2017 February Beacon

February 2017 Jumada Al-Awwal, 1438 Volume 8, Issue No. 2 ‫جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية‬

‫ المملكة العربية السعودية‬،‫ثول‬

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

www.kaust.edu.sa

‫من صبي يعيش في البادية إلى وزير للبترول‬ ‫ رحلة معالي الوزير علي بن‬:‫والثروة المعدنية‬ ‫إبراهيم النعيمي‬

From Bedouin boy to oil minister: the journey of H.E. Ali Al-Naimi Page 6 WEP 2017 kicks off at the WEP Hub Page 14

The right space and time Page 10 Hyperloop: From pipe dream to reality Page 12 Shaheen computes a world record Page 16 Inspirational solar research Page 18

Sharing memories at 2016 Alumni Reunion Weekend Page 20 Multidisciplinary KAUST team attends COP22 Page 22 Supporting and celebrating innovation Page 23

In brief The Office of Enrichment Programs hosted 14 enthralling days of a unique Winter Enrichment Program (WEP) 2017 educational experience from January 8 to 21. This year's theme was “Pushing the Limits: Challenging Engineering and Science.” Search #WEP2017 on any of the KAUST official social media channels to relive all the best moments.

The Winter Enrichment Program team and the Global Corporate Challenge (GCC) exercise event team held the Fun in the Sun & Community Picnic on January 14 from 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Safaa Stadium. Fun for the whole community was had with an obstacle course, the GCC awards, a bike race, drone racing, a picnic and other events.

The Beacon Volume 8, Issue No. 2 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: Omnia Attallah Writers: David Murphy, Meres J. Weche Translator: Adel Alrefaie Photographers: Ginger Lisanti, Lilit Hovhannisyan The Beacon is published monthly. © King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

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THE BEACON | FEBRUARY 2017

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.

The KAUST Visualization Core Laboratory hosted a Workshop: Introduction to the KAUST Visualization Core Laboratory on January 26 in Al-Khawarizimi (bldg. 1).

Experts provided an overview of services and facilities available to the KAUST academic community through the lab, with topics including introduction to Visualization Lab services; large-scale data analysis and 3-D visualization; virtual reality apps for interactive scientific visualization; and accessing facilities and resources at the Visualization Lab. For additional queries about the event, please contact the lab at kvlinfo@kaust.edu.sa.

The KAUST Saudi Arabian Alumni Chapter held nominations for Executive and Committee positions for 2017, with nominations closing on January 26.

Nominations were open to graduates, studentalumni and postdoctoral fellows. The chapter was established in 2014 and is led and run by volunteers who support KAUST, fellow alumni and current students. Those selected for positions will play a vital role in representing and supporting alumni in Saudi Arabia and will partner with Alumni Affairs to facilitate networking opportunities and professional and career development. The first meeting for 2017 Executive and Committee members will be on March 1 by teleconference. For further information, contact Alumni Affairs at alumni@kaust.edu.sa.

KAUST and the United States National Science Foundation (NSF) jointly organized the KAUST-NSF Research Conference on Interactive Electronics 2017 from January 30 to February 1. The goal of the conference was to assemble the global scientific community on a common platform to stimulate discussion on progress and opportunities in electronic materials and devices. The conference gathered some of the world's leading researchers and scholars from academia and industry to exchange ideas and foster a collaborative framework. The event also featured a Poster Session on February 1.

Distinguished Professor Nikos Hadjichristidis will host the Polymers - Designing Macromolecules for Applications research conference from February 5 to 7. The conference will cover the most appealing topics in contemporary polymer sciences and technologies, including recent developments, trends and perspectives in catalytic polymerization and polymer catalysis, macromolecular architecture and characterization, properties-structure relationships and high-tech applications (solar cells, membranes and biomaterials). For complete information, visit https://kcc.kaust. edu.sa/Pages/2017-KAUST-ResearchConference.aspx.

KAUST community members are invited to submit their original works of visual art for display in the University Library as part of the Artists of KAUST 2017 exhibit. The deadline for submission is February 7. The exhibition will open with a reception on March 1 and will run until March 14. Examples of work sought for inclusion in the exhibit include paintings, photography, textiles, jewelry, sculpture and ceramics. Work displayed in previous Artists of KAUST exhibits or other exhibits in the community is ineligible for inclusion in the 2017 show. For more information, visit thelens. kaust.edu.sa.

The KAUST Global IT Summit for Leading Research Institutions is scheduled to take place from February 8 to 10. The summit will bring together CIOs, CTOs and IT thought leaders to evaluate the University's current state of IT; benchmark against peers and global industry standards; and contribute to the future strategic roadmap for KAUST IT. This roadmap focuses on providing academics, researchers, University administration and community members with advanced and progressive IT resources. For more information, visit https://itsummit. kaust.edu.sa/2017.

The High Performance Computing Saudi Arabia conference (HPC Saudi) will take place from March 13 to 15 on the KAUST campus. It is being billed as the premier regional event in the field where participants can meet each other, share ideas and discuss collaboration. This is the seventh HPC Saudi event, and this year it will focus on coordinated efforts for the advancement of the HPC ecosystem in the Kingdom. Visit HPCSaudi.org for more information.

KAUST startups FalconViz, Sadeem (pictured) and Hachid were recently listed as numbers 5, 13 and 21 on the Forbes Middle East 50 Most Promising Saudi Startups list. The list is published annually and features exciting startups covering diverse areas of business from across the Kingdom.

www.kaust.edu.sa

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Accolades

1. Carlos Duarte, director of

the KAUST Red Sea Research Center and the Tarek Ahmed Juffali Research Chair in Red Sea Ecology, was recently elected a fellow of the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO). File photo.

2. KAUST Vice President for

Research Professor Jean M.J. Fréchet surpassed the 100,000 citation mark according to the Google Scholar Citations database. File photo.

3. KAUST Ph.D. student Manal

Al-Qahtani won the best poster presentation award at the 3rd Asia-Pacific Conference of the International Society for Microbial Electrochemistry and Technology (AP-ISMET).

She is pictured here with Prof.

Taeho Lee (left), convenor of the AP-ISMET 2016 conference.

Photo courtesy of AP-ISMET.

Duarte elected ASLO Fellow

Fréchet goes over 100K

The Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) recently elected Carlos Duarte, director of the KAUST Red Sea Research Center and the Tarek Ahmed Juffali Research Chair in Red Sea Ecology in the University's Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE) division, as an ASLO Fellow based on the sustained excellence of his contributions to ASLO and the aquatic sciences.

Vice President for Research Jean M.J. Fréchet joined a small, highly elite group of researchers recently when he surpassed the 100,000 citation mark. According to the Google Scholar Citations database, Fréchet's research has been cited 100,158 times as of December 2016. In the Webometrics list of highly cited researchers, Fréchet ranks 82nd all-time among researchers both living and deceased.

The fellows program was initiated in 2015 to honor ASLO members who have advanced the aquatic sciences via their exceptional contributions to the benefit of the society and its publications, meetings and other activities.

The 2016 Fellows will be honored at the ASLO Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii, in February 2017.

Fréchet is a prolific scientist and innovator, having authored over 800 publications and holding over 100 U.S. and international patents.

“I have served as president-elect (elected) and the only non-American president thus far in the 80-year history of the society. I have also served as member-at-large (elected); as co-chair of one of the largest meetings thus far; as a member of various committees; as an associate editor of their main publication; and I rank among the most published authors in that journal. I have also been recognized in the past with ASLO’s Evelyn G. Hutchinson medal for scientific excellence. This level of service was thought to be worthy of my election as Sustaining Fellow,” Duarte said.

Duarte recognized the role KAUST has played in helping to support this election, noting, “Joining KAUST has certainly helped me raise the level of my research and my capacity to collaborate with others."

He described his latest research as focusing on the use of coastal ecosystems in support of climate change mitigation and adaptation and in exploring the functions and applications of the large pool of genes ocean microbes have evolved.

“Going forward, I would like to use the fundamental research I do as a platform to develop ocean-based solutions to the grand challenges humanity faces. I aspire to contribute to making intelligent use of the oceans a key milestone of the 21st century,” he said.

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THE BEACON | FEBRUARY 2017

Born in France, Fréchet received his first university degree at the Institut de Chimie et Physique Industrielles (now CPE in Lyon, France) before moving to the United States for graduate studies in organic and polymer chemistry at Syracuse University and the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. He joined the chemistry faculty at the University of Ottawa in Canada in 1973 and remained there until 1987, when he became an IBM professor of polymer chemistry at Cornell University in the U.S. In 1995, he was named the Peter J. Debye chair of chemistry at Cornell.

Fréchet joined KAUST after 14 years at the University of California, Berkeley, where he was the Henry Rapoport chair of organic chemistry and professor of chemical engineering. While at Berkeley, he also served as a principal investigator in the Materials Science Division of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and as the scientific director of the Organic and Macromolecular Facility for the Molecular Foundry at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

His numerous awards and honors include the Japan Prize and multiple recognitions from the American Chemical Society, including the Arthur C. Cope Award, and awards in polymer chemistry and applied polymer science.

Fréchet is a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, the American Academy of Arts and Science, the U.S. National Academy of Inventors and the Academy of Europe.

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You've heard the amazing stories of the WEP 2017 keynote speakers—now see what they're up to in the social media realm.

Steph Davis - She's a world-renowned rock climber, a base jumper and a wingsuit pilot—you can follow her high-flying antics on Twitter @highsteph and Instagram at highsteph.

Ph.D. student Manal Al-Qahtani wins best poster presentation award Manal Al-Qahtani, an environmental science and biological engineering Ph.D. student in the University’s Water Desalination and Reuse Center, won the best poster presentation award at the 3rd Asia-Pacific Conference of the International Society for Microbial Electrochemistry and Technology (AP-ISMET). APISMET took place in Busan, South Korea, from August 31 to September 2, 2016, for research discussion and for researchers to come up with a solution to improve the performance of current bioelectrochemical systems and microbial fuel cells.

Al-Qahtani is supervised by Pascal Saikaly, associate professor of environmental science and engineering.

"Manal's work focused on an alternative approach for carbon capture and utilization using the concept of microbial electrosynthesis (MES), whereby microorganisms (biocatalysts) can directly or indirectly use electricity as energy source to convert CO2 to useful value-added products," Saikaly said.

"To achieve this, in collaboration with Professor Zhiping Lai's group at KAUST, we developed a novel cathode design for recycling CO2 to CH4 through electromethanogenesis. The cathode design is made of electrically conductive and porous hollow fiber. The 3-D porous hollow fiber cathode architecture played a dual role as the cathode and for facilitating direct delivery of CO2 to methanogens through the pores in the membrane. The 3-D porous hollow fiber cathodes can allow efficient mass transport and dense biofilm formation for the MES process. Most importantly, using 3-D porous hollow-fiber cathodes makes the MES process highly attractive for directly converting CO2 generated from industrial sources," he noted.

Theo Jansen - He makes big pieces of art that walk around on the beach—follow what his creatures are doing on Twitter @StrandBeests.

