2013 January Beacon

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

BEACON ‫املنـارة‬ at Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

January 2013 / Rabi l 1434 Volume 3, Issue No. 5

the

www.kaust.edu.sa

Dean Mootaz Elnozahy

‫تعيني الربوفسور معتز النزهي‬

‫عميدا لقسم العلوم واهلندسة‬

‫احلاسوبية والكهربائية واحلسابية‬

‫تم مؤخرا تعيين البروفسور معتز النزهي عميدا‬ ‫لقسم العلوم والهندسة الحاسوبية والكهربائية‬ ‫والحسابية في جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم‬ ‫ وكان البروفسور معتز قد أمضى قبل‬.‫والتقنية‬ ‫ عاما في أبحاث شركة‬15 ‫إلتحاقه بالجامعة حوالي‬ ‫اي بي إم في أوستن تكساس حيث تولى قيادة كل‬ .‫من أقسام األبحاث وجهود تطوير المنتجات‬ ‫وقبل انضمامه إلى شركة آي بي إم كان يعمل‬ ‫عضوا في هيئة التدريس في كلية علوم الحاسوب‬ 1993 ‫في جامعة كارنجي ميلون خالل الفترة من‬ ‫ كما شغل كذلك وظيفة أستاذ في إدارة‬.1997 ‫إلى‬ .‫علوم الحاسوب في جامعة تكساس في أوستن‬ ‫ براءة اختراع وكان مثاال ناجحا‬30 ‫ولديه أكثر من‬ ‫في استقطاب األموال ألغراض األبحاث التي تتم‬ .‫مراجعتها من قبل النظراء‬ 2 ‫تتمه صفحة‬

‫حفل التخرج‬

Commencement At a commencement ceremony overlooking the Breakwater Beacon, inaugural KAUST PhD graduates were honored for helping the young institution reach another milestone in the journey of global excellence to bring knowledge in service of society.

Professor Mootaz Elnozahy Appointed Dean of Computer, Electrical, and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division The University has recently welcomed

Addressing the 220 men and women of the Class of 2012, KAUST Founding President, Prof. Choon Fong Shih, reminded the new graduates that they are trailblazers and the flag-bearers of their alma mater. “Your future success will be our university's success, so will KAUST's success be yours. The simple truth is we have a shared destiny,” he remarked.

Guest speaker Lord Alec Broers – a pioneer of nanofabrication, former Vice Chancellor of Cambridge University, and past President of the Royal Academy of Engineering – hailed KAUST's effort “to advance modern science and accelerate the pace of engineering… which are two sides of the same coin.”

Professor Mootaz Elnozahy as Dean of the

KAUST's inaugural PhD recipients were followed by the

Computer, Electrical, and Mathematical Sciences

University's third class of master's graduates from its three academic

and Engineering (CEMSE) Division. Prior to

divisions – Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering;

joining KAUST, Dean Elnozahy spent 15 years

Chemical, Electrical, and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering;

at IBM Research in Austin, Texas, leading both

and Physical Sciences and Engineering.

research and product development efforts. Prior

Many master's graduates will advance to PhD study at KAUST.

to joining IBM, he was a faculty member at

Others, in support of KAUST's economic development mission, join

the School of Computer Science at Carnegie

the ranks of the University's blue-chip industrial partners includ-

Mellon University from 1993 to 1997. Prof.

ing Saudi Aramco, SABIC, and The Dow Chemical Company. KAUST

Elnozahy has also been an adjunct professor

graduates – the majority from Saudi Arabia – included men and

in the Department of Computer Sciences at the

women from all corners of the world, including the United States,

University of Texas at Austin. He has more than

China, France, Norway, South Africa, India, Australia, and Brazil.

30 patents and has been extremely successful in

As Prof. Choon Fong Shih observed during his commented remarks,

raising peer reviewed research funding.

“The early chapters of KAUST's history are so inspiring. They tell of

dean elnozahy | Continued on p2

COMMENCEMENT | Continued on p2

a breathtaking campus which just a few years ago was mostly desert

INSIDE:

News 1-2

PhD Graduates 3

‫حصدت أول مجموعة من الخريجين درجة الدكتوراه في تاريخ جامعة الملك‬ ‫ وفي كلمته التي رحب فيها‬2012 ‫عبداهلل وذلك في احتفال التخرج للعام‬ ‫ بأنهم‬،‫ البروفسور تشون فونغ شيه‬،‫ ذكرهم رئيس الجامعة‬،‫بالخريجين الجدد‬ ‫يعدون من الرواد وحملة أعالم جامعتهم األم قائال "إن نجاحكم في المستقبل‬ ‫ والحقيقة المجردة‬.‫هو نجاح لجامعتنا كما أن نجاح الجامعة ما هو إال نجاح لكم‬ ."‫هي أن مصيرنا مشترك‬ ‫وكانت الجامعة قد افتتحت على يد مؤسسها الملك عبداهلل بن عبدالعزيز آل‬ ‫ كجامعة أبحاث على مستوى الدراسات العليا في العلوم‬2009 ‫سعود في العام‬ ‫والتقنية ذات جذور ضاربة في المملكة العربية السعودية وسعي جاد للتواصل‬ ‫ وتركز األبحاث الرامية إلى تطوير العلوم والتقنية‬.‫والتأثير على نطاق العالم‬ ‫في حرمها الجامعي على ساحل البحر األحمر إلى الشمال من مدينة جدة على‬ ‫التحديات األربعة الملحة التي تواجه المملكة والعالم األوسع والمتمثلة في‬ .‫الماء والغذاء والطاقة والبيئة‬ ‫ وهو أحد العلماء الرواد في تقنية‬،‫وتحدث الخطيب الضيف اللورد أليك برويرز‬ ،‫النانو والرئيس السابق لألكاديمية الملكية للهندسة في المملكة المتحدة‬ ‫مشيدا بجهود الجامعة الرامية إلى "ترقية العلوم الحديثة وتسريع وتيرة التطوير‬ ."‫الهندسي كوجهين لعملة واحدة‬ ‫وتال تخريج أول دفعة من حملة الدكتوراه من جامعة الملك عبداهلل تخريج‬ ‫الدفعة الثالثة من حملة درجة الماجستير من أقسام الجامعة األكاديمية‬ ‫الثالثة وهي قسم العلوم والهندسة البيولوجية والبيئية وقسم العلوم والهندسة‬ .‫الحاسوبية والكهربائية والحسابية وقسم العلوم والهندسة الفيزيائية‬ ‫وقد تركزت أبحاث الرواد األوائل من حملة درجة الدكتوراه في الجامعة على‬ ‫مجاالت تنوعت من النمذجة الحاسوبية لنظم المواد إلى أبحاث البحر األحمر‬ ‫وجينومات إجهاد النبات واألساليب الرياضية لتصوير األسطح الجيولوجية‬ ‫ وسيتابع بعضهم أبحاثهم لدرجة ما بعد الدكتوراه بينما يشرع اآلخرون‬.‫التحتية‬ ‫ بينما سيواصل العديد من الخريجين‬،‫في حياتهم العملية في الشركات الصناعية‬ .‫بدرجة الماجستير دراستهم لنيل درجة الدكتوراه من جامعة الملك عبداهلل‬ ‫والبعض اآلخر وفي سبيل دعم رسالة التطوير االقتصادي لجامعة الملك عبداهلل‬ ‫ بما في ذلك شركات‬،‫سينضمون إلى صفوف شركاء الجامعة الصناعيين الكبار‬ .‫أرامكو السعودية وسابك وداو كيميكال‬ 2 ‫تتمه صفحة‬

