King abdullah University of science and technology at thuwal, Kingdom of saudi arabia
www.kaust.edu.sa
BeaCOnthe January 2014 / safar - rabi al-awwal 1435
volume 4, issue no. 5
KHALID AL-FALIH, Saudi Aramco President and
CEO, spoke on January 12 at the opening of the
5th annual Winter Enrichment Program (WEP).
In his keynote address to KAUST faculty,
students, staff, and members of the community,
Al-Falih outlined his own and Saudi Aramcos
deep connections with KAUST. He also discussed
the University and Saudi Aramcos roles in
directing science, technology, and innovation to
meet challenges and seize opportunities for the
benefit of the Kingdom and the world.
Al-Falih described his journey with KAUST
from the Universitys conception in 2006, when
he received a call to assist with building a
flagship research university for Saudi Arabia.
Although his initial response was exhilaration,
he remembered asking himself: How do you do
the impossible build a fully-fledged, global
research universityin three years?
However, as he became closely involved
with KAUST, he realized that the University
was not just a construction project, but a gift
an opportunity to construct a cutting-edge
research institution comparable to the worlds
elite universitieslaying the foundation for the
Kingdom of the future.
KAUST is a new institution with a global role
but at the same time it has deep roots in an earlier
era, when our region led the way in progress and
innovation, Al-Falih noted. He described the
impact of the Bayt al-Hikma, the worlds first
great House of Wisdom established more than
a millennium ago in Baghdad, and how its
scientists and researchers work forever changed
the world in which they lived. KAUST, the new
House of Wisdom, has the same mission, he said.
Al-Falih noted Saudi Aramco and KAUST
are leaders in transforming the Kingdom into a
Khalid al-Falih | Continued on p3
GCF | Continued on p2
PREsidEnt JEAn-lou ChAmEAu PARtiCiPAtEs in 7th AnnuAl GlobAl ComPEtitivEnEss FoRum
2014 ) WEP ( . " "
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SAUDI and international experts, including
KAUST President Jean-Lou Chameau,
gathered at the Global Competitiveness
Forum (GCF) held in Riyadh on January
18-20, 2014. Focusing on the theme of
Bui lding Competi t ive Partnerships ,
the forum convened Saudi government
ministers, international business leaders,
and academics from other top institutions to
discuss global and regional trends in business
competitiveness and the development of a
world class infrastructure in Saudi Arabia.
Participating on a panel focused on fostering
entrepreneurship and catalyzing innovation,
President Chameau shared his thoughts on
enabling the scale-up of successful ideas and
leveraging technology for entrepreneurship.
I believe an integral part of a successful
innovation ecosystem includes the role of
science and technology universities. These
universities not only educate a highly
qualified workforce to support industry, but
also lead innovation and create new industries
themselves, he said.
Research universit ies promote and
leverage the co-existence of curiosity-driven
research and more focused goal-driven
research, which turn scientific discoveries
into products, technologies, and processes,
President Chameau continued. The university
climate for innovation serves as a catalyst for
2
3
The university climate for inno-vation serves as a catalyst for a
parallel supportive environment in the local ecosystem.
-President Chameau
2014 )wep(
Khalid al-Falih highlights KaUst-saUdi araMCO spirit OF innOvatiOn in wep Opening
KeynOte address
innovation is not just a matter of the most powerful electron microscopes or most sophisticated nanotechnology
clean room; its about scientists and researchers collaborating to turn abstract ideas and theories into transformative solutions.
Khalid al-Falih
inside: research 6-7 Community 8news 1-3 Food & Farming 4-5
From left to right: John Quelch, Charles E Wilson Professor of business Administration, harvard; President Chameau; Fadi Ghandour, Founder and Chairman of Aramex; and daniel isenburg, Professor of Entrepreneurship Practice and founding director, babson Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Project.
news2 January 2014 The Beacon
IN JANUARy, the KAUST community celebrated the success of the fifth annual Winter
Enrichment Program (WEP), which brought a host of renowned global thinkers, leaders,
scientists, and even a polar explorer to the campus to deliver presentations and talks about
their work.
Saudi Arabias heritage and diversity were also on display during WEP through a farmers
market at Discovery Square, which showcased many unique Saudi products, and through the
Discover Saudi Arabia: The Hejaz Railway photography exhibition. Both events reminded the
community of the rich history and culture of the country in which we work and live.
On pages 6 and 7 of this issue, papers published in the prestigious journals Small, Nature
Asia Materials, and Genome Biology highlight KAUSTs recent research.
In this issue, join us in celebrating not only the successes of WEP, but also the beginning
of a new and exciting year for research, innovation, and diversity at KAUST.
The Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 5, January 2014. Published by The Communications Department, King Abdullah university of science and technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. Contact Salah Sindi [email protected], or Michelle D'Antoni [email protected] King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. Printed on partially recycled paper.
THE BEACON Editorial
GCF | Continued from p1
a parallel supportive environment in the local ecosystem. At KAUST, we strive to engage in
the larger, more influential and impactful innovation network.