Shannon Bennett - She stalks the smallest of villains and discovers their origins—track what this virus-hunter and museum curator is doing on Twitter @MicrobeExplorer.

Cinematic Science - The team behind Cinematic Science produces inspiring science-based media content— find out more @CinematicSci.

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@KAUST_News

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KAUST Official

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From Bedouin boy to oil minister: the journey of H.E. Ali Al-Naimi

By Caitlin Clark

When people ask me what the secret of my success is, I tell them there is no secret—it all comes down to hard work. My advice to all of you here is to work hard.”

- H.E. Ali Ibrahim Al-Naimi, chairman of the KAUST board of trustees and former Saudi minister of petroleum and mineral resources

In April 1944, the then American-owned oil company Aramco (later Saudi Aramco) opened the Jabal School, the first company school, in Dhahran, in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province.

Established to help educate boys under 18, by the mid-1940s,

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the school found itself with one of Saudi Arabia’s most famous future figures as a pupil. The student was Ali Ibrahim Al-Naimi, a 9-year-old illiterate Bedouin boy.

He would later become president and CEO of Saudi Aramco and, in 1995, Saudi Arabia’s minister of petroleum and mineral resources. His Excellency Al-Naimi also serves as chairman of the KAUST board of trustees, and has been a part of the University since its beginnings.

Studying in the ‘university of life’ “I was born in 1935 in the Eastern Province, and the only education on offer then was in the university of life,” AlNaimi told an audience of KAUST faculty, students, staff and community members at a 2017 Winter Enrichment Program (WEP) keynote lecture on January 8. There, he discussed his recent autobiography “Out of the Desert: My Journey from Nomadic Bedouin to the Heart of Global Oil.”

‫من صبي يعيش في البادية إلى‬ ‫وزير للبترول والثروة المعدنية‪ :‬رحلة معالي‬ ‫الوزير علي بن إبراهيم النعيمي‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫حاليا) في منتصف‬ ‫سابقا (أرامكو السعودية‬ ‫قامت شركة النفط األمريكية أرامكو‬ ‫األربعينات الماضية‪ ،‬بافتتاح مدرسة الجبل في مدينة الظهران في المنطقة الشرقية في‬ ‫المملكة العربية السعودية‪ ،‬كأول مدرسة خاصة بالشركة‪ .‬وكان السبب من وراء إنشاء هذه‬ ‫ً‬ ‫عاما‪ .‬ولم يكن يعلم مسؤولو‬ ‫المدرسة هو تثقيف وتعليم الصبية السعوديين دون سن ‪18‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫واحدا من أشهر الشخصيات والقيادات‬ ‫هذه المدرسة أن أحد تالمذتها سيتخرج منها ليصبح‬ ‫السعودية في المستقبل‪ .‬كان هذا الطالب هو علي بن إبراهيم النعيمي‪ ،‬ابن التسع‬ ‫سنوات الذي نشأ وترعرع في البادية‪.‬‬ ‫تقلد معالي الوزير عدة مناصب كبيرة خالل تاريخ حياته العملية الحافلة باإلنجازات‪ .‬حيث‬ ‫شغل منصب الرئيس والمدير التنفيذي لشركة أرامكو السعودية‪ ،‬وأصبح وزير البترول‬ ‫والثروة المعدنية في عام ‪ .1995‬كما يشغل معالي الوزير منصب رئيس مجلس أمناء‬ ‫جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية‪ ،‬ويعتبر أحد القيادات المؤسسة لها منذ البداية‪.‬‬

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‫‪www.kaust.edu.sa‬‬

‫التعلم من مدرسة الحياة‬ ‫ألقى معالي الوزير علي النعيمي في الثامن من شهر يناير ‪ 2017‬محاضرة رئيسية في‬ ‫جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية ضمن فعاليات برنامج اإلثراء الشتوي (ويب) لعام‬ ‫‪ 2017‬حيث تحدث إلى أعضاء هيئة التدريس والطلبة والموظفين وأفراد مجتمع الجامعة‬ ‫ً‬ ‫حديثا بعنوان "من البادية إلى عالم النفط" ويتناول‬ ‫وضيوف البرنامج عن كتابه الذي صدر‬ ‫سيرته الذاتية وقصة حياته حيث قال‪" :‬ولدت في عام ‪ 1935‬في المنطقة الشرقية‪ ،‬وكانت‬ ‫فرصتي الوحيدة لتلقي العلم هي من خالل مدرسة الحياة‪ .‬وكنت في سن الرابعة أعمل‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫محظوظا‪ ،‬ألني ولدت في المكان‬ ‫راعيا ألغنام أسرتي‪ .‬وعلى الرغم من ذلك‪ ،‬أجد نفسي‬

‫والزمان المناسبين‪ .‬حيث تغيرت حياتي مثلما تغيرت حياة الكثيرين بعد اكتشاف النفط في‬ ‫المملكة العربية السعودية‪".‬‬

1 “By the age of 4, I was working as a shepherd boy for my family for our sheep. I was lucky, though—although I didn’t know it, I had been born in the right place at the right time. When they discovered oil in Saudi Arabia, my life and the lives of others would never be the same again,” Al-Naimi said.

Education and hard work Al-Naimi’s older brother Abdullah became an Aramco employee, and one day, he recounted, Abdullah told him, “Come on, Ali—we are going to school.”

“I didn’t know what that was, but it sounded like fun,” Al-Naimi said, beginning his two years of education at the Jabal School. He then became an Aramco employee—an office boy—and was later sponsored by the company to study in the U.S., completing degrees at Lehigh University and Stanford University. After returning to work for Aramco again, he became vice president of Producing and Water Injection in 1975, and was one of the first Saudis to become an Aramco executive. He became president of the company in 1984 and CEO in 1988.

“Education has played a vital role in my life, and it is important to discuss this while at KAUST,” Al-Naimi said. “What I really learned during my education was how to work hard—it was a lesson in life that I never forgot.”

The secret of success “When I was very young,” he continued, “someone asked me what I wanted to do when I was older, and I said I wanted to be the president of Aramco, but I didn’t know what this meant. It sounded good—and it came true.

“I was looking forward to retiring from my position at age 60 when King Fahd asked me to become minister of petroleum and mineral resources, a position I held for more than 20 years. When people ask me what the secret of my success is, I tell them there is no secret—it all comes down to hard work. My advice to all of you here is to work hard.”

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THE BEACON | FEBRUARY 2017

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Education and society “KAUST is an example of harnessing human talent in a small environment,” Al-Naimi said. “We have to start by assuming that education is the first thing you need to focus on in any society. Without great education for society, there is no hope for it—superior education advances us.

“I see some of the world’s brightest intellect here. Humanity faces some major challenges, and KAUST was set up to tackle those challenges. In many ways, you are fortunate to have been born at this time in human evolution, when we have the benefit of history and the ability to think into the future. You need to succeed in your efforts to help the planet and future generations. Think hard, think big and face the impossible.”

‘A great future’ Al-Naimi also discussed the Kingdom’s movement towards a knowledgebased economy.

“The potential to do things at great scale is here—all we have to do is work hard,” he said. “If you combine the intelligence of men and women with what is already available in the Kingdom, you have great potential for a great future when you put it all together.”

However, one can’t go about building this future alone, Al-Naimi noted. “It takes effort to create, develop and get things right,” he said. “If you want to develop something, you can’t do it by yourself. You need people to help you do this, and you need to respect those people. To be a leader, you must respect every human being that you lead.”

Although Al-Naimi held one of the world’s most powerful economic jobs for over two decades, he said, “I’ve always done what I had to do. When I was 4 years old, I had to tend the sheep, so that’s what I did. Looking back, I would have done the same things—maybe not tend the sheep, but certainly everything else!”

‫‪1. H.E. Ali Al-Naimi speaks about his life‬‬ ‫‪at his 2017 Winter Enrichment Program‬‬ ‫‪keynote lecture on January 8.‬‬ ‫‪2. H.E. Ali Al-Naimi (left) answers‬‬ ‫‪questions from the audience during his‬‬ ‫‪2017 Winter Enrichment Program keynote‬‬ ‫‪lecture, with James Calvin (right), KAUST‬‬ ‫‪vice president for academic affairs, acting‬‬ ‫‪as moderator.‬‬

‫التعلم والمثابرة‬

‫التعليم والمجتمع‬

‫وتحدث الوزير علي النعيمي عن بداية التحاقه في المدرسة حيث كان أخوه األكبر عبداهلل‬ ‫ً‬ ‫موظفا لدى أرامكو وفي أحد األيام قال إنه سيأخذه إلى المدرسة‪ .‬يقول النعيمي‪:‬‬ ‫يعمل‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ممتعا بالنسبة لي"‪ .‬درس‬ ‫"بالطبع لم أكن أعرف ما هي المدرسة أول األمر ولكن ذلك بدا‬ ‫النعيمي بعد ذلك في مدرسة الجبل لمدة سنتين ثم أصبح أحد موظفي أرامكو حيث كان‬ ‫يعمل كعامل مكتب‪ ،‬وبعد ذلك عرضت عليه أرامكو فرصة االبتعاث للدراسة في الواليات‬ ‫المتحدة حيث ذهب وأكمل دراسته الجامعية في جامعة ليهاي وجامعة ستانفورد‪ .‬وبعد‬ ‫عودته شغل منصب نائب الرئيس إلنتاج وحقن المياه في أرامكو في عام ‪ ،1975‬وكان من‬ ‫أوائل السعوديين لشغل منصب مسؤول تنفيذي في شركة ارامكو‪ .‬ثم أصبح رئيسا للشركة‬ ‫في عام ‪ 1984‬والرئيس التنفيذي لها في عام ‪ .1988‬وتحدث النعيمي للحضور في جامعة‬ ‫الملك عبداهلل عن فضل العلم وأهميته حيث قال‪" :‬أجد أن هذه مناسبة مثالية لمشاركة‬ ‫ً‬ ‫دورا‬ ‫مجتمع جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية عن تجربتي مع التعليم‪ .‬حيث كان للتعليم‬ ‫ً‬ ‫مهما في حياتي‪ ،‬وتعلمت أثناء دراستي أن النجاح ال يتحقق اال بالعمل الجاد والمثابرة وهو‬ ‫ً‬ ‫درس حياة لن أنساه أبدا‪".‬‬