Winter Enrichment Program 4-5

Awards 6-7

Community 8

2

January 2013

News

The Beacon

In this first issue of 2013 we present the University’s third

Each January, WEP brings an added energy and excitement to

Commencement, a milestone achievement not only for gradu-

our campus with its many events, lectures, and courses open

ates and their families, but a shared celebration with the faculty,

to the entire community. From a photography exhibit featuring

staff, and community of KAUST. This Beacon also welcomes Prof.

archaeological sites of Saudi Arabia, and a fishing lecture led by a

Mootaz Elnozahy, the newly appointed Dean of the Computer,

local fisherman, to an explosive science show, there is something

Electrical, and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division.

for everyone to inspire creativity and curiosity. 

Members of the Al Manarah and NCB Toastmasters groups.

—THE BEACON Editorial The Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 5, January 2013. 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.

dean elnozahy | Continued from p1 Prof. Elnozahy holds a PhD in Computer Science from Rice University in Texas, and a BS in Electrical Engineering with Highest Honors from Cairo University in Egypt. He is fluent in Arabic, English, French, and several programming languages.

Prof. Elnozahy’s personal research area is in systems, including high performance computing, power-aware computing, fault tolerance, operating systems, system architecture, and distributed systems. His work on rollback-recovery is now a standard component of graduate courses in fault-tolerant computing.

Provost Stefan Catsicas said, “Research excellence is one of IBM’s well recognized strengths. So is the company’s capacity to bring major programs from the labs to the market. KAUST is very fortunate to have attracted a scholar and manager like Mootaz to lead a Division that regroups disciplines ideally positioned to fulfill both our academic and economic development aspirations.”

Prof. Elnozahy was attracted to KAUST by the compelling opportunity to establish a center of knowledge and research in the Middle East with unprecedented capabilities. He shares, “The King’s vision behind KAUST resonates well with me, as it does with any scientist who grew up in this region. I see the University’s role as a pioneering agent of economic transformation in addition to its ambitious goal of becoming an international center of excellence in scientific research.”  commencement | Continued from p1 sand. They tell of PhD graduates whose talent has been honed in some of the finest laboratories alongside top scientific minds from around the world. You all carry with you untold potential. I am filled with optimism that, through you, many more meaningful pages of our shared history will be written.” 

‫تابع معتز النزهي‬

‫وقد حاز البروفسور النزهي على درجة الدكتوراه في علوم الحاسوب‬ ‫ ودرجة بكالوريوس علوم في الهندسة‬،‫من جامعة رايس في تكساس‬ ‫ ويجيد اللغات‬،‫الكهربائية بأعلى مرتبة شرف من جامعة القاهرة في مصر‬ .‫العربية واالنجليزية والفرنسية والعديد من لغات البرمجة‬ ‫ بما في ذلك الحوسبة‬،‫وتركزت اهتماماته البحثية الشخصية على النظم‬ ‫عالية األداء وعمليات الحوسبة ذات الطاقة المنخفضة وتحمل األخطاء‬ ‫ وقد‬.‫والعيوب ونظم التشغيل والهيكلة المعمارية للنظم ونظم التوزيع‬ ‫أصبح عمله في العمليات الحاسوبية الموزعة اآلن المكون القياسي‬ ‫لدورات التخريج في الحوسبة المتعلقة بقدرة النظام على االستجابة‬ .‫بأمان إلى حدوث خطأ غير متوقع في األجهزة أو البرامج‬ ‫ويقول وكيل الجامعة البروفسور ستيفان كاتسيكاس "يشكل تميز‬ ‫ إضافة إلى‬،‫األبحاث أحد جوانب القوة التي تتميز بها شركة آي بي إم‬ ‫طاقة الشركة وقدرتها على إخراج البرامج الرئيسية من المختبر و إدخالها‬ ‫ وقد ُو ِفقت جامعة الملك عبداهلل في تعيين عالم ومدير متميز‬.‫إلى السوق‬ ‫لقيادة قسم وإعادة تجميع التخصصات بحيث تكون في وضع مثالي لتلبية‬ ."‫تطلعاتنا في التطوير األكاديمي واالقتصادي على حد سواء‬ ‫واألمر الذي اجتذب البروفسور معتز النزهي إلى جامعة الملك عبداهلل‬ ‫هو الفرصة المقنعة لتأسيس مركز للمعرفة واألبحاث يتمتع بمقدرات غير‬ ‫ حيث يقول "إن رؤية خادم الحرمين الشريفين‬.‫مسبوقة في الشرق األوسط‬ ‫الملك عبداهلل بن عبدالعزيز عن تأسيس الجامعة تلقى قبوال في نفسه‬ ‫ وأنا أرى وأقدر دور الجامعة‬.‫كما تفعل مع أي عالم نشأ في هذه المنطقة‬ ‫كعامل رائد في التحول االقتصادي إضافة إلى هدفها الطموح بأن تصبح‬  ."‫مركزا عالميا للتميز في األبحاث العلمية‬ ‫تابع حفل التخرج‬

‫و خريجو جامعة الملك عبداهلل من الجنسين معظمهم من داخل‬ ‫ بما في ذلك الواليات المتحدة والصين‬،‫المملكة أتوا من كل بقاع العالم‬ .‫وفرنسا والنرويج وجنوب أفريقيا والهند واستراليا والبرازيل‬ ‫كما ذكر البروفسور تشون فونغ شيه في كلمته الترحيبية بأن األبحاث‬ ‫التي تنتج في الجامعة والتي تنشر في المجالت األكاديمية الرائدة لها‬ ‫تأثير عظيم في تعزيز موقع الجامعة وسمعتها في األوساط العلمية‬ ‫ "لقد اخترتم مالحقة شغفكم‬2012 ‫العالمية وقال مخاطبا خريجي العام‬ ‫بالعلوم بجوار ساحل البحر األحمر في واحدة من أقصر جامعات العالم‬  ."‫ وبذلك تثبتون أنكم في دواخلكم رواد ومغامرون‬،‫عمرا‬

in brief T oastmasters On December 17, the KAUST chapter of Toastmasters, Al Manarah, visited the National Commercial Bank (NCB) Toastmasters Club at their Training Center in Jeddah. The meeting was called together by Kamal Ahmad Al-Borno, the president of NCB Toastmasters and the current manager of corporate social responsibility at Emaar, King Abdullah Economic City. The meeting led to fruitful discussions as well as agreements on continued exchange and stronger collaboration. 

