sheer power and beauty of math that “produces joy in

of infrastructure and time - and

all those who develop and practice it.” 

there was lively discussion of man-

PHOTO BY Anastasia Khrenova

aged aquifer recharge as a reuse technology. Policy changes (for example legislating that industry use treated wastewater), education and access to robust data were among the challenges raised during the panel discussions.

Collaborative, multidisciplinary efforts should include field-scale pilot projects. The irrefutable conclusion was that all wastewater in Fig. 1

Location of sensors.

Saudi Arabia should be re-used or re-stored. 

News

www.kaust.edu.sa

November 2011

3

new research thrust: Microfluidics PHOTO BY Anastasia Khrenova

‫إنشاء مرفق جديد للسوائل الدقيقة مببادرة تقودها هيئة التدريس‬

A group of determined faculty and scientists who came together around a shared interest has had their proposal for a microfluidics thrust at KAUST approved. “Microfluidics is interdisciplinary in its nature, and KAUST is interdisciplinary in its vision and design, which makes us uniquely well suited to developing high impact research in this field,” explained Assistant Professor Ian Foulds, who is leading the thrust along with Assistant Professor Peng Wang. By increasing the focus and coordination in this relatively young science, they aim to develop and fabricate devices with high commercial impact in the future in line with KAUST’s mission to benefit the Kingdom, the region, and the world.

So what is microfluidics and what might this exciting thrust facilitate? Microfluidics is to biology and chemistry what integrated circuits are to computing. This interdisciplinary field deals with the manipulation of microscopic fluid volumes to perform tasks. In the same way that we have seen the size and cost of computers decrease in a quite extraordinary fashion, so diagnostic tests could be performed using tiny fluid volumes or microparticles, making such tests more readily available and less invasive. Targeted drug delivery can be enhanced and by diminishing the volume of analyte required, chemical assays can be performed more swiftly and cheaply. Work is already underway on seventeen high impact projects in all three divisions on campus, involving representation from six different programs in areas including medical diagnostic and therapeutic devices, catalysis, and numerical modeling. A seminar series is planned and there are longer term plans to establish an interdisciplinary course around microfluidics.

Clockwise from top left-hand corner: Prof. Peng Wang, Prof. Niveen Khashab, Prof. Kuo-Wei Huang, Prof. Sahraoui Chaieb, Prof. Ian Foulds, Prof. Jürgen Kosel

Part of the thrust will be the proposed Microfluidics Facility, already in the detailed design phase, which will be housed in a 200m2 lab with room for expansion in the Ibn Sina Building. Designed to

Access to the facility will be as Sponsoring Faculty, who will pay membership fees to access the

complement, not duplicate, the Core Labs, which are already supporting this research, it will have

lab, or as Associated Faculty and outside users on a daily or weekly basis using a cost recovery

spaces for sample preparation, characterization, and the fabrication of microfluidic devices, facilitat-

model. Both sponsoring and associated faculty will be key to thrust activities such as seminars.

ing interdisciplinary research across the range of microfluidic development. Fabrication equipment

Building on historical links with the Special Partnerships Program, the Global Collaborative Research

has been chosen deliberately to allow for scaling in the innovation cluster as an easy path to com-

program has agreed, for the remaining duration of the Special Partnership, to fund 50% of the salary

mercial production, helping to lay the groundwork for microfluidic startups in the research park.

costs of the engineers who will run the laboratory: one with primary responsibility for the charac-

The characterization equipment has also been carefully selected to expand KAUST capabilities and

terization area; the other, the fabrication area. Students and postdocs will be encouraged to make

includes a microparticle image velocimetry system as well as an atomic force microscope that can

use of the laboratory and the sponsoring faculty already has 28 students, postdocs, and research

operate in a closed fluid cell. A newly-appointed engineer with special responsibility for fabrication

scientists who will be using the facility. Several projects are already underway including looking

arrived last month from South Africa, where he has been in charge of a nanofabrication facility, to

at the effects of mechanical stress on stem cells, developing an implantable drug delivery system,

oversee the development and installation of the new laboratory.

synthesizing microparticles, studying droplet and emulsion formation, with many more planned. 