‫وخالل المحاضرة تحدث الوزير علي النعيمي عن جامعة الملك عبداهلل وبيئتها الفريدة حيث‬ ‫قال‪" :‬جامعة الملك عبداهلل مثال ناجح على كيفية تسخير المواهب والطاقات البشرية في‬ ‫ً‬ ‫دوما أن نضع التعليم في االعتبار كأول هدف نركز عليه في أي مجتمع‪.‬‬ ‫بيئة صغيرة‪ .‬علينا‬ ‫ً‬ ‫شيئا‪ ،‬التعليم الراقي والمتميز هو من‬ ‫فالمجتمع دون تعليم راقي لن ينهض ولن يحقق‬ ‫يرفع األمم‪ .‬أرى جامعة الملك عبداهلل تزخر بالعقول النيرة من جميع أنحاء العالم‪ .‬هذه هي‬ ‫العقول التي ستساعد الجامعة على تحقيق رسالتها الطموحة لمعالجة التحديات الكبرى‬ ‫التي تواجه اإلنسانية في الوقت الحالي‪ .‬أنتم محظوظون ً‬ ‫جدا أن ولدتم في هذا الزمن‬ ‫ً‬ ‫تطورا غير مسبوق لإلنسانية‪ ،‬حيث تستطيعون االستفادة من قدراتكم الفكرية‬ ‫الذي يشهد‬ ‫الفريدة وتجارب السابقين للنجاح من أجل مستقبل مشرق لسكان االرض واألجيال القادمة‪.‬‬ ‫اعملوا بجد وفكروا بتمعن وال تخشوا مواجهة المستحيل "‪.‬‬

‫سر النجاح‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫صغيرا‪ ،‬سألني أحدهم ماذا تريد أن تصبح عندما تكبر؟‬ ‫قائال‪" :‬عندما كنت‬ ‫واستطرد النعيمي‬ ‫قلت أريد أن أكون رئيس شركة أرامكو‪ ،‬ولكني وقتها لم أكن أعرف ما يعنيه ذلك إال أن‬ ‫ً‬ ‫جميال‪ ،‬وبفضل اهلل تمكنت من تحقيق ذلك‪ .‬كنت أتطلع للتقاعد من منصبي في‬ ‫وقعها كان‬ ‫أرامكو في سن الستين‪ ،‬ثم طلب مني الملك فهد رحمه اهلل أن أصبح وزير البترول والثروة‬ ‫ً‬ ‫عاما‪ .‬وعندما يسألني الناس ما سر نجاحي‪ ،‬أقول لهم ال‬ ‫المعدنية فشغلت المنصب لمدة ‪20‬‬ ‫يوجد سر‪ ،‬كل ما عليكم القيام به هو العمل الجاد فقط وهذه نصيحتي لكم جميعا هنا "‪.‬‬

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‫االقتصاد المعرفي‬ ‫كما ناقش الوزير علي النعيمي خطة المملكة الرامية لتحويل اقتصادها إلى االقتصاد‬ ‫المعرفي‪ .‬وقال في هذا السياق‪ ":‬لدينا في المملكة العربية السعودية القدرة على تحقيق‬ ‫أشياء عظيمة‪ ،‬كل ما علينا القيام به هو العمل الجاد‪ .‬فقد حبا اهلل المملكة ثروات معدنية‬ ‫ونفط وغاز وشركات كبيرة وحكومة مستقرة‪ .‬بعقول أبنائنا إذا استغلينا هذه المزايا‪،‬‬ ‫فالمستقبل واعد بإذن اهلل‪" .‬‬ ‫وتحدث النعيمي عن دور القائد وأهمية العمل الجماعي والمشاركة حيث قال‪" :‬ال يمكن أن‬ ‫ً‬ ‫أشخاصا لمساعدتك في القيام بذلك‪ ،‬وهنا ينبغي عليك‬ ‫تبني المستقبل لوحدك ألنك تحتاج‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫جديرا ينبغي عليك احترام كل من يعمل‬ ‫قائدا‬ ‫كقائد أن تحترم هؤالء األشخاص‪ .‬ولكي تكون‬ ‫تحت قيادتك‪.".‬‬

The right space and time

By Meres J. Weche

Renowned California Institute of Technology (Caltech) physicist Edward C. Stone gave a keynote address on January 9 at KAUST as part of the eighth annual Winter Enrichment Program (WEP).

As the project scientist for NASA’s unmanned Voyager Mission since 1972 at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Stone shared insights into his career and the evolution of space exploration.

As a graduate student at the University of Chicago during the 1950s, Stone was originally focused on becoming a nuclear physicist, but as the Space Age dawned with the launch of Sputnik in 1957, he found a new calling.

“Fortunately I was there at the beginning, and I was able to build an instrument to launch into space in 1961, and then from that I moved to Caltech, where I’ve been now for over 50 years,” Stone said.

He originally joined Caltech as a researcher and became a full faculty member in 1967. In 1972, Stone became the project scientist for JPL’s Voyager Mission, which is run by Caltech. Stone was also the director of JPL from 1991 to 2001.

An engineering challenge for the ages The Voyager missions (1 and 2) were the first fully automated and totally computer-controlled spacecrafts. Astonishingly, their computers have around 4,000 words of memory—minuscule by today's standards.

“Your smartphone has 240,000 times more memory than all the computers that the Voyager crafts have,” he told the WEP audience.

With the technology of the time, Ed Stone’s Voyager team aimed to coordinate a scientific study of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. A clever solution to achieve this engineering feat came from an unlikely source. In 1965, a Caltech graduate student who was working at JPL for the summer was given the task of looking for opportunities for a craft to fly by a planet.

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THE BEACON | FEBRUARY 2017

went to Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune from 1977 to 1989.

“After that, we continued on what’s called the Voyager Interstellar mission hoping to get outside the bubble the sun created around itself. That happened in 2012. Voyager 1 is now in interstellar space, the space between the stars,” Stone added.

Dimming messages Another consideration when planning the deployment of the Voyager crafts was how to power them. Solar energy wasn’t an option because the sun's rays become much too dim once the Voyagers get very far away from the sun. Instead, the natural radioactive decay of plutonium-238, which creates heat used as a source of energy, was used. Because of its radioactive decay, it means that there is less and less energy to power the craft with each passing year.

The JPL team turns off 4 watts at a time every year.

Based on this accumulated loss of 4 watts per year, it’s estimated they’ll have enough electrical power to run for another 10 years with the instruments JPL has. After that, it will become necessary to turn off the instruments one-by-one. According to estimates the will no longer hear transmissions from the Voyager crafts around 2030.

Current learning and future hopes During the course of their exploratory journey, the Voyager crafts have revealed many exciting new findings.

“Time after time, our view of the solar system has expanded since Voyager,” Stone said. “The first big surprise was that the moon of Jupiter, called Io, has 10 times the volcanic activity of Earth. Before that, the only known active volcanoes were on Earth, and here was a small moon with 10 times as much.

That was a big surprise."

“It turned out that what the research intern had discovered was that in 1977, a spacecraft could fly by Jupiter, on to Saturn, on to Uranus and then finally on to Neptune all in that order. Once in every 176 years, they are all together on the same side of the sun, so that became the urgency in creating a new kind of spacecraft that could actually go this far and deep into space,” Stone explained.

Although the Voyagers will no longer be transmitting within the next 15 years, they will continue in their journey. The JPL team has inserted phonograph records known as the Voyager Golden Records aboard both Voyager spacecrafts containing selected sounds and images from Earth’s diverse cultures and civilizations. Those records are intended for any intelligent extraterrestrial life form that may one day find them.

1977 was also the year when Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 were launched on September 5 and August 20, respectively. The Voyager missions

“The big question is: Is there life out there? The impact of finding microbial life elsewhere in the universe would be enormous,” said Stone.

1. World-renowned NASA physicist

Edward C. Stone speaks during his 2017 Winter Enrichment Program keynote address.

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2. Edward C. Stone is congratulated at the close of his 2017 Winter Enrichment Program keynote lecture by KAUST Professor Gilles Lubineau (left), 2017 Enrichment Programs chair, and KAUST President Jean-Lou Chameau (right).

3. This picture of Neptune was produced

from the last whole planet images taken through the green and orange filters on NASA's Voyager 2 narrow angle camera.

The images were taken at a range of 4.4 million miles from the planet four days and 20 hours before closest approach.

The picture shows the Great Dark Spot and its companion bright smudge; on the west limb, the fast moving bright feature called Scooter and the little dark spot are visible. These clouds were seen to persist for as long as Voyager's cameras could resolve them. North of these, a bright cloud band similar to the south polar streak may be seen. Photo courtesy of NASA/JPL.

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4. NASA Voyager 2 was launched on August 20, 1977, from the NASA Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral in Florida, U.S., where it was propelled into space on a Titan/Centaur rocket. Photo courtesy of NASA/JPL.

www.kaust.edu.sa

11

Hyperloop: From pipe dream to reality

By David Murphy Dirk Ahlborn, CEO of Jumpstarter Inc. and Hyperloop Transportation Technologies Inc. and one of the invited speakers at the University’s 2017 Winter Enrichment Program (WEP), spoke to the KAUST community on January 11. JumpStartFund.com (operated by Jumpstarter Inc.) is a web portal that helps to create smarter and more successful companies by applying crowdsourcing from the conception of an idea all the way through to the funding stage, and also helped to fund his team's latest project—the Hyperloop.

On a Hyperloop to the future The Hyperloop is a proposed futuristic mode of passenger and freight transport that propels podlike vehicles through a vacuum-like tube at speeds comparable to or faster than conventional airliners. The whole system relies on renewable electric propulsion to accelerate the vehicles through the tube in a low pressure environment. It is hoped that each Hyperloop vehicle will have a passenger capacity of 840 people and will travel at a top speed of 760 mph, thus redefining modern transportation.

Ahlborn feels that Hyperloop would be the optimal solution to current ineffective and outdated global modes of transport, which he believes serve only to create mass traffic problems, emissions and pollution and act as a drain on worldwide governmental funding.

“We have the chance to completely redesign public transport. Traffic is a major problem and form of pollution. We waste too much time in traffic—valuable time that we could be spending time with people we care about. With Hyperloop you will be able to get from San Francisco to L.A., a distance of roughly 400 miles, in 36 minutes. The Hyperloop will be like what the railroads were to the U.S. in the 1800s and it’s safer than any railroad,” he said.

Creating a movement Ahlborn is a serial entrepreneur with extensive experience in almost every area of business. He's a firm believer in and advocate of the practice of crowdstorming. During his keynote lecture and the WEP on Air talk held in the University Library earlier in the day, he described the role crowdsourcing and people power have played in companies that he has been involved with or invested in.

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THE BEACON | FEBRUARY 2017

“Usually discussions about transport infrastructure happen behind closed doors, but we use a system called crowdstorming. It's like an open community of thought. We are actually building the tools as we go, and we connect with each other globally at least weekly. Our team realized it wasn't enough to build a company, we had to build a movement—a movement of not being alone. We have encouraged investment and participation from companies and individuals from around the world,” he said. "It's so powerful that you don't need to be a billionaire or a millionaire to change the world. You just need to bring people together."

When it comes to you building a business, it can happen anywhere; for example, ideas scrawled on the back of a napkin. Sometimes you have to ask crazy questions to generate brilliant ideas."

- Dirk Ahlborn, CEO of Jumpstarter Inc. and Hyperloop Transportation Technologies Inc.

Building a business He also imparted some of his entrepreneurial wisdom and advice to KAUST entrepreneurs and the budding entrepreneurs in attendance.