G rades 3, 4, and 5 Winter Concert Students in grade 3, 4, and 5 from The KAUST School (TKS) presented their take on the classic folk tale Stone Soup at their annual Winter Concert in December. The story emphasizes the need to collaborate and share in a community and TKS students shared their own interpretation, integrating their views and understanding of culture, collaboration, and community. 

PhD Graduates

www.kaust.edu.sa

‫أول عشرة خرجيني بدرجة الدكتوراه‬ ‫من الدفعة الثالثة من خرجيي جامعة‬ ‫امللك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية‬

First PhD Graduates Among Third Graduating Class of KAUST Ten pioneering PhD graduates – who engaged in research in areas from computational modeling of materials systems, Red Sea research, and plant stress genomics, to mathematical techniques for geophysical subsurface imaging – were among KAUST's third cohort of graduates.

January 2013

‫ضمت الدفعة الثالثة من خرجيي جامعة امللك عبداهلل أول عشرة خرجيني رواد ممن نالوا درجة الدكتوراه‬ ‫بأحباث يف جماالت تناولت النمذجة احلاسوبية لنظم املواد وأحباث البحر األمحر وجينومات إجهاد النبات‬ .‫واألساليب احلسابية لتصوير الطبقات اجليوفيزيائية التحتية‬

DR. WEI DAI, CHINA EARTH SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING ADVISOR: PROF. GERARD SCHUSTER

DR. FREDRICK KAMANU, KENYA BIOSCIENCE ADVISOR: PROF. VLADIMIR BAJIC

Dr. Wei Dai gained his bachelor’s degree from the University

Dr. Fredrick Kamanu gained a bachelor’s degree in

els that can accurately capture the dynamics of interference,

of Science and Technology of China, and his master’s

Biomedical Science and Technology from Egerton

with distinct applications in the performance analysis of sin-

degree in Geology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-

University, Kenya, and a master’s degree in Bioinformatics

gle carrier and multicarrier future wireless networks.

Champaign, US. He started his PhD studies in Exploration

from the University of the Western Cape in Cape Town,

Seismology at the University of Utah, US, before following

South Africa. He joined KAUST in 2009.

his supervisor to KAUST in 2009.

During his PhD studies, Dr. Dai worked on seismic imaging methods to improve the image quality and resolution by leastsquares migration (LSM).

After gaining his PhD, Dr. Dai joined leading oilfield services

Dr. Kamanu’s PhD research was on developing computational tools for comparative analysis of microbial genomes.

Having completed his PhD studies, Dr. Kamanu plans to stay in academia and will pursue a postdoctoral fellowship.

DR. EIVIND DYPVIK, NORWAY MARINE SCIENCE ADVISOR: PROF. STEIN KAARTVEDT

wireless networks. She has developed several statistical mod-

Dr. Tabassum aspires to secure a faculty position at a top university in Saudi Arabia or the Middle East.

DR. MARIE-JEAN THORAVAL, FRANCE MECHANICAL ENGINEERING ADVISOR: PROF. SIGURDUR THORODDSEN Dr. Marie-Jean Thoraval received his master’s level diploma from Ecole Polytechnique (Palaiseau, France)

company and industrial partner of KAUST, Schlumberger, in Houston, Texas, US.

Dr. Tabassum’s primary research work has been on modeling and management of interference in future generation

DR. TIMOTHY KAMANU, KENYA BIOSCIENCE ADVISOR: PROF. VLADIMIR BAJIC

and Supaéro (Toulouse, France), and completed a research

Dr. Timothy Kamanu has a bachelor’s degree in mathe-

joined Prof. Sigurdur Thoroddsen’s group at the National

master’s degree in Fluid Dynamics at Institut Supérieur de l'Aéronautique et de l'Espace (Tolouse, France). He

matics from the University of Nairobi, Kenya; Chartered

University of Singapore in 2007, and moved to KAUST

Dr. Eivind Dypvik received his master’s degree from the

Accountancy II from Strathmore University, Kenya; Post

with his supervisor in 2009.

University of Oslo, Norway, and joined KAUST shortly after

Graduate Diploma in Mathematical Sciences from the African

Dr. Thoraval’s PhD was on different aspects of drop

graduating in 2010.

Institute of Mathematical Sciences/University of Cape Town,

impacts, captured with a high-speed (one million frames

South Africa; and a master’s degree in Statistics (cum laude)

per second) camera.

Dr. Dypvik’s PhD research was on myctophids, small mesopelagic fish species important to marine ecosystems

from the University of the Western Cape, South Africa.

throughout the world. His research focused on the behavior

Dr. Kamanu’s PhD research focused on accurate predic-

of the Red Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean myctophids in

tion of small non-coding RNA sequences (microRNAs);

relation to prey and predator distribution, and to abiotic fac-

He developed a theoretical and computational frame-

tors such as temperature and oxygen levels.

work to unveil microRNA genes in genomic sequences,

Dr. Dypvik plans to follow his passion in marine ecology

and a software tool to estimate microRNA gene bounda-

Dr. Thoraval will continue his research as a postdoctoral fellow at KAUST.

DR. SAFDAR NAZIR, PAKISTAN MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING ADVISOR: PROF. UDO SCHWINGENSCHLOGI Dr. Safdar Nazir gained his bachelor’s degree from

and pursue a job within this field.

ries with high accuracy.

DR. SALMAN BIN INAYAT, PAKISTAN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ADVISOR: PROF. MUHAMMAD MUSTAFA HUSSAIN

Dr. Kamanu hopes to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship

Bahauddin Zakariya University in Multan, Pakistan, and

in statistical and mathematical modeling, and/or a career

his master’s degree from University of The Punjab in

in consulting.

Lahore, Pakistan.

Dr. Salman Inayat gained his bachelor’s degree from the

DR. CAMERON MACPHERSON, SOUTH AFRICA BIOSCIENCE ADVISOR: PROF. VLADIMIR BAJIC

investigation of the electronic states at perovskite and pyrite

Dr. Cameron MacPherson studied genetics, microbiol-

postdoctoral position in the US and Europe, and has been shortlisted for a professorship in Pakistan.

University of Engineering and Technology in Islamabad/ Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and his master’s degree from the University of Texas at Arlington, Texas, US.

Dr. Nazir's PhD research focus was on the first-principles

Dr. Inayat’s doctoral research work was on transform-

ogy, and medical cell biology at undergraduate level and

ing window glasses into thermoelectricity generators. He

received his master’s degree in Bioinformatics from the

explored using the temperature gradient between the hot

University of the Western Cape, South Africa. He started

outdoors and the relatively cold indoors of a building for

his PhD studies in South Africa, and transferred to KAUST

mass scale energy generation.

when his supervisor joined the University in 2009.

hetero-interfaces.

