KAUST alumnus Chuan Xia (M.S. '14, Ph.D. '18) is now a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard, researching CO2 capture and conversion into valuable chemicals using renewable electricity. His Ph.D. research at KAUST, under Professor Husam Alshareef, focused on ternary metal sulfides and selenides for energy storage. Xia credits KAUST with providing training in communication, teamwork, and leadership that facilitated his transition to Harvard. Why it matters: The success of KAUST alumni in fields like sustainable energy highlights the university's growing role in addressing global challenges and fostering international research collaboration.
Chuan Xia, a Ph.D. student at KAUST, won the best poster award at the International Conference on Materials for Advanced Technologies (ICMAT) 2017. The poster's topic is not specified in the provided text. Why it matters: Recognition at ICMAT highlights KAUST's contributions to materials science and engineering.
Xiaohang Li has joined the Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Science and Engineering Division at KAUST as an assistant professor of electrical engineering. He will focus on research and teaching within the electrical engineering domain. Why it matters: The appointment strengthens KAUST's faculty expertise in electrical engineering and related areas.
MBZUAI's Associate Professor of Machine Learning, Gus Xia, will co-teach an introductory AI course with Monojit Choudhury, emphasizing experiential learning and fundamental principles. Xia's background spans computer science, music, and metaphysics, aiming to inspire students to innovate in AI. More than 100 students will join MBZUAI's Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence program. Why it matters: This interdisciplinary approach at MBZUAI could cultivate a new generation of AI researchers with diverse perspectives and innovative problem-solving skills.
Prof. Chun Jason Xue from the City University of Hong Kong presented research on optimizing mobile memory and storage by analyzing mobile application characteristics, noting their differences from server applications. The research explores system software designs inherited from the Linux kernel and identifies optimization opportunities in mobile memory and storage management. Xue's work aims to enhance user experience on mobile devices through mobile application characterization, focusing on non-volatile and flash memories. Why it matters: Optimizing mobile systems based on the unique characteristics of mobile applications can significantly improve device performance and user experience in the region.
MBZUAI Visiting Assistant Professor Gus Xia studies music to understand how AI can act more human-like in high-context activities. Xia analyzes and creates music with computers to explore the differences between human and machine perception. He aims to leverage music's abstract nature to study creative intelligence in AI. Why it matters: This research could lead to AI systems that interact more naturally with humans, particularly in creative fields.
KAUST Associate Professor Xiangliang Zhang presented her work on mining streaming and temporal data at the International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence and the European Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI-ECAI-18) in Stockholm. Her talk, "Mining Streaming and Temporal Data: from Representation to Knowledge," summarized her research on mining data streams. Zhang directs the KAUST Machine Intelligence and kNowledge Engineering (MINE) group, which focuses on knowledge discovery from large-scale data. Why it matters: Showcases KAUST's contributions to AI research and highlights the university's growing recognition within the international AI community.
KAUST Assistant Professor Xiaohang Li has won the 2018 Harold M. Manasevit Young Investigator Award for his work in metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) growth of semiconductors. Li will receive the award at the 19th International Conference on Metalorganic Vapor Phase Epitaxy in Japan. The award recognizes Li's contributions to deep UV lasers, B-III-N alloys, III-oxides, and blue and green emitters. Why it matters: This award highlights KAUST's growing prominence in advanced semiconductor research and its potential impact on the optoelectronics industry.