King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
BEACON املنـارة at Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
July/August 2013 / Ramadan/Shawwal 1434 Volume 3, Issue No. 11
the
www.kaust.edu.sa
شامو-مرحبًا بالربوفسور جان لو WELCOME PROFESSOR JEAN-LOU CHAMEAU
تولى الدكتور جان – لو شامو منصب رئيس جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية بتاريخ األول من شهر يوليو لعام . إلى أسرة جامعة الملك عبداهلل، ويطيب لنا أن نرحب بانضمامه هو وزوجته الدكتورة كارول كارمايكل.2013 PROFESSOR Jean-Lou Chameau joined KAUST as the new president on July 1. We welcome him and his wife, Dr. Carol Carmichael, to the KAUST family.
قام علماء وباحثني من جامعة امللك عبداهلل بإجراء جتارب على نوع جديد وخاص من األغشية املسامية املتجانسة واليت ميكن أن تستخدم يف التطبيقات وقاد هذا.الطبية احليوية أو معاجلة وحتلية املياه البحث االستاذ املشارك يف اهلندسة الكيميائية والبيولوجية وعضو يف مركز أحباث حتلية وإعادة ،استخدام املياه يف اجلامعة الدكتور سوزانا نونيز -وشاركها يف هذا البحث كل من الربوفسور كالوس فيكتور بينيمان أستاذ اهلندسة الكيميائية والبيولوجية يف مركز األغشية املتطورة واملواد املسامية يف إضافة إىل طاليب الدكتوراه،جامعة امللك عبداهلل .ديبورا سالومون ماركيز ونيكوال مورينو شابارو
Figure 1. Dynamics of FEN1 Bending of DF-6,1 by smFRET (A) A schematic diagram of FEN1 reaction on DF-6,1. (B) Structure of FEN1 in complex with SF-0,1; Protein Data Bank (PDB) code 3Q8L (Tsutakawa et al., 2011). The conserved and unique structural features that interact with the bent DNA conformation are depicted and labeled in the same color. ASSISTANT Professor of Chemistry and Biology and Principal Investigator of the Laboratory of DNA Replication and Recombination Dr. Samir M. Hamdan and his team have published a groundbreaking paper on the mechanism of flap endonuclease 1 (FEN1) in the journal Cell Reports. The other authors of the paper entitled "Sequential and Multistep Substrate Interrogation Provides the Scaffold for Specificity in Human Flap Endonuclease 1" are Mohamed A. Sobhy, Luay I.
Principal Investigator of the Laboratory of DNA Replication and Recombination Dr. Hamdan and his team have published a groundbreaking paper in the journal Cell Reports.
Joudeh, Xiaojuan Huang, and Masateru Takahashi. 5' nucleases, the superfamily to which FEN1 belongs, represent
mechanisms occurring during this process. The KAUST scientists were
structure-specific nucleases essential for DNA replication, repair, and
able to build a timeline of up to seven intermediary steps before FEN1
2 تتمه صفحة
recombination. Deficiencies in their genes have been linked to sev-
commits to catalysis. Such information cannot be accessed through
eral types of cellular stress and genomic instability. Their outstanding
conventional approaches.
KAUST RESEARCHERS INVESTIGATE PROPERTIES OF BLOCK COPOLYMER MEMBRANES
puzzle is that they are highly conserved proteins, yet they recognize a
These findings will influence how researchers think about the mecha-
diverse range of RNA and DNA structures and cleave them primarily at
nism of other members of 5' nucleases and provide a new concept as to
the same position relative to a 5' end of a junction.
how biological macromolecules can diversify their substrate specificity
KAUST researchers examined a type of mem-
Structural studies propose a solution for this geometrical puzzle by
while maintaining a high degree of structural similarities.
capturing a DNA-bending intermediary step that positions the 5' end in
Dr. Hamdan explained that the surprising finding is that FEN1
the enzyme's active pocket and unifies the 5' nuclease's cleavage site.
utilizes a highly complex mechanism that sequentially verifies all
However, these structures remain a static image of the DNA-bending
substrate features before inducing the superfamily unifying DNA-
brane with uniformly sized pores that could be
intermediary step based on which speculation was made to address
bending intermediary. This sequential and multistep substrate
used in biomedical or water treatment appli-
the most important questions regarding how this intermediary step is
recognition process provides a scaffold that allows different 5' nucle-
cations in a paper published recently in the
induced and how 5' nucleases utilize the same intermediary step to rec-
ases to recognize different substrates and restrict the induction of
journal Soft Matter (http://pubs.rsc.org/en/
ognize a diverse range of substrates.
