KAUST Research Scientist Abla Kammoun received the IEEE Wireless Communication Letters (WCL) Top Editor Award for contributions to the review process. Kammoun's research focuses on random matrix theory, wireless communication systems, signal processing, big data, and machine learning. She joined the WCL editorial board in 2015 and was recognized for ensuring a fast, fair, and valuable review process. Why it matters: The award highlights KAUST's contributions to advancing wireless communication technologies and recognizes the important role of peer review in maintaining quality in the field.
MBZUAI researcher Karima Kadaoui is using AI to assist disadvantaged communities and languages, with a focus on democratizing NLP tasks for Arabic dialects. Her master's thesis focused on impaired speech recognition, converting disfluencies of individuals with speech disabilities into clear speech. She emphasizes the importance of diversity and inclusion in AI to avoid bias and ensure systems reflect the user distribution. Why it matters: This highlights MBZUAI's commitment to gender equity in STEM and the development of AI solutions tailored to the nuances of the Arabic language.
KAUST Professors Mohamed Eddaoudi and Omar Knio have received the Abdul Hameed Shoman Award for Arab Researchers. Eddaoudi was recognized for his work on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for clean energy and carbon capture, while Knio was honored for his contributions to mathematical modeling and simulation of thermo-fluid systems. The award, established in 1982, recognizes outstanding scientific output and aims to encourage a culture of scientific research in the Arab world. Why it matters: This recognition highlights the impactful research being conducted at KAUST and underscores the importance of Arab researchers' contributions to solving regional and global challenges.
KAUST Professor Mohamed-Slim Alouini received the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Science and Technology (S&T) Achievement Award at the First OIC Summit on Science and Technology. The award recognizes Alouini's contributions to science and technology within the OIC member states. Why it matters: Recognition at the OIC level highlights KAUST's impact and Professor Alouini's leadership in advancing science and technology across the Islamic world.
KAUST recognized seven faculty members with RDIA Excellence Awards at LEAP 2025 and COP16 for contributions to Saudi Vision 2030. Awardees include Prof. Bernard Ghanem for AI, Prof. Carlos Duarte for marine science, and Prof. Mohamed Slim Alouini for communications. Their work advances AI, marine ecosystems, and digital inclusion within the Kingdom. Why it matters: The awards highlight KAUST's strategic role in driving research and innovation aligned with Saudi Arabia's national priorities in technology and sustainability.
This survey paper reviews the landscape of Natural Language Processing (NLP) research and applications in the Arab world. It discusses the unique challenges posed by the Arabic language, such as its morphological complexity and dialectal diversity. The paper also presents a historical overview of Arabic NLP and surveys various research areas, including machine translation, sentiment analysis, and speech recognition. Why it matters: The survey provides a comprehensive resource for researchers and practitioners interested in the current state and future directions of Arabic NLP, a field critical for enabling AI technologies to serve Arabic-speaking communities.
Dominique Sciamma, Managing Director at Strate School of Design in France, gave a presentation at KAUST during Enrichment in the Fall of 2017. The title of the presentation was "From Descartes to Morin." The event was held at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. Why it matters: While the event is dated, KAUST's ongoing enrichment programs contribute to fostering a culture of innovation and knowledge exchange in Saudi Arabia.