November 2017 Safar - Rabi Al-Awwal, 1439 Volume 8, Issue No. 11 جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية المملكة العربية السعودية،ثول
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Saudi Arabia Arabia
www.kaust.edu.sa
رحلة بحثية بتعاون بين جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية وجامعة الملك عبدالعزيز تعمق المعرفة في أسبار البحر األحمر
KAUST-KAU collaborative study expands knowledge of the Red Sea Page 6
Turning failure into success Page 12
Sixth Annual Back to School Campaign helps young students grow Page 14 Something for everyone at ACS in D.C. Page 18
In brief
The University Library offers a variety of trainings and classes designed to help researchers and students get the most from the Library’s wide array of resources and to improve their research skills. Sessions are available to all members of the KAUST community. To reserve your seat, visit libguides.kaust.edu.sa/libtraining.
A team from KAUST IT won the iCMG Global Architecture Excellence Award 2017 on September 11 in Washington, D.C. iCMG is an enterprise and IT architecture firm that holds yearly awards around the world.
An original poetry reading of KAUST poets' work took place on October 18 in the University Library. Poets included students from the community in grades 11 and 12, and a committee made of community members reviewed each piece for selection. The event was sponsored by the Office of the Arts.
The second annual Jazz Festival, part of this year's Enrichment in the Fall program, took place on October 20 on the Student Plaza in front of the Student Center. Live jazz performances and New Orleans-styled food from the "Jazz Kitchen" were highlights of the evening.
The Beacon Volume 8, Issue No. 11 PUBLISHED BY MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
The Beacon Staff Managing Editor: Nicholas Demille Arabic Editor: Salah Sindi English Editor: Caitlin Clark Designer: Mahjubeh R. Mashhadi Writers: David Murphy, Meres J. Weche Translator: Adel Alrefaie Photographer: Lilit Hovhannisyan The Beacon is published monthly. © 2017 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
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Community Life held a Harbor Walk Celebration on October 8 on the Harbor Walk, with community members enjoying the many new restaurants and cafés along the area. Eateries in the area include: Ronin Lounge, Il Villagio, Healthy Choice, Green’s Grocery, Saadeddin, Los Amigos, Mefalfal, Bonjourain, Kudu, Domino’s Pizza, Coldstone Creamery and Tim Hortons. Other activities of the evening included a bouncy castle, face painting, a magic show and an outdoor movie.
Enrichment in the Fall: "Designing Tomorrow" took place from October 20 to 25 on campus. The program provided an opportunity to interact and reflect on current developments that will transform our lives in the future. Creative minds from around the world visited the University's campus to inspire the community with the transformative power of design, sharing their stories of design—and also failure—as part of the design process. Learn more at enrichment.kaust.edu.sa.
The Sci-Café: "How can we engineer tomorrow through science & design?" took place on October 24 in the University Library. The KAUST community came together to join the conversation and find out how KAUST faculty are designing tomorrow with their research. Speakers included KAUST Professors Jesper Tegnér, Sigurdur Thoroddsen and Deanna Lacoste, and the event was moderated by John Tannaci, associate vice president for research, research operations and compliance.
The University's Red Sea Research Center (RSRC) hosted the Open Science Conference 2017 from October 24 to 25. The conference was the RSRC's inaugural student and postdoctoral fellow-led conference for young researchers and early career scientists. Young researchers came together to share detailed insights into their respective research projects, with the conference aiming to facilitate communication and further collaboration among center researchers and provide an opportunity for scientists of other disciplines and the KAUST community to learn about the RSRC's work. Several distinguished keynote speakers also took part in the conference.
The KAUST Global Ocean Genome workshop drew together scientists and students on campus from October 29 to November 1 to discuss progress in the assessment of the global ocean genome. During the event, internationally recognized scientists introduced their research and students talked about their studies of the global ocean genome. For more information, visit rsrc.kaust.edu.sa/ Pages/GOG-2017.aspx.
KAUST and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) held the KAUST-NSF Conference on Environmental Monitoring: Foundations and Applications from November 6 to 8 on campus. The conference assembled the global scientific community on a common platform to stimulate discussion on environmental monitoring, including the application domains of ocean, agricultural and urban sensing, as well as foundational areas of networks and communications; signal processing and big data; and controls and cyberphysicalsystems (including robotics). A Poster Session took place on November 7 as part of the event. To learn more, visit eeevents. kaust.edu.sa/nsfem2017/home.
The Office of the Arts invites community members to join the University's three music groups, the Orchestra, the Chorus and the Angklung Ensemble. All three groups will prepare for this semester’s KAUST Ensemble Concert, which is scheduled for November 20 from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Orchestra rehearses on Monday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Auditorium (bldg. 20) starting on September 25. The Chorus rehearses on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Auditorium starting on September 19. The Angklung Ensemble rehearses on Sunday evenings from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Auditorium starting on September 24. For more information about the Orchestra, Chorus or Angklung Ensemble, please view the Office of the Arts website at artsoffice.kaust.edu.sa or contact the Arts Office at artsoffice@kaust. edu.sa.
The University will hold the Eighth Commencement Ceremony at 7:45 p.m. on December 15 on Discovery Walk. This year's Commencement speaker will be former KAUST President Jean-Lou Chameau. A reception will follow immediately afterwards for graduates, their guests and community members.
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Accolades
1. Boon Ooi, KAUST professor of electrical engineering, was recently elected as a fellow of the Optical Society of America (OSA). File photo.
2. KAUST Ph.D. student Zahra
Al-Saffar won first prize for her poster presentation at the 52nd European Marine Biology Symposium (EMBS) in September. Photo by Meres J. Weche.
3. The FalconViz team (from left
to right: Anas Dahlawi, Neil Smith, Mohamed Shalaby and Luca Passone) recently placed at no. 86 on the Forbes Middle East "Top 100 Startups In The Arab World 2017" list. Photo courtesy of the KAUST Visual Computing Center.
Boon Ooi elected a fellow of the Optical Society of America
KAUST Ph.D. student Zahra Al-Saffar wins first prize for best student poster
Boon Ooi, KAUST professor of electrical engineering, was recently elected as a fellow of the Optical Society of America (OSA) during the organization's annual meeting, which was held on September 18 in Washington, D.C. Ooi, who works in the University’s Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division, was recognized by the OSA for his pioneering contributions to optoelectronic device technologies—in particular those in light-emitting devices in visible wavelengths—and their applications to lighting and optical communications.
KAUST Ph.D. student Zahra Alsaffar won first prize for her poster presentation at the 52nd European Marine Biology Symposium (EMBS) in Piran, Slovenia, held in late September.