Dr. Nazir plans to stay in academia and has applied for a

DR. GE ZHAN, CHINA EARTH SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING ADVISOR: PROF. GERARD SCHUSTER

Dr. Inayat’s plans are to explore avenues related to

Dr. MacPherson’s PhD research was on small ribonu-

Dr. Ge Zhan received his master’s degree in Geophysics

research, development, and commercialization of nano-

cleic acid (smRNA) biology in plant stress. His main line of

from China University of Mining and Technology, China. He

technology applications leading toward renewable

investigation was in the molecular response of Arabidopsis

started his PhD studies at the department of Geology and

energy harvesting.

thaliana to various stress conditions.

Geophysics at The University of Utah, US, before following

After completing his PhD studies, Dr. MacPherson started a postdoctoral fellowship at Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.

DR. HINA TABASSUM, PAKISTAN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ADVISOR: PROF. MOHAMED-SLIM ALOUINI Dr. Hina Tabassum gained her bachelor and master’s degrees from NED University of Engineering and Technology in Karachi, Pakistan.

his supervisor to KAUST in 2009.

Dr. Ge's PhD research focused on a new seismic migration algorithm, where seismic events recorded at the surface are more precisely relocated (in space) to the subsurface location in which the event occurred.

Dr. Ge will begin a career in the oil and gas industry, having joined British Petroleum (BP) in Houston, Texas, US. 

3

4

January 2013

Winter Enrichment Program

The Beacon

Winter Enrichment Program (WEP) 2013 2013 ‫ يناير‬30 ‫ يناير إلى‬12 ‫سيبدأ برنامج اإلثراء الشتوي الرابع اعتبارا من‬ ‫ وذلك للحصول على المزيد من المعلومات حول البرامج‬http://wep.acadox.com ‫يرجى زيارة الموقع‬ .‫ مع مراعاة أي تعديالت قد تضاف على الجدول‬،‫والتسجيل للدورات الدراسية والمحاضرات‬ contactwep@kaust.edu.sa :‫وإلبداء آراءكم واستفساراكم يرجى التواصل على البريد اإللكتروني‬ The fourth Winter Enrichment Program (WEP) is taking place January 12 – 30, 2013.

Visit http://wep.acadox.com for the full program listing, and to register for courses, events, and lectures. Please note that the schedule is subject to change.

For inquiries or comments, email: contactwep@kaust.edu.sa.

SPECIAL EVENTS, EXHIBITS, AND HIGHLIGHTS

PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION - DISCOVER SAUDI ARABIA January 16 - 23 Engineering Science Hall (building 9), Entrance Hall

‫ محاضرة ومعرض للصور‬:‫صيد األسماك‬

Exhibition opening on January 16 from 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.

‫معرض صيد األسماك في بيئة بحرية‬ ‫ يناير‬25 ‫ يناير إلى‬19 )16( ‫بهو مدخل اإلدارة مبنى‬

Discover Saudi Arabia is a photographic exhibition of some of Saudi Arabia’s most impressive heritage sites. The exhibit’s main themes are the Makkah Province, the Madinah Province, Historical Jeddah, and Saudi Arabia’s two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Hegra (Mada’in Saleh) and Ad-Dar’iyah.

The Exhibit is a joint collaboration between the KAUST Society for Archaeology and Anthropology Student Group, the Photography Group, archaeologist Laurence Hapiot, WEP Conference Manager Marie-Laure Boulot, and Sami Nawar, the Director of Jeddah Historical Municipal Branch.

5K FAMILY FUN RUN Thursday, January 17 from 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Everyone can take part in this event by running for fun, walking with friends, or racing to win. The biggest achievement is taking part, so you can make the run a laugh by taking part in our fun events, which include best costume

‫ يناير من الساعة الخامسة والنصف إ‍لى السادسة والنصف‬19 ‫افتتاح االحتفال في‬ ‫مساء‬ :‫ نشاط صيد األسماك في ثول‬:‫المحاضرة‬ ‫ يناير من الساعة الواحدة والنصف إلى الساعة الثانية والنصف ظهرًا‬20 ‫األحد‬ ‫توقع وتخمين أنواع األسماك التي‬ ّ ‫أبو نايف هو صائد أسماك سعودي يستخدم الطرق التقليدية في‬ ‫ وأبو نايف له رغبة شديدة في‬.‫يصطادها وكميتها من خالل قراءة أحوال البحر والنجوم والرياح‬ ‫ وسيقدم‬.‫المحافظة على البيئة البحرية وشغوف بمشاركة اآلخرين في ما تراكم لديه من معارف ثرية‬ .‫أبونايف المحاضرة باللغة العربية وسيقوم بترجمتها إلى اللغة االنجليزية عماد الشريف‬

A LECTURE AND PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION: FISHING Exhibition: “Fishing Photography in a Marine Atmosphere” January 19 - 25 Administration Building (16), Rotunda Opening Ceremony on January 19 from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Lecture: Fishing Activities in Thuwal Sunday, January 20 from 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.

(come dressed in a crazy outfit) and best team costume. The competitive race categories

Abu Naif is a Saudi fisherman who uses traditional methods to anticipate the type and size

are overall race winner, fastest female runner,

of his catch, by reading the sea, the stars, and the wind. Abu Naif has a great interest in

and fastest junior (16 & under). Registration forms are available at the Harbor Sports Club reception

preserving the marine environment and a passion to share his knowledge. His lecture will

desk or by emailing recreation@kaust.edu.sa.

be presented in Arabic and translated to English by Emad Al Sharif.

SPECIAL EVENT: IMPROVISATION THEATRE PERFORMANCE With Basel Al-Naffouri, Lisa Rowland, Regina Saisi, Tim Orr, and special guest keyboard player, KAUST PhD student Andrew Yip Thursday, January 24 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

SEMINAR AND FILM SESSION: AFRICA TREK: IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF MANKIND

Come watch and listen as short scenes unfold in real time with the excitement, hilarity, and

By Alexandre Poussin and Aurelien Manchon Thursday, January 24 from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.

surprise of improvisation. The group of San

After a bicycle tour around the world (1993-1994) and a grand traverse of the Himalaya

Francisco-based actors/improvisers will incor-

ranges (1997), Alexandre and Sonia Poussin made the first successful attempt to cross the

porate the audience’s suggestions and ideas

African Continent on foot, unaided (2001-2004). They took 39 months to walk from one end

into their improvisation performance. It will

of the Great Rift Valley to the other, retracing the passage of the Early Man.

be an engaging evening of fun for the whole family!