DNA bending to the last common step. "We hope that our findings will
Content/ArticleLanding/2013/SM/c3sm27475f).
The team from KAUST's Division of Biological and Environmental
“The membranes examined in the paper are
Sciences and Engineering employed a sophisticated single molecule
very specific,” says Dr. Suzana Nunes, Associate
imaging technique, Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET), to cap-
MEMBRANES | Continued on p2
ture "molecular movies" detailing the structure, dynamics, and reaction
INSIDE:
Research 1-2
News 3
serve as a base to design inhibitors against FEN1, whose expression is highly correlated with tumor aggressiveness," said Prof. Hamdan. The article may be accessed at Cell Report. Volume 3, Issue 6, 17851794, 06 June 2013.
Community 4
Reprinted from Cell Reports, 3, Mohamed A. Sobhy et al, Sequential and Multistep Substrate Interrogation Provides the Scaffold for Specificity in Human Flap Endonuclease 1, 1785-1794, 2013, with permission from Elsevier.
Image reproduced by permission of Suzana P Nunes and The Royal Society of Chemistry from Soft Matter, 2013, 9, 5557-5564, DOI: 10.1039/C3SM27475F. Prof. Suzana Nunes and colleagues’ work was featured on the inside front cover of the journal Soft Matter. Image by KAUST Scientific Illustrator Olga Kasimova.
باحثون من جامعة امللك عبداهلل يدرسون خصائص أغشية كتلة البوليمر املشرتك
CAPTURING MOLECULAR MOVIES OF DNA REPLICATION AND REPAIR
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July/August 2013
Research
The Beacon
THIS month we welcome our new president Jean-Lou Chameau and his wife Carol to the KAUST
globe. Check the charts and map on page 3 for more information about them. Summer is also the
community. We look forward to Prof. Chameau’s leadership and to getting to know both of them.
time awards are conferred. The accolades on page 4 honor Dean Yves Gnanou, two PhD students
Although many professors, researchers, students, and staff members are away on vacation, at con-
and a postdoc. Recreation Services summer camp was a welcome respite for children and parents as
ferences, or collaborating at other universities, exciting work continues at KAUST as is demonstrated
the photos on page 4 illustrate. No matter how you are spending the rest of your summer, we wish
by the articles on the research of Prof. Samir Hamdan, Prof. Suzana Nunes and Prof. Muhammad
you an enjoyable time, a Ramadan Kareem and Eid Mubarak. See you in September.
Mustafa Hussain. Some students are pursuing internships in industry and at universities around the
—THE BEACON Editorial
The Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 11, July/August 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.
KAUST RESEARCHERS FIND ‘EXTRAORDINARY’ TRANSISTOR DESIGN MAY PAVE WAY FOR GRAPHENE-BASED ENERGY-EFFICIENT DEVICES “GRAPHENE shows extraordinary properties,” says Dr. Muhammad Mustafa Hussain, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering. Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms forming a two-dimensional honeycombed sheet, is a material that has attracted much attention from researchers, with the elucidation of its properties winning scientists from the UK the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2010. In a paper recently published in the journal ACS Nano (http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ nn400796b), Prof. Hussain and colleagues from KAUST’s Integrated Nanotechnology Lab, including research scientist Dr. Casey Smith and PhD student Ramy Qaisi, and researchers from Texas State University (US) examined a graphene-based transistor which can achieve room temperature high electron mobility of >11,000 cm2/V ∙ s at a very low drive voltage of ±1 V. This means that faster data
Reprinted (adapted) with permission from Casey Smith et al. ACS Nano. 2013, DOI: 10.1021/ nm/400796b. Copyright 2013 American Chemical Society. Prof. Hussain and colleagues’ transistor device is shown in (a), with graphene fins in the channel region visible. In (b), a scanning electron microgram (SEM) shows a different view of the device, with the inset again showing the graphene fins.