Ooi, who is also the director of the KACST - Technology Innovation Center (TIC) for Solid-State Lighting, joins a distinguished group of members who have served the OSA and the optics and photonics community with distinction. “It is a great privilege. I owe this recognition to my students, both past and present, and supportive colleagues, collaborators and mentors,” Ooi said. Ooi began his academic career at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and completed his undergraduate and graduate studies in electronics and electrical engineering at the University of Glasgow, U.K. Prior to joining KAUST in 2009, the Malaysian native founded his own startup based in California, which he ran for four years before joining Lehigh University, Pennsylvania, as a faculty member. He is also a fellow of the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE) and is a fellow of the Institute of Physics, London. “The visible laser technology that developed in my group at KAUST can also find unique applications in high bitrate, underwater, optical wireless communications. This technology is important for seafloor survey, environmental monitoring, oil exploration, etc.,” he noted. “I will continue to focus on energy-efficient devices and collaborating with colleagues in KAUST to develop high bitrate systems for both free space and underwater communications,” he said.
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Al-Saffar is working towards a Ph.D. in marine sciences in the University's Red Sea Research Center (RSRC). Her research examines soft-sediment macrobenthic assemblages and explores patterns of variation in hypersaline sub-tropical coastal lagoons. Soft-sediments, according to Al-Saffar, are one of the least studied habitats in the Red Sea environs. “Soft-sediment macrofaunal communities play crucial roles in the nutrient cycle and are also an important food resource for fish and other commercial species. In marine areas worldwide, they are often used as bio indicators of the environmental quality," she said. “From my interaction with other participants at the symposium, I realized that scientists are fascinated by the Red Sea and its unique ecosystem that is characterized by high temperature, salinity and overall low nutrient concentrations,” she noted. In her research, Al-Saffar found that seagrasses nurture important heterotrophic populations of sea creatures. She also found evidence that changes in Red Sea grasses had direct effects on macrofaunal communities, such as crabs, worms and sea snails, which resulted in dramatic changes in entire local ecosystems. “Without understanding how these organisms change in space and time under natural conditions, we cannot take advantage of this valuable biological component of the Red Sea ecosystem for management and conservation,” she said.
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FalconViz included on Forbes Middle East 'Top 100 Startups In The Arab World’ list FalconViz, one of the University's homegrown startups, has recently been included at no. 86 on the prestigious Forbes Middle East "Top 100 Startups In The Arab World 2017" list. The company, which focuses on 3-D aerial surveying and mapping using unmanned aerial systems (UAS), is the brainchild of four co-founders: Anas Dahlawi, FalconViz general manager and KAUST Visual Computing Center (VCC) industrial officer; Neil Smith, FalconViz chief executive officer and VCC research scientist; Luca Passone, FalconViz chief technology officer and a KAUST Ph.D. candidate in earth science and engineering; and Mohamed Shalaby, FalconViz vice president of business development and a VCC senior research scientist. FalconViz helps provide life-saving solutions through the development of high-quality aerial surveying technology. Their rapid response unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) drones can scan a full-scale 3-D map of a 4 kilometersquare area that has been struck by disaster in 30 minutes. The data acquired provides a rich pipeline of images that are studied to reveal optimal ways of converting the data into a 3-D model. FalconViz also provides services for a variety of purposes, including monitoring construction sites, performing mining assessments and urban planning. To date, FalconViz has collaborated and completed projects for clients such as Saudi Aramco, Aecom and the Dow Chemical Company, among others.
Ocean research cruises are the cover story of this month's Beacon. Learn more about ocean research by following the below organizations' Twitter accounts.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) (@WHOI) is the world's largest non-profit oceanographic research institution, with research focusing on all aspects of marine science and engineering and global climate change. WHOI's research vessels carry out work throughout the world's oceans.
The Scripps Institution of Oceanography (@Scripps_Ocean) is one of the world's oldest and most important research and training centers for marine science. It is part of the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) (@UCSanDiego) and now also focuses its research work on the chemistry, geology, physics, biology and climate of the Earth.
The Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) (@BIOSstation) was founded in 1903 and is a non-profit marine science research and education organization based in Ferry Reach, St. George's, Bermuda. Its location in the mid-Atlantic Ocean makes it ideal for the studies of diverse marine environments, including the deep ocean, coral reefs and near shore habitats.
Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) (@PlymouthMarine), located in Plymouth, U.K., is an independent academic institution providing marine scientific research and contract services. It forms part of the U.K.'s Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), and focuses on the issues and challenges facing the marine environment that ultimately affect society.
Mote Marine Laboratory (@MoteMarineLab) in Sarasota, Florida, U.S., was set up in 1955 by famous American ichthyologist Dr. Eugenie Clark to study sharks. It is now a world-renowned entity carrying out over 20 research programs that focus on the challenges and future impacts faced by the marine environment, with its scientists noting, "The ocean is our passion."
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@KAUST_News @KAUST_NewsAR
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kaustofficial
KAUST Official
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KAUST-KAU collaborative study expands knowledge of the Red Sea By David Murphy and Lulwah Shalhoub At 178 nautical miles wide and 1,187 nautical miles long, the Red Sea is not the world's largest body of water, and although heavily traversed by freight and tourist vessels alike, it is not particularly well-understood. A collaborative team of multidisciplinary researchers from KAUST and King Abdulaziz University (KAU) recently set out to change that. The team conducted a 16-day study of the Red Sea aboard the KAU research vessel the RV Al-Azizi. The research trip, which measured a pelagic transect of the entire Red Sea from north to south (including the numerous physical and biological parameters), featured eight KAUST researchers and three KAU researchers. From August 1 to 17, researchers on board examined nutrient cycling, productivity, ecosystem health and biodiversity along the Economic Exclusive Zone of the Red Sea. The research was aimed at elucidating the north-south environmental gradients, which structure the ecosystems and their capacity to resist stresses. An additional goal of the trip was to describe for the first time how latitudinal changes in temperature and the amount and quality of dissolved organic matter impact the distribution and physiological characteristics of heterotrophic prokaryotes (planktonic bacteria and archaea)—the largest living biomass of the world's oceans. The research was conducted as part of a Saudi Arabian contribution to the Second International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE-2), a multinational, multi-year initiative started by the IOC and UNESCO to further understanding of the Indian Ocean.