ORS

Encouraging and Supporting Competitive Funding

Silke Blohm, Manager (third from left), with members of the ORS team

‫جامعة امللك عبدالله توقع على إتفاقية مع املفوضية‬ .‫األوروبية تفتح الطريق أمام المتويل من اإلحتاد األوروبي‬ The Office of Research Services (ORS) is delighted to have signed the first agreement under the

The ORS is a central office within KAUST charged with providing administrative, financial, and

European Commission’s (EC) Seventh Framework Programme for Research (FP7) on October 8,

legal support to faculty in acquiring external research funding. All faculty must submit such appli-

2011 to join Inconet-GCC, receiving €54K (approximately 75K USD or 280K SAR) to facilitate

cations through the ORS and when successful, the ORS is the central point of contact for faculty

the University’s participation. Inconet-GCC, an international co-operation network set up by the

to establish and manage their funded research projects. Not only does the ORS assist in alerting

European Commission, aims to promote bi-regional dialogue to strengthen the participation of

researchers of external funding opportunities, they also help faculty with proposal and budget

GCC countries in its FP7. The three-year Inconet-GCC project brings together policymakers and

development, reviewing and negotiating terms and conditions, providing guidance on ethical issues,

stakeholders from the GCC and the European Union (EU) Member States to identify common

submitting the proposal, and in the overall management of the project post-award.

interests in research areas, to establish science and technology priorities, and to support capacity

For leading scientists worldwide, a far greater proportion of funding is competitive and it is

building activities. The program began in January 2010, so KAUST has effectively joined halfway

important that KAUST faculty are familiar with the process of competing for funding and can

through. It will allow researchers to create consortia with EU and GCC partners to apply for EU

demonstrate that they have been successful. Proposal crafting is a formal skill that often helps to

funding in key areas such as energy, information technologies, and food.

crystallize research ideas by demanding compelling rationale and accurate budget justification.

EC-funded consortia are a great way of collaborating with other scientists in both Europe and overseas, often bringing together a critical mass of researchers and data to achieve research results that would not be possible working on your own. Multidisciplinarity, information exchange, and

Currently 19 Principal Investigators receive external competitive funding, and ORS hopes to support others in applying for external competitive grants.

The ORS offers a training program, featuring monthly sessions on the Mondays listed below:

joint publications are among the key incentives for renowned researchers to go through the rigorous and very competitive evaluation process. Already, building on the relationship with one of the university’s Global Collaborative Research partners, KAUST Catalysis Center Director, JeanMarie Basset, is working with Technische Universität

ORS Training Program 2011/12 November 28, 2011 Budgeting and Pricing for Research Applications January 30, 2012 Proposal Writing – Hints and Tips on How to Apply for Public Research Funding February 27, 2012 Differences Between Private and Public Research Sponsors March 26, 2012 Managing your Research Project April 30, 2012 Applying for Public Research Funding – How the ORS Can Help You

München (TU Munich) to develop an application for

The ORS is also responsible for all Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs). MTAs specify the rights,

FP7 funding on improving

obligations, and restrictions of both the providers and recipients of research material with respect to

methods of energy storage.

issues such as ownership, publication, intellectual property (actual and potential), and permitted use and liability in the form of a written contract. The ORS works closely with the Technology Transfer Office to protect the innovative ideas that KAUST members generate in a timely fashion.

For enquiries or to find out more, visit the internal ORS website at http://ors.kaust.edu.sa/index.html 

4

Red Sea Expedition

November 2011

The Beacon

Dr. Luke Thompson with Ahmed Shibl aboard the Aegaeo

Filtration apparatus in the Aegaeo Lab

Leg 1 personnel Co-Chief Scientist Dr. Yasser Abualnaja

Rosette sampler

KAUST 2011 RED SEA EXPEDITION .‫ تنطلق بقوة‬2011 ‫بعثة اجلامعة إلستكشاف البحر األحمر للعام‬

hydrographic survey Leg 1 large-scale and microbiological studies The Aegaeo returned safely on October 10, after

current that transports cold, relatively fresh, relatively low-

twenty-five days on the Red Sea, marking the success-

oxygen GAIW into the Red Sea. A unique discovery was

ful conclusion of Leg 1. Led by Chief Scientist Dr. Amy

to find that the underwater current of the GAIW extends

Bower from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI)

beyond 22°N, further north than was previously thought,”

and Co-Chief Scientist Dr. Yasser Abualnaja from KAUST,

said Dr. Abualnaja. “This data will need further verification

the nineteen strong team comprised researchers from

but we are very excited by this finding because it gives us

WHOI as well as two members of Professor Ulrich Stingl’s

better understanding of the Red Sea circulation.”

research group, Dr. Luke Thompson and Mr. Ahmed Shibl.

At the megastation, a whopping 120 liters of seawater

Dr. Abualnaja, research scientist from the Red Sea

was collected at each depth facilitating Prof. Stingl’s team’s

Research Center (RSRC), is working in collaboration with

metagenomics project. “We need a lot of DNA, and there-

the WHOI scientists to obtain physical oceanographic data

fore a lot of cells for this,” explained Prof. Stingl. “So we

from the Red Sea. “Last year, we only managed to cover the

need to collect a substantial amount of seawater.” They

northeastern part of the Red Sea northward from KAUST

hope to return to this megastation once every three months

(22° - 28° N),” said Dr. Abualnaja. “This year, we covered

to observe how the microbial communities at the station

almost all of the Red Sea Saudi waters, from the Gulf of

change with the seasons.