processing speeds can be achieved with less energy, as graphene could replace III-V semiconductor
in the source-drain current at two fixed gate voltages, could be enhanced more than 25x by the use
materials for high-speed communications.
of lithographic techniques. These techniques would enable patterning graphene into stripes through
Other researchers’ work with back-gated field effect transistors (FET) with graphene has utilized
a manufacturing process that “maintains superior line edge roughness to mitigate the edge disorder
high dielectric constant materials such as silicon nitride (Si3N4) or aluminum oxide (Al2O3) to help
mobility impact,” Prof. Hussain explains. Reducing contact resistance could also result in higher
in the optical detection of the graphene channel. However, these materials still necessitate high
drive current, and other physical techniques could be used to enhance the graphene transistors.
switching voltage due to the high dielectric thickness needed for optical detection, and thus have
Changing a device’s architecture, as the researchers showed in their work, “is much more appealing,”
not been ideal. In addition, work has been hampered by showing high mobility at cryogenic tem-
notes Prof. Hussain, than changing its material and processes, as it remains more generic and can
perature (-273˚C).
comply with the various materials and processes already in use. And, by carrying out the experiments
Prof. Hussain and his collaborators state they overcame “important barriers” in their work with graphene, fabricating back-gated FET on silicon wafers. They employed a technique called atomic layer
at room temperature and with low operation voltage, Prof. Hussain hopes that his group’s work will “encourage the scientific community to direct their discoveries towards more practical applications.”
deposition (ALD) to deposit Al2O3 onto the wafers before transferring high-quality graphene that had
“We have shown for the first time a pragmatic approach to fabricate graphene-based energy-
been synthesized in a process called atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD). The large
efficient devices while maintaining graphene’s extraordinary high-speed mobility,” says Prof.
(6 cm x 6 cm) graphene sheets cover most of the wafer’s surface, enabling the researchers to “circumvent
Hussain. He believes that the work with his collaborators may “inspire others to continue with
the need for optical detection during subsequent lithography steps.” The graphene was also patterned
their exploration of 2D materials such as graphene, which may result in the development of
into “fins” in the channel region, “transforming the graphene transistor architecture,” notes Prof. Hussain.
energy-efficient, high-performance mobile devices to access information anytime and anywhere;”
The researchers discovered that the switching ratio (ION/IOFF), a measure of the relative difference
this is Prof. Hussain’s key research vision. 1تابع ص
ودمج، كما تقدم الورقة شرح شامل لكيفية تشكل الغشاء.اجلزء املتبخر من املذيب بعد نشر حملول البوليمر ". والتوصيف، والنمذجة، اجلوانب التجريبية يف الواليات املتحدة الربوفسور نونيز وشركائها يف بعضIBM Almaden وقد ساعد باحثون من مركز احباث يف املانيا يف جتارب تشتت الزاوية الصغرية لألشعة السينية ولكنHASYLAB ومركز احباث،أعمال النمذجة .اجلزء األكرب من العمل مت يف جامعة امللك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية وتعتقد الربوفسور نونيز أن هناك جمموعة متنوعة من التطبيقات املمكنة واهلامة لألغشية اليت تبحثها . إذ تستخدم األغشية ذات املسامات املتجانسة لفصل اجلزيئات املتشابهة جدًا يف احلجم.هذه الورقة أو يف معاجلة املياه، كما هو احلال يف فصل الربوتني،كما ميكن استخدامها يف التطبيقات الطبية احليوية ال لتغطي عدد من ً ويأمل فريق الربوفسور نونيز يف زيادة إنتاج هذه األغشية مستقب.قبل عملية التحلية .االستخدامات املتنوعة