Proof of concept The KAUST Coastal and Marine Resources Core Lab provided the logistical and technical expertise for the expedition. Lloyd Smith, the director of the Coastal and Marine Resources Core Lab, felt that the goal of the trip was twofold. “It was primarily a scientific cruise to achieve the research goals of the KAUST Red Sea Research Center (RSRC) Center Competitive Fund (CCF) project," Smith said. "It was also a proof of concept on sharing resources between two Saudi universities. In this economic environment, it is much more sensible for universities to come together and share their resources rather than duplicate. By all accounts, both goals were achieved; however, from our perspective, the second was an outstanding success, with the ship successfully deployed with our people and equipment on board and all parties pleased with the way everyone and everything worked together." "The trip was just the first of what we hope to be many joint cruises between KAU and KAUST," he added. "We intend to facilitate an
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arrangement whereby future cruises will be easier to initiate and manage for both parties. To reach the goals of Vision 2030, universities cannot operate in a vacuum. The only way the goals can be achieved in the current economic environment is to work together collaboratively."
The trip was just the first of what we hope to be many joint cruises between KAU and KAUST." - Lloyd Smith, director of the KAUST Coastal and Marine Resources Core Lab
A natural collaboration Carlos M. Duarte, director of the RSRC and the Tarek Ahmed Juffali Research Chair in Red Sea Ecology, felt the expedition strengthened the collaborative bonds between KAUST and KAU. "This collaboration is a natural one, as KAU hosts the only faculty of marine science in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and has a long record of research in the Red Sea. In addition, there are strong collaborative ties between KAU and KAUST/RSRC reflected in multiple jointly authored publications. In addition, we have complimentary capacities, with the University's unique Core Lab concept delivering advanced technical capacities to support marine research through the Coastal and Marine Resources Core Lab and KAU operating the largest and more modern research vessel in the Red Sea, the RV AlAzizi. Conversations conducive to this collaborative research were initiated in 2014 before I joined KAUST and while I was a distinguished adjunct professor at KAU. They reached fruition with the new RSRC CCF project started in July of 2016," Duarte said.
"The Red Sea and its potential to support the transformation of the Kingdom envisaged under Vision 2030 depends on a healthy Red Sea ecosystem. Understanding the health status and resilience of the Red Sea ecosystem to stresses is key to ensure an adequate health status,” he concluded.
Understanding the health status and resilience of the Red Sea ecosystem to stresses is key to ensure an adequate health status."
fact that highest temperatures—we should not forget that the Red Sea is the hottest among the deep marine basins in the world—coincided with the highest inorganic nutrients concentrations in its southern part makes it very interesting to sample this section because it is less studied than the middle and the north,” Morán said. “The information about the distribution, standing stocks and productivity of pelagic organisms—from planktonic bacteria to fishes—along the N-S gradient will be invaluable towards our better understanding of the functioning of this unique ecosystem. We will be generating novel and comprehensive data sets in a systematic way on many physicochemical and biological variables that have never been sampled before, with the aim of repeating this in different periods of the year,” he added.
Day-to-day on the Al-Azizi
- Carlos M. Duarte, director of the KAUST Red Sea Research Center and the Tarek Ahmed Juffali Research Chair in Red Sea Ecology
Anders Røstad, a marine biologist from the University’s RSRC, was the onboard cruise leader during the trip. Røstad, who specializes in fish and zooplankton ecology with the use of scientific echo sounders, was in charge of the day-to-day activities and organization on the Al-Azizi.
Improving knowledge about the Red Sea
“In my role, I had to make sure that the scientists onboard were satisfied and everyone was communicating on the boat. I made plans and tried to figure out solutions to any hitches that occurred. I spent a lot of my time on the bridge with the captain deciding where to go and monitoring general information, including the weather,” he said. “We were able to gather quite a bit of data and we are happy with what we have. The big challenge was getting used to the boat as it is the first time we have used it—we had to learn as we went."
Xosé Anxelu Morán, associate professor of marine science in the University’s Marine Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE) division, outlined the essential aims of the recent research outing. "In terms of science, the researchers from KAUST and KAU on board collected samples and performed experiments in order to improve our knowledge about the strong latitudinal gradients along the Red Sea. The
A multidisciplinary team of KAUST and King Abdulaziz University (KAU) researchers recently completed a twoweek study of the Red Sea aboard the KAU research vessel the Al-Azizi. Photo by Lilit Hovhannisyan.
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Røstad also described the overarching goal of the extensive two-week study and described how this mutually beneficial collaboration will hopefully be the first of many between KAUST and KAU. A similar trip is planned for early next year to gather information on seasonal variations and to complete research activities that were not fully covered this time around. “Basically, in the Red Sea, you have a gradient in temperature and salinity from north to south. We will use that gradient to measure the whole Red Sea to see the difference between a whole set of different parameters and fields, measuring each stage. We will end up with a full scan of everything that’s there—from bacteria to the smallest animals you can think of to fish—basically on every station, and also the physical parameters like temperature, oxygen and salinity, and also currents,” Røstad noted.
‘To reach a single goal’ Mohammed H. Aljahdali, assistant professor of microbiology at KAU, who is based in the faculty of marine sciences, marine geology department, was also present on the Al-Azizi. Aljahdali, who specializes in the study of phytoplankton species, said his role on board was to collect samples of phytoplankton, creatures so small that they cannot be seen by the naked eye. Onboard, his team used a device that contains 12 tubes with each tube drawing water from different depths (vertically) in order to follow biodiversity from north to south at different depths. “The north is more saline/saltier and less nutrient dense, so the sea diversity in the north is different from the south. We then take a sample of two liters of seawater and filter it with very fine filters called 'membrane filters.' These filters are stored and dried before being taken to the laboratory and used in a scanning electron microscope,” he explained.
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The RV Al-Azizi is now the link between both of us. It is a large ship and it is well-equipped, which allows us to agree on one idea to reach a single goal.” - Mohammed H. Aljahdali, assistant professor of microbiology at King Abdulaziz University “We are eager to know the environmental impact on phytoplankton, which serve as the base of the aquatic food composition for fish and other marine organisms. Phytoplankton protect the marine environment. The amount of phytoplankton has an environmental connotation of the marine environment’s richness in resources. If it is rich, what are the causes and why it is different from one area to another?” he noted. Aljahdali added he felt the collaboration was extremely fruitful, as both universities' research of the Red Sea overlaps at various junctions. "The RV Al-Azizi is now the link between both of us. It is a large ship and it is well-equipped, which allows us to agree on one idea to reach a single goal,” he concluded.
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This collaboration is a natural one, as KAU hosts the only faculty of marine science in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and has a long record of research in the Red Sea. In addition, there are strong collaborative ties between KAU and KAUST/RSRC reflected in multiple jointly authored publications." - Carlos M. Duarte
1. Many research cruise members were involved in
the two-week study of the Red Sea aboard the King Abdulaziz University research vessel the Al-Azizi. Photo by Lilit Hovhannisyan.