To date, KAUSTs pathway for the commercialization of emerging technologies has
resulted in over 300 patents filed and the launch of six startups. Current projects
include novel solutions relating to solar energy, crowd management, air purification,
and clean water.
KAUST is one of the regions first research universities to build an integrated economic
development and technology commercialization program designed around the principles of
open innovation. This commitment to the development of entrepreneurial and innovative
activities that promote industry collaboration goes hand-in-hand with the vision of GCF,
stated President Chameau.
For the first time since its inception, GCF also included a platform to highlight investment
opportunities in the Kingdom. The Invest in Saudi exhibition showcased an information-
sharing marketplace for potential investors in Saudi Arabia, furthering the development of
successful international trade partnerships
Founded in 2006 by the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), GCF is
a platform to promote dialogue about the positive impact organizational and national
competitiveness can have on local, regional, and global economic and social development.
It has grown into one of the largest and important annual gatherings in the region for
generating real solutions to contemporary global challenges.
) (
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. 2006 )SAGIA( .
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KaUst, sagia, KaCst, and eMaar sign agreeMent tO sUppOrt entrepreneUrs
AN AGREEMENT to encourage scientific and high-tech entrepreneurs was signed by KAUST, Saudi
Arabian Investment Authority (SAGIA), King Abdullah City for Science and Technology (KACST),
and Emaar on January 19.
This quadrilateral agreement, which was signed on the sidelines of the Seventh Global Competitiveness Forum held in Riyadh, is intended to pave the way for collaborative efforts to
develop and support technical innovation and entrepreneurship across the Kingdom.
is the Brain a QUantUM COMpUter? leCtUre exaMines Brain FUnCtiOn and COnsCiOUsness
DR. ALEKSANDAR Radovanovic, Research Scientist at KAUSTs Computational Bioscience Research
Center (CBRC) and founder of the Quantum Computing Initiative (QCI), presented a talk on quantum
computational modeling of the brain on January 12.
The QCI is an open and informal group that began in the CBRC in 2012. Group members have
an interest in following and contributing to the area of quantum computing. Anyone from the
KAUST community is welcome to join.
Dr. Radovanovics lecture, entitled Quantum Computational Model of a Brain: Is the Brain
a Quantum Computer?, examined whether a synergy of biology, mathematics, quantum
mechanics, and computer science has the possibility of bringing us closer to understanding
how the brain really functions. In the lecture, he presented theories on mechanisms of brain
functioning from a multidisciplinary angle, adding complexity to existing models of the brain.
I started the QCI with the aim of introducing the topic to the KAUST research community,
says Dr. Radovanovic. Quantum computing is not a simple advancement from classical
computing; it is instead a new way of approaching and solving problems a new way of
thinking. It will allow us to not only solve difficult tasks, but will also open up exciting areas
of research and insights into many fields of science and engineering.
For more information, visit the QCI website at www.cbrc.kaust.edu.sa/qci
Clean COMBUstiOn wOrKshOp and Center Opening
THE CLEAN Combustion Research Center (CCRC) will host a workshop from February 17-19, gathering
global experts in the area of clean combustion science and technology to showcase current state-of-the-art
research in the combustion field. The conference coincides with the official opening of the CCRC, with its
entire laboratory facilities commissioned for operation. The CCRC is based on the interdisciplinary nature
of combustion research, with expertise in experiments, modeling, chemistry, and physics, and thus the
conference is structured in a similar manner.
The conference covers the latest developments in underlying physical and chemical phenomena
affecting flame structure, emissions formation, autoignition, and engine operation, as well as numerical
simulations for modeling combustion chemistry and physics using high performance computing
resources. Growing research areas of the CCRC will also be covered during the conference, including
advanced engine research, flame synthesis of nano-materials, utilization of low-grade fuels, next
generation gas turbines, advanced diagnostics techniques, and high-pressure turbulent combustion.
Visit http://ccrc.kaust.edu.sa for details.
Center FOr UnCertainty QUantiFiCatiOn wOrKshOp exaMines advanCes in Field
KAUST Associate Professor of Applied Mathematics and Computation Science Raul Tempone and Omar
Knio, Deputy Director of the KAUST Strategic Research Initiative in the SRI Center for Uncertainty
Quantification in Computational Science & Engineering (SRI UQ Center), hosted a workshop focusing on
Advances in Uncertainty Quantification Methods, Algorithms, and Applications (UQAW 2014) at the
University from January 6-10.
Topics discussed at the workshop included uncertainty quantification methods and algorithms, their
verification and validation, and their application to problems in computation science and engineering.
A number of visiting professors from international universities also attended the workshop to give
presentations.
The SRI UQ Centers mission is to advance state-of-the-art research in uncertainty quantification and
verification and validation methods, software, and algorithms. Its work also focuses on high-impact
research applications, including green wireless communications, complex multi-scale electromagnetic
systems, and reactive computational fluid dynamics.