Aden to the Sinai Peninsula. Observations of top-to-bottom

A week after their return, Dr. Thompson and Mr. Shibl are

ocean currents, and water properties such as temperature,

“still recovering from their trip.” “We had fun on the cruise,

salinity, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and fluorescence were

but we’re also glad to be back,” said postdoctoral fellow

obtained from 262 Conductivity-Temperature-Depth casts.”

Dr. Thompson. “We would sleep for two hours and get up

Of the two hundred and six stations covered, fifty were

to work,” recalled Mr. Shibl. “Most of the ‘spare time’ we

sampled for Prof. Stingl’s microbiological studies (see Fig.

had was spent preparing for the next station.” Despite the

1 indicated by red dots) as a secondary objective of the

hard work, Dr. Thompson and Mr. Shibl had a great time

cruise. “Essentially, as soon as the ship reaches our sta-

learning from and working together with the researchers

tion, we get cracking,” explained Mr. Shibl, a PhD student.

from WHOI. “They’re very professional and have a really

The team collected seawater from 6 different depths and

strong operation,” said Dr. Thompson. “We also became

filtered it to harvest the microorganisms. A special appara-

close, because we were stuck together for a month.” Mr.

tus was used for the filtration (see photo); the three filters

Shibl agreed. “It’s like living in the same house.”

of different pore sizes allow the collection of different size

The Aegaeo is equipped with ample lab space and the

microorganisms from each sample. A total of 900 filters

stability necessary for an expedition of this scale. “We are

containing microorganisms have been preserved and stored

very glad to have this opportunity to do such large-scale

in a freezer awaiting analysis. Additional samples of unfil-

microbial sampling of the Red Sea,” remarked Prof. Stingl.

tered seawater were collected from many of the stations for

Dr. Abualnaja would like to acknowledge “the outstand-

single-cell genomics and flow cytometry studies.

R/V Aegaeo.” He is “looking forward to next year's research

intensive study of regional phenomena, including one in

cruise and continuing our scientific activities to benefit the

the Gulf of Aden Intermediate Water (GAIW) and a 24-hour

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.” 

ever observations along the Saudi coast of the subsurface

– Xabier Irigoien (RSRC Director)

stations covered } Allduring cruise ________

ing efforts and hospitality of the captain and crew of the

Additional stations were occupied at various locations for

time series megastation near KAUST. “These are the first

"This is an effort that will be the basis for future research in the Red Sea. The level of science being carried out is exceptional. We are addressing Red Sea issues from currents to microbiology, from life in the water column to life in the deep brines. This extremely complex cruise is going very well and I cannot but congratulate everybody."

Fig. 1: Map of cruise track for Leg 1

Red Sea Expedition

www.kaust.edu.sa

November 2011

5

Day 7: Tyas Hikmawan (left) and Dr. Andre Antunes working in the Aegaeo Lab

Day 5: Dr. Andre Antunes (right) bringing up Niskin bottles slowly to allow microbes to adjust to pressure changes.

Leg 2

microbiological studies of brine pools

The Aegaeo set off on schedule on October 16 to visit five Day 4: Tyas Hikmawan at Nereus Deep

of some 25 brine pools in the Red Sea: the Atlantis II Deep, Discovery Deep, Kebrit Deep, Nereus Deep, and Erba Deep.

Atlantis II Deep, the largest of the brine pools, has been of interest for commercial extraction of metals since the 1950s.

The announcement of plans for an engineering feasibility project to consider possible mining in the area of the brine pools has put pressure on the scientists to accelerate their work. Nereus

Day 7: Students Lautaro Schiappacasse (middle) and Daniela Catania at Discovery Deep

Deep and Erba Deep have never been sampled for microorganisms before, and the researchers have no idea what they will find there. “But I do expect,” said Dr. Andre Antunes, Chief Scientist for Leg 2, “to find some very cool microbes.”

Dr. Antunes was part of the RSRC cruise in 2010, joining KAUST as a postdoctoral fellow in Prof. Stingl’s research group.

