News and Events

• Captaining your Career – Alumni Career Panel, October 25, 2018

  • If you’re looking to update your LinkedIn profile, then look no further than this year’s Alumni Career Panel. No need to register, but pop by and say hello to the Alumni Affairs team while a professional photographer takes a quick (yet professional) headshot. Photos are only being taken from 11.15-12.00, so don’t miss out!

    After your photo stay for a networking lunch and the Alumni Career Panel with speakers Bingmu Xiao (CGG, London), Ayman Amer (Saudi Aramco R&D) and Mohammed Al-Bloushi (Sabic).

    When: Thursday October 25

    Times:

    11.15-12 - LinkedIn headshots

    11.30-12.15 - Lunch

    12.15-1.15 - Alumni Career Panel

    1.30 – Career Fair

    Where: Building 19, Conference Center, Room 3

    For further information and profiles of the alumni speakers, sign-up (or sign-in) to Rapport – alumnirapport.com
    

• Alumni Lecture Series 2019​

  • Alumni Lecture Series will be held on January 17, 2019. All the students and alumni are welcome to come!
    

    
    

    When: Thursday, January 17, 2019 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
    Where: Spine auditorium between Buildings 2 & 3

    
    

    Five Thousand Years: A Brief History of Chinese Science and Technology by Yiqiang Fan

    Like any other ancient civilizations, China has a long history of science and technology, dating back to five thousand years ago. Ancient Chinese scientists were the first to observe the sunspots, they researched magnetic phenomena, but also calculated - as did the ancient Greeks- the precise value of the ratio of the circumference to the diameter of a circle. The compass, gunpowder, paper, moveable type, bronze and iron casting, or seismograph were all, without exception, inventions of the Chinese. “Five Thousand Years: A Brief History of Chinese Science and Technology” will present some of the most important Chinese inventions in science and technology in the development of history.

    
    

    Time in Molecular Clocks by Vanessa Robitzch

    In this lecture, Vanessa will talk about "molecular clocks". These “clocks” are an ancient and ubiquitous evolutionary masterpiece of DNA, which do not tell you the current time, but time in the past. Molecular clocks can tell when a certain event occurred by keeping track of the number of changes in a genome (mutations) over time. Many of these changes occur at a constant rate: just like seconds, minutes, or hours. However, over many generations and thus, in most species, over hundreds or thousands of years. They can also clocks tell us when species evolved, even for species without fossil records; and working backwards in time. Molecular clocks can also help organize the evolutionary timeline or schedule: by comparing genomic data of different organisms we have also learned that bats and dolphins are actually closer related than sharks and tunas!

    Crafting a Career: Life as a Software Engineer by Nabeelah Ali

    How does one craft a meaningful career that is both rewarding and has space to grow? In this alumni lecture, alumbni Nabeelah Ali will talk about what she has learned on succeeding in a professional environment after her degree: the importance of communication skills, how to draft a plan for your career with goalposts that are personally relevant, and how to take advantage of the unique situation of being a minority (She is the only female engineer at Microsoft in Tromsø).

    Disrupting Yourself by Albara Al Auhali

    Disruption isn’t only for markets or businesses, but it’s also important on individual-level, and can lead to amazing results. Just like any startup, unless we disrupt ourselves, we get stuck in the same place. This talk will give some hints on how to disrupt yourself.

    From Milliseconds to Oil & Gas, by Hassan Al-Ismail

    With the Saudi 2030 Vision, the economic structure of the Kingdom is changing and becoming more diversified. However, the oil and gas industry remains as a main contributor to the national income. There’s so much that goes on behind the scenes before a new oil/gas discovery is announced; including a crucial step called “static corrections” of seismic data which allows us to see photos of the subsurface of the earth in the “time” dimension (as opposed to the more “intuitive” photos in the depth dimension). In this lecture, Hassan will focus on his work at Saudi Aramco after he graduated from KAUST in 2014; which deals with leading a team that consists of 9 geophysicists who work in generating near surface velocity models to calculate this static correction and obtain high quality seismic images of the subsurface of the earth, with the aim of helping geologic interpreters generate structural images and choose locations for their rigs (thus, we go from milliseconds in the time dimension, to discovering hydrocarbon fields). Throughout his talk, he will also briefly go over the elements of a petroleum system and the oil and gas exploration cycle (from data acquisition to prospect generation, or in other words, pinpointing an area with hydrocarbon potential that should be drilled).