Participating in the signing (from left to right) was Fahd bin Abdul mohsen Al-Rasheed, CEo and managing director of Emaar; Abdullatif Al-othman, Governor and Chairman of sAGiA; mohammed bin ibrahim Al-suwaiyel, President of KACst; and KAust President Chameau.
news 3January 2014www.kaust.edu.sa
THE HEJAz Railway, an impressive feat of
engineering from the early 20th century made
famous in the 1962 movie Lawrence of Arabia,
was the subject of the Winter Enrichment
Programs (WEP) second annual Discover Saudi
Arabia photography exhibition.
The exhibition, organized by Laurence Hapiot,
KAUST research consultant and archaeologist,
and Marie-Laure Boulot, WEP Manager, opened
on January 20 in the Engineering Science Hall.
It followed on last years Discover Saudi Arabia:
Archaeological and Historical Heritage exhibition,
which focused on cultural heritage sites across
the Kingdom.
The previous exhibition showcased Saudi
Arabias cultural diversity and was very well
received in the community, explained Hapiot.
This year, we decided to focus specifically on the
Hejaz Railway, a topic that is closely linked to the
history of the Kingdom. Everybody has images of
it from movies and history books, so we wanted
to show it to the community.
The Hejaz Railway project began in 1900 under
Sultan Abdulhamid II, who ruled the declining
Ottoman Empire from 1876-1909. It was designed
to facilitate a faster and easier journey for pilgrims
to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah.
After an arduous eight years of construction
challenges through some of the worlds most
desolate territory, the railway was officially
inaugurated in Madinah on September 1, 1908.
The line extended from Damascus to Madinah,
but never reached Makkah, as it was severely
damaged during the World War I Arab Revolt
against the Turks.
Hapiot and a team of several photographers
and history enthusiasts from KAUST, including
staff, students, and other community members,
journeyed to different areas of the abandoned
railway line that crosses Saudi Arabias western
Hejaz region to take the exhibitions photos.
This was about bringing people who have a
talent with photography and who are interested
in the history of the Kingdom on a journey to
discover different sites, explained Damian
San Roman Alerigi, PhD student in the KAUST
Photonics Lab and director of photography for the
exhibition. Sometimes when people are living
here, they dont have time to look up and see the
skyline or learn about the rich history. We wanted
to show it to them.
We were very happy to see more of Saudi
Arabia, Hapiot said. We didnt realize how many
fascinating things there are in the Kingdom. There
is always more to discover.
The exhibition ran from January 20-27. Both
the Hejaz Railway exhibition and the WEP 2013
exhibition are available for display at other official
KAUST events. Please contact Hapiot at laurence.
[email protected] for more information.
ITS ONLy when the will to win
becomes bigger than the constant
fear of losing that we can go
out there and do extraordinary
things, said Mike Horn during
his WEP keynote lecture. The
South African-born Swiss explorer
and eco adventurer is world-
renowned for having been the first
human being to complete a solo
and un-motorized 18-month journey around the Equator, which he
completed in 2000. Two years later, Horn set out on a pioneering
expedition to circumnavigate the Arctic Circle on foot, boat, and
ski kite in over 27 months as chronicled in the film Arktos The
Internal Journey of Mike Horn.
Horn presented captivating images and videos to a packed
auditorium of another exploit he accomplished in 2006 with fellow
adventurer, Norwegian arctic explorer Brge Ousland. They became
the first men to trek unaided to the North Pole during the Arctic
winter months of complete darkness. The audience was able to
admire the first ever picture of a sunrise from the North Pole. He also
shared harrowing accounts of being raided by polar bears and the
duo almost being engulfed in the frigid Arctic Sea.
Horns philosophy is that the vast majority of people on earth only
live at 10 % of their capabilities. Human beings live in a comfort
zone, and we think that this is what success means. Success is to be
able to create your comfort zone, and in this comfort zone you have
your car, your TV, your family, your friends, and your circle. you turn
in circles. Its like a fish in a pond a little bit; and thats what your
comfort zone is. But life is lived outside the comfort zone. Nobody
said that you cant create a comfort zone beyond your immediate
comfort zone."
While Horn advocates for everyone to push beyond their comfort
zones in order to reach their full potential, he does acknowledge that
one does not wake up one day and become an adventurer. I think
that we all have a certain DNA that makes us who we are and to be
able to discover this at a very young age, as I did, obviously helps me
to build a career in professional exploration, he expounds.
But one rule of thumb he learned from his father and which he
believes applies to everyone is: "If your dreams dont scare you
theyre not big enough."
disCOver saUdi araBia: the heJaz railway exhiBitiOn displays KingdOMs riCh histOry
Khalid al-Falih | Continued from p1
FaCing Fear and MOving FOrward
100 " : ." . " . "
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knowledge-based economy. Both have a common thread
of impactful research, technology, and talent, which are
necessary to spur economic growth and diversification,
create jobs, and address challenges facing Saudi Arabia
and the world.