Leg 3

He knows that it is “demanding, intensive, and stressful, but a

mesopelagic fish survey and brine pool acoustics

really great life-changing experience. We’re going to be sampling 24 hours a day, working on rotation to maximize our time on the ship.” Tyas Hikmawan, PhD student, was similarly excited about

The Aegaeo will return to two brine pool sites in addition to a non-brine pool study box when

may be exploited by macro-

the trip but less so about leaving his wife and three-month-old

Professor Stein Kaartvedt and his team will be studying mesopelagic fishes in Leg 3 of the KAUST Red

fauna in the water column.”

baby for 18 days. Daniela Catania, a new master’s student from

Sea Expedition (KRSE). These fishes live between 200 and 1000 meters deep in the sea during the day,

For this, they will send spe-

Professor Michael Berumen’s group, will double her personal

swimming up to the surface at night. They plan to observe the fishes’ behavior using the Hamburg

cial echo sounders able to

record time being out at sea, and sees this as a great opportunity

Plankton Net for the first time in the Red Sea.

withstand high pressure

for some first-hand experience.

The Hamburg Plankton Net will be towed behind the Aegaeo, collecting samples to identify the

down to the brine inter-

organisms that created the acoustic data that they have been collecting since the KRSE started in

face to detect any fishes or

September. “There are echo sounders installed in the vessel, and they record continuously during all

organisms living there. The

the legs, storing data to a computer,” Prof. Kaartvedt explained. “In this way we get information about

ROV will also be used to obtain video footage.

fish throughout the Red Sea for the whole expedition period.” A remotely operated vehicle (ROV) with a deep-sea camera will also be deployed to film what is there.

Check the horizon for the Aegaeo and look out for next month’s Beacon feature on Leg 2’s return! 

Prof. Kaartvedt will be leading a team of two research scientists, two research technicians, and two PhD students from his group, as well as Dr. Antunes from Prof. Stingl’s group. “As part of my PhD pro-

Prof. Kaartvedt is also interested in the possibility of organisms living at the interface between the

ject, I will study pearlside fish that live deep in the ocean,” said Perdana Prihartato. “We will be among

brine pools and the sea, which is why he is going to the brines. “Until now, most focus has been on phys-

very few scientists who will be able to study the behavior and the life history of mesopelagic fish and

ics and microbiology of the brines,” said Prof. Kaartvedt. “We hypothesize that the organic production

how they cope in the warm, deep waters, especially above the Kebrit Deep and Atlantis II Deep.”

and accumulation of organic matter at the sharply defined interface with adjacent, normal seawater

Leg 4

cold seeps studies

The ROV

Leg 3 departs on November 6 and will be out at sea for 12 days. 

The ROV

Cold seep with sponges evident

With only seven days out at sea planned for Leg 4, the Aegaeo will not be traveling very far to visit the cold seeps that were discovered off the Thuwal coast during the 2010 expedition. The cold seeps should not be confused with the brine pools, indeed, “brine pools are a special type of cold seep,” clarified Professor Timothy Ravasi. “These

firstly to obtain underwater video footage. “We want to observe the distribution patterns of animals

particular cold seeps do not have that much brine or the sharp interface between brine and normal

in the benthic environment (sea floor) around the seeps,” said Dr. Roder. “We also want to inves-

seawater observed at brine pools.”

tigate the structure of the food web in an environment known to be nutrient poor and lacking in

Leg 4 will serve an ongoing collaboration between Prof. Ravasi and Professor Christian Voolstra here at KAUST and Professor Pei Yuan Qian from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST).

nutrient-carrying currents.” Secondly, the ROV will be recording real-time data on the conditions of the water during its survey, such as temperature, pressure, salinity, and light absorbance.

The trio shares a common research interest in marine sponges. During the 2010 expedition, various forms

Lastly, “the ROV will go down to the seeps and it has arms that can pick up the sponge and put

of life were found around the seeps, including bacterial mats, sponges, soft corals, and tubeworms. Now,

it in a carrying-case that will bring up the samples,” explained Ms. Giles, for whom this will be her

the objective is to gain a deeper understanding of this unusual habitat and obtain samples of the sponges.

first cruise. The sponge samples will be shared between the three groups for their individual studies.

“While we have already collected sponges from the shallow reefs in the Red Sea, we can now go after the

“That way, we will have a lot of information about the sponges from the same location.”

deep-sea sponges from the cold seeps about a kilometer below the surface. This is of especial interest to us because the extremely different environment provides unique sponges,” said Prof. Ravasi.

Dr. Cornelia Roder, a postdoctoral fellow in Prof. Voolstra’s group and Ms. Emily Giles, Lab Manager of Prof. Ravasi’s group will represent KAUST onboard the Aegaeo alongside Prof. Qian and Mr. Yue Him Wong from HKUST. The researchers plan to use the ROV for three distinct purposes,

The big challenge in this particular Leg is that the team “doesn’t know what to expect,” according to Ms. Giles. “We’re not even sure if we can collect the sponges.” As well as being a kilometer deep, the sponges could be soft and fragile, disintegrating at the slightest touch. “Everything is very new, which is the most exciting part,” commented Prof. Ravasi.