2, 3, 4, 5. The RV Al-Azizi is well-equipped for marine research work. Photos by David Murphy and Nicholas Demille.
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تقديم القدرات التقنية المتقدمة لدعم البحوث البحرية ،من خالل المختبر األساسي للموارد الساحلية والبحرية بالجامعة ،وتشغيل جامعة الملك عبد العزيز ألكبر وأحدث سفينة بحثية في البحر األحمر .كانت قد بدأت مفاوضات التعاون البحثي في عام 2014قبل انضمامي ً أستاذا فخريا بجامعة الملك عبدالعزيز، إلى جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية ،وكنت وحققت ثمارها مع مشروع مركز أبحاث البحر األحمر ووحدة تمويل األبحاث التنافسية الذي بدأ في يوليو ".2016 وأضاف إن مساهمة البحر األحمر في تحقيق رؤية المملكة يعتمد على توفر نظام بيئي صحي للبحر األحمر.
تحسين المعرفة عن البحر األحمر يقول األستاذ المشارك بقسم العلوم والهندسة الحيوية والبيئية البروفيسور شوس أنكيلو موران إن طاقم السفينة من الباحثين قام بتجميع عينات من مياه البحر من أعماق مختلفة على طول البحر األحمر وإجراء تجارب من أجل تحسين المعرفة بمياه هذا البحر الذي يعد من أكثر البحار حرارة من بين البحار العميقة حول العالم. إن درجات الحرارة القصوى يقابلها تركيز أكبر للمغذيات غير العضوية في الجزء الجنوبي من البحر األحمر ،وهو األمر المثير لالهتمام خاصة حيث أن هذا الجزء أقل دراسة من السواحل الشمالية والوسطى. "إن المعلومات المتعلقة بتوزيع الكائنات الحية السطحية وأسماكها الدائمة وإنتاجيتها، ً بدءا من البكتيريا والعوالق واألسماك ،على طول متدرج ،ستكون ذات قيمة ال تقدر بثمن من أجل فهم أفضل ألداء هذا النظام البيئي الفريد .سنقوم بإنشاء مجموعات بيانات شاملة
ومتجددة بطريقة منهجية على العديد من المتغيرات الفيزيائية والكيميائية والحيوية التي لم يتم أخذ عينات منها من قبل ،بهدف تكرارها في فترات مختلفة من السنة".
هذه الرحلة هي واحدة من رحالت مستقبلية يقول أنديرس روستاد عالم األحياء البحرية من مركز أبحاث البحر األحمر وقائد الفريق البحثي والمسؤول عن األنشطة اليومية والتنظيمية على متن سفينة العزيزي" :كان دوري أن أتأكد من أن الباحثين على متن السفينة راضون وأن الجميع يتواصلون فيما بينهم .توليت وضع الخطط ومحاولة التوصل إلى حلول ألي عقبات قد تحدث .قضيت الكثير من وقتي مع القبطان في تحديد الوجهة ورصد المعلومات العامة ،بما فيها الطقس". ويوفر البحر األحمر العديد من الفرص كمختبر طبيعي بسبب التدرجات العديدة التي تحدث داخل هذه المجموعة الفريدة من المياه .هناك تدرج كبير في درجة الحرارة والملوحة ،من الشمال إلى الجنوب" .نحن نستخدم هذا التدرج وقياس التغير في الحياة البحرية على طول كامل البحر األحمر .سنحصل على مسح كامل لألحياء البحرية من البكتيريا وأصغر الحيوانات البحرية إلى أكبر األسماك ،ومن ثم مقارنة ذلك إلى االختالف في درجة الحرارة والملوحة والمغذيات واألكسجين". وأضاف روستاد ،المتخصص في علوم األسماك والعوالق الحيوانية ،أن الجميع سعيد بالمعلومات التي تم جمعها وباإلنجاز الذي أسفرت عنه الرحلة البحثية" .كان التحدي الوحيد التعود على السفينة حيث أنها التجربة األولى على متنها ".استرسل روستاد ليتحدث هو ّ على أهمية البحث المشترك وكيف أن من شأنه أن يعود بالفائدة على جامعة الملك عبد اهلل للعلوم والتقنية وجامعة الملك عبدالعزيز .وقال ستقوم الجامعتان بالقيام برحلة أخرى مماثلة في مطلع العام القادم.
The RV Al-Azizi and King Abdulaziz University's joint research with KAUST form an important link between the two universities. Here, the Al-Azizi is docked next to the University's RV Thuwal at KAUST. Photo by Lilit Hovhannisyan.
THE BEACON | NOVEMBER 2017
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رحلة بحثية بتعاون بين جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية وجامعة الملك عبد العزيز تعمق المعرفة عن البحر األحمر لولوه شلهوب وديفيد مورفي ً ً باحثا من تخصصات يوما في البحر األحمر ،قام فريق مكون من ١١ في رحلة استمرت 16 متعددة من جامعتي الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية وجامعة الملك عبدالعزيز بدراسة صحة والتنوع البيولوجي على طول المنطقة االقتصادية الخالصة للبحر. النظام اإليكولوجي ّ أبحر الباحثون ،وهم ثمانية من جامعة الملك عبد اهلل للعلوم والتقنية وثالثة من جامعة الملك عبد العزيز بجدة ،في مياه البحر األحمر من الشمال إلى الجنوب ،وقاموا بدراسة العوامل الفيزيائية والبيولوجية على متن السفينة البحثية الخاصة بجامعة الملك عبد العزيز تُ دعى "العزيزي" خالل الفترة بين ١إلى ١٧أغسطس .الهدف األول من الرحلة البحثية هو إبراز التباينات البيئية بين الشمال والجنوب على طول البحر األحمر ،والتي ترتكز على النظم البيئية وقدرتها على مقاومة التغيرات .أما الهدف اآلخر فهو وصف تأثير التغييرات ُ الطولية في درجة حرارة المياه وكمية ونوعية المادة العضوية الذائبة على توزيع الخصائص الفيسيولوجية للكائنات الهائمة في عمود الماء من بكتيريا وعوالق ،والتي تعتبر الكتلة الحيوية األكبر في المحيطات. يهتم د .محمد حمدي الجحدلي ،أستاذ مساعد في تخصص األحافير الدقيقة بجامعة الملك المكورات التي عبد العزيز ،بدراسة أنواع من العوالق النباتية (الفايتوبالنكتون) ،وهي ّ ً أصدافا كلسية تتكاثر في مياه البحر شديدة العمق .ويقول إن تواجدها في البحر تبني لها األحمر من الشمال إلى الجنوب له دالالت بيئية نفهمها من خالل التجارب ،حيث أنه توصل بالمغذيات في شمال البحر مقارنة إلى أن مياه البحر األحمر هي أكثر ملوحة وأقل وفرة ّ التنوع البحري في الشمال يختلف عن الجنوب. بجنوبه ،وبالتالي ،فإن ّ "نرغب في معرفة اآلثار البيئية على هذه العوالق التي تمثل األساس للتركيبة الغذائية. العوالق النباتية تحمي البيئة البحرية وتعطي الغذاء وبالتالي تتكاثر منها األسماك .كثرتها أو قلتها تعطي داللة على غنى البيئة البحرية بالموارد من عدمه .وفي حال كانت غنية، ما هي أسبابها ولماذا تختلف من منطقة ألخرى؟ حتى اليوم ،يعد البحر األحمر من البحار القليلة التي لم يكتشف فيها الهائمات النباتية بصفة دورية موسمية". قام الجحدلي وفريقه بتجميع عينات من لترين من المياه قبل فلترتها بفالتر دقيقة ً جدا تدعى المرشحات الغشائية ( .)membrane filterهذه الفالتر تحفظ وتجفف ومن ثم تؤخذ إلى المعمل وتستخدم في المجهر اإللكتروني (.)scanning electron microscope النتائج لن تكون فردية ولكنها ستكون نتيجة عدة أشهر من البحث الموسمي ،للتوصل إلى نمط تكاثر العوالق النباتية .فعلى سبيل المثال قد تتكاثر في فصل الصيف والعكس في فصل الشتاء .ومن المخطط أن يجري البحث بصفة دورية مرتين كل عام لتكون المرة القادمة في شهر يناير.