Saudi Aramco currently counts more than 100 KAUST
alumni as employees, and relies on the University as an
important R&D partner. KAUST serves as an example of the
power of collaboration across disciplines and institutions,
stated Al-Falih.
He noted an example of a team of eight KAUST graduates
who are now Saudi Aramco employees. These men and
women from four continents designed and developed a robot
to inspect pipelines and hard-to-reach operational assets like
beams and elevated vessels, Al-Falih explained. The team
members represent the best of both KAUST and Saudi Aramco:
people who use their knowledge of science and technology
to better the world by combining their respective strengths,
expertise, and insights, he said.
This spirit of collaboration is one of KAUSTs main
strengths, Al-Falih said, as innovation is not just a matter of
the most powerful electron microscopes or most sophisticated
nanotechnology clean room; its about scientists and
researchers collaborating to turn abstract ideas and theories
into transformative solutions.
KAUST and its work with academic and industrial partners
are a bridge to an inspirational past, and will be a bridge to
the future, Al-Falih stated. I believe also that [the University]
can bridge human understanding an element that is essential
to the spirit of open collaboration that drives innovation.
:
WEP photographers in action, tracking the ottoman hejaz Railway.
mike horn
Photo Credit: laurence hapiot
FAMILy FARMS are evolving, just like the rest of agriculture,
said Professor Nina Fedoroff, Distinguished Professor and
Director of the Center for Desert Agriculture, in her speech
opening the WEP 2014 Food & Farming theme in recognition
of the United Nations International year of Family Farming.
While Fedoroffs research at KAUST includes work on
domesticating salt-tolerant plants to use as a food source, she
set the stage for the upcoming week by focusing on the bigger
picture problems of food security in a growing and changing
world, and the importance of innovation in agriculture.
Were living on borrowed time, she said, speaking
specifically of our heavy dependence on water from non-
renewable aquifers, but echoing her overall message. The
global population is projected to climb above 9 billion by
2050. With decreased crop yields expected from a hotter
climate and increasing water scarcity, this presents a looming
challenge to humanity.
Meeting this challenge, said Fedoroff, requires a revolution
in thinkingdeveloping new sources of water, land, and
energy for farming, exploring the potential of genetic
engineering, and integrating farming systems to increase
efficiency. There are no magic bullets, she said. We need
to push boundaries.
She closed her talk with a live video Q & A session with
the operators of Lufa Farms, a Canadian company developing
rooftop greenhouses to feed cities from within, and a prime
example of the innovation she has in mind.
Can we feed ten billion people, and do so more sustainably?
she asked. I believe we can.
KaUst FarMers MarKet a sUCCess
January 2014 The BeaconFood & Farming4
Opening OF wep 2014 FOOd and FarMing
"As you can see, we're not meeting that goal," revealed Dr. Terri Raney
during her keynote lecture, speaking of the progress that the United
Nations and its Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) have made
towards the goal made in the 1990s of helping countries cut the number
of undernourished people by half in 2015.
Raney is a senior economist and editor of The State of Food and
Agriculture, the FAO's flagship report, first published in 1947. "However,
we are doing better in proportionate terms as the percentage of
undernourished people is down to 15% compared to 1947 -- when it
was estimated that 50% of the world's population was malnourished,"
added Raney.
Malnutrition is a far more challenging problem today than it was
in 1947. "Back then it was hunger, pure and simple. Now it's more
complex," she explained. The answer to tackling hunger alone is fairly
straightforward: simply produce more food.
The Green Revolution of 1947 did exactly this. An international
initiative to increase agricultural research and introduce high yielding
varieties, the Green Revolution doubled production of basic grains
since the late 1960s, raised farm incomes and reduced food prices for
consumers all over the world, arguably its most important impact.
Undernourishment, micronutrient deficiencies, and obesity all
contribute to what today is referred to as the triple burden of
malnutrition. "What is a really thorny challenge is that these problems
overlap. There are countries, households, and even individuals that suffer
from all three forms of malnutrition," explained Raney. Such a complex
problem requires a complex solution.
There are positive signs, however. One metric that the FAO used to
evaluate success is the rate of adoption of genetically modified (GM)
crops. "Developing countries now exceed industrialized countries in the
total area planted to GM crops," revealed Raney. The greatest benefit is
likely the reduced use of chemical, labor, and energy use.
When asked what was the likelihood of the world reaching food
security by 2050, Raney used the events of 2008, when the cost of basic
grains increased significantly over a very short period of time, to explain
that the world will likely always be at risk of such shock events. However,
with long-term solutions and risk-appropriate policies, she is optimistic
that the agricultural sector should be able to produce sufficient food to
feed our planet's population and protect the most vulnerable.
On the weekend of January 16-18, KAUSTs Discovery Square
came to life amidst the white tents of the Farmers Market,
offering produce and products from Saudi Arabia and beyond.