وهي، العلمية الرائدة على أغشية كتلة البوليمر املشرتكSoft Matter وتقوم هذه الدراسة اليت نشرتها جملة عبارة عن مركب بوليمر مكون من وحدات متكررة وخمتلفة تتشكل على امتداد السلسلة اجلزيئية بصورة كتل .بعملية معقدة للغاية ترتاوح ما بني التبخر الكامل للمذيب اىل إجراءات تتضمن خطوات حمددة ومتعددة ويهدف الباحثون إىل ضمان انتاجها بطرق،وختتلف أغشية البوليمر املشرتك كثريًا عن االغشية التجارية احلالية .اقتصادية واسعة النطاق ومتوافقة مع اإلنتاج التقين والصناعي ومتكن الباحثون عرب استخدام خاصية تشتت الزاوية الصغرية لألشعة السينية من دراسة نتائج تشكل الغشاء وميكن أن يؤدي،باالعتماد على الرتتيب يف املحلول الذي يتأثر بالتفاعالت احلرارية بني البوليمر واملذيبات وتوضح الربوفسور نونيز أهمية ذلك بقوهلا " أردنا.ذلك اىل ظهور العديد من املسامات املتجانسة يف الغشاء وقمنا بتغطية سلسلة.أن نعرف تفاصيل أكثر عن عملية تشكل املسام وكيفية الوصول اىل اهليكل النهائي ماذا حيدث إذا تركنا، فعلى سبيل املثال.من السوائل واملحاليل املركزة ملعرفة أي منها يعطينا هيكل جيد
Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering in the Water Desalination and Reuse Research Center
The researchers discovered that solutions with a particular concentration of block copolymer will
and the corresponding author of the paper. “There are no other commercial membranes similar to these.
have maximum regularity in the pores. However, below this concentration, ordered pores will not
They are really unique.”
form, and above it the pores elongate into a lamellar form, where they resemble thin, flat plates.
MEMBRANES | Continued from p1
Prof. Nunes and her collaborators, including Dr. Klaus-Viktor Peinemann, Professor of Chemical and
Block copolymers can also assemble into micelles, or aggregates of copolymers, which will assem-
Biological Engineering in the Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Center, and KAUST PhD
ble themselves into specific forms depending on the copolymer concentration, packing more closely
students Debora Salomon Marques and Nicolas Moreno Chaparro, examined membranes derived from
together at a higher concentration. Micelles commonly occur in a form of a core of PS blocks
block copolymers. Copolymers are polymers that are formed from two types of monomers clustered
encased by a P4VP shell and will form hard or soft spheres depending on their interactions with the
together into “blocks” of repeated units.
solvent. They can then take on a secondary form of strands of micelles resembling beads on a string.
The process of forming block copolymer membranes can be very complex and ranges from
“The special thing in this paper is that we cover a series of concentrations or compositions of solu-
“simple preparation…by complete solvent evaporation…to multi-step procedures involving etch-
tion to see what gives a good structure, what doesn’t give a good structure, and, for example, what
ing, dissolution, and block cleavage,” as the researchers note. However, to ensure block copolymer
happens if we let evaporate part of the solvent after spreading the polymer solution,” Prof. Nunes
membranes are economical to develop, it is necessary to use “methods compatible with large-scale
says. “The paper is a comprehensive explanation of how the membrane is formed, and integrates
technical production and manufacture.”
the experimental, modeling, and characterization aspects for the membrane.”
With a simpler procedure called phase inversion, asymmetric porous polystyrene-block-4-vi-
Prof. Nunes and her collaborators were assisted for the research by IBM Almaden Research
nylpyridine (PS-b-P4VP) membranes have been created. In this procedure, a solution of copolymers
Center (US), where some of the modeling work for the paper was conducted, and with HASYLAB at
is placed onto a glass plate or non-woven substrate, and the solvent is then partially evaporated
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY; Germany), where small-angle X-ray scattering experi-
while the plate or substrate is immersed in water. The structural order in the solution is then “repro-
ments were carried out. “The bulk of the work, however,” notes Prof. Nunes, “was done at KAUST.”
duced in the pore morphology,” the researchers state.