The seminar consists of two parts: a showing of the movie “Africa Trek: In the Footsteps of Mankind”, and a seminar/discussion on the modus operandi of their walk and the way they experienced multiculturalism.

www.kaust.edu.sa

Winter Enrichment Program

January 2013

5

DR. BUNHEAD'S CRASH TEST SCIENCE SHOW

By Tom Pringle (from Brainiac) Sunday, January 27 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

TV's most extreme TV scientist will be at KAUST to take part in the Science Fair and to deliver 100% pure, live, high-octane explosive science. Dr. Bunhead’s show will feature exploding hot water bottles, stunt bananas, the Guinness world record potato bazooka, and more

PRESENTATION OF THE WORLD CUISINE COMPETITION

By Guido Barendson Monday, January 28 from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

Italian gastronomic journalist and critic Guido Barendson works with the Italian national TV network RAI (Radiotelevisione Italiana) and is part of the managing committee of the prestigious Italian magazine and restaurant guide L’Espresso. His presentation will help participants prepare for the

DIALOGUE WITH LEADERS - “MY BIGGEST FAILURE AND WHAT IT TAUGHT ME”

By Rami Abu Ghazaleh Tuesday, January 22 from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Engineer Rami Abu Ghazaleh is the CEO and a Co-owner of AlBaik

Cooking Competition that will be held on Wednesday, January 30.

Food Systems Company. He manages around 40 AlBaik fast food restaurant operations in Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah, and Yanbu,

CLOSING CONCERT

and has made substantial commitments to social responsibility in

Attab Haddad Quartet with violinist Sabina Rakcheyeva Wednesday, January 30 from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

the Kingdom.

Sensitive and dynamic, and influenced by the musical traditions of the West and the East, the

Tuesday, January 22 from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m.

young and vibrant Arts Global musicians create their unique voice through improvisations based

ALUMNI LECTURE SERIES

on classical works and traditional themes. In a rare fusion of Western and Eastern instruments and

After a call for proposals by WEP and Graduate Affairs, four alumni were shortlisted to give a

styles, their compositions and improvisations are about exploring the new approaches and reflect-

30-minute talk on their current research or work. Come hear what these KAUST alumni have to

ing an interest in music that goes beyond a singular tradition. The Quintet has appeared live on

share about their journey post-graduation.

BBC Radio and played at several of London’s venues, including The Forge, where they closed the London Jazz Festival in 2011.

EXPERIENCES TO REMEMBER FROM SAUDI ARABIA

By Ahmad Sahab Monday, January 28 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.

LECTURE HIGHLIGHTS

Mr. Ahmad Sahab – creator, director, and presenter from OSN TV Network, will take the audience on a trip to explore the landscapes of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia using scenes from the new, must-see TV series “Discover KSA.” Sahab will showcase extracts of the groundbreaking series to bring the audience a whole new

LECTURE AND COURSE - INTRO TO MUSIC THEORY

By Corry Moriarty Course: Tuesday, January 15 from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Lecture: Sunday, January 20 from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.

Course: Wednesday, January 30 from 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Corry Moriarty is a music, drama, and creative movement educator with a focus on inquiry-based learning and integrated curriculum. Moriarty’s interactive lecture and course are designed for any-

perspective of what lies within the hidden corners of this wondrous land – from the depths of the Red Sea and the vast deserts that cover more than half of the country, to the mountaintops very few have explored. This is an adventure you won’t want to miss!

SCULPTURE, ANOTHER WAY TO CONFRONT NATURE

By Igor Ustinov Tuesday, January 29 from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Sculptor Igor Ustinov believes that sculpture has been used as an illustra-

one who would like to learn more about the language of music.

tion of an event of life or of faith, to communicate values to satisfy social and political establishment, and to illustrate the truth. Today, he feels sculpture

DO WE REALLY NEED TO BE AFRAID OF SNAKES?

has freed itself from that use. Sculpture is no longer just a social answer but

By Sid Samtaney Monday, January 21 from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m.

progress. Ustinov invites the KAUST community to explore the evolution

has transformed itself to become an art of questioning and a vector of and perception of sculpture, and to share his experiences as an artist. 

KAUST high school senior Sid Samtaney is an aspiring herpetologist and a seasoned WEP lecturer.

During his talk, he will discuss the snake species of Saudi Arabia and educate the KAUST community about the benefits of having snakes as part of the ecosystem.

wep.acadox.com

6

Awards

January 2013

The Beacon

Front row (from left to right): Amin Shibani (Vice President of Economic Development), Teo Uysal (Manager of New Ventures), Majed A. Alrefae, Zhenyu Li, Gary Amy, Lijo Francis, Abdulwahid Al-Zaydi, Noreddine Ghaffour Back row (from left to right): Muhannad Abu-Ghdaib, Rodrigo Valladares, Ahmad Alsaadi, Peter Rautek, Mohammed Al-Zaydi, Nasir Memon

Latest Seed Fund Winners Announced The Seed Fund recently announced the winners of their 2012 Fall Round. Four teams were selected from an initial pool of 35 applications. The successful teams count among their ranks one faculty member, two graduate students, four researchers, one postdoc, and two staff members. They will now receive incubation support to develop their products from the prototype stage to commercialization and, ultimately, into a new business. The four winning projects are:

Osmo H2O Based on new technology that integrates sea-

prototype will be developed to produce several

water desalination and wastewater treatment,

kilograms of nanoparticles, as well as a detailed

this process provides a sustainable option for

roadmap for developing a viable production

water supply. This membrane-based technology

facility.

will be used to recover fresh potable water from

Team: Nasir Memon, Majed Al Refae, Amir

wastewater effluents and seawater with 50%

Memon

less energy consumption and less use of chemicals for membrane cleaning.

MAKKAH WINDOW

Team: Gary Amy, Lijo Francis, Rodrigo

Using Augmented Reality technology and 360

Valladares, Muhannad Abu-Ghdaib, Zhenyu Li

degree panoramas, this mobile application provides interactive content for historical sites and

MSMD

landmarks in Makkah, further enriching the

This multi-stage membrane distillation unit

experience of pilgrims and visitors.

combines the advantages of two conventional

Team: Peter Rautek, Abdulwahid Al-Zaydi,

methods: thermal and membrane processes. A

Mohammed Al-Zaydi

membrane that allows water vapor molecule passage will be utilized, allowing the technol-

About the Seed Fund:

ogy to work under lower temperature and lower

The Seed Fund is a product development fund-

pressure, resulting in lower cost.

ing mechanism that can help move promising

Team: Ahmad Alsaadi, Lijo Francis, Noreddine

ideas further toward commercialization, and

Ghaffour

ultimately lead to the formation of a new business. The next round will be open in February

MANUFACTURING OF NANOPARTICLES USING FLAMES This technology is based on nanoparticle production using a proven technology of flame synthesis. Utilizing recent advancements in flame-based technology, a commercial