• Saudi Arabian Alumni Chapter

  • The University’s Saudi Arabian Alumni Chapter was established in 2014 https://www.kaust.edu.sa/en/news/chameau-announces-first-alumni-chapter and is KAUST’s first alumni chapter (followed by the launch of the China Alumni Chapter in 2016).
    
    With geographical coverage of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the base of KAUST’s largest alumni community comprising graduates and former postdoctoral fellows, the Chapter works in partnership with Alumni Affairs. The Chapter’s mandate includes:
    
    

    • Creating professional networks and connections for alumni and students.
    • Facilitating opportunities for alumni and students to connect through face-to-face and online channels (including Rapport – alumnirapport.com).
    • Representing KAUST as ambassadors.

    
    In January every year, Alumni Affairs calls for Chapter nominations. Executive leadership roles are for two years, and general committee membership is for 12 months (with a further extension available by negotiation).  Alumni Affairs, and the Chapter, sits within KAUST Graduate Affairs.
    
    The current Chapter includes:
    
    Executive:
    
    

    1. Noura Shehab, PhD ‘14 - President
    2. Hussain Shibli, MS ‘13  – Vice-President, and President-Elect (2020)
    3. Mona Alsomali, PhD ’16 – Vice-President (Communications)
    4. Hessa Alquwaiee, PhD ’16 – Vice-President (Programs)

    
    Committee members:
    
    

    1. Kareem Khalil, MS ‘12
    2. Vasiliki Kordopati, MS ‘17
    3. Lautaro Rayo, MS ‘12
    4. Mohammad Shaqura, MS ‘12

• Saudi Arabian Alumni Chapter Gaining Ground

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    Saudi Alumni Chapter members met on April 26 to discuss future plans for the Chapter.

    
    

    Saudi Alumni Chapter members met on April 26 to discuss future plans for the Chapter.
    Every year, a new team of alumni working in various industries, companies and cities across Saudi Arabia comes together to give back to KAUST, their alma mater, and serve on the executive board of the Saudi Arabian Alumni Chapter.
    "This year, we received 27 outstanding nominations for the Chapter, which made it extremely difficult for the panel to make its selection," Lea Sublett, manager of Alumni Affairs said.
    The Saudi Arabian Alumni Chapter has been steadily gaining ground as the alumni pool grows and an increasing number of graduates are remaining in the Kingdom after graduation. The Chapter is unique in that it caters to the M.S. and Ph.D. graduates living and working in the Kingdom, which represent around 51 percent of the total alumni. The global alumni network is also growing thanks to the online alumni network Rapport, which Sublett explained is like a "hybrid of Facebook and LinkedIn".
    From job listings to online mentoring, Rapport gives alumni the ability to engage with the community no matter where they are.
    

    
    

    

    On April 26, the fourth executive committee of the Saudi Alumni Chapter and the Alumni Affairs team met to set the agenda for the 2018 Saudi Alumni Chapter. Pictured (from left to right) Nigel Clarkson, Karim Khalil, Hussain Shibli, Lautaro Rayo, Teemu Hentunen, Noura Shehab, Hessa Al-Quwaiee and Lea Sublett.

    
    

    On April 26, the fourth executive committee of the Saudi Alumni Chapter and the Alumni Affairs team met to set the agenda for the 2018 Saudi Alumni Chapter. Pictured (from left to right) Nigel Clarkson, Karim Khalil, Hussain Shibli, Lautaro Rayo, Teemu Hentunen, Noura Shehab, Hessa Al-Quwaiee and Lea Sublett.