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ويجري هذا البحث كجزء من مساهمة المملكة العربية السعودية في البعثة الثانية للجنة اليونيسكو الدولية الحكومية لعلوم المحيطات في المحيط الهندي ،وهي مبادرة متعددة الجنسيات تتم على مدار عدة السنوات ،بدأتها اللجنة األوقيانوغرافية الحكومية الدولية واليونسكو لزيادة فهم المحيط الهندي.
تعاون مثمر والهدف واحد هذا التعاون بين الجامعتين الرائدتين في مجال علوم البحار ،الذي تم في أعماق البحر ً ً ً ً بحريا ،يعد ضمن نطاق المساهمة ميال بحريا و١١٨٧ ميال األحمر البالغ عرضه نحو ١٧٨ السعودية في الدراسة اإلقليمية للبحر األحمر .وقامت جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية بتمويل جزء من الرحلة وتوفير الدعم اللوجستي والتقني الذي قدمه مختبر الموارد الساحلية والبحرية الذي اهتم بتسهيل إجراءات إبحار السفينة ومنها التأكد من خضوع السفينة لإلجراءات األمنية والتنسيق مع خفر السواحل حتى عودتها إلى مرفأ الجامعة. يقول لويد سميث ،مدير مختبر الموارد الساحلية والبحرية بجامعة الملك عبداهلل، إن المشروع هو تجسيد لمفهوم التعاون بين الجامعات السعودية" .في ظل البيئة ً معا وتتشاركان مواردهما ً بدال من االقتصادية ،يبدو من الحكمة أن تتعاون جامعتان تكرارها .لقد كانت فكرة التعاون المشترك ناجحة للغاية بعمل أفراد من طاقم الجامعة ً ً سويا سعيدا بالعمل واستخدامهم السفينة والمعدات التي على متنها .فالجميع كان وبالطريقة التي سارت عليها األمور". عن "التعاون المثمر" كما وصفه الجحدلي يقول" :هذه السفينة هي حلقة الوصل بيننا وهي سفينة العزيزي .سفينة كبيرة فيها من المعدات واألجهزة التي تتيح لنا االجتماع على فكرة واحدة لنصل إلى هدف واحد .التعاون مثمر ً جدا .وجدنا أن هناك شراكة كبيرة في أبحاث البحر األحمر. ويأمل لويد سميث أن تكون هذه بداية للمزيد من التعاون بين الجامعتين .وأضاف" :نسعى لتيسير إجراءات التعاون لتمهيد الطريق لرحالت بحرية بحثية مشابهة في المستقبل". يصف كارلوس دوارتي ،رئيس مركز أبحاث البحر األحمر في الجامعة وأستاذ كرسي أبحاث مؤسسة طارق أحمد الجفالي الخيرية لعلوم األحياء البحرية بقسم العلوم والهندسة البيولوجية والبيئية ،التعاون بين الجامعتين "بالطبيعي" كون جامعة الملك عبدالعزيز تحوي الكلية الوحيدة لعلوم البحار في المملكة ولها باع طويل في أبحاث البحر األحمر. وقال إن التعاون ساهم في تعميق العالقات بينهما .وأضاف" :هناك أواصر قوية تربط جلية في األبحاث المشتركة .وباإلضافة إلى ذلك ،باستطاعتنا بين الجامعتين وهي ّ
Turning failure into success By David Murphy On October 24, Dr. Samuel West, curator of the Museum of Failure in Helsingborg, Sweden, delivered an engaging Enrichment in the Fall keynote lecture on learning from failure. In his keynote “Learning from Innovation Failure,” West, a licensed clinical psychologist, covered an array of case studies, innovations, inventions and long-forgotten products.
Creating a criticism ‘buffer’ Throughout his address, West reinforced how people should not fear failure, but accept and learn from it. He repeatedly stated the need for a scope of expression in the workplace and a sense of playfulness. “The principles of playfulness and accepting the fear of failure are just some of the guiding themes for the Museum of Failure. You should only accept failure if the person is sloppy or just doesn’t care. You should encourage innovations and ideas—not punish them. We must frame work as learning problems as opposed to execution of problems,” West said. In a setting famed for its innovative design, discoveries and startups, West provided a unique insight into the sometimes risky business of innovation. “A team that has fun together has a ‘buffer’ to criticism. They will support each other in the face of criticism. There won’t be a sense of fear involved. If there’s a reluctance to talk about failure in organizations, then there’s not going to be a lot of progress [made],” he added. “We must avoid a ‘cockpit culture.’ We must learn that it’s okay to ask questions and to question. We can’t let prestige get in the way of correct judgments.”