2013. For more information, visit the Seed Fund website or email: seedfund@kaust.edu.sa. 

‫املشاريع الفائزة حديثا‬ ‫جبوائز صندوق التمويل التأسيسي‬ ‫ وتم اختيار‬.2012 ‫أعلن صندوق التمويل التأسيسي مؤخرا المشاريع الفائزة حديثا بجوائز جولة خريف العام‬ ِ ‫المبتكرة لهذه المشاريع أحد‬ ‫ وتضم الفرق‬. ‫ منتجا‬35 ‫أربعة مشاريع من المجموعة المبدئية البالغ عددها‬ .‫أعضاء هيئة التدريس وخريجين اثنين وأربعة باحثين وباحث ما بعد مرحلة الدكتوراه واثنين من الموظفين‬

‫وسيتلقون الدعم في مرحلة الحضانة بهدف تطوير منتجاتهم من مرحلة النموذج التجريبي إلى مرحلة تحويل‬

:‫ والمشاريع األربعة الفائزة هي‬.‫المنتجات إلى خدمات وسلع تجارية ومن ثم تكوين شركات جديدة‬

‫نافذة على مكة‬

H2O ‫أوزمو‬

‫يتم هنا استخدام تقنية واقعية محسنة ومناظر بانورامية‬

‫ هي عبارة عن تقنية جديدة تجمع بين‬H2O ‫أوزمو‬

‫تفاعلية للمواقع التاريخية في مكة المكرمة وبالتالى‬

‫ وتقوم‬.‫هذه العملية خيار االستدامة لموارد المياه‬

‫ ويؤدي هذا المنتج إلى تأمين محتويات‬،‫ درجة‬360 .‫إضافة المزيد من اإلثراء لتجربة ضيوف الرحمن والزوار‬ ‫ ومحمد الزيدي‬،‫ وعبدالواحد الزيدي‬،‫ بيتر راوتك‬:‫الفريق‬

‫معلومات عن صندوق التمويل التأسيسي‬

‫صندوق التمويل التأسيسي هو عبارة عن تمويل يستهدف‬ ‫تطوير المنتجات بما يمكن من دفع األفكار الواعدة في‬

‫اتجاه تحويلها إلى خدمات وسلع تجارية ويؤدي في نهاية‬

‫ وسيتم افتتاح الجولة‬.‫المطاف إلى تكوين شركات جديدة‬

‫ وتوفر‬،‫تحلية مياه البحر ومعالجة مياه الصرف الصحي‬ ‫التقنية على أساس استخدام األغشية الستخالص المياه‬

‫العذبة الصالحة للشرب من المياه المستخدمة ومياه‬

‫ واستخدام مواد‬% 50 ‫البحر باستهالك طاقة أقل بنسبة‬ .‫كيميائية أقل لتنظيف األغشية‬

‫ و رودريجو‬،‫ و ليجو فرانسيس‬،‫ قاري آمي‬:‫أعضاء الفريق‬ ‫ و زهنيو لي‬،‫ ومحمد أبو غديب‬،‫فاالداريس‬

‫وحدة التقطير باألغشية متعددة المراحل‬

‫ نرجو‬،‫ للمزيد من المعلومات‬.2013 ‫القادمة في فبراير‬

‫وحدة التقطير باألغشية متعددة المراحل تجمع بين‬

 seedfund@kaust.edu.sa :‫البريد االلكتروني‬

‫ وتستخدم فيها األغشية التي يسمح لجزيئيات‬.‫األغشية‬

‫زيارة موقع صندوق التمويل التأسيسي أو التواصل مع‬

‫ هما الطريقة الحرارية مع‬:‫مزايا طريقتين تقليديتين‬ ‫بخار الماء بالمرور مما يسمح للتقنية بالعمل تحت درجة‬

‫حرارة وضغط أكثر انخفاضا مع ما يترتب على ذلك من‬ .‫خفض للتكاليف‬

‫ ونور‬،‫ و ليجو فرانسيس‬،‫ أحمد السعدي‬:‫أعضاء الفريق‬

‫الدين غفور‬

‫تصنيع جزيئيات النانو باستخدام اللهب‬

‫تقوم هذه التقنية على أساس إنتاج جزيئيات النانو‬ ‫ وسيتم من خالل‬.‫باستخدام تقنية مجربة لتصنيع اللهب‬

‫استخدام تطورات حديثة في تقنية اللهب تطوير نموذج‬

‫تجاري أولي إلنتاج عدة كيلوغرامات من جزيئيات النانو‬

‫إضافة إلى خارطة طريق تفصيلية لتطوير مرفق إنتاج قابل‬

.‫لالستمرارية‬

‫ وأمير ميمون‬،‫ وماجد الرفاعي‬،‫ ناصر ميمون‬:‫أعضاء الفريق‬

Awards

www.kaust.edu.sa

KAUST Wins Top Honors for Entrepreneurship At the third annual Global Entrepreneurship

allowing diverse groups of entrepreneurs to

Summit (GES) held in December in Dubai, UAE,

assess each other and match each other's

KAUST was select as the Best Higher Education

skills in a productive way. In fact, many of

Institution in the Arab World supporting entre-

the VentureLab's aspiring entrepreneurs come

preneurship. The award was presented by HH

equipped with only a technical background;

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,

while others come mainly with an idea or

UAE VP, PM, and Ruler of Dubai. The inaugural

relevant business experience. Teams are then

GES in 2009, highlighted by US President Barack

formed at VentureLab from a process emulat-

Obama's speech in Cairo, had as its founding

ing the real world - where participants come

and continuing mission to “empower entrepre-

together to complement each other's skills to

neurs with the skills and resources necessary to

maximize their efficiency.

compete and thrive in the 21st century.”

Manager of the KAUST Entrepreneurship Center, Ahmed Abdulwahab, remarked: “For

KAUST was recognized for the University's

any successful start-up, you need two things: a

exemplary work in areas reflected in the

great idea and a great team. It doesn't work with

award's following five main criteria:

just an idea or just a team. If you have a great

• Entrepreneurship courses and coaching

idea, you then need a team to actually execute it.

(VentureLab lecturing, coaching, WEP

For VentureLab, we look for people with a great

entrepreneurship, and Speaker Series)

background in business, or in technology or any

• Incubation Center (Startup sessions,

kind of interesting background. Then in the first

VentureLab and Seed Fund Incubation

two weeks we're matching them; actually they

space and services)

match themselves.”

• R&D Support (Technology commercialization support for innovative R&D projects) • Access to Seed Funding (Seed Fund program) • Partnership and alliances (Partnering

the VentureLab event, top teams move on to the next phase of preparing to present to the Seed Fund committee. If they are able to secure funding, they will take part in a lengthier and more intense two-year incubator in the Seed Fund.

KSA; networking)

During this time, the entrepreneurs' concepts are developed into a business and they must achieve

to empowering entrepreneurs and fostering

a set number of milestones as part of the Seed

innovation in the Kingdom and the world is

Fund requirements. The goal then becomes to

the University’s Entrepreneurship Center. The

prepare teams for the marketplace, creating a

center recently held its 2012 VentureLab final

positive impact in stimulating the economy.

showcase event and winners were announced in last month’s issue of The Beacon.