    "The job posting has really taken off without a lot of support from the Alumni Affairs staff. A lot of those jobs are academic—post-doctoral positions or fellowships. It's a really nice feature," Sublett said.
    In April, an online mentoring pilot program was launched with a small group of students and alumni, an initiative which the executive team hopes to plan with time.
    The Saudi Arabian Alumni Chapter executive team, which meets on campus biannually, met most recently on April 9 to crystallize the Chapter's direction into 2019. The Chapter's executive team agreed that engagement via on campus and regional meetings, as well as developing new content on Rapport, was integral to adding value to alumni. In their own words, the 2018 team reveals what's next for the Chapter.
    

    
    

    
    

    Noura Shehab, president, Saudi Arabian Alumni Chapter 2018

    
    

    Ph.D. 2014, environmental engineering

    
    

    Currently working as the chief technologist at Research Products Development Company

    
    

    "All universities grow through their alumni. KAUST counts on us to do that. We always as alumni have to remember that we are KAUST ambassadors," Shehab said when explaining her motivation to join the Chapter.
    "This year, our mission is to create a 'Community for Life' that continues long after graduation. My goals are to increase engagement by launching new activities through Rapport and creating opportunities for social gatherings."
    

    
    

    
    

    Hussain Shibli, vice president, Saudi Arabian Alumni Chapter 2018 

    
    

    M.S. 2013, applied mathematics and computational science

    
    

    Currently working as director general of the National Renewable Energy Data Center in King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KACARE)
    
    

    "It is my personal responsibility to make an impact. As a chapter, we have a long list of opportunities; however, we need to focus on the activities that make the biggest impact. First of all, I want to engage the maximum possible number of KAUST alumni with the Chapter's activities. Secondly, I want to catalyze collaboration between our alumni."
    

    
    

    

    Mona Alsomali, vice president (communications), Saudi Arabian Alumni Chapter 2018
    

    
    

    Ph.D. 2016, bioscience
    

    
    

    Currently working as a senior microbiologist at the Dow Middle East Innovation Center
    
    

    "Being an alumus doesn't mean becoming disconnected from the University. My goal is to get alumni excited, engaged and set them up to take over the reins in the coming years," explained Alsomali. "I studied at KAUST for almost four, years so I have an emotional connection with this wonderful University. Coming back to campus to work for one of the companies after being back in Jeddah for a year was a huge blessing. It's affected my career very positively and facilitated my work at Dow."
    

    
    

    
    

    Hessa Al-Quwaiee, vice president (programs), Saudi Arabian Alumni Chapter 2018
    
    

    M.S. 2013, Ph.D. 2016, electrical engineering
    
    

    Currently working as an engineer at Huawei
    
    

    "I want to build new programs for alumni to help facilitate meetings across Saudi Arabia. I think the Chapter could benefit from creating continuity between the executive teams from one year to the next so long term projects can be planned. Sometimes it's good to take responsibility for voluntary work that you are not paid for and give back to the community, " Al-Quwaiee expressed.
    The executive team is joined by committee members Kareem Khalil (M.S. '12), Vasiliki Kordopati (M.S. '17), Lautaro Rayo (M.S. '12) and Mohammad Shaqura (M.S. '12).

    
    

    
    

• 2018 Spring Graduation Luncheon, Monday May 14

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    An informal pre-Ramadan lunch was hosted by Alumni Affairs for students graduating in Spring 2018 (on June 14). Lea Sublett, Manager of Alumni Affairs, congratulated the (first cohort) of the Class of 2018 on their academic achievement, persistence and passion, reminding them that they will always remain a significant part of the KAUST community.
    
    

    Celebrating with family, faculty, alumni and fellow students in the Student Center, the Class of 2018 were invited by Lea to stay in touch and always think of KAUST as home. "Whatever your next step—whether it's further study or embarking on your career—we encourage you to stay in touch and remain involved in the life of KAUST," Lea said.​
    
    

• Plan Early and Find a Good Mentor

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    Students and alumni enjoyed first-class and sage advice from the Alumni Career Panel in March, facilitated by PhD student Babar Khan and Saudi Arabian Alumni Chapter member Vasiliki Kodopati.  Alumni Mohammed Namazi, Hessa AlQuwaiee and Miasser Al Ghamdi all agreed that students should plan early and find a good mentor. When the going gets tough, the panel said, “remember what you have achieved, as this will help you when your passion dims.'' 
    