The selection was diverse, with treats like date maamoul and
Saudi honey complementing organic vegetables and meats
from in-Kingdom farms. Thuwal fisherman sold local fish,
while one stand sold fresh fruit from around Africa and as far
away as the Philippines.
For the more adventurous shopper, Al Turatha Jeddah-
based agricultural companyoffered hair and skin products
made from camel urine, while Honey House, amidst its shelves
of honey, tea, myrrh oil, and incense burners, housed a display
of live bees.
dr. terri raney- Feeding 9 BilliOn peOple sUstainaBly
The WEP 2014 Food & Farming lecture series came
to a close with a talk by Dr. Mark Tester, Professor of
Bioscience at KAUST, echoing the message of many of the
weeks speakers in calling for advancement in agriculture.
The challenges are significant, and I think the need for
innovation is great, he said.
Tester bolstered the weeks previous talks with some staggering
numbers. With current technologies, global food production
is increasing at an average of 32 million tonnes of food per
year, but to feed the worlds projected population of 9 billion in
2050, he said, will require a 38% higher annual increase in food
production per year, starting now.
Here as KAUST, we have the opportunity to make fundamental
scientific discoveries which can then drive innovation, he said.
This discovery and delivery can be used to address problems of
relevance to the Kingdom, the region, and the world.
While many of the distinguished speakers for WEP 2014
were acquainting themselves with the campus, Dr. Michael
Purugganan, Professor of Genomics and Biology, and Dean of
Science at New york University, was searching Jeddah's busy
markets for date fruit. "I'm interested in how evolution works,"
he said, "particularly how humans and plants are coevolving."
In his keynote lecture, "The Origins of Crop Species,"
Purugganan offered insights on how recent advances in genome
sequencing and data processing are giving scientists a better
understanding of how our modern crops came to be. The date
fruit he collected in Jeddah represent just one of many domestic
plant types whose evolution he hopes to understand. "We think
that by looking at the past, there are some lessons we might be
able to learn about how to feed the world," he said.
UndErstandinG domEstiCatEd Plants
Domesticated plants make for an ideal study of evolution. They
evolved recently, they're subjected to intense selection pressures year
after year, and in many cases there's an archeological record from the
first dates of domestication through to the present. In Purugganan's
view, the adaptation of plants to human farms (and of humans to eat
these plants) is much the same as the natural interactions between
plant and animal species that have evolved to cooperate. Flowers feed
bees, for instance, and in turn bees pollinate flowers.
Purugganan is using statistical analysis to identify which sites on
domestic plant genomes have been important in adapting to various
aspects of domestication. He hopes that this understanding will help
plant breeders and geneticists in adapting our crops to a changing
planet. "There are a lot of challenges we face in order to be able to feed
a hungry world," he said. "Plant genomics is one part of the possible
solutions."
January 2014www.kaust.edu.sa 5Food & Farming
disCOvering new BOtaniCal heights
dr. MiChael pUrUgganan - the Origins OF CrOp speCies
Lack of vitamin A is one of the worlds biggest and most
severe health problems, said Dr. Ingo Potrykus, co-inventor of
Golden Rice, in his keynote lecture on the potentially life-saving
technology. The social and economic costs are astronomic.
Golden Ricea genetically modified crop engineered to deliver
adequate vitamin A to hundreds of millions of people in the
developing worldhas been stalled for over a decade due to the
difficulties in obtaining permits for the use of genetically modified
organisms, or GMOs.
thE imPortanCE oF Vitamin a
A study published by the World Health Organization in 1992
estimates that between 1.3 and 2.5 million children die every
year because their diets, which often consist of rice and little else,
lack an adequate source of vitamin A. An additional 250,000 to
500,000 children go blind each year for the same reason. Despite
humanitarian efforts to provide vitamin-A-rich capsules to
supplement the diets of those in need, the situation today remains
dire. The problem stems from the fact that rice, the staple crop of
over half of the worlds population, lacks vitamin A almost entirely.
In the early 1990s Potrykus, together with Peter Beyer of the
University of Freiburg, decided that through the application of the
latest finds in genomics they could introduce vitamin A to the rice
kernel, thus turning the problem of rice itself into a solution. After
years of research exploring multiple options, in 1999 they found
what they were looking for: Golden Rice. By splicing a small section
of daffodil DNA into the rice plants genome, they enabled rice
kernels to produce beta carotenethe naturally occurring precursor
to vitamin A that gives carrots, pumpkins, and yams their orange
color. In the rice, the beta carotene gave each grain a distinctive
golden hue.
thE aCCEPtanCE oF GoldEn riCE
The entire technology is the seed, said Potrykus. Unlike most
other genetically modified plants, Golden Rice was developed as a
humanitarian project, with the intention of distributing the crops to
farmers and allowing them to grow and breed it as they would with
normal rice, and in the process, saving countless millions of lives.
But without the financial support of a large private company,
Golden Rice has run into difficulties in clearing the regulatory hurdles
set up for any new GMO. Steps towards obtaining the approvals to
distribute Golden Rice have already increased the development costs
of the project tenfold. More importantly, Potrykus said, with every
year that Golden Rice is kept from farmers fields, more and more
people around the world suffer the effects of vitamin A deficiency.