Prof. Nunes believes there are a variety of possible and important applications for the membranes
Through the use of small-angle X-ray scattering, the researchers further examined the outcome
the paper examines. “The great advantage of membranes with very regular pores is using them to
of membrane morphology based on order in solutions. This order is influenced by polymer-solvent
separate molecules which are very similar in size,” she says. “They could be used in biomedical
thermodynamic interactions and can result in membranes with many pores that have a more uni-
applications, such as in protein separation, or in water treatment for pre-treatment before desali-
form size. “We wanted to learn in much more detail the process of forming the pores and how you
nation takes place.” In the future, she and her research team hope to upscale production of the
really get the final structure,” explains Prof. Nunes.
membranes to make them available for a wider variety of uses.
News
MAKKAH WINDOW MAKKAH Window, a new start-up company
Geometric Modeling
incubated at the Entrepreneurship Center at
and
KAUST as a new venture, is on its way. Using
Visualization Center.
S c i e n t i fi c
funding it received as a winner of the Fall 2012
Co-founder and
Seed Fund Competition, the founders have
Operations Director
turned their idea for the project into a technolog-
E n g r. M o h a m m e d
ical company. The result: The company released
Al-Zaydi believes
its first app for android devices, which provides
Makkah Window will
interactive media and information on the history
be a useful tool for the
of the Holy city of Makkah. The MAC iOS version
12 million pilgrims
of the app will be available in early August and
who come to Makkah
will be launched with a media event in Makkah
each year. Pilgrims
attended by national and international press.
will have a handy aid
Smartphone screens of Makkah Windows
www.kaust.edu.sa
Founder and CEO of the new company
at their fingertips, and
Engr. Abdul-Wahid Al-Zaydi said that Makkah
by using the app they
Window’s app includes an introduction to historic
will easily learn about the sites and be helped in
Makkah sites through the use of interactive maps
finding their way to them.
as well as panoramic photos. Audio recordings
Makkah Window will present one of its features
will also be available in subsequent releases. The
in December at Ibtikar, an important exhibition
application will be provided in five languages tar-
that specializes in inventions and innovations in
geting Hajj and Umrah pilgrims: Arabic, English,
the Middle East. Makkah Window was one of 100
Urdu, Turkish and Alandnosé. At present the app
out of 1600 applicants chosen to exhibit.
is available in Arabic and English.
Budding entrepreneurs may be interested to
Co-founder and CTO Dr. Peter Rautek stated
know that the fall round of the Seed Fund will
that a number of smart phone technologies
begin August 28. Check the Seed Fund website
are included in the app. Augmented Reality,
for information: seedfund.kaust.edu.sa.
which allows the user to view 3D models of
To obtain Makkah Window android version,
ancient sites in Makkah, will be available in
download on Google Play by searching for
following releases. This is being accomplished
“Makkah Window” or use the QR at right.
through a collaboration with the KAUST
CEMAM WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS INTERNATIONAL EXPERTISE IN ADVANCED MATERIALS
كما سيقدم هلم طريقة سهلة ملعرفة.حاجا ومعتمرا .املعلومات القيمة عن املواقع وكيفية الوصول اليها وسوف يتم عرض خصائص تطبيق (نافذة مكة) يف شهر ديسمرب املقبل وذلك ضمن فعاليات معرض ابتكار الذي يعد من أهم املعارض املتخصصة يف االخرتاعات واالبتكارات على مستوى الشرق األوسط حيث مت .1600 مشاركة من أصل100 إختيار هذا التطبيق ضمن وميكن حتميل تطبيق (نافذة مكة) على أجهزة اهلاتف Google Play ) بالدخول على متجرANDROID( بنظام مث البحث عن (نافذة مكة) أو استخدام تطبيق قارئ .الباركود للرمز املربع