    

• Alumni Lecture Series - Counsel, Comedy and Career Advice

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    The Alumni Lecture Series combined counsel, comedy and career advice, offered by speakers from the classes of 2011, 2012 and 2013. Their advice to students: don't be afraid of deviating from your degree, research, discipline, or professional path.  With specialties from his fast-food restaurant in Russia, Sultan Safin told the story of his transition from engineer to fast-food entrepreneur offering sage advice for students.

    Hanan Alshehri spoke about studying at KAUST in pursuit of her passion for mathematics; a passion which led to her career in finance.  Daniel Toth, completing his PhD this spring at EPFL, advised students to consider a career in consulting given the demand for those with the skills, and curiosity, that KAUST nurtures.

    Hussain Shibli, a keen environmentalist, gave us a detailed look at the Kingdom's plans for renewable energy; and Fernando Cagua, an engineer turned biologist, simplified the complexity that one might expect to see in network science.

    If you're interested in speaking in a future alumni career panel or Enrichment Program, contact Alumni Affairs alumni@kaust.edu.sa
    

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• Welcome New Graduates-class of 2018

  • Welcome to the KAUST alumni community, a network of more than 1,500 alumni across the globe.
    
    Your membership to this community is automatic, it's free and it opens up a world of opportunities and benefits to help build your career and professional networks, and stay informed and connected.

    
    

    Where to from here?​

    Ensure your contact details are correct:

    To keep you connected and up-to-date, we need to know where you are to ensure you hear about opportunities and are invited to events in your region.

    
    

    Already graduated? You can login here to check your details are correct or update your contacts.

    
    

    Completed your studies but still waiting to graduate? You'll need to wait until after your graduation ceremony to update your contact details through our portal.  You can contact a member of the Alumni Affairs team at any time to assist you alumni@kaust.edu.sa
    
    

    Join our online and regional networks:

    Connect with the KAUST Alumni Community on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/7067201​ 

    
    

    KAUST has alumni chapters in Saudi Arabia and China. For information on how to become involved, contact us alumni@kaust.edu.sa

    
    

    Remember, no matter where you go or what you do, KAUST will always be a part of who you are.

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• Join Rapport - the online community for alumni

  • The portal offers graduates, student alumni and KAUST's former postdoctoral fellows, the opportunity to network online, post or find jobs, lead a discussion, start a group, and identify a mentor.
    

    Login to Rapport at https://alumnirapport.com/ using Facebook or LinkedIn credentials, or you can establish a unique identity. The mobile app called Alumni Rapport can be found in Google and iOS appstores.
    

    IOS App Store - http://bit.ly/RapportApp Play Store - http://bit.ly/RapportAppGoogle
    

    
    

    Rapport

• Alumni Volunteering Opportunities

  • There are many ways for you to stay connected to KAUST and pay-it-forward. Volunteering your time, talent and expertise at KAUST and across the globe will cultivate our community of future alumni, as well as keep you connected. Regardless of where you live, you can tap into one or more of our opportunities, or come up with your own ideas!
    
    Benefits of volunteering:

    • Gained experience
    • New learning opportunities
    • Networking opportunities
    • Potential of reciprocity
      
    • Enhanced CV.

    The following opportunities are currently available, so register your interest now .

    • Alumni living internationally to speak as ambassadors about KAUST to prospective students.
    • Social media ambassadors to lead career conversation via Rapport
    • Alumni to share their professional stories and to be interviewed for University publications and videos. Send your CV and a good quality photograph.
      

    Help Alumni Affairs reach 250 alumni stories in 2018 by submitting your bio​
    

    Register your interest