What is disappointing is that for none of these requirements
is there scientific justification, he said. The data from the
trials is clear.
But Potrykus is hopeful. Golden Rice is currently undergoing
large scale, carefully monitored human trials in the Philippines. He
anticipates that positive results from these trials could eventually
soften regulations and silence opponents to the project. I think this
has a future, he said.
The challenges are significant, and I think the need for innovation is great.
-Prof. Mark Tester
dr. ingO pOtryKUs - gOlden riCe
glOBal FOOd seCUrity an OppOrtUnity FOr innOvatiOn
dr. michael Purugganan
mark tester, Professor of bioscience
The KAUST Auditorium lobby had several dozen new residents on display for the WEP
2014 Food and Farming lecture series: fruit bearing and otherwise edible fruit-bearing
plants like basil, pansies, Saudi cabbage, and tomatoes, each protruding from its own
string-wrapped moss ball.
The plants were the product of a Winter Enrichment Program workshop on the practice
of kokedama (Japanese for moss ball), wherein plants are removed from soil, placed in
a mud ball, and surrounded by moss. While the technique dates back several centuries,
it has only recently gained popularity outside of Japan, with florists and hobbyists
stringing up the mossy orbs to create stunning botanical displays.
Natalya Ayers and Fiona Inglis, founders of the UK-based floral company Pyrus, led
KAUST community members in the workshop. Reactions were positive, they said, and
one KAUST K-12 teacher even plans to introduce the technique to her students. Were
anticipating a kokedama epidemic on campus, they added.
PhD student Galo Torres Sevilla and former PhD student Justine
Mink (class of 2013) from Professor Muhammad Mustafa Hussains
Integrated Nanotechnology Lab published papers in two outstanding
journals in December 2013.
Torres Sevillas KAUST masters degree thesis (Flexible and Semi-
Transparent Thermoelectric Energy Harvesters from Low Cost Bulk
Silicon (100)) was published in the journal Small (DOI: 10.1002/
smll.201301025). The paper, which appeared as the issues frontispiece,
describes research into a regenerative process to fabricate a flexible
silicon-based thermoelectric generator. Reviewers of Torres Sevillas
work remarked it was novel and impressivethe technique is highly
cost-effective.
After joining the University in 2011 as a masters degree student,
Torres Sevilla has continued on towards his PhD in Prof. Hussains
lab. He has published six journal and 10 conference papers, including
five first-authored papers, and is expected to graduate in 2015.
Minks first-authored paper (Energy Harvesting from Organic
Liquids in Micro-Sized Microbial Fuel Cells) was accepted to Nature
Asia Materials (DOI: 10.1038/am.2014.1). Mink and Prof. Hussains
teams work produced a micro-sized (75 mL) microbial fuel cell (MFC)
with a graphene anode and an air cathode fueled by human saliva.
The MFC produced higher current densities (1190 A/m3)
compared to any previously produced air cathode micro-sized
MFC. It also generated 40 times more power than previously found
possible with the use of a carbon cloth anode. Reviewers of Minks
work commented that it was an interesting comparative study
of various anode materials in a simple structure for microbial
fuel cellsThe contentis relevant to the emerging field of bio-
integrated electronics.
Mink joined KAUST in 2009 as a founding class masters degree
student, continuing on to complete her PhD at the University.
She has first-authored five journal papers, with two appearing as
cover pieces. She is now working for the Dow Chemical Company
as a researcher.
research6 The BeaconJanuary 2014
FOrMer and CUrrent KaUst integrated nanOteChnOlOgy laB stUdents pUBlish in prestigiOUs JOUrnals
prOFessOr hadJiChristidis naMed tO the pOlyMer CheMistry advisOry BOard
aCColadE
Prof. Nikos Hadjichristidis was recently named to the
Polymer Chemistry advisory board. Polymer Chemistry is
a peer-reviewed high impact journal (factor 5.231) that
publishes advances in polymer chemistry, encompassing
all aspects of synthetic and biological macromolecules
and related emerging areas.
Prof. Hadjichristidis, Professor of Chemical Science
in the KAUST Catalysis Center, has previously served
as a member of the editorial board of Macromolecules,
and is currently an editorial board member of Journal
of Polymer Science: Polymer Chemistry, Progress in
Polymer Science, and European Polymer Journal.
Phd student Galo torres sevillas masters degree thesis appears as the frontispiece for the december 2013 issue of the prestigious journal small.
Have you been checking The Lens?The Lens is the Universitys official blog , providing a one-stop shop for news, announcements, links, and contacts. Available to ALL in the community (faculty, students, employees, and spouses) without a login,
it can be accessed by anyone through the KAUST network.