July/August 2013
3
نافذة مكة
تبدأ شركة جديدة ناشئة أحتضنها مركز ريادة األعمال يف جامعة امللك عبداهلل كمشروع ناشئ يف أعماهلا قريبًا بعد أن قام مؤسسوها باستخدام التمويل الذي فازوا به 2012 يف مسابقة صندوق التمويل التأسيسي خلريف عام وكانت النتيجة أن.لتحويل فكرتهم إىل شركة تقنية اصدرت الشركة اوىل تطبيقاتها ألجهزة اهلواتف الذكية ويوفر هذا التطبيق الوسائط. )ANDROID( بنظام التفاعلية للحصول على معلومات عن تاريخ مدينة مكة ) للآليفونIOS( وسيتم تدشني نسخة نظام،املكرمة واآليباد يف حدث إعالمي مبدينة مكة املكرمة يف أوائل .شهر أغسطس القادم حبضور الصحافة املحلية والعاملية وقال مؤسس الشركة اجلديدة ورئيسها التنفيذي املهندس عبدالواحد الزيدي أن تطبيق (نافذة مكة) يعطي نبذة عن املواقع التارخيية يف املدينة املنورة ومكة املكرمة .باستخدام اخلرائط التفاعلية وكذلك الصور البانورامية كما سيتوفر يف اإلصدار القادم خاصية التسجيالت الصوتية ودعم مخس لغات موجهة للحجاج واملعتمرين . واالندونيسية، والرتكية، واألوردو، واإلجنليزية،وهي العربية من جانبه أوضح الرئيس التنفيذي للتقنية واملؤسس املشارك الدكتور بيرت روتيك أنه مت تضمني عدد من التقنيات احلديثة للهواتف الذكية يف هذا التطبيق مثل تقنية احلقيقة املدجمة اليت تتيح للمستخدم استعراض مناذج ثالثية األبعاد للمواقع األثرية يف مكة وقد كان ملركز النمذجة اهلندسية والتصوير.املكرمة العلمي يف جامعة امللك عبداهلل دور كبري يف اجناز .هذه اخلاصية اليت ستكون متوفرة يف اإلصدار القادم بدوره يرى املؤسس املشارك ومدير عام العمليات )املهندس حممد الزيدي أن تطبيق (نافذة مكة سيكون أداة مفيدة للحجاج واملعتمرين الذين يفدون مليون12 إىل مكة املكرمة وتتجاوز أعداداهم سنويا
Top undergraduate Saudi students from across the Kingdom also attended the event as a “positive initiative for future student recruitment,” stated Prof. Lubineau. Prof. Lubineau cited the importance of the “interactive and critical” panel discussions for the
The Computational and Experimental Mechanics of Advanced Materials (CEMAM) workshop was
workshop’s participants, noting the discussions “initiated many promising collaborations both
hosted by Dr. Gilles Lubineau, KAUST Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering from the
within and outside of the Kingdom for advancing composite application in critical fields such as
Physical Sciences and Engineering Division, on the University campus from July 1 – 3.
energy, composites for civil engineering, and multifunctional materials.”
The workshop focused on the mechanics of solids and structures, with applications to compos-
KAUST’s Composite and Heterogeneous Material Analysis and Simulation Laboratory (COHMAS)
ite materials. Its main themes included: multiscale experimental and computational approaches for
was also spotlighted during the workshop. Created at the University by Prof. Lubineau in 2010,
design; inverse problems for non-destructive control and health monitoring of composite structures;
the COHMAS lab is an integrated environment designed to tackle composite materials-related
and durability of materials and structures.
challenges. Its multidisciplinary team has experimental, modeling, and computational expertise.
Prof. Lubineau’s co-organizers for the workshop were Dr. Glaucio Paulino from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (US) and Dr. Marco Alfano from the University of Calabria (Italy).
Presenting COHMAS to the visiting scientists was a mechanism to “highlight the quality of our students and their training through and for research,” Prof. Lubineau explained.
The professors joined other distinguished faculty members from universities around the world, pre-
In summing up the workshop, Prof. Lubineau stated: “Our international forum fostered discussion and
senting their research work and participating in panel discussions during the three-day workshop.
collaboration in the field of advanced materials. This was a very high-quality and high-level event.”
4
July/August 2013
Community
The Beacon
The four to seven-year-old group demonstrated their martial arts.
