KAUST held its first bio-entrepreneurship ideation workshop, "Ignite Bio", for Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering students and postdoctoral fellows. Speakers from Noor Diagnostics and Discovery, Cellestia BioTech, Kyanos Biotechnology and SaudiVax shared their experiences about the startup journey. Saudi-based startups highlighted the need for services and products not currently available in the Kingdom, such as genetic diagnostic testing and local vaccine production. Why it matters: The workshop and the highlighted startups signal growing interest and opportunities for biotech innovation and entrepreneurship within Saudi Arabia.
KAUST hosted the KAUST Ignite ideation challenge with 90+ students from Saudi universities participating. The three-day event partnered with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, SWCC, and SAEI, challenging students to address regional and global issues. Participants formed teams to develop solutions for real-world challenges in water, aviation, and the Hajj experience, presenting their ideas to judges. Why it matters: This initiative fosters innovation and entrepreneurship among Saudi students, addressing critical challenges and contributing to Saudi Arabia's economic transformation.
KAUST researchers reviewed 570 papers on alcohol combustion dating back to the early 1900s, synthesizing existing knowledge and identifying gaps in the literature. They developed a model that simulates alcohol combustion, gathering specific aspects to better understand combustion in engines. The study revealed properties of alcohol fuels, including high resistance to autoignition and decreased particulate matter emissions, but also increased emissions of carcinogenic aldehydes. Why it matters: This comprehensive study provides valuable insights for designing more efficient internal combustion engines operating on alcohols and addresses implications for air quality regulations.
KAUST Professors William Roberts and Robert Dibble were inducted as Fellows of The Combustion Institute (CI) in February. Roberts was recognized for his work on laminar flames, turbulent combustion, and soot formation at elevated pressures. Dibble was inducted for exceptional contributions to developing and using laser diagnostics for combustion research. Why it matters: This recognition highlights KAUST's contributions to combustion research and strengthens its position as a leading institution in the field, attracting top students and researchers.
Mani Sarathy, an associate professor of chemical engineering, has been appointed Associate Director of the Clean Combustion Research Center (CCRC) at KAUST. Sarathy is part of the University’s Physical Science and Engineering Division. The announcement did not detail specific research directions. Why it matters: This signals KAUST's continued investment in and focus on clean combustion research.
The 2017 KAUST Research Conference focused on new combustion concepts, bringing together experts from academia, national labs, and industry. Participants discussed various aspects of combustion, including energy conversion by Professor Igor Adamovich from Ohio State University. Anne Bourdon from École Polytechnique presented on plasma-assisted applications. Why it matters: The conference facilitated knowledge exchange and collaboration on advancing combustion technologies, a field relevant to energy and environmental sustainability in the region.
KAUST Professor Hong Im has been elected as a Fellow of the Combustion Institute for his contributions to combustion understanding using theory, numerical methods, and simulations. Im's research focuses on predicting the physics of laminar and turbulent combustion, with applications in laboratory flames and combustion engines. He credits the collaborative environment at KAUST's Clean Combustion Research Center (CCRC) for this achievement. Why it matters: This recognition highlights KAUST's growing expertise in clean combustion research, which is crucial for developing sustainable energy solutions relevant to the region and the world.
KAUST researchers have designed an integrated circuit logic lock to protect electronic devices from cyberattacks. The protective logic locks are based on spintronics and can be incorporated into electronic chips. The lock uses a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) where the keys are stored in tamper-proof memory, ensuring hardware security. Why it matters: This hardware-based security feature could significantly increase confidence in globalized integrated circuit manufacturing, protecting against counterfeiting and malicious modifications.