Leg 4 sets off on November 21 and will return after seven days. 

6

November 2011

Research

The Beacon

Deep in discussion at a flagship project meeting

The Flagship Project

core lab facilitates international research Once again, in collaboration with academic partners, the

.‫الطالب يأملون في وضع اجلامعة على اخلريطة بفكرة مبتكرة‬

unique University Core Labs have been part of exciting and important work – this time in the field of energy

When President Shih spoke to The Beacon last month about his own graduate experience at

migration. A paper in Nature Materials on October 23

Harvard, a transdisciplinary group of KAUST graduate students who began meeting last semester

discusses photon upconversion and its promising appli-

were much heartened by his words that encouraged students to “be curious, to challenge conven-

cations as diverse as biological imaging, data storage,

tions … and to explore outside the box.” The Flagship Project is the brainchild of PhD student

and solar cells using lanthanide-doped nanocrystals with

Guy Ngongang from Cameroon who is studying materials science, supported by Graduate Student

unprecedented optical properties to control light.

Council member, Pia Wiche, PhD student Rkia Laamarti, and master’s student, Danilo Granato.

The team of researchers from the National University of

The informal group of some 15-20 members meets weekly to seek ideas for a flagship project

Singapore, KAUST, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences

with the aim of raising the University’s profile. “We want to contribute by putting KAUST on the

developed a novel synthesis that yields these upconversion

map,” explained Wiche, “and at the same time enhance the interdisciplinary nature of all projects

nanocrystals (Fig 1), which have the attraction of both

by forging links between research groups and embracing all community members who feel they

high photostability and low cytotoxicity.

might be able to offer something to the process.”

1. TEM image of nanocrystals; 2.

Schematic of core-shell nanoparticle; 3. STEM image of nanoparticles; 4. EELS line scan

Crucial to the unique tunable upconversion property of the nanocrystals reported is the spe-

The benefits of a large-scale project were initially introduced by Provost Stefan Catsicas, who

cially designed core-shell nanostructure (Fig 2). However, the shell is identical in crystalline

shared his previous experience with successful university-wide projects. These projects at his former

structure to the core and of a similar composition making identification of the core-shell struc-

university, Ecole Polytechnique Federal De Lausanne (EPFL), provided a rewarding opportunity that

ture a real challenge.

energized students and faculty with a common goal. KAUST’s flagship group regards these weekly

KAUST Scientists, Mr. Qingxiao Wang in the Advanced Nanofabrication, Imaging and

brainstorming sessions as a critical step in developing a formal recommendation for a University-

Characterization Core Lab, and Dr. Yu Han, Associate Professor of Chemical Sciences, exploited the

wide goal-oriented project that promotes collaboration and transdiciplinarity — not just for the sake

aberration-correcting scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) technique to image these

of being transdisciplinary, but for the common goal of creating a viable product or service that

nanocrystals with atomic resolution. The STEM image of a single particle (~3nm in shell thickness)

meets a real need.

shows a remarkable single-crystalline structure without noticeable defects at atomic resolution.

What exactly constitutes a flagship project in this context? “There is certainly more than one

Despite the high quality of the STEM image (it is even possible to see the light element Na [Fig

definition but for a science and engineering campus, the best approach is to be ambitious and

3]), the core and shell still cannot be distinguished directly by image contrast. However, when

goal-oriented,” says Provost Stefan Catsicas. “Being scientific advisors to a major player in a tech-

this was combined with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) analysis, the slight difference

nology-based competition is one example. Building the solar plane to circumvent the globe with

in composition between the core and the shell regions could be explicitly distinguished (Fig 4).

clean energies is another. But KAUST has to shape its own identity and our flagship must be unique.”

In this way, direct evidence for the elaborate core-shell structure

The KAUST group is already finding that the brainstorming meetings serve as a safe place to spark

was provided for the first time to better understand the energy

ideas that might seem outrageous in another setting and, with the sound input of others present,

immigration mechanism in these upconversion nanocrystals.

agree to consider them further or to jettison those that are not robust. Welcoming both students and

As one of our core lab scientists who are experts in their

community members, risk takers and realists alike, to a quite different environment “out of hours,”

fields and are able to commit the time and energy to challeng-

the dedicated leaders have met with such enthusiasm that they have had to extend the sessions after

ing research tasks, Mr. Wang is a skillful and dedicated electron

they consistently over-ran their timeframe.

microscopy specialist. Prof. Han was quick to point out that Mr.