Visit http://thelens.kaust.edu.sa to find:
Announcements | Upcoming events | News about KAUSTComprehensive list of University links | Useful contact information
register FOr liBrary training
throughout the spring 2014 semester, the university library will host several training classes designed to help the KAust researchers get the most from the librarys wide array of information resources and to aid students in achieving success with their studies.
KAust specialists will present the following classes: Effective literature search Web of science (science citation database) scopus (science citation database) business source Complete (business database) Pubmed and biosis Previews scifinder & Reaxys Abi/inform Complete (business database) mathscinet and siAm ACm digital library Endnote (citation management software) more Citations for Your Research with KAust digital Archive
to register for a class, please visit libguides.kaust.edu.sa/libtraining. Classes are open to all members of the KAust community.
Unlike animals, plants cannot run away from adverse
environmental conditions like high temperatures, drought,
or high soil salinity, says Liming Xiong, Associate Professor
of Bioscience.
Because of this, plants have developed sophisticated
mechanisms to deal with stress. One way they do this is to
activate the expression of many stress-responsive genes whose
products can increase plant tolerance to stress. Manipulating the
expression of these genes is the major method currently used to
engineer plant stress tolerance, he explains.
Prof. Xiong notes that there are some disadvantages to
overexpressing stress-responsive genes. The major drawback is
that overexpression often compromises plant performance under
normal conditions, making the technology much less attractive,
he says. He and a team of KAUST research scientists realized
there is a need to develop alternative methods for engineering
or breeding stress-tolerant crop plants.
In a paper recently published in Genome Biology (http://
genomebiology.com/2014/15/1/R1), Prof. Xiong and his team
examined the overexpression of a single gene, SAD1, in the
model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. This gene is not a stress-
responsive gene per se, but is related to splicing, a process
whereby non protein-encoding nucleotides are removed from
messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA), Prof. Xiong says. The
splicing process produces mature mRNA that is used as a
template for protein synthesis (see The Beacon, October 2013).
The team discovered that overexpression of SAD1 can improve
plant tolerance to stress, probably by improved processing of
stress-responsive transcripts.
SAD1 encodes a protein called LSm5, explains Prof. Xiong.
LSm5 and other LSm proteins form a doughnut-shaped ring
complex that encircles mRNA molecules. This complex is thought
to function in several processes, including mRNA splicing.
Prof. Xiong and his team isolated a sad1 Arabidopsis mutant
that is highly sensitive to drought and salt stress. Using this
mutant, they found SAD1 can modulate the accuracy and
efficiency of pre-mRNA splicing.
This discovery was surprising because SAD1 is one of the
seven components of the doughnut-shaped ring structure,
he states. One might think it is not possible to regulate the
function of the complex by overexpressing only one component,
but we propose this process drives the formation of the complex,
resulting in enhanced splicing efficiency. Prof. Xiong and his
team call this the dynamic model of splicing regulation.
The team also discovered that overexpressing SAD1 increases
Arabidopsis salt tolerance. Overexpressing SAD1 does not
change the expression level of any stress-responsive genes
it instead promotes the accurate and efficient processing of
the stress-responsive gene transcripts, Prof. Xiong explains.
We expect that regulating the splicing efficiency does not
affect plant growth, but functions to significantly improve
stress tolerance. This is because stress induces a large increase
in the expression of stress-responsive genes whose processing
is often impaired by stressful conditions.
The researchers point out that the benefits of increasing
salt tolerance by the overexpression of SAD1 are
moderate, and thus SAD1 may not be the best candidate
for engineering crop stress tolerance, says Prof. Xiong.
However, he notes that his teams work with SAD1 provides
a proof-of-concept study that exhibits the importance of
enhancing splicing efficiency in plant stress tolerance.
The study shows that it is possible to enhance plant stress
tolerance by controlling the quality of gene products instead
of the quantity of the products.
Because of the teams work in this area, the researchers now
know what the HAPPY (Heat-and-Aridity-Proof Productive
yield) genes look like, and are beginning work to isolate the
HAPPY genes to test their effectiveness in enhancing plant
stress tolerance, Prof. Xiong says.
research 7www.kaust.edu.sa January 2014
BOOst tO eMerging teChnOlOgy in data stOrage RESEARCHERS from the National University of Singapore, in
collaboration with KAUST Professor Aurelien Manchon, have made
new observations that challenge the fundamental understanding
of current theories of spin-orbit torque. These findings were
published online in Physical Review Letters on December 9 (http://
link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.246602).
The important questions that arise from the peculiar
symmetry of the torque poses thrilling questions about the
physics at stake, said Prof. Manchon, commenting on their
observations of a strong torque component that should simply
not be present. Prof. Manchon first published about the smart
design of spin-orbit torque in Physical Review Letters in 2012 (as
covered in the September 2012 issue of The Beacon).
This observation is of significant importance, especially as
it relates to the next generation of MRAM (Magnetoresistive
Random Access Memory) technology which provides high
bit density and low power consumption. Essentially, their
observations demonstrate that a sizable spin-orbit torque can
be observed in thick multilayer systems, enabling a greater
flexibility in the structural design of a device.