Learning from failure The KAUST community members in attendance found great amusement in the affable West’s retelling of past failures such as TwitterPeek, the pricey mobile device aimed at Twitter users who didn't own a smartphone. TwitterPeek, according to West, was doomed to fail, given that its sole focus was on Twitter while providing none of the additional functionality commonly associated with modern mobile devices. Back in Sweden, the Museum of Failure provides an engaging learning experience for museum visitors by showcasing many of the innovation failures West spoke about in his lecture. In total, the museum hosts over 80 failed products and services from around the world. Some of these products were featured in greater detail in West's talk, such as the Segway; the Itera Plastic Bicycle; the Nintendo Virtual Boy; Trump: The Game; Blockbuster LLC; a pulmonary insulin delivery system named "The Exubera;" Bofors toothpaste; and Sweden’s most famous capsized warship, the Vasa. West pointed out that although the events surrounding the creation and eventual capsizing of the Vasa were rooted in
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the 17th century, we can still learn from the shortsightedness behind its failure. “The Vasa ship was almost 400 years ago, but it’s still a good example of how you shouldn’t launch a product until you are sure of your innovation,” he noted. West also covered products that were initially deemed failures but ended up providing the inspiration and launchpad for future successful discoveries and innovations, such as 1993’s Apple Newton. Although extremely innovative for its time, the personal digital assistant suffered thanks to its high price tag and faulty character and handwriting recognition problems. The product did, however, lead to many of the technologies that led to Apple's creation of the iconic iPhone and iPad devices.
Dealing with failure and the ‘glorification narrative’ West detailed how certain parts of the world and different cultures react differently to failure or a perceived lack of success. “In European or Swedish culture, if you fail, you and those close to you will feel temporary embarrassment, but it passes. However, visitors to our museum have told me that in some African cultures, failure can carry more of a stigma that can even be passed down through generations. Your name alone can tie you to past family failures,” West pointed out. He concluded his address by drawing attention to the intrinsic link between learning from mistakes and success. West also reiterated modern society's obsession with success, the fixation on being seen as successful and the overall “glorification narrative.” “Success is not a very good teacher. Just because you read about success doesn’t mean you’re going to become successful. Learning is the only way to turn failure into success. It’s easy to claim that you’re a success, but it’s harder to admit to messing up. At any stage in the innovation process, there is a great risk of failure,” he emphasized. “There is an obsession with the glorification narrative—our society worships success. We are hypocrites about failure— we find failure still extremely embarrassing and a lot of organizations punish failure. It’s paradoxical. Be innovative but don’t fail. Where is the space for failure there? One of the surest times to fail is when you are overhyped. We need to create a society that accepts failure and the willingness to deal with it,” West concluded.
Just because you read about success doesn't mean you're going to become successful. Learning is the only way to turn failure into success." - Dr. Samuel West, curator of the Museum of Failure
Dr. Samuel West, curator of the Museum of Failure, explored how we can learn from innovation failure during his recent Enrichment in the Fall keynote lecture. Photo by Asharaf Kannearil.
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Sixth Annual Back to School Campaign helps young students grow In September, KAUST Social Responsibility launched the Sixth Annual Back to School Campaign to support 700 students in the University's neighboring villages of Thuwal and Qadimah as they started the new academic year. In addition to the usual collection of essential school supplies, this year included an exciting component—robotics kits. This hands-on educational activity allows students to build their own walking robots while learning to problem-solve, think creatively and engage in new ways of learning. The kits are easy to use, and they encourage children to acquire new knowledge and skills in the exciting field of robotics. Perhaps best of all, it gives children a new perspective on how the field of robotics is changing the world as we currently know it. “We really appreciate all the work that KAUST has done and the University's active interest in the Back to School Project,” said Abdullah Al Qarni, a teacher at the Al Tabarani elementary school in Thuwal. “This initiative helps prepare young students, and we rely on them on for the advancement of our country.” This year, the outstanding support of The KAUST School (TKS) and community volunteers played a key role in making the effort a success. From promoting the campaign to packing bags and visiting schools, the dedication of TKS and community volunteers made a major impact. In the final stage of this year’s campaign, TKS students and teachers visited Thuwal and interacted with their peers, exploring educational collaboration opportunities and ways to stay in touch during the school year.
1, 2, 3, 4. Students in the University's neighboring villages of Thuwal and Qadimah were delighted to receive school supplies as part of the KAUST Sixth Annual Back to School Campaign in September. Photos by Nada Abdulmajeed and Helmy Alsagaff.
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“My experience was good,” said TKS fifth grader Muhammadali Harakeh. “I talked with the students and I made new friends who made me laugh.”
We really appreciate all the work that KAUST has done and the University's active interest in the Back to School Project.” - Abdullah Al Qarni, Al Tabarani elementary school teacher in Thuwal The Back to School campaign is part of Social Responsibility's Young Learners Development Program (YLDP), which aims to improve learning environments and educational outcomes for students at the elementary, middle and high school levels by working with local community partners to ensure needs are met for maximum impact in the classroom and beyond. New areas of YLDP are in development in sports, science, design and technology; these will involve both TKS students and teachers who are interested to share their time, knowledge and ideas with their peers in Thuwal and Qadimah.
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8 5, 6, 7, 8. Receiving school supplies from the University as part of the KAUST Sixth Annual Back to School Campaign was a highlight for students in Thuwal and Qadimah in September. Photos by Nada Abdulmajeed and Helmy Alsagaff.
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حملة العودة للمدرسة السنوية السادسة لجامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية تدعم طلبة المدارس في بلدتي ثول والقضيمة أطلق قسم المسؤولية االجتماعية في جامعة الملك عبد اهلل للعلوم والتقنية في سبتمبر الماضي حملة العودة للمدرسة السنوية السادسة والتي دعمت 700طالب وطالبة من الصفوف االبتدائية والمتوسطة والثانوية في بداية العام الدراسي الجديد في كل من بلدتي ثول والقضيمة المجاورتين للجامعة. وتميزت حملة هذه السنة بتقديم حقائب مدرسية مليئة باللوازم المدرسية األساسية إضافة إلى مواد تعليمية عن تجميع وتركيب الروبوتات تهدف لتحفيز الطلبة من مختلف األعمار على بناء روبوتات يمكنها السير وفي ً ً عمليا على مهارات حل المشاكل ،والتفكير تدريبا نفس الوقت تقدم اإلبداعي ،وتجربة طرق جديدة للتعلم .وهذه المواد التعليمية سهلة االستخدام ومصممة لتشجيع األطفال على اكتساب المعرفة والمهارات ً فضال عن تعريفهم بأهمية هذا المجال ومدى التطور في مجال الروبوتات، الكبير الذي وصل إليه في عالمنا اليوم. يقول عبد اهلل القرني ،معلم من مدرسة الطبراني االبتدائية في ثول: ً حقا كل الجهود التي تقوم بها جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم "نقدر والتقنية لدعم طلبة المدارس في المجتمعات المحلية المجاورة ،وأخص بالذكر حملة العودة إلى المدرسة التي تعتبر مبادرة مهمة لتنمية وإعداد العقول الشابة الواعدة التي تتملك إمكانات كبيرة ستعود بالنفع على البالد في المستقبل".