Anyone who belongs to the KAUST family (including our youngest school members) is welcome

Wang made a remarkable contribution to this work. Speaking of

and can join the sessions by signing up to the Facebook group, KAUST Flagship Project (www.

the equipment of which he is in charge, Mr. Wang commented,

facebook.com/groups/flagshiproject/). The meetings take place in the Fellowship Hall, in the Student

“These microscopes are powerful tools for material characteriza-

Center at 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday. All you need to bring is your creativity and your expertise –

tion in nano-meter scale, even at the atomic level, so they are

whatever that comprises; in return you will find a group of passionate individuals from diverse

widely used in materials science, catalysis, and biological research

disciplines in a friendly room with a whiteboard, as well as several plates of cookies. The group has

at KAUST. We provide demonstration and training and offer col-

a tough challenge to meet, but delight in the collegial discussions that anticipate the evolution of

laboration to faculty and researchers.” 

an exciting University-wide project. 

Mr. Qingxiao Wang

Research

www.kaust.edu.sa

An Unusual Combination: When Photocatalysis Meets Membrane Technology At first glance, photocatalysis and membrane

Prof. Zhiping Lai and Dr. Wei Chen

November 2011

7

LAB GEAR

SQUID

Superconducting QUantum Interference Device

technology seem to have little in common. Take for example, the chlorophyll and cell membrane in plant cells. Chlorophyll is a photocatalyst that traps sunlight to speed up the transformation of carbon dioxide into sugars while the cell membrane polices the traffic of substances entering

Mr. Bei Zhang

and leaving the plant cell.

Chlorophyll and the cell membrane play very different roles in plant cells and do not work together; similarly, the two research fields are usually mutually exclusive.

Dr. Zhiping Lai, Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, disagrees. An expert on membrane technology, he teamed up with Dr. Kazuhiro Takanabe, Assistant Professor of Chemical Science, who specializes in photocatalysis, in an interdisciplinary collaboration alongside scientists from the Core Labs. Their collaboration culminated in a communication published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society in September.

The star of the article is titania (naturally occurring TiO2), which has great potential as a photocatalyst. “Titania itself is one of the most abundant compounds on earth,” remarked Prof. Takanabe. “In Japan, we already use it in the materials making up the sidewalks.” When sunlight shines on the sidewalks, the TiO2 photocatalyst particles within accelerate the decomposition of organic matter such as dust and debris to keep the sidewalks clean.

However, researchers who are interested in developing titania-based photocatalysts have a problem. Titania only absorbs ultraviolet light, a mere four percent of solar energy, while most of the solar energy present as visible light is not utilized. This has inspired research groups worldwide to explore ways to shift or extend the absorbance range of titania to include visible light. To achieve this, our researchers attached TiO2 nanoparticles to nanocarbon materials, specifically on the inner surface of carbon nanotubes.

Making titania nanoparticles of consistent sizes within the carbon nanotubes was a challenge. Typically, titaniumbased precursor molecules are hydrolyzed – split by water – to form titania nanoparticles. This process is notoriously difficult because the commonly used precursors react with water easily and uncontrollably, resulting in titania particles of varying shapes and sizes. To overcome this problem, first author Dr. Wei Chen, a postdoctoral fellow in Prof.

Lai’s group, developed a ‘restrained hydrolysis’ method. “Instead of using water, we used the natural humidity in air to control the hydrolysis of the precursors,” explained Dr. Chen. This produced a single layer of uniformly sized titania nanoparticles on the inner surface of the carbon nanotubes that demonstrated significantly improved photocatalytic activity.

Prof. Lai spoke of further plans for these carbon nanotube-confined titania nanoparticles, “We want to make smart

CAPABILITIES Sensitivity: < 1 x 10-8 emu Temperature range: -271.4 °C to 126.9 °C Magnetic Field Range: -70 kOe to +70 kOe

membranes.” A commonly encountered problem in seawater desalination and wastewater treatment is biofouling: a process in which microorganisms in seawater and wastewater damage the membrane by clogging its pores. Prof.

Not to be confused with a tasty cephalopod, the SQUID (Superconducting

Lai aspires to bring photocatalysis and membrane technology together, an idea reminiscent of that applied to the

QUantum Interference Device) is a very sensitive device that is used to measure

sidewalks of Japan. “By combining the photocatalysts with functional membranes, we hope to make self-cleaning

extremely weak magnetic fields, even as minute as those present in organisms.

membranes with extended lifetimes to tackle this important problem,” explained Prof. Lai.