“When it comes to you building a business, it can happen anywhere; for example, ideas scrawled on the back of a napkin. Sometimes you have to ask crazy questions to generate brilliant ideas. As an entrepreneur, you are always learning, and if you are successful, you must be adaptable. As an entrepreneur, you must also be willing to move, to pivot and to learn.

In summary, my best advice to entrepreneurs is to ask— ask for help, ask for advice, ask for ideas. Just because someone says it can't be done doesn't mean it can't be done. It just means they haven't figured out a way to do it yet,” he said.

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2

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1, 2, 3. Dirk Ahlborn, CEO of Jumpstarter Inc. and Hyperloop Transportation Technologies Inc., discussed the future of transport in his 2017 Winter Enrichment Program keynote address on January 11.

4. Dirk Ahlborn receives congratulations at the

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close of his 2017 Winter Enrichment Program keynote lecture from KAUST Professor Gilles Lubineau, 2017 Enrichment Programs chair.

A question and answer session followed Ahlborn’s address, with community members getting the chance to discuss and debate on aspects of the Hyperloop project ranging from scientific, structural, environmental and even social aspects.

“When you have an idea and you keep it to yourself, you need to confront yourself—you need to get your message out. Every day you are changing, and every day you need to adjust. Don't be afraid to share your ideas,” he said.

www.kaust.edu.sa

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WEP 2017 kicks off at the WEP Hub

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By Denis J. Boutry The opening night of the 2017 Winter Enrichment Program (WEP) in the University Library on January 7 took place around the all-new WEP Hub, which functioned as the beating heart of this year's WEP. The Enrichment Team welcomed a large and enthusiastic crowd with speeches, giveaways and a walkthrough of the new Hub and the exceptional two-week-long program.

Giant board games, a mime and more attracted the attention of visitors at the library's entrance, while varied activities gave an overview of what was on offer during WEP and at the Hub. The evening also recognized the collaboration between the Enrichment Team and the University Library, as they worked together to transform the area into the bustling WEP Hub, making the program an even greater experience. The opening night also provided the opportunity to thank members of the community who helped make WEP possible.

Gilles Lubineau, chairman of WEP 2017, and MarieLaure Boulot, Enrichment Team manager, presented the rich 2017 program that featured lectures from renowned international speakers, workshops, a science fair, a poster competition, field trips and activities that encouraged participants to explore the limits of science and engineering.

A hub of activity Among the great features of the Hub this year, visitors discovered the "WEP on Air" space that connected the program's guest speakers and the KAUST community twice a day through daily morning and afternoon interviews followed by a Q&A session broadcast on Facebook Live.

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THE BEACON | FEBRUARY 2017

A "Create and Make" space encouraged community members to take part in activities involving creation, engineering and science for a personal “pushing the limits” experience.

The first week of WEP focused on creation, with LEGO bridge building, origami, Chinese painting and calligraphy, kinetic sculptures and ceramics, while the second week was an invitation to make and focused on the basic concepts of IoT, designs for 3-D printing, analog and digital electronics and the KAUST research poster competition.

Two Pop-Up Exhibit areas featured fascinating displays, including the photography exhibition KAUST, an Oasis for Birds, Chinese painting and calligraphy and the KAUST research poster competition.

The WEP Hub also included an info desk, a coffee corner, a story wall and a Link Up area to connect visitors with the program's guest speakers.

Lubineau noted, "The Hub was an excellent showcase of the richness of WEP 2017, with this year's program focusing on engineering and projects for the 21st century." As with previous Enrichment programs, this year’s program got off to an exciting and engaging start.

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‫انطالق فعاليات برنامج‬ ‫اإلثراء الشتوي (ويب)‬ ‫لعام ‪2017‬‬ ‫احتفلت جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية بانطالق فعاليات برنامج اإلثراء‬ ‫الشتوي (ويب) لعام ‪ 2017‬في مكتبة الجامعة في السابع من يناير لهذا العام‪.‬‬ ‫ورحب فريق برامج اإلثراء في الجامعة بالحضور الذين اكتظت بهم أروقة المكتبة‬ ‫حيث استمع الجميع بحماس الى عروض وفعاليات البرنامج الذي استمر لفترة‬ ‫اسبوعين‪ ،‬باإلضافة إلى توزيع الهدايا التذكارية للحضور والتعريف بالمنصة الجديدة‬ ‫للبرنامج داخل مكتبة الجامعة والتي تميز بها البرنامج لهذا العام والتي كانت ثمرة‬ ‫التعاون بين فريق اإلثراء وإدارة مكتبة الجامعة وأضافت تجربة جميلة أثرت البرنامج‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫حيويا ينبض بالحياة والنشاطات والعروض العلمية‬ ‫مكانا‬ ‫وجعلت مكتبة الجامعة‬ ‫والترفيهية المختلفة‪.‬‬ ‫وتحدث كل من جيلز لوبينو‪ ،‬رئيس برنامج اإلثراء الشتوي لعام ‪ ،2017‬وماري لور‬ ‫بولو‪ ،‬مديرة فريق اإلثراء‪ ،‬عن فعاليات البرنامج لهذه السنة والتي اشتملت على‬ ‫محاضرات من متحدثين دوليين بارزين‪ ،‬وورش عمل متميزة‪ ،‬ومعارض للعلوم‪،‬‬ ‫ومسابقة للملصقات‪ ،‬والرحالت الميدانية‪ ،‬واألنشطة التي تشجع المشاركين على‬ ‫استكشاف آفاق العلوم والهندسة‪.‬‬

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‫مكعبات الليغو (‪ ،)LEGO‬والتدرب على فن طي الورق الياباني أوريغامي‪ ،‬وفن‬ ‫الرسم والخط الصيني والنحت والسيراميك‪ .‬بينما يركز األسبوع الثاني على مفهوم‬ ‫إنترنت األشياء (‪ ،)IoT‬وتصاميم الطباعة ثالثية األبعاد‪ ،‬واإللكترونيات التناظرية‬ ‫والرقمية ومسابقة ملصقات األبحاث في الجامعة‪.‬‬ ‫كما تم تجهيز مساحتين في المكتبة لعرض الصور الفوتوغرافية في جامعة الملك‬ ‫عبداهلل‪ ،‬وصور الطيور‪ ،‬والرسم والخط الصيني‪ ،‬باإلضافة إلى معرض ملصقات‬ ‫األبحاث‪ .‬وتضمنت منصة برنامج اإلثراء الجديدة على مكتب استعالمات وركن‬ ‫للقهوة‪ ،‬ولوحة معلومات ومنطقة اتصال بين متحدثي البرنامج والضيوف‪.‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ممتازا لفعاليات‬ ‫معرضا‬ ‫وأشار جيلز لوبينو أن منصة البرنامج لهذا العام "كانت‬ ‫برنامج اإلثراء الشتوي لعام ‪ ،2017‬ومناسبة ً‬ ‫جدا لموضوعات برنامج هذا العام‬ ‫التي تتمحور حول الهندسة ومشاريع القرن الواحد والعشرين‪".‬‬

‫منصة األنشطة‬ ‫وأتاحت منصة البرنامج الجديدة في مكتبة الجامعة للحضور التواصل مع متحدثي‬ ‫هذه السنة من خالل فقرة (ويب على الهواء) التي يتم خاللها الحوار مع متحدثي‬ ‫البرنامج وإتاحة فرصة طرح األسئلة للحضور والنقاشات وذلك في فترة الصباح‬ ‫ً‬ ‫يوميا وبث الحوار مباشرة على حساب الجامعة في موقع‬ ‫وفترة بعد الظهر‬ ‫التواصل االجتماعي فيسبوك اليف‪ .‬كما تم تنظيم فعالية "اصنع بنفسك" والتي‬ ‫تتيح لمجتمع الجامعة تجربة القيام بأنشطة متعلقة بالصناعة‪ ،‬والهندسة‪ ،‬والعلوم‪.‬‬ ‫وركز األسبوع األول من برنامج اإلثراء الشتوي (ويب) لعام ‪ 2017‬على موضوعات‬ ‫البناء والصناعة واالبتكار والتي تمثلت بأنشطة ترفيهيه لبناء المجسمات باستخدام‬

‫‪1. Marie-Laure Boulot, manager of the Office of‬‬

‫‪Enrichment Programs (right), and Professor Gilles‬‬ ‫‪Lubineau, 2017 Enrichment Programs chair, speak in‬‬ ‫‪the University Library during the Winter Enrichment‬‬ ‫‪Program opening gala on January 7. Photo by Lilit‬‬ ‫‪Hovhannisyan.‬‬

‫‪2. The KAUST community enjoys the opening night of‬‬

‫‪the 2017 Winter Enrichment Program in the University‬‬ ‫‪Library on January 7. Photo by Denis J. Boutry.‬‬

‫‪3. A mime greets guests as part of the opening night‬‬ ‫‪of the 2017 Winter Enrichment Program. Photo by Lilit‬‬ ‫‪Hovhannisyan.‬‬ ‫‪4. Members of the KAUST community take part‬‬

‫‪in different activities during the opening night‬‬ ‫‪of the Winter Enrichment Program. Photo by Lilit‬‬ ‫‪Hovhannisyan.‬‬

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Shaheen computes a world record On October 28, 2016, the KAUST Cray XC40 supercomputer Shaheen, the fastest supercomputer in the Middle East, made headlines when it completed the world's first trillion cell reservoir simulation. A Saudi Aramco research team led by Saudi Aramco Fellow and Computational Modeling Technology Team Lead and EXPEC Advanced Research Center Research Team Chief Technologist Ali Dogru conducted the reservoir simulation using Shaheen and the company's proprietary software TeraPOWERS. The Aramco researchers were supported by a team of specialists from the KAUST Supercomputing Core Lab, with the work rendering imagery so detailed that it changed the face of natural resource exploration.

"The 'trillion cell' designation refers to how dense and highresolution the imagery is," explained KAUST Computational Scientist Lead Saber Feki. "Think of it this way: we all carry megapixel cameras in our pockets. The Saudi Aramco team just simulated subsurface images with six orders of magnitude higher resolution on our machine. It's research that will yield much more reliable information for oil exploration and production."

Saudi Aramco owns a number of supercomputers, so why did the company turn to KAUST to run the simulation? The answer lies in the facilities and expertise the University offers.

Power, security and brains To run a world's first simulation, the Saudi Aramco team needed the kind of raw computing power that a machine like Shaheen offers. Run on a smaller cluster, this type of simulation could take weeks or even months. With such a large and complex endeavor, computing power was an essential starting point.

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THE BEACON | FEBRUARY 2017

Also, because of the highly secretive nature of the proprietary software and data that the Aramco scientists needed to transmit, an iron-clad level of information security was essential. The University's Supercomputing Core Lab is one of the few places in the region that has the capability to create a gateway into the supercomputer that is so airtight that even the operators of the machine could not see the data stream.

Most importantly, the Aramco team needed a partner institution with the brainpower to prepare the supercomputer in the manner necessary to execute such an undertaking. The KAUST team spent the better part of a week preparing to host the simulation.