The University's focus on coaching entrepreneurs will be further highlighted at this month’s Winter Enrichment Program (WEP).

From a Winning Idea to a Viable Business: the VentureLab and Seed Fund Process

The Entrepreneurship Center will run a one-

In the spirit of the GES award's guiding princi-

January 14 - 21. 

week Entrepreneurship Certificate Course

‫من الفكرة الرابحة إلى األعمال التجارية‬ ‫القابلة للنجاح‬ ‫انطالقا من روح المبادئ الراشدة للجائزة يخدم مختبر‬

‫تم اختيار جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية كأفضل‬ ‫مؤسسة تعليم على مستوى الدراسات العليا في دعم‬

‫ وقدم الجائزة‬.‫المشاريع المبتكرة في العالم العربي‬ ‫ نائب‬،‫صاحب السمو الشيخ محمد بن راشد آل مكتوم‬

‫المشاريع الجريئة كحاضنة تسمح للمجموعات المتنوعة‬

‫رئيس دولة اإلمارات العربية المتحدة وحاكم دبي شهر‬

‫ وفي واقع األمر يأتي العديد من أصحاب‬.‫بصورة مثمرة‬

‫) التي عقدت في‬GES( ‫العالمية للمشاريع المبتكرة‬

‫من أصحاب المشاريع المبتكرة تقييم مهارات بعضهم‬

‫ديسمبر الماضي في االحتفال السنوي الثالث للقمة‬

‫المشاريع الواعدة إلى المختبر وال يملكون في جعبتهم‬

‫ وقد أشاد الرئيس األمريكي باراك أوباما بالقمة‬.‫دبي‬

‫ وبعد ذلك‬.‫بفكرة أو تجربة عمل ذات عالقة باالبتكار‬

‫إلى القاهرة ووصف رسالتها التأسيسية والمستمرة بأنها‬

‫يحاكي العالم الحقيقي حيث يجتمعون معا لتكملة‬

."‫الضرورية للتنافس والنمو في القرن الحادي والعشرين‬

‫ بينما يأتي اآلخرون بصورة أساسية‬،‫سوى الخلفية الفنية‬ ‫يتم تشكيل المشاركون في المختبر باستخدام أسلوب‬

.‫وانسجام مهاراتهم مع بعضهم بهدف إظهار فعالياتهم‬

‫ وذلك إبان زيارته‬2009 ‫االفتتاحية التي نظمت في العام‬

‫"لتمكين أصحاب المشاريع المبتكرة بالمهارات والموارد‬

‫ أولهما الفكرة‬،‫"لنجاح أي شركة جديدة ال بد من أمرين‬

‫وقد نالت جامعة الملك عبداهلل التقدير لعملها الذي يعد‬

‫بفعل الفكرة وحدها أو الفريق الممتاز بمعزل عن‬

:‫الرئيسية الخمسة التالية‬

‫ وال ينجح المشروع‬.‫الجيدة وثانيهما الفريق الممتاز‬

‫ وإذا كانت لديك فكرة عظيمة فإنك ستحتاج‬.‫الفكرة‬

.‫إلى فريق لوضعها موضع التنفيذ‬

‫ويقول أحمد عبدالوهاب مدير مركز المشاريع التجارية‬

‫ بالنسبة لنا في مختبر المشاريع الجريئة فإننا‬،‫المبتكرة‬

‫نبحث عن األشخاص الذين لديهم خلفية معرفية عظيمة‬

‫وبعد ذلك وخالل االسبوعين األولين نقوم أو يقومون‬ ."‫هم في الواقع بعملية التوافق واالنسجام‬

‫بعد دخولهم في القائمة بنجاح في فعالية مختبر‬ ‫المشاريع الجريئة انتقلت المشاريع الثالثة األولى إ‍لى‬

‫نموذجا في المجاالت التي تهتم بها الجائزة وهي المعايير‬

‫ •الدورات الدراسية والتدريب على املشاريع املبتكرة‬ ‫(محاضرات مختبر األعمال املبتكرة واملشاريع املبتكرة‬ )‫في برنامج اإلثراء الشتوي وسلسلة احملاضرات‬ ‫ •مركز احلاضنات (جلسات الشركات اجلديدة وخدمات‬ ‫مختبر املشاريع املبتكرة وخدمات ومساحات احلاضنات‬ ) ‫في برنامج التمويل التأسيسي‬ ‫ • مساندة األبحاث والتطوير (مساندة حتويل التقنيات‬ ‫إلى خدمات وسلع جتارية ملشاريع األبحاث والتطوير‬ )‫املبتكرة‬

‫المرحلة التالية المتمثلة في اإلعداد لعرض مشاريعهم‬

‫ • احلصول علي التمويل من برنامج التمويل التأسيسي‬

‫من الحصول على التمويل فسوف يشاركون في حاضنة‬

‫ • الشراكات والتحالفات (برامج املشاركة مع املساهمني‬

‫ وإذا تمكنوا‬،‫أمام لجنة صندوق التمويل التأسيسي‬ ‫أكثف وأطول مدة تستمر عامين في صندوق التمويل‬

‫ وخالل هذه المدة يتم تطوير مفاهيم أصحاب‬.‫التأسيسي‬

‫ والهدف من هذه‬.‫المشاريع إلى سلع وخدمات تجارية‬

)‫(برنامج التمويل التأسيسي‬ ‫االساسيني في املشاريع املبتكرة داخل اململكة وتكوين‬ ) ‫شبكات التواصل‬

‫المرحلة إعداد أصحاب المشاريع للسوق بحيث يكونون‬

‫يتمثل محور تركيز الجامعة في تمكين أصحاب المشاريع‬

‫وسيتم ابراز واستعراض تركيز الجامعة على تدريب‬

‫وقد نظم المركز‬

.‫من المؤثرين فيه وفي تنشيط االقتصاد‬

‫أصحاب األفكار والمشاريع المبتكرة بصورة أكبر في‬ ‫ حيث سيقدم المركز‬.‫برنامج اإلثراء الشتوي هذا الشهر‬

‫وجامعة كورنيل دورة اعتماد المشاريع المبتكرة لمدة‬  .2013 ‫ يناير‬21 ‫ إلى‬14 ‫أسبوع من‬

‫المبتكرة من رعاية وتعزيز االبتكار في المملكة من خالل‬ ‫كآخر نشاط للعام‬

.‫مبادرات أخرى تشمل سلسلة المحاضرات والتدريب‬

NAEEM AND ARAYANAN RECEIVE BEST POSTER AWARDS bioinformatics/bts684.

Kiran Narayanan is a PhD student in the Computational Solid

ference in December; the competition categories were sponsored

Mechanics Laboratory. He graduated from the University of

by Intel Corporation and Fujitsu, respectively.