As the name suggests, the SQUID is a superconducting device and it counts

While this project is Prof. Lai’s brainchild, his group could not have succeeded in such a short time without the

magnetic flux changes in units of flux quanta. Some materials become super-

expertise of the Core Labs. Core Labs scientists were essential to the work by contributing invaluable knowledge and

conducting below a certain temperature, which means that electrical current

skills in various characterization techniques, especially in the use of the superconducting quantum interference device

will flow forever if they form a closed loop.

(SQUID). “Dr. Xixiang Zhang’s interpretation of the SQUID data was crucial for us to understand the properties of the

What if a very thin insulator is placed in-between two sections of the

material on a fundamental level,” Prof. Lai said. “Our Core Labs willingly participate in collaborative research with the

superconducting loop? The current continues to flow as electron pairs liter-

entire faculty,” assured Dr. Xixiang Zhang, Manager of the Advanced Nanofabrication, Imaging, and Characterization

ally ‘tunnel’ through the insulator. This quantum tunneling is known as the

Core Labs and co-author of the

Josephson Effect with the arrangement of an insulator between two super-

paper. “This project is just one example.”

Dr. Guijun Ma (co-author) and Prof. Kazuhiro Takanabe

conductors termed a Josephson Junction, after British physicist Brian David Josephson (1973 Nobel Prize for Physics).

This is a striking example of

The SQUID has two such junctions in its superconducting loop. To measure

transdisciplinary work produced

the tiny magnetic moment of a sample using a SQUID, the sample (like Dr. Lai’s

entirely within the University. “We

carbon nanotube-confined titania) has to be magnetized using a superconduc-

definitely need this kind of inter-

tor magnet that is submerged in liquid helium at -268.9 °C. Vibration of the

nal collaboration to strengthen the

magnetized sample produces magnetic flux changes which generate signals

University,” Prof. Takanabe com-

in the SQUID.

mented. “I think it is essential for a

The SQUID magnetometer on campus is also known as a Magnetic Properties

new institution that we go beyond

Management System, one of its kind in the Kingdom. Core Lab scientist Mr. Bei

our own expertise and help each

Zhang is currently collaborating with several research groups to characterize

other.”

the magnetic fields in many types of materials such as nano-structured materi-

Prof. Lai concurred. “We are very glad to have this open environment that allows collaboration and free discussion across the boundaries of different disciplines.” 

als, semiconductors and thin films. 

8

Community

November 2011

photo of the month

calling all photographers

Have a photo you want to share? Every month The Beacon

are accepted.) Send in your unique, imaginative take on what-

reviews the submitted work of many talented photographers on

ever strikes you and see if it’s chosen for the photo of the month!

campus. (Only original photos that are relevant to the University

Email your photos to thebeacon@kaust.edu.sa. 

accolades

The Beacon

Students watch as Executive Vice President of Administration and Finance, Nadhmi Al Nasr, cuts the ceremonial ribbon. Standing alongside (from left to right) is School Superintendant, Madeleine Hewitt, Facilities & Community Vice President, Mutleb Al Shammeri, and Director of Community Services, Fouad Al Gabbani.

Celebrating The KAUST School

the treadmill and he really drew

David Evans, math teacher at the KAUST Secondary School,

on physical

finished the punishing Ironman World Championship in Kona,

and mental

The 2011-2012 school year for K-12 students started with

Hawaii last month in well under 10 hours, placing him among

reserves as

much excitement and lots to celebrate. This past July, the

the top 18% of finishers and number 5 in his age group. This is

he reached

International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) awarded The

a quite extraordinary achievement; not only is David well above

the finish-

KAUST School authorization in the Primary Years Program

the average age but this is a man who has suffered significant

ing line,

and the Middle Years Program, thus completing the process

bodily injury in the past. David’s best time ever in Kona, was

“My body was summoning

to becoming an official International Baccalaureate World

9 hours and 43 minutes, back in 1984 at the tender age of 23

up its last milligram of adrenaline and I was somehow gaining

School (the Diploma Program was previously authorized in

- before most of our graduate students were born. The race con-

speed to the finish, elated to finally be there and under reason-

May 2010).

sists of a 2.4 mile swim in what was a choppy sea that day due

able power.” David has no doubt that the support of his family

In addition to full authorization, the school has witnessed tre-

to storms in New Zealand, a grueling 112 mile cycle ride in the

and of the KAUST community back home was a factor in his

mendous growth in enrollment. When the school first opened

heat and monotony of the lava fields culminating in the climb to

success, and also spoke of the opportunity to rekindle enduring

in October 2009, total enrollment was 240 students. The current

Havi into brutal head- and cross-winds, followed by a 26.2 mile

friendships, “While all were there for the race, once the race is

year began with 813 students, with a projected total enrollment

marathon – all in the heat and humidity of Kailua-Kona. Training

over and the dust has settled, it's the connections rekindled or

of 900 students (ages 3-19) by the end of the year.

in the Saudi Arabia climate had limited David’s preparation to

newly made that gives the experience such deep meaning.” 