“We could not have achieved this incredible milestone without the expertise and resources from KAUST, which provided superb support,” lead TeraPOWERS developer Larry Fung said in a Saudi Aramco press release.

Jysoo Lee, director of the KAUST Supercomputing Core Lab, noted, "People don't always appreciate the human capital.

The big machine takes the headline, but in order to provide these services, we have to have the human capital. You can't just plug this in and start offering services."

A millenial pursuit Drilling for oil is an ancient tradition. Records indicate that the first wells may have been drilled as early as 300 C.E. By the 9th century, Arab and Persian chemists were refining petroleum products for use in lighting and arms. For much of recorded history, the problem was not so much drilling into the earth—although that is often challenging—but where to drill. Saudi Aramco's trillion cell simulation largely solved that.

1. Shaheen, the University's Cray XC40 supercomputer, completed the world's first trillion cell reservoir simulation in a collaborative effort with Saudi Aramco in October 2016. File photo.

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2. Ali Dogru, Saudi Aramco fellow and Computational

Modeling Technology Team lead and EXPEC Advanced Research Center Research Team chief technologist, led a team of Saudi Aramco researchers in conducting the Shaheen reservoir simulation activity in collaboration with KAUST. Photo courtesy of Saudi Aramco.

3. KAUST Computational Scientist Lead Saber Feki noted that the Saudi Aramco/KAUST supercomputing collaboration will "yield much more reliable information for oil exploration and production." Photo by Nicholas Demille.

4. Saudi Aramco has many oil drilling rigs, such as this rig at Shaybah in the Rub' al-Khali desert, some 500 miles southeast of Saudi Aramco's headquarters in Dhahran. Photo courtesy of Saudi Aramco.

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"The trillion cell simulation was the level that everyone was trying to achieve," Lee said. "The resolution is so much higher that Aramco can locate things that were not seen before.

These pockets of oil and gas were there but could not be seen.

What was once a much more random process can now be done in a pinpoint fashion—this is a tremendous difference."

“Using trillions of cells in a reservoir simulation environment was a long-awaited dream for the global petroleum industry and scientific community,” noted Dogru in a Saudi Aramco press release. “This achievement opens the door for us to simulate the Saudi Arabian peninsula in its entirety as one model using the reservoir simulation grid. This means that we will be able to examine the peninsula under the microscope for new oil and gas fields.”

Serving the campus and the Kingdom A number of Saudi institutions use Shaheen, including King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) and King Saud University (KSU), to develop their work and examine new fields of research. Companies like the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) also use KAUST supercomputing resources to enhance their business in chemistry and chemical catalysis research.

"KAUST has been contributing to the advancement of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by educating future leaders in science and technology and by finding technical solutions to problems the Kingdom faces," said Justin Mynar, director of the University's Core Labs. "The KAUST Core Labs have been maintaining world-class, state-of-the-art facilities for the KAUST community, and the University's collaborators and I feel that Shaheen is a national asset that should be further utilized to meet demands from organizations around the Kingdom."

The KAUST Core Labs have been busy promoting the University as an ideal research partner for the Kingdom's institutions. Earlier this year KAUST, signed an agreement with the Aviation Investigation Bureau, an independent governmental organization that needed to decrease dependence on international resources while utilizing expertise and facilities within the Kingdom.

The Supercomputing Core Lab is not, however, only an externally focused resource. KAUST faculty, researchers and students make use of Shaheen to speed their findings.

For example, at the recent SC16 conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S., KAUST Computational Scientist Bilel Hadri presented the Supercomputing Core Lab scientists' research on the use of burst buffer technology to boost simulation speeds, and Ph.D. students Ehab Abdelhamid, Ibrahim Abdelaziz and Fuad Jamour presented their work on analyzing data from the social network Sina Weibo.

KAUST Computational Scientist Bilel Hadri presented the Supercomputing Core Lab scientists' research on the use of burst buffer technology to boost simulation speeds

The future of HPC In March of 2017, KAUST will host HPC Saudi, a premier regional event where participants can meet, share ideas and develop collaborations. This will be the seventh edition of the HPC Saudi conference, and this year it will focus on coordinated efforts for the advancement of the HPC ecosystem in the Kingdom.

"The lag in the region is the development of people to run and utilize these systems. We want to increase the human capital in this regard. There are three speakers from the world and three from the country so that they can discuss and formulate a new initiative for HPC development," Lee said.

www.kaust.edu.sa

17

Inspirational solar research

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By David Murphy

The University hosted the Emerging Concepts and Materials in Solar Energy Conversion research conference from October 31 to November 2, 2016. The conference brought together prominent scientists and researchers in the field of solar energy and conversion and other related disciplines to discuss current solar energy research practices, developments, discoveries, innovations and how ongoing research can be applied for the future of renewable energy.

The conference’s main focus was on emerging research topics of current interest, such as perovskite solar cells; specifically new materials, device concepts and routes to address stability issues; quantum dot (QD) and advanced silicon solar cells; novel highefficiency donor and non-fullerene acceptor materials for organic PV; photocatalysis (and specifically water splitting and carbon dioxide sequestration); and photochemical energy conversion.

We face challenges, but challenges are also opportunities.

We have to get this solar thing right—that is why we’re all here today. Our grandchildren depend on us.”

- Dr. Jillian Buriak, professor of chemistry at the University of Alberta and editor-in-chief of Chemistry of Materials

In his opening remarks, KAUST President Jean-Lou Chameau said, “It is always a great pleasure to welcome groups like this to KAUST. I'm very pleased the Solar Center is moving ahead, as it is an important center. KAUST is currently in an exciting place with great people who come here with vision and goals. I hope this conference will generate great discussions and ideas we can work on.”

During her keynote address on the second day of the conference, Dr. Jillian Buriak, professor of chemistry at the University of Alberta (Canada) and editor-in-chief of the journal Chemistry of Materials, highlighted some of the areas in which solar concepts and developments can improve our world.

“We as humans produce 300 million tonnes of plastic per year.

There is so much we can do with plastics, including energy conversion. We face challenges, but challenges are also opportunities. We have to get this solar thing right—that is why we’re all here today. Our grandchildren depend on us,” she said.

‘We build on the science of others’ Various events were held of the course of the three days of the conference, including a graduate student poster session; a focus session with short oral contributions from young scientists; and a prize-awarding session that included a special KAUST Industry Collaboration Program (KICP) Innovation Award for the best presentation of a research project of significant market potential and industrial relevance.

The last day of the conference opened with short talks given by 12 junior scientists. After lunch, conference attendees had the choice to go on a guided Industry Engagement Office tour of the New Energy Oasis at the KAUST Research and Technology Park, the KAUST Core Labs and the KAUST Solar Center, or attend the “ACS on Campus” panel session that focused on the scholarly publishing process.

The ACS panel was led by Buriak, Dr. Kirk Schanze, editorin-chief of ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, and Kamat, editor-in-chief of ACS Energy Letters. The panel shared tips for preparing a successful manuscript, how to be a strong peer reviewer and tools for communicating science effectively.

When explaining just how a good scientific paper and/or journal(s) can transcend your core targeted audience to reach a wider public audience, Kamat and Buriak shared some wisdom from their time publishing and reviewing scientific papers.

Inspirational solar research

“If your paper does not generate citations, it might as well not have been done,” said Kamat.

In the opening keynote of the conference, Dr. Prashant Kamat, professor of science from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Notre Dame (U.S.), added, “New things are coming up and are very exciting in this field of research, and renewables are taking on a bigger role in the coming years.”

Buriak added, “Make sure your language is accessible to those who aren't in your area. You never know who will read your paper. Try make it as accessible to as broad of an audience as you can. We scientists don't live in a crystal box—we build on the science of others. Science is never done—never!”

In his afternoon address, invited speaker Abdulaziz AlTurki, owner and group chairman of Rawabi Holding, said he was happy to be part of the ongoing solar research conducted at KAUST. “I am very proud to be part of the inspirational solar research team. We want to empower brilliant minds to equip them

18

with the tools to find solutions to our biggest challenges. I hope KAUST will be a beacon of research to advance human societies and promote our well being,” he said.

THE BEACON | FEBRUARY 2017

The event was organized by the KAUST Solar Center (KSC), with financial support from the KAUST Office of Sponsored Research (OSR), and was co-sponsored by the KAUST Industry Collaboration Program (KICP), the Industry Engagement Office and the American Chemical Society (ACS).

2

‫‪1. An international group of researchers and‬‬ ‫‪attendees took part in the University's 2016‬‬ ‫‪KAUST Research Conference: Emerging‬‬ ‫‪Concepts and Materials in Solar Energy‬‬ ‫‪Conversion.‬‬ ‫‪2. Dr. Jillian Buriak, professor of chemistry at‬‬ ‫‪the University of Alberta and editor-in-chief‬‬ ‫‪of the journal Chemistry of Materials, speaks‬‬ ‫‪to attendees at the University's solar energy‬‬ ‫‪conference.‬‬ ‫‪3. Dr. Prashant Kamat, professor of science‬‬

‫‪from the Department of Chemistry and‬‬ ‫‪Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame,‬‬ ‫‪and editor-in-chief of ACS Energy Letters,‬‬ ‫‪discusses solar energy issues with the‬‬ ‫‪audience at the KAUST Research Conference:‬‬ ‫‪Emerging Concepts and Materials in Solar‬‬ ‫‪Energy Conversion.‬‬

‫‪3‬‬

‫أبحاث ملهمة حول تقنية‬ ‫الطاقة الشمسية‬ ‫استضافت جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية في الفترة من ‪ 31‬أكتوبر إلى ‪ 2‬نوفمبر‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫بحثيا حول المنهجيات والمواد الجديدة في تقنية الطاقة الشمسية‪ .‬وضم‬ ‫مؤتمرا‬ ‫‪،2016‬‬ ‫المؤتمر علماء وباحثين بارزين في مجال الطاقة الشمسية وتحويلها‪ ،‬وغيرها من التخصصات‬ ‫ذات الصلة‪ ،‬لمناقشة واقع أبحاث الطاقة الشمسية والتطورات واالكتشافات واالبتكارات‬ ‫فيها‪ ،‬وكيف يمكن تطبيق األبحاث الجارية في صناعة مستقبل الطاقة المتجددة‪.‬‬ ‫أهمية خاصة في‬ ‫انصب التركيز الرئيسي للمؤتمر على الموضوعات البحثية التي تكتسب‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫مجال الطاقة الشمسية‪ ،‬مثل خاليا بيروفسكايت الشمسية؛ والمواد واألجهزة الجديدة‬ ‫وسبل معالجة مشكلة االستقرار في هذه الخاليا؛ وتقنية كوانتم دوت‪ ،‬وخاليا السيليكون‬ ‫الشمسية المتقدمة‪ ،‬والمواد المانحة الجديدة ذات الكفاءة العالية والمواد غير الفوليرينية‬ ‫ً‬ ‫(وتحديدا تقسيم المياه وعزل‬ ‫المستقبلة للخاليا الضوئية العضوية‪ ،‬والمحفزات الضوئية‬ ‫ثاني أكسيد الكربون)‪ ،‬وتحويل الطاقة الضوئية‪.‬‬ ‫وفي هذه المناسبة‪ ،‬ألقى الدكتور جان‪-‬لو شامو‪ ،‬رئيس جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم‬ ‫ً‬ ‫دوما أن أرحب بمثل هذه‬ ‫والتقنية‪ ،‬كلمة افتتاحية قال فيها‪" :‬إنّ ه لمن دواعي سروري‬ ‫المجموعات في جامعة الملك عبداهلل‪ ،‬وأنا مسرور ً‬ ‫بالتقدم الذي يحققه مركز أبحاث‬ ‫جدا‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫إن جامعة الملك عبداهلل صرح علمي عظيم‬ ‫مركزا‬ ‫الطاقة الشمسية‪ ،‬بوصفه‬ ‫مهما لدينا‪ّ .‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫يتمكن هذا‬ ‫محملين برؤى طموحة وأهداف سامية‪ .‬وآمل أن‬ ‫يضم كوادر رائعة يأتون‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫المؤتمر من طرح المناقشات واألفكار الكبيرة التي يمكننا العمل عليها"‪.‬‬

