KAUST Associate Professor Aurelien Manchon has been appointed as the Wohlfarth Lecturer for the Magnetism 2020 conference. The conference, organized by IEEE UK Magnetic Chapter and the Institute of Physics, will be held in Sheffield, U.K. Manchon's research at KAUST focuses on spintronics and the development of high-speed, energy-efficient microelectronics. Why it matters: This recognition highlights KAUST's contributions to cutting-edge research in spintronics and magnetism, areas crucial for advancing microelectronics and data storage technologies.
Lorenzo Jamone from Queen Mary University of London presented on cognitive robotics, focusing on tactile exploration and manipulation by robots. The talk covered combining biology, engineering, and AI for advanced robotic systems. Jamone directs the CRISP group and has over 100 publications in cognitive robotics. Why it matters: This highlights the ongoing research into more sophisticated robotic systems that can interact with complex environments, an area crucial for future applications in manufacturing and human-robot collaboration in the GCC.
Presight CEO Thomas Pramotedham is highlighted for his instrumental role in developing and deploying artificial intelligence solutions for national-scale intelligence initiatives within the UAE. Presight, a leading UAE-based AI company, focuses on leveraging advanced AI capabilities to enhance public sector operations, security, and smart city infrastructure. The company's efforts are critical to advancing the UAE's strategic vision for digital transformation and data-driven governance across various national sectors. Why it matters: This demonstrates how local AI leaders and companies are directly implementing sophisticated AI systems to support national strategic goals and enhance government capabilities within the UAE.
KAUST Professor Marc Genton and his former postdoc Stefano Castruccio jointly won the 2017 Wilcoxon Award for their paper in Technometrics. Their paper, "Compressing an ensemble with statistical models: An algorithm for global 3D spatio-temporal temperature," details a data-compression scheme for climate simulations. The method reduces data-storage requirements and accelerates climate research capacity. Why it matters: This award highlights KAUST's contribution to statistical methods for climate modeling and big data analysis, particularly relevant for studying renewable energy resources in Saudi Arabia.
KAUST Professor Marc Genton has been selected as the 2020 Georges Matheron Lecturer of the International Association for Mathematical Geosciences. Genton will present a lecture at the 36th International Geological Congress in Delhi, India, focusing on geostatistics, climate model outputs, and the ExaGeoStat software developed at KAUST. His lecture will cover Matheron's theory of regionalized variables and showcase ExaGeoStat, a high-performance software for geostatistics with exascale computing capability developed at KAUST. Why it matters: This recognition highlights KAUST's contributions to advanced statistical methods and high-performance computing in geosciences, enhancing its international reputation in these fields.
KAUST Professor Marc Genton received the International Statistical Institute's Service Award 2019 for his leadership as editor-in-chief of the journal Stat. His research group at KAUST focuses on developing statistical tools relevant to Saudi Arabia's knowledge economy transition. Genton is also working with the University of Notre Dame on wind energy implementation and infrastructure assessment for NEOM. Why it matters: This award recognizes KAUST's contributions to statistical research and its application to renewable energy and economic development in Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Abdelrahman AlMahmoud from TII's Secure Systems Research Center (SSRC) will participate in a WGISTA webinar on adopting a digital mindset in auditing and fighting corruption. The webinar, organized by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI), will discuss the impact of emerging technologies on public sector auditing. Dr. AlMahmoud will share insights on how AI and Big Data can enable auditors to process data at a new scale. Why it matters: This highlights the UAE's growing role in applying advanced technologies like AI and big data to improve governance and accountability in the public sector.
KAUST Professor Pierre Magistretti participated in the U.S.-Saudi Arabia Business Leaders Virtual Forum, organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Saudi Ministry of Investment. Magistretti spoke on a panel about healthcare innovation alongside representatives from Pfizer, Abbott, and the Saudi Ministry of Investment. KAUST's Smart-Health Initiative (SHI) aims to translate scientific discoveries into clinical tools. Why it matters: This participation highlights KAUST's growing role in shaping healthcare innovation within the Kingdom and fostering international collaborations in the field.