KAUST's Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship (TIE) Program has partnered with Burson and Landor to enhance entrepreneurial education. The partnership aims to equip students with branding and communication skills through workshops and real-world case studies. Senior experts from Burson and Landor led a two-day workshop covering brand fundamentals, communication strategies, and storytelling. Why it matters: This collaboration addresses a critical gap in traditional technical education by integrating essential branding and communication skills, empowering students to effectively launch and scale their ventures, thus supporting Saudi Arabia's knowledge-based economy.
Historian Mike Bruton spoke at KAUST about scientific disruptors from the House of Wisdom during the Islamic Golden Age. These scholars made contributions like introducing the concept of zero and debunking the Greek theory of sight. Ibn al-Haytham revolutionized knowledge of optics, demonstrating that light bounces off objects and enters our eyes. Why it matters: The lecture highlights the significant scientific advancements made during the Islamic Golden Age and their lasting impact on modern civilization.
Sonny Vu, CEO of Misfit Wearables, spoke at KAUST about the importance of design in technology and shared his entrepreneurial philosophy. He emphasized rapid prototyping, user feedback, and enjoyable user experiences, as seen in his previous company AgaMatrix and his wearable activity monitor, the Shine. Misfit Wearables successfully raised $100,000 through crowdfunding in just nine and a half hours. Why it matters: This highlights KAUST's role in fostering entrepreneurship and promoting innovative approaches to product development in the region, particularly in wearable technology.
Francesco Orabona from Boston University, with a PhD from the University of Genova, researches online learning, optimization, and statistical learning theory. He previously worked at Yahoo Labs and Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago. MBZUAI hosted a panel discussion (topic not specified in provided text). Why it matters: Optimization algorithms are crucial for advancing machine learning and AI, and researchers like Orabona contribute to this field.
Qirong Ho, co-founder and CTO of Petuum Inc., will be contributing to the "ML Systems for Many" initiative. Petuum is recognized for creating standardized building blocks for AI assembly. Ho also holds a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University and is part of the CASL open-source consortium. Why it matters: Showcases the ongoing efforts to democratize AI development and deployment, making it more accessible and sustainable, although the specific initiative is not further detailed.
The 2017 KAUST Research Conference focused on new combustion concepts, bringing together experts from academia, national labs, and industry. Participants discussed various aspects of combustion, including energy conversion by Professor Igor Adamovich from Ohio State University. Anne Bourdon from École Polytechnique presented on plasma-assisted applications. Why it matters: The conference facilitated knowledge exchange and collaboration on advancing combustion technologies, a field relevant to energy and environmental sustainability in the region.
Technology Innovation Institute (TII) and Burjeel Medical City (BMC) are partnering to develop novel immunotherapy solutions for cancer treatment, focusing on T-cell based therapeutics like CAR-T and TIL therapy. In the first phase, TII will construct a computational platform to identify patient-specific antigens from single-cell transcriptomics data, enabling the design of CAR-T cells. The two-year partnership aims to boost the body's immune system to fight cancer and personalize cancer therapies using TII's technologies. Why it matters: This collaboration signifies the UAE's commitment to advancing cancer care through collaborative research and innovative solutions, potentially establishing the country as a leader in personalized oncology treatments.
A KAUST team led by Hossein Fariborzi won second place in the MEMS Design Contest for their "MEMS Resonator for Oscillator, Tunable Filter and Re-Programmable Logic Applications." The device is runtime-reprogrammable, allowing the function of each device in the circuit to be changed during operation. The KAUST team demonstrated that two MEMS resonators could replace over 20 transistors in applications like digital adders, reducing digital circuit complexity. Why it matters: This innovation could significantly reduce power consumption, chip area, and manufacturing costs in microprocessors, advancing the development of energy-efficient microcomputers in the region.