Geometric Modeling and Scientific Visualization Research Center

Introduction

Center Director

Vision

The Geometric Modeling and Scientific Visualization Research Center will ensure that KAUST is at the forefront of petascale computing, modeling, visualization, and immersive environments.

Mission

The Visualization facility within the Al-Khawarzimi Building

The Center will possess top expertise and perform fundamental and application-oriented research in a variety of areas of visual computing, such as: geometric modeling and geometry processing, scientific visualization, virtual reality, rendering, simulation, computational geometry and topology, computer vision, and imaging science. There will be a strong focus on novel applications with a high potential for the advancement of science and technology. In particular, the Center will provide a unique interactive environment that cultivates multidisciplinary collaborations among KAUST researchers and students as well as industry researchers and collaborators interested in exploring the mathematical properties of systems in pure sciences and engineering.

 

Center Objectives and Approaches

The Center will serve as a focal point for interdisciplinary research, encompassing modeling, analysis, algorithm development, and simulation for problems arising throughout various fields in energy, environment, biosciences, earth sciences, materials science, fluid mechanics, and other disciplines.

Some examples of outstanding challenges in computational modeling are seen in research areas, such as: composite materials, material microstructures, biomolecular dynamics, and real-time monitoring and surveillance of fluids sequestered in geological formations. A profound understanding of mathematical modeling across multiple time and spatial scales coupled with efficient, accurate algorithms in an integrative environment will allow earth scientists and engineers to better understand how CO2 migrates deep in the reservoir, and how it interacts with fluids and rocks at varying temperatures and pressures.

The Center will also function as a crossroads for industry researchers working on similar multiscale modeling and simulation problems. Multiscale modeling and novel visualization environment capabilities will act as a catalyst for researchers to best enable them to conduct novel scientific research leading to discoveries and inventions that fit unique needs of Saudi Arabia, the region, and the world.

 

Multi-Disciplinary Areas of R&D Focus

  • Multiscale/multidimensional modeling/simulation techniques, real-time fluid monitoring and surveillance in geological formations, performance and process optimization, biomolecular design, molecular modeling.
  • 3D visualization of computation, multivariate visualization and rendering, 3D virtual environments and new uses of virtual technology, geometric model construction, imaging.

 

Leveraged International Research by Partnership

KAUST Academic Excellence Alliance

Academic Partnership

KAUST Global Research Partnership

Regionally-Relevant Focus Areas

  • The Center will work closely with the KAUST/IBM Center for Deep Computing Research to enable advanced research and innovation in the computational sciences and high performance computing (HPC) field through the use of geometric modeling and visualization.
  • The Center will also work in close collaboration with researchers in the KAUST Geophysical Observatory and Research Center to advance the state-of-the-art in subsurface visualization.

 

Facilities and Equipment