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ً ً متميزا للمتطوعين من طلبة مدارس دورا كما شهدت الحملة لهذا العام جامعة الملك عبداهلل الذين كانت لهم بصمة مشرفة في نجاح هذا البرنامج من خالل جهودهم في الترويج للحملة وتجهيز الحقائب واللوازم المدرسية وزيارة المدارس .وفي نهاية حملة هذا العام ،قام طلبة ومعلمو مدارس جامعة الملك عبداهلل بزيارة أقرانهم في مدارس ثول والتعرف عليهم واستكشاف فرص التعاون التعليمي والبقاء على اتصال خالل العام الدراسي .يقول محمد علي حركة ،طالب الصف الخامس االبتدائي في مدارس جامعة الملك عبداهلل" ،لقد كانت تجربة جيدة ،فقد تحدثت مع ً مسرورا للغاية". الطلبة من مدارس ثول وكونت صداقات جديدة وكنت حملة العودة إلى المدرسة هي جزء من برنامج تنمية المتعلمين الصغار ( )YLDPبرعاية قسم المسؤولية االجتماعية في جامعة الملك عبداهلل والذي يهدف إلى تحسين بيئات التعلم ومخرجاته في المراحل االبتدائية والمتوسطة والثانوية من خالل التعاون مع المجتمع المحلي وغرس ثقافة العلوم واالبتكار في عقول الطلبة في وقت مبكر .ومن المجاالت الجديدة لبرنامج تنمية المتعلمين الصغار تطوير مجال األنشطة البدنية والرياضية والعلوم ومهارات التصميم والتقنية ،ويشمل ذلك زيارات الطلبة والمعلمين والمعلمات المهتمين من مدارس جامعة الملك عبداهلل الى مدارس بلدتي ثول والقضيمة لتبادل الخبرات واألفكار.
Something for everyone at ACS in D.C. By Michelle Ponto
The 254th American Chemical Society National Meeting and Exposition (ACSDC) was held in Washington, D.C., in August. Smaller in size compared to the past ACS Spring conference in San Francisco, which broke records, the Fall 2017 event brought together over 13,000 students and researchers from across the U.S. and the international community looking to hear from great speakers and learn about opportunities in their areas of interest. KAUST faculty members gave talks during the week-long conference, including 2015 ACS Polymer Chemistry award winner Nikos Hadjichristidis, 2017 L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Awardee Niveen Kashab, Kazuhiro Takanabe, Osman Bakr and Omar Mohammed. Many faculty members also came to the KAUST booth to talk one-on-one with potential students and postdoctoral fellows about research and to answer questions about postgraduate studies, careers within the field and more.
Diversity and rewarding experiences ACSDC brought together the talents of a number of departments across the University, including the Physical Science and Engineering Division (PSE), the KAUST Core Labs, Human Resources, the KAUST Marketing Communications Department and the Office of International Programs (OIP). A diverse mix of students, postdoctoral fellows, researchers and staff members connected with hundreds of visitors during the course of the conference and shared their real-world experience living and working at the University. “I came to KAUST as a visiting student while completing my bachelor’s degree at the Beijing University of Chemical Technology, and I was impressed by the splendid facilities,” said Renyuan Li, a KAUST Ph.D. student. “This was one of the reasons I decided to come back to do my master's degree and Ph.D. here.”
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Li has been at KAUST for three and a half years. His story and reasons for coming to KAUST—along with his experiences at the University—gave visitors to the KAUST booth a unique perspective on what it’s like to work in the labs at KAUST and what it would be like to study overseas. Gemma Campbell from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow was also at ACSDC sharing her KAUST experience. “I was able to use the KAUST Visiting Student Research Program (VRSP) as part of my master’s degree. I’m in an integrated master’s degree course in Scotland, and one year of that is to do a research internship year,” she said. Campbell has been working on solar cells as a visiting student, and said she enjoyed the experience so much that she’s planning to apply to do her Ph.D. at KAUST when she’s finished her master's degree program at Strathclyde.
Opening doors of opportunity and discovery During the conference, the team collected dozens of resumes and conducted numerous interviews with candidates for various University positions. KAUST is currently ranked no. 1 in citations per faculty by the Q.S. World University Ranking and has 940 students and 150 faculty members. Over 2,000 research scientists and staff work in the labs in the University to support the growing demands of the University, its collaborators and its many industrial partners. Planning for the 2018 Spring ACS conference has begun. With the Fall 2017 event complete, the team is already discussing innovative ways to share more student experiences and ways to spread the word of the scientific discoveries developed at KAUST to those attending the conference and beyond.
1. The KAUST team stands at the University's booth at the ACS event in August in Washington, D.C.
2. KAUST Associate Professor Osman Bakr represents the University's team at the KAUST ACS D.C. booth.
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فريق من أعضاء هيئة التدريس وموظفي وطلبة جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية يحضر الملتقى والمعرض الوطني للجمعية الكيميائية األمريكية ( )ACSDCفي العاصمة واشنطن. ميشيل بونتو
عقد الملتقى والمعرض الوطني للجمعية الكيميائية األمريكية ()ACSDC ال 254في العاصمة واشنطن في شهر أغسطس الماضي .وعلى الرغم ً حجما مقارنة بمؤتمر الجمعية الكيميائية من أن هذا الحدث كان أصغر األمريكية في الربيع الماضي في مدينة سان فرانسيسكو الذي سجل ً ً كبيرا غير مسبوق ،إال أن حدث هذا الخريف جمع أكثر من 13000 حضورا
من الطلبة والباحثين من جميع أنحاء الواليات المتحدة والعالم الذين يتطلعون إلى فعاليات ومحاضرات هذا المؤتمر ومقابلة المتحدثين البارزين في مجال تخصصاتهم.
