Technologies that use the metabolic properties of microbial communities to treat wastewater and generate energy will transform water reuse.

What do an electrical engineer, an organic chemist, a materials scientist and a cell biologist all have in common? They invent and improve applications at the interface of biology and electronics. 

Asrar Damdam is setting up her own biotech company in Silicon Valley while pursuing a Ph.D. at KAUST

A class of atomically thin 2D compounds, known as MXenes, have a unique combination of properties that are useful for electronic and sensing applications. 

A new approach for training algorithms makes the machine learning process faster and more accurate. 

Genome editing techniques have the power to transform crop yields and plant resilience to feed the growing global population.

Global water challenges addressed through improvements to desalination techniques and limits to waste.

The Formula 1 race track is the ultimate testbed for a KAUST researcher's latest work.

World-class computing facilities at KAUST enable researchers to tackle complex questions in climate science and oceanography.  

An interdisciplinary initiative is helping KAUST be at the forefront of a digital revolution, where sensors can find a use just about anywhere.

A virtual platform makes learning how to fabricate a semiconductor device easier, safer and more interactive.

The latest statistical methods from research on complex high-dimensional environmental data also yield powerful tools for interpreting brain activity.

For researchers seeking entrepreneurial opportunities, KAUST can provide the perfect springboard.

Xin Gao’s research is building bridges between computer science and biology.

KAUST places great emphasis on translating university know-how into real-world impact, say Kevin Cullen, vice president of Innovation and Economic Development, and John Tannaci, associate vice president for research.

A tool developed by Håvard Rue has transformed data analysis, interpretation and communication. It has been applied broadly: from modeling the spread of infectious diseases to mapping fish stocks.

Research to optimize aquaponics systems could inform a new era of urban food production.

Rethinking industry-scale catalytic processes could slash global energy consumption and even turn carbon dioxide into a valuable commodity.

While drones scan beaches to assess plastic litter, microplastics are found in the digestive tracts of one in every six Red Sea fish.

Software could transform underground imaging of fossil fuel reserves by providing unprecedented detail in record time. 

Precision molecular tools derived from bacterial defence systems are transforming the theory and practice of genetic modification.

A plant scientist, a water specialist and a petroleum engineer walk onto a panel, “how do you define sustainability?” one asks.

Oil expert Tadeusz Patzek aims to ensure that efficient recovery of oil and gas remains feasible whilst scientists find alternative green energy sources.

From farming to healthcare, there are few areas of our lives that couldn’t be enhanced by incorporating flexible CMOS electronics.

The availability of high-resolution data collected by miniaturized satellites heralds a turning point in Earth and environmental sensing from space.

Safety assurance is the first step in bringing valuable wastewater into use, says Peiying Hong.

Ying Sun is a multi-award-winning statistician who is inspired by the value of statistics in solving real-world problems.

2017 recipient of the L’Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Award Niveen Khashab builds nanoscale ‘miniature machines’ with diverse applications.

Geophysical modeling of one of the world’s most important fossil sites reveals the history of the site where early humankind evolved.

The transition to renewables will take decades, so we must rush to clean up conventional fuel combustion, says Mani Sarathy.

Tailor-made membranes offer a cleaner method for the industrial-scale separation of chemical mixtures, says Suzana Nunes. But first we need to make their manufacture greener.

A new soil classification system, and tools to implement it, helps understanding of the properties of the ground underpinning geo-engineering projects.

Emerging technologies are poised to transform how we observe the Earth.

Advances in how science is presented means that visual tools can inspire research, as well as make its results accessible to the world.

Coral ecosystems may be able to adapt rapidly to climate change through natural plastic responses.

Sifting through huge amounts of data may bring better understanding of whale shark social structures, protein targets for drug therapies and disease-causing genes.

Mangroves, seagrass meadows, seaweeds and saltmarshes, the forests of the sea, perform a vital and often overlooked role in storing carbon and mitigating the effects of climate change.

Wind intensities and wave heights in the Red Sea are decreasing over time—potential for a significant impact on its ecosystem.

Passionate plant scientist Mark Tester conducts ground-breaking research into plants that could one day help feed the world.

A remarkable collaboration, drawing parallels between human and animal ecology, uses data from smartphones to protect vulnerable species.

The work of a small group specializing in demystifying proteins is having far-reaching effects.

An international, multidisciplinary collaboration that led to the world’s first underwater robotic avatar.

The Red Sea provides opportunities to coral bleaching and inform future practices to help safeguard the world’s coral reef ecosystems.

Studying dusty air, especially in the Middle East, which is part of the Earth’s notorious dust belt, has both local and global significance.

“Historians will look back on this era as the tipping point for marine agriculture,” said Carlos Duarte. 

Pairing two catalysts in a single, illuminated reaction flask proves to be a light-bulb moment for organic synthesis.

Optical elements that diffract light could lead to smaller and more powerful cameras.

KAUST researchers are working to find new ways of monitoring irrigation, crop health and yields.

Fleeting bursts of light and electrons reveal traps that hamper solar cells and sensors.

Algorithms that train computers to automatically detect human activity in videos can improve online searches and real-world surveillance systems.

Exploiting the properties of disordered chaotic systems leads to low-cost energy harvesting and innovative micro-surgery applications.

Biology has inspired new ways to harvest and collect water.

Combining methods for water desalination results in low-cost, highly efficient water production.

Studies conducted at the Saudi Aramco-KAUST Marine Environmental Research Center provide new insights into the physical and biological aspects of the Red Sea.

Expert knowledge in the field of DNA and RNA sequencing puts KAUST at the forefront of high-impact pathogen research.

Novel solid-state materials may hold the key to cleaner fuels and cheap, efficient gas storage.

A combination of state-of-the-art sensors and standardized data analysis will transform research for tracking animals and humans.

Detailed analysis of nutrient distribution and circulation in the Red Sea could provide a model for the future of the world’s oceans.

Novel use of sensors and associated high-resolution imaging in agriculture aims to facilitate a more sustainable future.

An improved wireless communication protocol enables more robust links between remote electronic devices.

Funding from KAUST is helping to bring innovative solar power technology to fruition with startup company QD Solar.

KAUST’s new supercomputer will enable ground-breaking scientific modeling and analysis in Saudi Arabia and worldwide.

Highlighting sustainability and the work of female researchers was a strong focus of the international KAUST-US NSF electronics conference.

The discovery of the incandescent light bulb has transformed human existence. New LED technologies promise to be the next step forward.

A new collaboration could lead to supercomputers emulating the efficiency of the brain.

A leader in desalination science, TorOve Leiknes gives water treatment research in Saudi Arabia a major boost.

KAUST Center for Desert Agriculture leads research to improve crop yields from desert soils.

State-of-the-art facilities and world-class research projects give rise to thriving start-up companies based at KAUST.

KAUST’s Earth Science and Engineering Program is underpinned by a drive to develop sustainable ways to get the best from natural resources and quantify environmental hazards.

KAUST’s Clean Combustion Research Center aims to develop technologies for future fuel formulations, more efficient engines, and new methods for power generation.