Ahmed Sultan Salem, a visiting associate professor of electrical engineering, received the 2017 KAUST Distinguished Teaching Award. Salem was one of six finalists nominated for the inaugural award and has been with KAUST since 2011. He teaches a range of EE and applied mathematics courses and his research interests include energy harvesting and cognitive radio technology. Why it matters: Recognizing teaching excellence can help incentivize high-quality education and mentorship in technical fields crucial for advancing Saudi Arabia's research and development goals.
Hisham Cholakkal has received MBZUAI’s inaugural Award for Teaching Excellence, launched by the University’s Center for Teaching and Learning. Cholakkal, an Assistant Professor of Computer Vision who joined MBZUAI in 2020, was recognized for his innovative teaching methods and positive impact on students. The award considers course evaluations and student feedback to recognize impactful, student-centered teaching. Why it matters: This award highlights MBZUAI's commitment to recognizing and promoting excellence in AI education within the region.
MBZUAI recognized seven faculty members for outstanding contributions in research, teaching, and mentorship at its annual Faculty Recognition and Welcome Reception. Associate Professor Salman Khan received the Distinguished Research Award for his work on multimodal models for remote Earth observation, including projects like AI4Weather and the AI Global Agriculture Advisory. Assistant Professor Alham Fikri Aji received the Early Career Researcher Award for his contributions to low-resource NLP and international collaborations. Why it matters: The awards highlight MBZUAI's focus on advancing AI for global challenges and recognizing faculty contributions to research and education.
KAUST held its eighth Academic Convocation, featuring speakers including Ph.D. student Samah Mohamed and professor Jeff Shamma. Mohamed encouraged students to focus on developing skills and pursuing their passions at KAUST. Shamma noted KAUST's reputation for research excellence despite its young age. Why it matters: The event highlights KAUST's continued focus on graduate education and research impact within Saudi Arabia.
KAUST Associate Professor Taous-Meriem Laleg-Kirati was a finalist in the academic of distinction category at the Leadership Excellence for Women Awards & Symposium (LEWAS) in Bahrain in 2018. She was nominated by former KAUST researchers for her achievements in science and engineering and her advocacy for women in science. Laleg-Kirati's research at KAUST focuses on control engineering and signal processing with applications in solar energy, water desalination, and biomedicine. Why it matters: The recognition highlights the importance of female leadership and contributions in STEM fields within the GCC region.