متميزة ً جدا وكانت مشاركة أعضاء هيئة التدريس بجامعة الملك عبداهلل ً حيث قدموا خالل أسبوع المؤتمر المحاضرات وحلقات النقاش المتميزة، وكان من بين من شاركوا البروفيسور نيكوس حاجيخريستيديس الحائز على جائزة كيمياء البوليمرات لعام ،2017والبروفيسورة نيفين خشاب الحاصلة على جائزة لوريال-اليونسكو 2017للسيدات الرائدات في مجال العلوم، والبروفيسور كازوهيرو تاكانابي ،والبروفيسور عثمان بكر والبروفيسور عمر محمد .كما زار أعضاء هيئة التدريس جناح جامعة الملك عبداهلل في المؤتمر للتحدث مع زوار الجناح من الطلبة وزمالء ما بعد الدكتوراه المهتمين بااللتحاق بالجامعة واإلجابة عن أسئلتهم حول أبحاث جامعة الملك عبداهلل والتخصصات واألقسام والفرص الوظيفية المتاحة وغيرها.
التنوع والخبرات جمع الملتقى والمعرض الوطني للجمعية الكيميائية األمريكية نخبة متنوعة من الطلبة وزمالء ما بعد الدكتوراه والباحثين والموظفين من أقسام وإدارات مختلفة في جامعة الملك عبداهلل ،مثل قسم العلوم والهندسة الفيزيائية ،والمختبرات المركزية ،والموارد البشرية ،وإدارة العالقات العامة واإلعالم ومكتب البرامج الدولية ( ،)OIPحيث شاركوا
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www.kaust.edu.sa
ً جميعا في التعريف بالجامعة لمئات من الزوار خالل المؤتمر وقاموا بالتحدث عن أبحاثهم و خبراتهم في العمل والعيش في جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية. يقول رينيوان لي ،طالب دكتوراه" :جئت إلى جامعة الملك عبد اهلل للعلوم والتقنية كطالب زائر خالل دراستي لدرجة البكالوريوس في جامعة بكين للتقنية الكيميائية ،وأعجبت ً جدا بالمرافق الرائعة في الجامعة .وقررت أن ً الحقا إليها لدراسة درجة الماجستير والدكتوراه ". أعود كما تحدثت جيما كامبل من جامعة ستراثكاليد في غالسكو عن تجربتها في جامعة الملك عبداهلل وكيف استفادت من برنامج أبحاث الطلبة الزائرين في الجامعة ( )VRSPأثناء دراستها لدرجة الماجستير في مجال الخاليا الشمسية ،وأنها تخطط للتقدم بطلب دراسة درجة الدكتوراه في جامعة الملك عبداهلل. السير الذاتية وأجرى العديد من وخالل المؤتمر ،جمع الفريق عشرات ّ المقابالت مع المرشحين المحتملين .وللتعرف على قائمة الفرص الوظيفية المتاحة في جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية ،يرجى زيارة الرابط: https://corelabs.kaust.edu.sa/opportunities وبعد اختتام فعاليات الملتقى والمعرض الوطني للجمعية الكيميائية األمريكية لخريف عام ،2017يخطط فريق جامعة الملك عبداهلل في المشاركة في مؤتمر الجمعية لربيع عام 2018واعتماد طرق مبتكرة لمشاركة الطلبة والزوار وحضور تجاربهم وخبراتهم عن جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية واألبحاث واالكتشافات العلمية التي تم تطويرها.
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My University Jian Cao Jian Cao grew up in Benxi, China, and before coming to KAUST, he interned at a hedge fund and completed his master's degree in Shanghai. He started his Ph.D. degree in statistics at KAUST in 2016. At the University, Cao researches how to estimate high-dimensional normal probabilities with the hierarchical conditioning method under Professor Marc Genton and is working on his first academic paper. Cao first heard of KAUST in 2013. His sense of adventure as well as the University's campus, the professors, the international environment and the Red Sea meant that he accepted the KAUST offer with "zero hesitation," he said. "I would like to promote skills in statistics, math and computer science. At KAUST, I can take classes in topics I am interested in. In addition, my advisor gives me the flexibility to choose my own research topic. Together, I believe these will help me move forward efficiently on my career path. I get to attend workshops or conferences two times per year or more, and there are plenty of opportunities to explore the world while based at KAUST. I don’t think that three or four years here is even enough," he noted. When Cao is not working on his research, he likes to be active, and is now training for the half-triathlon and working on his free-diving as well. "KAUST is like heaven for sports," he said.
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Celebrating Saudi Arabia at KAUST By David Murphy On September 28, the KAUST community gathered at the Al-Marsa Amphitheater to celebrate Saudi National Day. A festival of color and sound welcomed guests as they enjoyed the exciting show by the Al-Marsa Marina. The crowd came together to celebrate all things Saudi Arabia—including an Arabic children’s choir, Arabic music, a horse parade, Saudi artisans, food, handicrafts, a mini-museum and art gallery, traditional Bedouin tents and folklore performances. The humid night air was filled with chatter, laughter and music as the green-and-white-clad guests enjoyed the various displays, events, food trucks and performances. Other activities and displays on the night included a children’s entertainment show, a grand prize draw and a KAUST School (TKS) students' performance. The night's entertainment was rounded off with some live oud music.
This month's submission comes from KAUST Ph.D. student Maxime Babics and a group of KAUST friends (pictured from left to right: Fuad Jamour, George Polymeropoulos, Vasiliki Kordopati, Zoi Tsoumatidou, Jeremy Barbe, Faustine Verger and Maxime Babics), who traveled through Taif to journey to Al Baha, the capital of Saudi Arabia's Al Baha Province in the southwest of the country.
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Because of its pleasant year-round weather and natural attractions, including forests, plains, valleys, mountains and waterfalls, Al Baha is one of Saudi Arabia's main tourist resorts. The region is also well-known for its production of honey, dates, grains, fruit and vegetables, and periodically hosts an International Honey Festival. Babics and friends visited Zee Ayn, a 400-year-old abandoned stone settlement known as the "Marble Village" built on top of a marble hill outside of the town of Al Baha. Constructed from shale slabs, slate and marble pieces, the settlement's structures stand starkly against the Sarawat mountains in the background. Due to its unique features, the village has been listed as a tentative UNESCO World Heritage Site. "Al Baha's beautiful green surroundings and the picturesque village of Zee Ayn provided a perfect background against which to immortalize our KAUST expedition to the province while holding a copy of The Beacon," Babics said. "After visiting the village, its garden and permanent water spring and the nearby forest of Kherah, it was time to go back to Thuwal following the highway along the Red Sea."
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4 1, 2, 3, 4. The KAUST community came together to
celebrate Saudi National Day on the University's campus on September 28, enjoying music, traditional Saudi food, handicrafts and Saudi Arabia's rich culture and heritage. Photos by Andrea Bachofen-Echt.
THE BEACON | NOVEMBER 2017