‫أبحاث شمسية ملهمة‬ ‫وفي كلمة رئيسية ألقاها الدكتور براشانت كامات‪ ،‬أستاذ العلوم من قسم الكيمياء‬ ‫والكيمياء الحيوية في جامعة نوتردام (الواليات المتحدة)‪ ،‬قال‪" :‬ثمة أمور جديدة‬ ‫ً‬ ‫دورا أكبر في‬ ‫ومثيرة للغاية ستظهر في هذا المجال البحثي‪ ،‬وستلعب الطاقة المتجددة‬ ‫السنوات المقبلة"‪.‬‬ ‫وفي كلمته التي ألقاها عبد العزيز التركي‪ ،‬مالك ورئيس مجموعة روابي القابضة‪ ،‬أعرب‬ ‫ً‬ ‫شريكا في أبحاث الطاقة الشمسية القائمة في جامعة‬ ‫التركي عن سروره بأن يكون‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫الملك عبداهلل‪ .‬وقال‪" :‬أنا فخور جدا بأن نكون جزءا من فريق أبحاث الطاقة الشمسية‪ .‬نحن‬ ‫نريد دعم المواهب الفذة عبر تزويدهم باألدوات الالزمة إليجاد حلول ألكبر التحديات التي‬ ‫تواجهنا‪ .‬آمل أن تكون جامعة الملك عبداهلل منارة لألبحاث‪ ،‬من أجل نهوض مجتمعاتنا‬ ‫وتعزيز رفاهيتنا"‪.‬‬ ‫وخالل كلمة رئيسية ألقتها في اليوم الثاني من المؤتمر الدكتورة جيليان بريك‪ ،‬أستاذة‬ ‫الكيمياء في جامعة ألبرتا (كندا)‪ ،‬ورئيسة تحرير نشرة ‪ ،Chemistry of Materials‬أضاءت‬ ‫جيليان بعض الجوانب التي يمكن فيها للمفاهيم والتطورات الجديدة في مجال الطاقة‬ ‫الشمسية أن تحسن عالمنا‪.‬‬

‫‪19‬‬

‫‪www.kaust.edu.sa‬‬

‫ً‬ ‫سنويا‪ .‬يمكننا فعل‬ ‫قالت جيليان‪" :‬ننتج‪ ،‬نحن البشر‪ ،‬نحو ‪ 300‬مليون طن من البالستيك‬ ‫الكثير مع البالستيك‪ ،‬بما في ذلك تحويل الطاقة‪ .‬إننا نواجه تحديات‪ ،‬ولكن التحديات هي‬ ‫ً‬ ‫أيضا فرص‪ .‬علينا النجاح في االستفادة من الطاقة الشمسية‪ ،‬ولهذا السبب نحن هنا اليوم‪.‬‬ ‫فأحفادنا يعتمدون علينا"‪.‬‬

‫نستفيد من علم اآلخرين‬ ‫أقيمت فعاليات مختلفة خالل أيام المؤتمر الثالثة‪ ،‬بما في ذلك حلقة نقاش طلبة‬ ‫الدراسات العليا‪ ،‬وجلسة تركيز مع مساهمة شفوية قصيرة من علماء صغار؛ وتم منح عدة‬ ‫جوائز شملت جائزة االبتكار في برنامج التعاون الصناعي في جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم‬ ‫والتقنية‪ ،‬عن أفضل عرض لمشروع بحثي يتناول فرصة عملية كبيرة وأهميتها الصناعية‪.‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫مبتدئا‪ .‬وبعد الغداء‪ ،‬أتيح‬ ‫عالما‬ ‫وبدأ اليوم األخير من المؤتمر بكلمات قصيرة ألقاها ‪12‬‬ ‫للمشاركين في المؤتمر الخيار بين جوالت إلى واحة الطاقة الجديدة في مدينة األبحاث‬ ‫والتقنية في جامعة الملك عبداهلل‪ ،‬والمختبرات والمرافق األساسية في الجامعة‪ ،‬ومركز‬ ‫الطاقة الشمسية في جامعة الملك عبداهلل‪ ،‬أو حضور ندوة حوار بعنوان‪" :‬الجمعية‬ ‫الكيميائية األمريكية في الحرم الجامعي" ركزت على عملية النشر العلمية‪.‬‬ ‫ترأست الندوة الدكتورة جيليان بريك والدكتور كيرك شانز رئيس تحرير نشرة ‪ACS Applied‬‬ ‫‪ ،Materials & Interfaces‬و براشانت كامات رئيس تحرير نشرة ‪.ACS Energy Letters‬‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ً‬ ‫قويا‬ ‫مراجعا‬ ‫قدم أعضاء الندوة نصائح إلعداد مخطوطة ناجحة‪ ،‬وكيف تكون‬ ‫حيث ّ‬ ‫الفعال‪.‬‬ ‫لدراسات زمالئك‪ ،‬وأدوات للتواصل العلمي‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫بحثية أو نشرة علمية جيدة أن تتجاوز جمهورك‬ ‫وخالل شرحهما كيف يمكن لورقة ّ‬ ‫األساسي المستهدف للوصول إلى الجمهور العام األوسع‪ ،‬طرح كل من كامات وبريك‬ ‫ً‬ ‫بعضا من خبراتهما وأفكارهما بخصوص نشر ومراجعة األوراق العلمية‪.‬‬ ‫قال كامات‪" :‬إذا لم يقتبس أحد من ورقتكم البحثية‪ ،‬أو يشر إليها كمرجع‪ ،‬فكأنكم لم‬ ‫تقوموا بالعمل من أصله"‪.‬‬ ‫مفهومة لدى أولئك الذين ليسوا في مجالك‪ ،‬فأنت‬ ‫وأضاف بريك‪" :‬تحقق من أن تكون لغتك‬ ‫ً‬ ‫ال تعلم من سيقرأ الورقة البحثية‪ .‬حاول قدر إمكانك أن تجعلها في متناول أوسع جمهور‪.‬‬ ‫نحن العلماء نبني علومنا مستفيدين من علوم اآلخرين‪ .‬والعمل العلمي ال ينتهي ً‬ ‫أبدا!"‪.‬‬ ‫ّ‬ ‫المنظمة للمؤتمر هي مركز أبحاث الطاقة الشمسية في‬ ‫وجدير بالذكر أن الجهة‬ ‫جامعة الملك عبداهلل‪ ،‬بدعم مالي من مكتب رعاية األبحاث في جامعة الملك عبداهلل‪،‬‬ ‫وشارك في رعايته برنامج التعاون الصناعي‪ ،‬ومكتب ربط األبحاث بالصناعة والجمعية‬ ‫الكيميائية األمريكية‪.‬‬

Sharing memories at 2016 Alumni Reunion Weekend

1

By Caitlin Clark

“Everything started for me at KAUST,” said alumnus Ahmad Showail (Ph.D. ’16, M.S. ’10), who spoke on an alumni panel at the University’s 2016 Alumni Reunion Weekend on November 18 to 19. Over 100 alumni and their families and friends returned to KAUST for the event, which revolved around the themes of connecting the University’s 1,500 alumni through updates on achievements and career outcomes, volunteering opportunities and support for alumni innovation and entrepreneurial ideas.

‘Begin innovating’ Showail came to KAUST after working for the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) as a system engineer, and found that at first he “didn’t know what entrepreneurship meant. At KAUST, along with my degree studies in computer science, I was able to take courses and attend evening sessions with the University’s Innovation & Economic Development. When I graduated from KAUST, I knew it was the right moment to begin innovating, and I launched my startup in September of 2016.”

Although Showail’s startup does not involve science, the startup—zayer.net, a tourist guide for Madinah—does make use of Showail’s computer science skills. He continues his computer science work at Taibah University in Madinah, where he is an assistant professor of computer science.

“I am fortunate enough to have tried both academia and industry,” Showail said. “Each one has its own pluses and minuses, but I find it very rewarding to see undergraduates learning and growing. If you have a good job in industry, try to sign up to teach some classes at local universities in your free time to contribute as much as you can.”

Entrepreneurship’s critical role Noura Shehab (Ph.D. ’14, M.S. ’11), who was also a speaker on the panel, noted, “At KAUST, I realized you can’t just do fundamentals of science forever—you also have to learn how to apply science, and you have to show what works in reality.

Now is the time to engage industry with academia for more development of the country.”

20

THE BEACON | FEBRUARY 2017

Gordon McConnell, manager of the University’s Entrepreneurship Center and a keynote speaker at the event, echoed her remarks to the alumni.

The reunion was unforgettable thanks to alumni who shared their memories of their time at KAUST—there was a lot of love for the University and much gratitude from the alumni for the opportunities they were provided here.”

- Lea Sublett, manager of Alumni Affairs

“Entrepreneurship plays a critical role in any country you might end up in,” he said. “At the end of the day, you will all need to be entrepreneurial and innovative. We want you to think beyond the things you are researching, because this has a huge impact. We want to allow the latent entrepreneurs to tap into this innovative spirit here at KAUST. Everything that we do here is about eventual impact—for the country, the region and the world.”

“We are very keen to see what you alumni are working on,” added Nicola Bettio, manager of the KAUST Innovation Fund and another keynote speaker. “We work to support innovation and we think that you alumni are the real value produced by this university. We want to talk to you about your business plans and your ideas.”

2

3

4

Gratitude for KAUST Speakers at the event also included Damian San Roman (Ph.D. ’14, M.S. ’10), the current president of the KAUST Saudi Arabian Alumni Chapter and an employee of Saudi Aramco; Ana Sofia Manjua Viegas, a community engagement specialist from KAUST Social Responsibility who led the alumni in a beach cleaning volunteering activity in the neighboring town of Thuwal as part of the reunion weekend; and Nouf Al Jabri (M.S. ’11), a current KAUST Ph.D. student who recently won third place in the Falling Walls Young Innovators of the Year 2016 awards in Berlin.

