KAUST has launched the Fulbright-KAUST Graduate Award in partnership with the U.S. Department of State's Fulbright Program. This initiative marks the first Fulbright award for a degree-seeking program in Saudi Arabia, hosting two American students. The program aims to advance collaboration through research and exchange, supporting Saudi Vision 2030 goals. Why it matters: This partnership strengthens U.S.-Saudi academic ties and KAUST's role as a hub for talent development and collaborative research in the region.
KAUST alumnus Dr. Abdulilah Mayet was named a Fulbright fellow and will pursue nanotechnology work at UC Irvine from September 2023 to June 2024. Mayet, who earned his master's and Ph.D. from KAUST, is now an associate professor at King Khalid University and has started several companies. He aims to develop new NEMS technologies at Irvine with lower cost and higher performance, with plans to start a company for commercial production. Why it matters: This fellowship highlights the impact of KAUST in fostering research and innovation and building international collaborations in nanotechnology, contributing to the growth of advanced technology sectors in Saudi Arabia.
KAUST founding alumnus Ahmad Showail has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to conduct IoT research at UC Irvine with Dr. Faisal Nawab. Showail, who earned master's and Ph.D. degrees from KAUST, submitted a proposal on secure and private Internet-of-Things using SGX cloud architecture. He credits KAUST with shaping him as a researcher and helping him develop skills in writing journal papers and pursuing impactful issues. Why it matters: This award highlights the quality of KAUST graduates and the potential for KAUST alumni to contribute to solving challenges in Saudi Arabia, such as managing crowd movements during Hajj and Umrah.
MBZUAI has launched the Ruwwad AI Scholars (RAIS) program, a postdoctoral fellowship for Emirati Ph.D. graduates to undertake two-year, fully-funded research positions at leading global institutions. The program aims to cultivate local talent in AI and computational research, with the goal of strengthening participants' eligibility for faculty positions at MBZUAI. The fellowship covers a stipend, research funds, insurance, relocation support, and conference travel.
MBZUAI has launched the Ruwwad AI Scholars (RAIS) program, a fully funded two-year postdoctoral fellowship for Emirati Ph.D. graduates to conduct research at leading global institutions. The fellowship covers a competitive stipend, research funds, insurance, relocation support, and conference travel, with no cost to host institutions. Completion aims to strengthen eligibility for tenure-track faculty positions at MBZUAI. Why it matters: This program represents a strategic investment in developing Emirati AI talent and building a globally competitive, homegrown AI faculty to drive the UAE's research ambitions.
KAUST Professor Yu Han has received the Humboldt Research Award for his work in nanostructured materials and electron microscopy. The award sponsors a research project in Germany in collaboration with experts at a German institution; Han was nominated by Dr. Stefan Kaskel at Technische Universität Dresden (TU Dresden). Han will visit TU Dresden to explore collaborations in nanoporous materials and electron microscopy, expanding on an existing project imaging flexible metal-organic frameworks. Why it matters: The award recognizes KAUST's contributions to advanced materials research and facilitates international collaboration in a key area for catalysis and separation technologies.
KAUST welcomed 12 Saudi academics for orientation as part of the Ibn Rushd Postdoctoral Fellowship Program. The program funds Saudi doctoral graduates to pursue postdoctoral research at top international universities like MIT and University of Toronto. Fellows receive mentorship and access to KAUST facilities and programs. Why it matters: This program aims to develop Saudi talent and increase the number of Saudi scholars at KAUST, contributing to the Kingdom's future leadership in research and innovation.