KAUST researchers have developed a saliva-powered microbial fuel cell (MFC) that generates electricity using electrogenic bacteria to consume waste and release electrons. The micro-MFC uses graphene as an anode and an air cathode, achieving high current densities (1190 A m-3). The MFC produced 40 times more power than through the use of a carbon cloth anode. Why it matters: This technology offers a novel way to power lab-on-chip or portable diagnostic devices, particularly in remote or dangerous areas, and may offer alternatives to energy-intensive water purification technologies.
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 is partnering with the MiSK Global Forum (MGF) to support the 2020 Entrepreneurship World Cup (EWC), hosting a bootcamp for finalists. Four of the six Saudi startups among the top 100 in the EWC global finals are from KAUST. The EWC is the world's largest entrepreneurship competition, attracting 175,000 applicants from 200 countries. Why it matters: This partnership provides KAUST-nurtured startups with significant global exposure and resources, strengthening the Saudi entrepreneurship ecosystem.
AMRC researchers Jide Oyebanji and Tarcisio Silvia will present papers at the MATLAB User Group Meeting in Abu Dhabi. Oyebanji's paper focuses on the 'Design of an Interactive TPMS Designing Desktop App' using MATLAB's numerical capabilities. Silvia's presentation discusses the optimization of MIMO active vibration controllers for electromechanical systems using MATLAB Simulink and Particle Swarm Optimization. Why it matters: The presentations showcase the application of computational tools like MATLAB in advanced materials research and digital engineering within the UAE.
KAUST hosted the KAUST Research Conference: Advances in Well Construction with Focus on Near-Wellbore Physics and Chemistry from November 7 to 9. The conference was co-chaired by Eric van Oort, a professor at UT Austin, and Tadeusz Patzek, director of the University’s Upstream Petroleum Engineering Research Center. Attendees included professors from the University of Queensland and UT Austin, and directors from GenesisRTS and Labyrinth Consulting Services, Inc. Why it matters: The conference facilitates international collaboration on advancements in petroleum engineering and well construction technologies, which are strategically important for Saudi Arabia.