KAUST Ph.D. graduate Dr. Noha Al-Harthi and doctoral student Rabab Alomairy won the German Gauss Center for Supercomputing (GCS) Award for optimizing solvers for high-performance computing applications. Their work focused on acoustic boundary integral equations, common in engineering and fluid dynamics. The award provides them access to the supercomputer "Isambard" in the UK and other opportunities. Why it matters: This recognition highlights KAUST's leading role in high-performance computing research in the Middle East and the growing expertise in supercomputing among Saudi researchers.
KAUST Professor David Keyes chaired the International Supercomputing Conference (ISC) 2020, which was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The conference featured a record registration of 4,735 specialists in high-performance computing (HPC). A paper by KAUST Ph.D. students Noha Al-Harthi and Rabab Al-Omairi on computationally simulated acoustic scattering won the 2020 Gauss Award. Why it matters: KAUST's leadership in ISC and the Gauss Award highlight Saudi Arabia's growing contributions to the global HPC community.
KAUST Professor Raul Tempone received the Alexander von Humboldt Professorship at RWTH Aachen in Germany. The award recognizes Tempone's international leadership in mathematics for uncertainty quantification. The professorship includes up to 5 million euros in funding from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Why it matters: This award highlights KAUST's strength in applied mathematics and its relevance to simulation-based decision-making with potential benefits for Saudi Arabia and the world.
KAUST President Tony F. Chan has been awarded the 2020 SIAM Prize for Distinguished Service to the Profession. The award recognizes Chan's contributions to applied and computational mathematics, imaging science, and scientific computing. Chan has served on advisory boards for KAIST, SUSTech, and the University of Vienna, and is a member of the NEOM Higher Council. Why it matters: The recognition highlights KAUST's leadership and influence in advancing mathematical sciences and its applications on a global stage.
KAUST Ph.D. student Chiheb Ben Hammouda won the best poster award at the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics Conference on Financial Mathematics & Engineering (FM19) for his work on option pricing under the rough Bergomi model. The winning poster, titled "Hierarchical adaptive sparse grids and quasi-Monte Carlo for option pricing under the rough Bergomi model," details research carried out under the supervision of KAUST Professor Raul Tempone. The research group designed new efficient numerical methods for pricing derivatives under the rough Bergomi model by combining smoothing techniques. Why it matters: This award highlights KAUST's growing expertise in financial mathematics and its contribution to solving complex problems in the field using advanced numerical methods.
KAUST Professor of Applied Mathematics and Computational Science, Dr. Peter Markowich, has been named a 2020 Fellow to the European Academy of Sciences. This recognizes his work in the mathematical and numerical analysis of partial differential equations. Markowich joined KAUST in 2011 and has contributed to over 270 projects worldwide. Why it matters: This honor brings recognition to KAUST's faculty and highlights the university's contribution to advanced mathematical research with applications across science and engineering.
KAUST Ph.D. student Ghulam Qadir received a best poster award at the GRASPA 2019 conference in Italy. The winning poster, titled "Estimation of Spatial Deformation for Non-stationary Processes via Variogram Alignment," was based on Qadir's Ph.D. research project. The research focuses on developing covariance models for multivariate nonstationary random fields with applications to environmental data. Why it matters: This award recognizes KAUST's contribution to environmental statistics and highlights the university's commitment to advancing research in this area.
KAUST Professor Carlos M. Duarte was awarded the 2016 Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky Medal by the European Geosciences Union (EGU). The medal recognizes Duarte's outstanding contributions to biogeosciences as the Tarek Ahmed Juffali Research Chair in Red Sea Ecology. Duarte's research focuses on the impacts of global change in marine ecosystems. Why it matters: This award highlights KAUST's contribution to global research in marine science and environmental sustainability, enhancing its reputation as a leading institution in these fields.