KAUST Professor Mohamed Eddaoudi has won the 2023 Kuwait Prize in chemistry for his work on functional solid-state materials, specifically metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). His research focuses on innovative design strategies for these materials and their applications in gas separations, catalysis, energy storage, and carbon capture. Eddaoudi, a founding faculty member at KAUST since 2009, shares the prize with Prof. Nashaat Nassar from the University of Calgary. Why it matters: The award recognizes KAUST's research excellence and highlights the importance of materials science for energy and environmental sustainability within the Arab world.
KAUST researchers, led by Mohamed Eddaoudi, developed a metal-organic framework (MOF) capable of selectively adsorbing water, challenging the conventional view of MOF instability in water. They also advanced MOF understanding by adapting high-resolution transmission electron microscopy to observe their atomic structure. KAUST hosted the Innovation to Impact Roundtable, fostering collaboration between academics and industry leaders from the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. Why it matters: These activities highlight KAUST's role in materials science innovation and fostering international research collaborations to advance technological development in Saudi Arabia.
KAUST alumna Dr. Dalal Alezi has been awarded the Ibn Khaldun Fellowship for Saudi Women at MIT to pursue postdoctoral research in energy storage and water capture materials. She completed her Ph.D. at KAUST under Professor Mohamed Eddaoudi, focusing on metal-organic materials for gas separation, storage, catalysis, and drug delivery. Alezi credits KAUST and KAU for supporting her career and shaping her role as a mentor for incoming science students at KAU. Why it matters: The fellowship recognizes and supports talented Saudi women in STEM, promoting advancements in materials science and inspiring future generations of Saudi scientists.
Five KAUST professors (Mohamed Eddaoudi, Omar F. Mohammed, Nivine Khashab, Osman Bakr, and Yu Han) have been elected as Fellows of the Royal Society of Chemistry for their work in materials science. Eddaoudi's work focuses on developing functional porous materials like KAUST-7 for carbon capture, aiming to reduce carbon emissions. Mohammed's group studies charge carrier dynamics at material surfaces. Why it matters: This recognition highlights KAUST's growing influence in advanced materials research and its contributions to addressing global challenges such as carbon capture and energy efficiency.
Four KAUST scientists received The Supreme Council of Almarai Prize for Scientific Creativity at the 19th annual award event held at KACST in Riyadh. Mohamed Eddaoudi and Osman Bakr jointly received the Almarai Distinguished Scientist Award. Another KAUST researcher also received an award at the event. Why it matters: The award recognizes and supports scientific research and innovation within Saudi Arabia, promoting scientific excellence among researchers in Saudi universities.
KAUST Professors Mohamed Eddaoudi and Omar Knio have received the Abdul Hameed Shoman Award for Arab Researchers. Eddaoudi was recognized for his work on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for clean energy and carbon capture, while Knio was honored for his contributions to mathematical modeling and simulation of thermo-fluid systems. The award, established in 1982, recognizes outstanding scientific output and aims to encourage a culture of scientific research in the Arab world. Why it matters: This recognition highlights the impactful research being conducted at KAUST and underscores the importance of Arab researchers' contributions to solving regional and global challenges.
KAUST led a session at the World Economic Forum's Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian, China, focusing on sustainability science. President Tony Chan and faculty members Peiying Hong, Mohamed Eddaoudi, and Derya Baran presented KAUST's research in water reuse, carbon capture, and transparent solar cells. Derya Baran highlighted KAUST spinoff iyris, which aims to turn windows into solar power plants. Why it matters: This showcases KAUST's role as an innovative hub for global research and education, particularly in green technologies, and highlights the university's commitment to addressing environmental challenges.
KAUST Ph.D. student Zhijie Chen won the Faraday Division Poster Prize at the Royal Society of Chemistry’s "New Directions in Porous Crystalline Materials" Faraday Discussion for his poster entitled "Applying the Power of Reticular Chemistry to Finding the Missing alb-MOF Platform Based on the (6, 12)-Coordinated Edge-Transitive Net." Chen's research focuses on the reticular synthesis of metal-organic frameworks and their applications in gas storage and separation. He is a member of Professor Mohamed Eddaoudi's FMD3 research group. Why it matters: This award recognizes the high-quality research being conducted at KAUST and highlights the university's contributions to the field of advanced materials.