FUN AND GAMES, LEARNING AND GROWING WITH SUMMER RECREATION ACTIVITIES SCHOOL’S out! School’s out! This happy chant of children has been the start of a dilemma for parents for generations. What kinds of activities can they find for their children during the summer months that are fun, stimulating, and a learning experience? Recreation Services helped solve the problem with its Journey Around the World Summer Camp for children 4-12 years old. The camp is divided into two sections, 4 to 7–year-olds and 8 to 12-year-olds, and is held week days from June 8 until August 21. Each week the activities revolve around a different part of the world. Activities include arts and crafts, games, sports, and the language and culture of the highlighted area. For example, while focusing on East Asia, children learned elementary Tai Chi, kite flying, Sakura Tree making, and origami. When North America was highlighted, they learned Hip Hop Dance, Native American crafts, and Texas Horseshoes. One week they went to the Fakieh Aquarium in Jeddah and saw a dolphin and seal show. Older children have had the opportunity to be part of a Youth Development Program as a Harbor Master’s Assistant or an Assistant Director of Golf for a week. As a Harbor Master’s Assistant, participants learn about navigation and get an introduction to marine charts, learn how to prepare a boat for sea, and are introduced to control room operations and weather forecasting. As a Golf Director’s Assistant, they learn about landscaping, greens maintenance, and the irrigation system. They also learn about academy teaching, the life of a golf pro, golf operations, and the retail shop. The fact that the programs were successful is evident from the interest and smiles on the chil-
Learning to use chopsticks
One more push!
dren’s faces.
PROF. YVES GNANOU AWARDED RANK OF CHEVALIER DE LA LEGION D’HONNEUR PROFESSOR Yves Gnanou (Dean, PSE) was awarded the medal of the French Ordre national de la Légion d’honneur at the rank of Chevalier at a ceremony on June 27, 2013. This prestigious award honors exceptional individuals who have made major contributions to France and French culture. The order, created by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, is the highest distinction awarded in France and is composed of five classes: Chevalier, Officier, Commandeur, Grand Officier, and Grand Croix. Prof. Gnanou was recognized for his 29 years of service as an outstanding university professor, including serving with distinction as Vice President of Academic Affairs and Research at École Polytechnique in Paris.
DR. BELKACEM SAID- HOUARI AWARDED ABDUL HAMEED SHOMAN AWARD FOR YOUNG ARAB RESEARCHERS
Professor Yves Gnanou receives the Chevalier medal of the French national Legion d’honneur.
AMAL ABOULHASAN AND SAWSAN ALHALAWANI NAMED ANITA BORG MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD WINNERS
Dr. Belkacem Said-Houari, a postdoctoral fellow in the Computer,
Amal Aboulhasan, a Computer Science PhD student from Egypt, and Sawsan Alhalawani, a
Electrical, and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering (CEMSE)
PhD student from Jordan in the Geometric Modeling and Scientific Visualization Center, have
Division, is the recipient of the Abdul Hameed Shoman Award for
won the highly competitive Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship Award. Aboulhasan’s
Young Arab Researchers in Mathematics. The prestigious award, named
research is in visualization under the supervision of Prof. Markus Hadwiger. She is proposing
for the founder of the Arab Bank, was bestowed for Dr. Said-Houari’s
a visual paradigm for analyzing the molecular and nanoscale data of organic photovoltaic
“extensive and distinguished scientific work published in renowned international scien-
solar cells. Alhalawani is working with Prof. Niloy Mitra and is interested in image process-
tific magazines (20 papers since his arrival at KAUST in January 2011) and in view to the
ing and geometric modeling. Her current research focuses on analyzing and understanding
difficulty of his field of specialty.” Dr. Said-Houari was also cited for “his leadership and
urban data to facilitate smart manipulation and design possibilities.
Dr. Belkacem Said-Houari
independent merits and his use of comprehensive methodologies and tools used in his research.” The official award ceremony will take place in October 2013 in Amman, Jordan.
The award supports women in technology, encouraging them to excel in computing and technology to become active role models and leaders in the field. Scholarship recipients will each receive a financial award for the academic year and will be invited to attend a retreat at Google. KAUST was honored to be one of only five universities to have two award recipients. There was only one university with more than two.