Provost’s Acceptance Message
THE KAUST DREAM: A HUB OF INNOVATION AND DISCOVERY
It is a great honor for me to accept the position of Founding Provost Executive Vice President of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). The KAUST concept as envisioned by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is a historically unprecedented endeavor, a grand and noble challenge that almost defies the imagination in its scope, stature, and potential impact for the good of humanity. Joining President-designate Shih, Interim President Al-Nasr, and the other KAUST leadership in translating the King’s vision into reality is an opportunity of a lifetime, an exciting journey for all of us involved in shaping the University’s academic culture and research profile. The unparalleled speed with which we will build such an institution for graduate learning and advanced research leaves me no doubt that KAUST will soon be on par with the best research universities of the world.
For me, to be part of such a journey and to do so at the formulation stage is a rare opportunity and a great privilege. I will pour my whole being into helping to establish the academic foundation of KAUST and defining a culture that reaches for scientific excellence and that celebrates people from all over the world . Such accomplishments, as they come together at KAUST, will bring great benefits to the Kingdom, the region, and the world, in keeping with the vision of King Abdullah.
History teaches us that education and scholarship lead to great discoveries, provide personal and collective enlightenment, and prompt us to think deeply about the questions that humans have strived to answer for millennia – questions about the nature of the universe and how all of life functions in both a biological and social sense. The pursuit of scientific knowledge also offers avenues to prosperity and improvements in the quality of life through the application of technological innovation, better health care, cultural enrichment, personal growth, and more.
KAUST will pursue research in basic science as well as applied engineering, with a focus on technical areas that are of particular relevance and importance to Saudi Arabia and the region. Imagine what we will reap through the development of molecularly engineered solar cells of extremely high efficiency, for example. With Saudi Arabia’s abundant sunlight and wide spaces, such an achievement is not only suitable for use in the Kingdom, but could also potentially make it an exporter of solar energy to the benefit of all peoples. Think what it would mean to develop salt-tolerant wheat that can grow in brackish water. Give KAUST scientists the means to identify the genes in plants now able to grow in salty waters, and then transplant those genes to wheat and other grains. A successful outcome would be extraordinary for Saudi Arabia and many other regions around the globe.
Involvement in the birth and growth of KAUST bestows on me a special personal privilege. I was born and grew up in the Arab World – in Syria, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. To now be in a position to give back to the culture that raised and supported me in my early years is something I never dreamed might be possible. With President-designate Shih, Interim President Al-Nasr, and all of my colleagues-to-be at KAUST, and with the guidance and encouragement of His Excellency Minister Ali Ibrahim Al-Naimi, I believe in my heart that we will build a powerhouse of scientific inquiry and join the finest research universities around the world in addressing the needs – and dreams – of all people.