With an expanding program and growing enrollment, the state-of-the-art Safaa Garden Campus opened in September, which is the new home of the secondary school (grades

My University

6-12). The elementary school remains at the Harbor Campus, among three buildings: the Harbor ECC (K1-K2); Harbor East (K3-grade 2); and Harbor West (grades 3-5).

Beyond physical growth, the students continue to grow aca-

wael almoazen

demically. Step into the school and it is apparent that teachers

Wael, who started work on September 16, 2007,

Born in Jeddah, Wael is married with two daugh-

and students work diligently to foster an environment of

was KAUST’s second employee (ID #100001). With

ters, and he is thrilled that they will have the

partnership, unity, and learning. "One of our core beliefs as

a bachelor’s in logistics from the Arab Academy for

opportunity to study at an international school and

educators is that parent partnership makes a huge difference.

Science and Technology in Cairo, his expertise was

to learn English at an early age through The KAUST

We treasure all our children and feel a great responsibility

obviously of great value to the transition team with

School.

for their education. Together, teachers and parents support

whom he first worked and it is now invaluable in

He feels very proud to be a Saudi employee at

children in growing and developing; at The KAUST School

the supervision and management of samples and

KAUST and to be in a position to, not only change

we celebrate this tremendous collaborative effort," Madeleine

sensitive equipment in and out of the Core Labs’

westerners’ minds about Saudi but also change

Hewitt, School Superintendant says.

Coastal and Marine Resources Department.

Saudis’ misconceptions about KAUST. 

To celebrate their latest accomplishments, a gala was held that included community members, teachers, students, fami-

suZan katamoura

lies, and administrators. To officially open the new Safaa

One of our new master’s students, Saudi national Suzan

than some other universities, but at the same time is also more

Garden Campus, Executive Vice

Katamoura, was drawn here by KAUST’s reputation and the

interesting.

President of Administration

desire to stay close to her extended family in Jeddah. Suzan

Suzan has only good things to say about KAUST.

and Finance, Nadhmi Al Nasr,

earned her Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at Effat

“I think this is a great place for my country. It’s multicultural

led the ribbon-cutting cere-

University, a Jeddah-based women’s college, in 2007. She has

and yet very small and intimate. There are lots of activities

mony and celebratory remarks

also lived in Canada for a year.

going on,” says Suzan whose husband and four children also

were given by Facilities &

live on campus.

Community Vice President,

Suzan hopes to combine Computer Systems and Artificial Intelligence in her master’s degree and to continue to study

“I am always very proud to tell my fellow Saudis that I study

for a PhD at KAUST. Looking further ahead, she already enjoys

here. People think very positively about KAUST and many

teaching. She thinks studying in KAUST is more challenging

would like to be in my shoes.” 

Mutleb Al Shammeri.  www.kaustschools.org

Student Council President, David Zhang, presents a "Mission Accomplished" tribute to School Facility Manager, Ginger Jewell.

Dr. Rothenberger and Dr. Shafaei-Fallah Professor Alexander Rothenberger, a new faculty member in

applications.” They recently published an article in Advanced

the CLSE Division and his wife, Dr. Maryam Shafaei-Fallah,

Materials on a novel chalcogel, a porous inorganic material that

a research scientist in the Solar and Alternative Energy

exhibits high selectivity in gas separation. Even though they work

Engineering Research Center, joined us earlier this year. “We

in different groups here at KAUST, they anticipate a certain level

first heard of KAUST through an advertisement in Nature Jobs

of participation with each other, as is expected in a collaborative

about the University,” said Prof. Rothenberger, who came

environment such as this.

with Dr. Shafaei-Fallah from the Kanatzidis research group at

“The unique layout of KAUST is in the research centers,” said

Northwestern University where they were both postdoctoral

Prof. Rothenberger. Dr. Shafaei-Fallah added, “In the research

fellows. “We were very attracted to and curious about the oppor-

centers, there is a unique mix of people: chemists, engineers, the-

tunities here.”

oreticians, etc., working towards a common goal. There is teamwork here.”

The couple shares the same research interests in inorganic materials. “The thing about inorganic

Prof. Rothenberger is currently teaching the course Crystallography and Diffraction and is build-

materials is that they are very versatile,” explained Dr. Shafaei-Fallah. “For now, I will be working

ing up his lab and research group. Outside work, the couple enjoys the recreational facilities at

on inorganic materials with specific applications to solar cells, but they can also have many other

KAUST and likes to explore what’s going on in Jeddah. 