KAUST has launched the KAUST Mathematics Competition (KMC), a national mathematics initiative for middle and high school students in Saudi Arabia. The competition aims to identify and nurture young mathematical talent, aligning with Saudi Vision 2030. Winners will receive prizes and the opportunity to attend a joint summer mathematics camp at KAUST and the University of Cambridge in 2026, with registration open until Nov 9, 2025. Why it matters: This competition can help develop a pipeline of Saudi talent in STEM fields crucial for advancing the Kingdom's AI ambitions.
Prof. Daniel Panario gave a seminar on irreducible polynomials over finite fields and their applications in cryptography. The seminar covered how finite fields are used as basic components in many cryptographic applications. It surveyed families of irreducible polynomials and commented on their properties. Why it matters: The talk highlights the mathematical foundations and ongoing research relevant to cryptographic implementations in the region.
KAUST Ph.D. student Lukas Larisch won the Parameterized Algorithms and Computational Experiments (PACE) 2017 Challenge in the Optimal Tree Decomposition Challenge, solving more instances than competitors. He received the award at the International Symposium on Parameterized and Exact Computation (IPEC 2017) in Vienna, Austria. Larisch is pursuing his Ph.D. at KAUST and working in the University's Extreme Computing Research Center, focusing on acoustics and graph structure theory. Why it matters: This recognition highlights KAUST's contribution to advanced computer science research and its ability to attract and foster talented researchers in niche areas like parameterized complexity.
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 Peter Markowich discusses the role of mathematics in football, describing a match as a random process with a drift. The randomness stems from player conditions, referee decisions, weather, and more, while the drift represents the higher probability of the better team winning. He notes that the complexity arising from 11 players on each side increases the randomness compared to sports like tennis. Why it matters: This perspective highlights the interplay of chance and skill in sports, offering a mathematical lens for understanding game dynamics.
KAUST is hosting its fourth annual International Research Competition for undergraduate students in January 2015. The competition invites students to submit their research in poster or video format. Up to 50 of the best abstracts will be invited to KAUST from January 17 - 23, 2015 to present their work and experience the university. Why it matters: This competition provides a valuable opportunity for international undergraduate students to engage with cutting-edge research and experience KAUST's facilities and community.
KAUST Ph.D. students David Evangelista and Xianjin Yang won best paper awards at international conferences this summer for their work in mean-field game theory. Evangelista's paper focused on solutions for stationary mean-field games with congestion, while Yang's paper developed numerical methods for homogenization problems. The awards were presented at the 18th International Symposium on Dynamic Games and Applications in France and the 12th American Institute of Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) Conference in Taiwan. Why it matters: The recognition highlights KAUST's strength in applied mathematics and computational science, specifically in the emerging field of mean-field games with applications across various domains.
KAUST's Stochastic Numerics Research Group is developing methods for pricing European options. Their approach, detailed in an upcoming Journal of Computational Finance article, focuses on systematically tuning parameters to achieve accuracy while minimizing computational effort. The goal is to enable automated computation of fair prices for options contracts, similar to how insurance companies determine premiums. Why it matters: This research advances computational finance in the region, potentially improving risk management and investment strategies.