Madras, India (2004), as a gold medalist with a bachelor’s degree

Raeece Naeem is a Research Engineer in the Pathogen Genomics

in Mechanical Engineering. Before joining KAUST in 2012,

Laboratory. He gained his Bachelor of Engineering Degree in

Narayanan worked as a Junior Research Fellow at the Defence

Computer Science in India (2002). Prior to joining KAUST, Naeem

Institute of Advanced Technology, Ministry of Defence, India.

was a senior software developer at the Sanger Institute, UK.

Narayanan’s winning poster was entitled “A Hybrid, Parallel

Naeem’s winning poster described READSCAN, a highly

Implementation of a Genetic Algorithm for Optimization of

scalable parallel program to identify non-host sequences of

Impact Performance.” The work was conducted in collabora-

potential pathogen origin and estimate their genome relative

tion with Angel Mora, Nicholas Allsopp, and Professor Tamer

abundance in high throughput sequence datasets. The work

El Sayed. A paper that describes the work was published in

was done in collaboration with postdoctoral fellow Mamoon

the International Journal of High Performance Computing

Rashid and Naeem’s supervisor, Professor Arnab Pain. A paper

Applications in July. The paper is available at http://dx.doi.

describing the work, “READSCAN: A Fast and Scalable Pathogen

org/10.1177/1094342012451474.

Discovery Program with Accurate Genome Relative Abundance

The third category was won by Muhamed Mudawar from King

Estimation”, will be published in the journal Bioinformatics. An

Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals. His poster was enti-

advanced access copy is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/

tled “Clustering Cores for Parallel Thread Execution.” 

‫مؤخرا مختبر المشاريع الجريئة‬

‫ يتولى مركز المشاريع التجارية الجريئة إدارة‬،‫الجريئة‬

ples, the VentureLab acts as a potent incubator,

at the Saudi Arabian High Performance Computing (SAHPC) con-

‫مركز المشاريع التجارية المبتكرة‬

‫ وإضافة إلى مختبر المشاريع‬. ‫ الستعراض المشاريع‬2012

provided by Cornell University running from

Raeece Naeem and Kiran Narayanan received best poster awards

7

‫اختيار جامعة امللك عبداهلل كأفضل‬ ‫مؤسسة يف دعم املشاريع املبتكرة‬ ‫يف العامل العريب‬

.‫في مجال األعمال أو في التقنية أو أي خلفية مهمة‬

After successfully being short-listed through

with key players in entrepreneurship in A focal point of the University's commitment

January 2013

 Raeece Naeem receives HPC

Best Poster Award sponsored by Intel Corporation  Best Poster Award winner, Kiran Narayanan

8

January 2013

photo of the month

Community

The Beacon

Amaria Rebiai, who works on the University Library’s Digital Repository team, captured this glowing sunset at KAUST Beach from aboard a paddle boat.

Have a photo to share? Send us a scene captured at KAUST for consideration for Photo of the Month.

Email your photo to thebeacon@kaust.edu.sa

my university Ola Ali Student Speaker for KAUST’s third Commencement, Ola Ali, earned her bachelor’s degree Wendy Keyes, Office of the Arts Director, and artist Janet Echelman

in Chemical Engineering from the University of Khartoum, Sudan. Although her plans once involved continuing her studies in Europe, once she heard of KAUST she decided to instead seek a unique experience by joining one of the world's newest universities.

When Ola joined KAUST in 2011, she found the research opportunities and the aweinspiring environment she was hoping for, and more. “I found a community, and it made KAUST feel like a second home. There’s diversity at KAUST, and there’s respect, and it’s a perfect combination,” Ola says. As an MS graduate, Ola will stay at KAUST and continue

WEP 2013

with her research on cellulosic membranes under the supervision of Professor Klaus-Viktor Peinemann. “I plan to carry on and do a PhD as I have a passion for research,” she says. “I am interested in the unique area

OPENING OF THE ART INSTALLATION

BY Janet Echelman

between academia and industry, and I would love – eventually – to work, R&D for a reputed company.” 

MARINA KOCHETYGA Marina Kochetyga is from Kiev, Ukraine. She has a master’s degree in psychology from Kharkiv National University, Ukraine, but her passion and career are in fashion and photography. She has been a freelance photographer for the past ten years, and has published her work in a wide range of printed periodicals – from scientific journals such as Science to fashion magazines like Vogue.

Marina is especially drawn to portrait photography. “As a photographer, I can combine my academic background and my passion. I enjoy working on psychological portraits; I want to capture my subject’s physical likeness but I also want the portraits to show a psychological likeness,” she says.

Since joining KAUST in 2010, Marina has produced portraits of the University faculty, staff, and community members, captured stunning architectural photos, and covered various events. Her work can be seen on the pages of The Beacon, the Annual Review, KAUST brochures, and on the University website.

Outside work, Marina enjoys cooking, and spending time with her husband and her friends. She snorkels and dives, and has a yellow belt in nunchaku – an Okinawan martial art. 

PROF. MARKOWICH TO GIVE A LECTURE AT COLLÈGE DE FRANCE

PROF. TEMPONE ELECTED PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Dr. Peter Markowich, Distinguished Professor of Applied Mathematics

Professor Raul Tempone has been elected program director of the

and Computational Science, has been invited to present a lecture at

Uncertainty Quantification activity group of the Society for Industrial

Collège de France – the most highly regarded higher education and

and Applied Mathematics (SIAM).

research establishment in France.

SIAM is an international society that aims to ensure strong interactions

Prof. Markowich will present his Applied Mathematics Seminar lec-

between mathematics and other scientific and technological communi-

ture on January 25; the seminar series is organized by mathematician

ties through conferences, membership activities, and publications. The

Pierre-Louis Lions, and is regarded one of the world's most prestigious

society’s 18 activity groups provide a forum for the members interested

mathematical seminars.

in exploring one of the areas of applied mathematics, computational science, or applications.

Professor Markowich’s main research interests lie in partial differential equations, their

Dr. Tempone is an associate professor of Applied Mathematics and Computational Science,

mathematical and numerical analysis, and their application in modeling physical, biological,

and the Director of the Center for Uncertainty Quantification in Computational Science and

and socio-economic phenomena. 

Engineering, a KAUST Strategic Research Initiative. 

PROFESSOR MARC GENTON ELECTED AAAS FELLOW Dr. Marc Genton, a Professor of Statistics in the Computer, Electrical,

will be recognized for his achievements at the Fellows Forum, to be held during the AAAS

and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division, has been elected

Annual Meeting in Boston, US, in February.

a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science

Prof. Genton works on statistical analysis, modeling, prediction, and uncertainty quantifica-

(AAAS). This prestigious award is presented to scientists who have made

tion of spatio-temporal data. His work has applications in environmental and climate science,

distinguished contributions to the advancement of science. Prof. Genton

renewable energies, geophysics, and marine science. 