At the moment, Prof. Manchon's team is actively
working on two novel mechanisms that could enhance
our understanding and control of spin-orbit torques. These
advancements in data storage can potentially be applied
to improve the user experience in consumer electronics,
including personal computers and mobile devices such as
laptops and mobile phones.
plant stress tOleranCe: a happy ending with a sad gene
model plant Arabidopsis thaliana on display in the KAust labs.
Photo Credit: liming Xiong
A cultural extravaganza celebrating Jeddahs historical
sites and traditions took place in the citys old Balad area
from January 16 - 25.
The first of its kind, the Jeddah Heritage Festival featured
plenty of cultural and entertainment programs based on Hijazi
heritage. Thousands of visitors took part in the ten-day event
that filled the streets of Al-Balad with vibrant sights, sounds, and
aromas. During the event, visitors could explore streets lined with
traditional craftsmen, cobblers, and locksmiths, as well as sample
favorite foods from various street vendors.
The festival was organized by the Saudi Commission for
Tourism and Antiquities and the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce
and Industry under the support of Makkah Emir Prince Mishal
Bin Abdullah.
January 2014 Community8 The Beacon
Joanna nassar
PhD student Joanna Nassar came to
KAUST from the American University of
Beirut (Lebanon), where she completed
her bachelors degree in Physics. She was
attracted to attend KAUST because its
the first university in the Middle East to offer such high
levels of technological innovation and such broad research
opportunities for science and engineering students, she says.
Joanna recently completed her masters degree in
Electrical Engineering at KAUST, graduating in December
2013. KAUST has given me the opportunity to work in the
Core Labs and other facilities with state-of-the-art research
equipment, she explains. This has allowed me to carry
out nanofabrication, an exciting experience that has helped
me move a step closer towards my dream of working in one
of the largest semiconductor manufacturing companies in
the world.
After graduating, Joanna decided to remain at KAUST to
complete her PhD in the Integrated Nanotechnology Lab
with Professor Muhammad Mustafa Hussain. For her PhD
project, she will work on investigating and fabricating SiGe
nanotube field effect transistors (SiGe nanotube FETs). These
devices have a new architecture and, along with the choice
of material used, will allow enhanced device performance
with lower power consumption, Joanna says.
Joanna feels that KAUST is a great environment for people
to pursue their dreams. Everywhere at KAUST, you meet
people who have the same passion and enthusiasm about
science as you do, she says. This makes the University a
perfect environment for working, learning, and mingling
with people from all over the world.
rindra ramli
Rindra Ramli is part of the University Library
team, helping to ensure that tens of thousands
of online resources are available to the KAUST
community. As Access and Digital Services
Specialist, he helps manage subscriptions to
electronic journals, electronic books, and databases. I liaise with
the publishers and also help address any user queries, says Rindra.
Additionally, I study the behavioral patterns of our users with
regards to using our resources. This helps me to understand and
improve our users experience in searching for information.
Rindra also provides awareness and training for knowledge
management and collaborative learning. During the librarys
upcoming spring 2014 training sessions, Rindra will offer tutorials
in EndNote software.
A part of the KAUST family since 2009, Rindra explains that
when he first received the offer to work here, he didnt hesitate
to accept. I love to take on challenges and at the same time meet
new people from all walks of life, he explains. Prior to joining
KAUST, he was working at Li Ka Shing Library at the Singapore
Management University.
Working at the University has also given Rindra
many opportunities to advance his career. One of the
highlights of my career at this moment is being given
the chance to write and present my research papers in
international and regional conferences in the field of
librarianship, he notes.
KAUST is a very unique environment in which to work,
live, and study, says Rindra. Here, my family and I have the
opportunity to learn more about other cultures and lifestyles.
We also appreciate the pristine beaches and unpolluted air
away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Jeddah heritage Festival
My University
Three hundred and forty-one runners, joggers, and walkers, and at least one dog, took part in the WEP
2014 five kilometer run on January 17.
While postdoctoral fellow John Pearmans winning time of 17:20 and other top performances were
impressive, many participants were out simply for the fun of it.
The thing I like best about the event is the atmosphere, said Maha Khalil, a PhD student in KAUSTs
Coral Reef Ecology Lab. Nearby, Cabby Tennis, Assistant Principal at KAUST Secondary School, boasted
to friends that his dog Chop was the first dog across the finish for the fifth consecutive year.
2014 WEP 5K WinnErs Men
1st Place: John Pearman
2nd Place: Rasmus Houborg
3rd Place: Rodain Skinner
Women
1st Place: Katie O'Brien
2nd Place: Josie OReilly
3rd Place: Rebecca Somerville
AnnuAl WEP 5K Fun Run
Juniors (Under 16)
1st Place: August Houborg
2nd Place: Colin Herrington
3rd Place: Max Somerville
Veterans (Over 45)
1st Place: Chris Cassell
2nd Place: Garth Tissington
3rd Place: Hallak Khaled