“The 2016 reunion was an opportunity for KAUST to recognize and celebrate the global achievements of alumni, including those who presented during the event on career highlights in research, academia, innovation and entrepreneurship,” noted Lea Sublett, manager of alumni affairs.

“The reunion was unforgettable thanks to alumni who shared their memories of their time at KAUST—there was a lot of love for the University and much gratitude from the alumni for the opportunities they were provided here. Our community of alumni and students has a spirit and feeling of great warmth for KAUST,” she concluded.

1. KAUST alumni participated in a beach cleaning volunteering activity in the University's neighboring town of Thuwal as part of the Alumni Reunion Weekend on November 18 and 19, 2016.

2. Committee members of the 2016 KAUST Saudi

Arabian Alumni Chapter stand with Lea Sublett, manager of KAUST Alumni Affairs, at the 2016 Alumni Reunion Weekend on the University's campus. From left to right: Abdulrahman Abuzaid (M.S. '14), chapter executive; Dias Urozayev (MS '15, current Ph.D. student), chapter executive; Lea Sublett; Sarah Al Aqeel (Ph.D. '15, M.S. '10), chapter VP of communication; Damian San Roman (Ph.D. '14, M.S. '10), 2016 chapter president; Syed Ahmed (M.S. '11), chapter VP of programs.

3. KAUST alumnus Ahmad Showail (Ph.D. ’16, M.S. ’10) speaks as part of an alumni panel and outlines his startup zayer.net at the University’s Alumni Reunion Weekend.

4. Over 100 alumni and their families and friends attended the Alumni Reunion Weekend on November 18 and 19, 2016.

www.kaust.edu.sa

21

Multidisciplinary KAUST team attends COP22

By David Murphy A multidisciplinary delegation from KAUST attended the 22nd Session of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22), which was held in Marrakech, Morocco, from November 7 to 18, 2016. The KAUST team who traveled to Morocco included faculty, staff and researchers.

COP22 focused on actionable items in order to achieve the priorities of COP21 and he Paris Agreement, and especially those related to adaptation, transparency, technology transfer, mitigation, capacity building and loss and damages.

KAUST researchers Boon Ooi, professor of electrical engineering, Youssef Belmabkhout, senior research scientist in the University's Advanced Membranes & Porous Materials Center, and Ibrahim Hoteit, associate professor of Earth science and engineering, all presented at the event.

In his address, Hoteit discussed how KAUST researchers study the climatic shifts of the Red Sea. “We study and forecast the circulation and climate of the Red Sea with an integrated data-driven modeling system,” he said.

KAUST Solar Center Director Iain McCulloch also gave a lecture on solar energy, spinouts and technology and how KAUST is trying to address some of the specific challenges for solar energy within the Gulf region.

“Our mission is dedicated to advancing science and technology through interdisciplinary research, education and innovation—the point there is that we’re not just a university. We are interested in some of the opportunities in terms of spinout technology creation for Saudi Arabia and the region,” McCulloch said.

Our mission is dedicated to advancing science and technology through interdisciplinary research, education and innovation."

- Iain McCulloch, director of the KAUST Solar Center

New energy efficient technology Ooi spoke about next generation energy efficient lighting, which uses white light generated by semiconductor lasers in his keynote address.

“At KAUST, we are developing new technology to generate white light out of semiconductor lasers, which can save up to 50 percent of the electricity used for lighting. In addition to these savings, our work opens the door for substantially improving energy efficiency in applications such as indoor horticulture and moves us further toward the ultimate goal of producing limitless clean fuel (hydrogen) out of solar energy,” he said.

Sharing the University’s vision with the world During the event, Associate Director of the KAUST Advanced Membranes & Porous Materials Research Center Mohamed Eddaoudi noted, “Our contribution today is to share with the world our vision and our research.”

At COP22, UN member states made great efforts to reach agreements on reducing greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity.

Delegates also discussed and assessed the evolution of shared commitments and reviewed the implementation of the Framework Convention and other legal instruments that the COP adopts.

Salaheddine Mezouar, president of COP22, saw the event as an “opportunity to make the voices of the most vulnerable countries to climate change heard, in particular African countries and island states. It is urgent to act on these issues linked to stability and security,” he said.

22

THE BEACON | FEBRUARY 2017

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‫فريق جامعة الملك‬ ‫عبداهلل متعدد‬ ‫التخصصات يحضر‬ ‫مؤتمر المناخ‬ ‫ من مؤتمر‬22 ‫حضر فريق متعدد التخصصات من جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية الدورة‬ 7 ‫ في الفترة من‬،‫ الذي انعقد في مراكش في المغرب‬،)COP22( ‫األمم المتحدة لتغير المناخ‬ ‫وضم فريق جامعة الملك عبداهلل الذي انتقل إلى المغرب أعضاء من‬ .2016 ‫ نوفمبر‬18 ‫إلى‬ ّ .‫هيئة التدريس وموظفين وباحثين‬ ّ ‫وقد‬ ‫ركز المؤتمر على البنود القابلة للتنفيذ من أجل تحقيق أولويات المؤتمر الحادي والعشرين‬ ً ‫ والحد من تغير‬،‫ ونقل التقنية‬،‫ والشفافية‬،‫ وخصوصا تلك المتعلقة بالتكيف‬،‫واتفاق باريس‬ .‫ وتقليص الخسائر واألضرار‬،‫ وبناء القدرات‬،‫المناخ‬ ‫ ويوسف‬،‫ أستاذ الهندسة الكهربائية‬،‫وحضر المؤتمر من جامعة الملك عبداهلل الباحثون بون أوي‬ ،‫بلمبخوت عالم األبحاث في مركز األغشية المتطورة والمواد المسامية بجامعة الملك عبداهلل‬ .‫ األستاذ المشارك في هندسة وعلوم األرض‬،‫وإبراهيم حطيط‬ ‫وقد ألقى حطيط كلمة ناقش فيها كيف يدرس الباحثون في جامعة الملك عبداهلل التحوالت‬ .‫المناخية للبحر األحمر‬ ‫ونتوقع دورات البحر األحمر المناخية وتبدالت الطقس بواسطة نظام نمذجة‬ ‫ "إننا ندرس‬:‫وقال‬ ّ ."‫متكامل قائم على المعلومات‬ ‫كما قدم مدير مركز الطاقة الشمسية في جامعة الملك عبداهلل إيان مكيولش محاضرة عن‬ ‫ وعن محاوالت جامعة الملك عبداهلل للتصدي لبعض تحديات الحصول على‬،‫الطاقة الشمسية‬ .‫الطاقة الشمسية في منطقة الخليج‬ ‫ "ترتكز مهمتنا على تطوير العلوم والتقنية من خالل األبحاث متعددة‬:‫وقال مكيولش‬ ‫ والفكرة هنا هي إيجاد تقنيات تناسب المملكة العربية‬.‫ والتعليم واالبتكار‬،‫التخصصات‬ ً ."‫عموما‬ ‫السعودية والمنطقة‬

ّ ‫موفرة للطاقة‬ ‫تقنية جديدة‬ ‫ والذي يستخدم‬،‫وتحدث أوي في كلمته الرئيسية عن الجيل المقبل من اإلنارة الموفرة للطاقة‬ ّ .‫المتولد من أشباه الموصالت‬ ‫الضوء األبيض‬ ‫ "إننا في جامعة الملك عبداهلل نعمل على تطوير تقنيات جديدة لتوليد الضوء األبيض‬:‫وقال‬ .‫ بالمئة من الكهرباء المستخدمة لإلنارة‬50 ‫ والذي يتيح توفير نحو‬،‫من ليزر أشباه الموصالت‬ ‫ فإن عملنا يفتح الباب أمام تحسين كفاءة استخدام الطاقة بشكل‬،‫وباإلضافة إلى هذا التوفير‬ ‫ وينقلنا خطوات إضافية نحو الهدف‬،‫كبير في تطبيقات مثل البستنة في األماكن المغلقة‬ ."‫النهائي المتمثل في إنتاج وقود نظيف (الهيدروجين) من الطاقة الشمسية‬

‫طرح رؤية الجامعة للعالم‬ ‫ معاون مدير مركز األغشية المتطورة والمواد المسامية‬،‫ أشار محمد الداودي‬،‫خالل هذا الحدث‬ ً ‫ وهو أن نتشاطر مع العالم‬،‫ "إن لمساهمتنا اليوم هدف محدد‬:‫قائال‬ ‫بجامعة الملك عبداهلل‬ ."‫نبين له أبحاثنا‬ ّ ‫رؤيتنا وأن‬ ً ‫جهودا كبيرة‬ ‫ للمؤتمر‬22 ‫جدير بالذكر أن الدول األعضاء في األمم المتحدة بذلت في الدورة‬ ‫للتوصل إلى اتفاقات بشأن الحد من انبعاثات غازات االحتباس الحراري الناجمة عن النشاط‬ ‫ واستعرضوا تنفيذ‬،‫وقيموا التعهدات وااللتزامات المشتركة‬ ّ ‫ حيث ناقش المندوبون‬.‫البشري‬ .‫ والمستندات والصكوك القانونية األخرى التي يعتمدها مؤتمر األطراف‬،‫االتفاقية اإلطارية‬ ‫ في هذا الحدث‬،)COP22( ‫ من مؤتمر‬22 ‫ رئيس الدورة‬،‫ رأى صالح الدين مزوار‬،‫من ناحيته‬ ‫ وال سيما منها البلدان‬،‫مسموعة‬ ‫"فرصة لجعل أصوات أكثر الدول عرضة للتغيرات المناخية‬ ً ."‫ ومدى أهمية هذه القضايا المرتبطة باستقرار الدول وأمنها‬،‫األفريقية والجزر‬

1. Boon Ooi, professor of electrical engineering from the KAUST Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Science and Engineering division, addresses COP22 conference attendees.

2. The University hosted the Arabian Venture

Forum 2016 from November 19 to 21, 2016. The event was designed to support the venture capital (VC) landscape in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region.

Supporting and celebrating innovation

By Lauratu Osu and Caitlin Clark Capitalizing on the inaugural event launched in 2015, from November 19 to 21, 2016, KAUST hosted the Arabian Venture Forum 2016, an initiative designed to support the venture capital (VC) landscape in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region. The event focused on VC investment opportunities in energy, cleantech and ICT (information and communications technologies), and was hosted in partnership with Cleantech Scandinavia, a leading promoter of startup and VC ecosystems in the renewables and clean technologies sectors.

KAUST welcomed over 200 guests on campus to attend the event, with one-fifth from early and growth-stage startup companies. Venture capitalists from around the world also attended to discuss investment opportunities, technology trends, industry outlooks and regulatory challenges through a series of keynote speeches, panel sessions and informal exchanges.

