RIYADH: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology places a strong emphasis on sustainability, actively advancing carbon capture initiatives and coral reef protection in Saudi Arabia, according to its president.
Speaking to Arab News on the sidelines of the Future Investment Initiative event, Edward Byrne highlighted KAUST’s role in attracting foreign direct investments into the Kingdom through its research and development efforts.
“Sustainable development is at the heart of KAUST. There are incredibly exciting projects underway in a whole range of areas. But the work at KAUST, led by Carlos Duarte and his colleagues, is rejuvenating the fantastic coral reefs in the Red Sea with great success,” Byrne stated.
He further expressed enthusiasm for the university’s collaboration with Aramco on carbon capture, noting, “I am also very excited about the carbon capture work with Aramco, which is showing huge promise. We’re going to need more fossil fuel for many years, so I think this is really important for the environment.”
Byrne also mentioned KAUST’s expertise in sophisticated supercomputing, which will aid the Kingdom in managing large data sets. In November, KAUST unveiled Shaheen III, described as the most powerful supercomputer in the Middle East, according to the TOP500 report, which tracks supercomputer performance. This system is anticipated to play a crucial role in developing and testing predictive mathematical models.
Discussing how KAUST contributes to Saudi Arabia’s economic growth through foreign direct investment and partnerships, Byrne said: “You can’t build a solid house without bricks. And the scientific advances in KAUST are some of the major bricks. It will help build the economy of the nation. Our job now is to translate that brilliant science in so many areas—water, agriculture, health, environment, energy — into new companies, into new businesses for the Kingdom, and we are on the journey.”
Byrne emphasized that KAUST is a leading research powerhouse, translating its efforts into practical outcomes in vital areas for the Kingdom, including human health, innovative desalination methods, and genetically modified crops.
He explained that KAUST conducts its research in partnership with both government and commercial entities. “KAUST cannot do things in isolation. Many have been done in partnership with government departments in Saudi Arabia, but many have been done in commercial partnerships, both with large companies like Aramco, who are still our number one commercial partner, and with many spinoffs. There are over 400 spinoffs now operating in the Kingdom in all of these areas,” Byrne noted.
Additionally, the KAUST president highlighted the university's role in strengthening the private sector in Saudi Arabia by encouraging young graduates to become entrepreneurs. He mentioned that KAUST is equipping students with advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, to meet the demands of the modern workforce.
“Even employers don’t fully understand the skill set that people will need, and the knowledge base they will need ten years from now in their industries. So, we are working to help understand that, unravel it, so we can make sure that Saudi Arabia is on the crest of the wave in how we’re educating our young people here,” Byrne said.