A knowledge-based economy “An essential component of economic development is to encourage positive risk taking and creativity coupled with smart and sustainable sources of funding,” said Tristan Walker, acting vice president for KAUST Innovation.

“The Arabian Venture Forum is just one of the ways we support and celebrate innovation and entrepreneurship and encourage investors to consider investments in new early stage technology companies.

Investment in innovation and new technology is vital for supporting knowledge-based economic growth in Saudi Arabia. We were excited to work with the visitors in changing our economy to a knowledge-based economy,” he continued.

‘Fruitful cooperation’ Another way KAUST Innovation supports entrepreneurship is through its Innovation Fund. The KAUST Innovation Fund makes seed and early stage investments in high-tech startups, also providing strategic guidance and operational support.

Nicola Bettio, who heads the KAUST Innovation Fund, noted, “We believe in fruitful cooperation with the other players in the ecosystem in Saudi Arabia and internationally. Our goal with the Arabian Venture Forum event was to introduce the best Saudi and regional startups to international investors to encourage high-profile international early stage companies to establish a presence in the Kingdom and cooperate with KAUST. We also wanted to attract the interest of the local and international financial community in technology-based early stage startups.”

Future opportunities The Arabian Venture Forum provided a unique cross-border platform to create essential connections between local and international investors on one side and local and international entrepreneurs on the other side.

"The forum was an excellent meeting place between the local innovation ecosystem and relevant (clean) tech ventures. Add to this the facilities and faculty of KAUST and the famed Arabian hospitality, and one ended up with two wonderful days," noted Fred van Beuningen, managing partner of Chrysalix Venture Capital and the director of Clean Tech Delta.

To learn more about how you could attend, participate in or sponsor next year’s event, please contact innovation@kaust.edu.sa.

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‫دعم وتشجيع االبتكار‬

،‫ نوفمبر‬21-19 ‫استضافت جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية في الفترة من‬ ‫ بالشراكة مع مؤسسة كلينتيك‬2016 ‫) لعام‬AVC( ‫المنتدى االستثماري العربي‬ ‫االسكندنافية الرائدة في مجال دعم وتشجيع بيئات الشركات الناشئة واالستثمار‬ ‫ ويهدف المنتدى في‬.‫الرأسمالي في قطاع الطاقة المتجددة والتقنيات النظيفة‬ ‫) في المملكة العربية‬VC( ‫نسخته لهذا العام إلى دعم رأس المال االستثماري‬ ‫السعودية ومنطقة الخليج مع التركيز على فرص االستثمار الرأسمالي في مجاالت‬ .)ICT( ‫الطاقة والتقنية النظيفة وتقنية المعلومات واالتصاالت‬ ،‫ زائر في حرمها الجامعي لحضور هذا الحدث‬200 ‫واستقبلت جامعة الملك عبداهلل نحو‬ ‫الذي شارك فيه أعضاء من الشركات الناشئة في مرحلتها المبكرة والشركات الناشئة‬ ‫ كما حضر الندوة مجموعة من المستثمرين من جميع أنحاء العالم لبحث فرص‬.‫النامية‬ ‫ والتعرف على جديد التقنية والصناعة والتحديات المعاصرة من خالل سلسلة‬،‫االستثمار‬ .‫من المحاضرات الرئيسية وحلقات النقاش‬

‫االقتصاد المعرفي‬ ‫ نائب الرئيس المكلف بقسم االبتكار‬،‫وتحدث في هذا المنتدى السيد تريستان والكر‬ ‫والتنمية االقتصادية في جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية في كلمته الرئيسية‬ ‫ "أحد العناصر األساسية للتنمية االقتصادية هو تشجيع االبتكار‬:‫للضيوف والزوار حيث قال‬ ‫ ومن‬.‫المخاطرة االستثمارية بإيجابية مع توفر مصادر تمويل ذكية ومستدامة‬ ُ ‫وتقبل‬ ‫خالل هذا المنتدى نستطيع دعم االبتكار وريادة األعمال وتشجيع المستثمرين على‬ ‫ وال شك أن االستثمار في االبتكار‬.‫خوض االستثمارات في شركات التقنية الجديدة‬ ‫والتقنيات الجديدة أمر حيوي لدعم نمو االقتصاد المعرفي في المملكة العربية‬ ".‫ وكلنا حماس للعمل معكم في تحويل اقتصادنا إلى االقتصاد المعرفي‬.‫السعودية‬

‫التعاون المثمر‬ ‫تدعم جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية االبتكار وريادة األعمال من خالل صندوق‬ ‫االبتكار الذي يعمل على تمويل المشاريع والشركات الناشئة في مجال التقنية الفائقة‬ .‫ باإلضافة إلى توفير التوجيه االستراتيجي والدعم التشغيلي لها‬،‫في فترتها المبكرة‬ ‫ أشار نقوال بيتيو الذي يرأس صندوق االبتكار في جامعة الملك‬،‫وفي هذا السياق‬ ‫عبداهلل أن الجامعة "تثمن التعاون المثمر مع الجهات الراعية لالبتكار في المملكة‬ ‫ وأن الهدف من تنظيم منتدى االستثمار العربي هو تعريف‬.‫العربية السعودية والعالم‬ ً ‫فضال عن‬ ‫ هذا‬،‫المستثمرين األجانب بأفضل الشركات الناشئة السعودية واإلقليمية‬ ‫تشجيع الشركات الناشئة الواعدة والتي في مراحلها المبكرة على العمل في المملكة‬ ً ‫أيضا‬ ‫"أردنا‬: ‫ ويضيف نقوال بيتيو‬."‫والتعاون مع جامعة الملك عبداهلل للعلوم والتقنية‬ ‫جذب اهتمام المجتمع المالي المحلي والدولي في شركات التقنية الناشئة في‬ ".‫مراحلها المبكرة‬

‫الفرص المستقبلية‬ ‫قدم المنتدى االستثماري العربي منصة فريدة عابرة للحدود من خالل بناء جسور‬ ‫ ورواد المشاريع المحليين‬،‫تواصل مهمة بين المستثمرين المحليين والدوليين من جهة‬ ‫ الشريك اإلداري في المؤسسة‬،‫ وقال فريد فان بونينجن‬.‫والدوليين من جهة أخرى‬ Clean Tech( ‫) ومدير عام مؤسسة كلين تيك ديلتا‬Chrysalix Venture Capital( ‫الكندية‬ ‫ "كان المنتدى بمثابة ملتقى فريد من نوعه بين بيئة االبتكار المحلية ومشاريع‬:)Delta ً ً ‫رائعا استمر ليومين تميز بإثراء هيئة تدريس جامعة‬ ‫حدثا‬ ‫ وكان‬.‫التقنية النظيفة ذات الصلة‬ ".‫الملك عبداهلل وجمال مرافقها وكرم الضيافة العربية الشهيرة‬ ‫ يرجى‬،‫لمعرفة المزيد حول الحضور والمشاركة أو رعاية المنتدى في العام المقبل‬ :‫التواصل عبر البريد اإللكتروني‬ innovation@kaust.edu.sa

www.kaust.edu.sa

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My University Hessah Alodwane Although Hessah Alodwane, a digital archivist in the University’s Marketing Communications Department, was born in Saudi Arabia, she grew up in Los Angeles, California, where she lived from the ages of 4 to 17.

"My time in Los Angeles was beautiful and memorable, but I was happy to return to Jeddah, which is where my family is from," Hessah said. Hessah worked for Unilever before joining KAUST, where she first worked in the Office of Sponsored Research.

At KAUST, Hessah and her two children Manaf (age 12) and Nayaf (age 10) enjoy the peaceful community and the University's many facilities for families. Manaf especially loves playing soccer with the other children on campus.

"My two boys love playing at the Harbor Sports Club swimming pool and bowling alley and are always out having fun with their friends at Discovery Square. KAUST is an amazing place for children to grow up, and this was one of the many reasons I wanted to come work here," she noted.

Even though Hessah and her family are now based in Saudi Arabia, she still travels to the U.S. to visit her many friends in Los Angeles as often as possible. "Los Angeles is still very much my home," she said. "I'm so grateful to my friends across the globe for continuing to make my life an adventure whenever I travel to see them."

Where do you read The Beacon?

This month's submission comes from Syed Rizwan Ali, a contract specialist in the University's Procurement Services, who took a moment to read The Beacon in Pasabag (also known as Monks Valley) in Cappadocia, Turkey. Ali visited the area late last year while on vacation with his family.

The breathtaking valley is located halfway between Göreme and Avanos on the road to Zelve and is famous for its stunning landscape and natural beauty, including its tall, distinctive coneshaped "fairy chimney" rock formations or earth pillars. These were produced from sedimentary rocks formed in lakes and streams and deposits that erupted from volcanoes millions of years ago and later eroded into the pillars.

Birds take flight on campus If you look carefully on your walks around campus, you might see a few of the 240 species of birds that call KAUST home. Marios Mantzourogiannis, the business manager for Government Affairs & Security, and Brian James, a former KAUST School teacher, gave the KAUST community the chance to meet some of our resident feathery friends at KAUST, an Oasis for Birds, a Winter Enrichment Program (WEP) 2017 photography exhibition held in the University Library.

The exhibition guided visitors through some of the main habitats for birds at KAUST and presented around 60 of the most common species regularly spotted on campus—and a few of the rarest species, as well.

James and Mantzourogiannis discovered bird photography in different ways: James has been bird watching for over 30 years, with his hobby beginning in Tanzania when he was a teacher there, whereas Mantzourogiannis started photography in 2009 and expanded to photographing birds in 2015. James has seen around 5,000 birds in total and recorded about 400 species during his time in Saudi Arabia, and Mantzourogiannis has photographed more than 100 species in KAUST. "I have always loved nature, and when I got into bird photography, it immediately became my passion," Mantzourogiannis said. "I've photographed birds in other places in the Kingdom and also in places like Sri Lanka, Kenya and Greece, and I'm so thankful I discovered my passion for bird photography while being at KAUST." "In fact," he continued, "the thing that surprised me about KAUST was its diversity—first it was the diversity of cultures and later on the diversity of birds here. We have some excellent birding spots here at KAUST, as many birds stop over during their migration, and a good number of species are present throughout the year. I hope our exhibition has inspired everyone to engage more with nature and birding."

You can view more of Mantzourogiannis' bird photos on his website at http://www.discovering-birds.com/ and James' photos on his website at http://kaustbirding.blogspot.com/.

It is believed that the "fairy chimneys" were so named because the early inhabitants of Cappadocia believed the formations were chimneys for the fairies who lived under the ground. Monks also historically took refuge in the area, which was a thriving monastic community by the 4th century.

“The valley provides peace, quietness and comfort, and it also grabs visitors with its natural beauty, causing them to begin a contemplative inner journey,” Ali said.

The KAUST community met some of the 240 birds that live on campus at the 2017 Winter Enrichment Program (WEP) photo exhibition KAUST, an Oasis for Birds. Photos by Marios Mantzourogiannis.

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THE BEACON | FEBRUARY 2017