KAUST is built on distinctive, interdisciplinary research thrusts that ensure flexibility,
growth, and relevance for the University's graduate educational programs. The University's
research programs have been defined to leverage the Kingdom's unique resources,
serve the Kingdom and region's social and human resource needs, and help forge the
future of the global economy and industries.
The University's research program focuses on four strategic areas:
- Applied Mathematics and Computational Science
- Biosciences and Bioengineering
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Resources, Energy, and Environment
Research Centers
KAUST opened with a number of strategic Research Centers to serve as a viable nucleus for further
growth during ramp-up. These Centers are:
- Water Desalination and Reuse: It will address the pressing need for energy-sustainable
ways in which to alleviate a global crisis caused by the scarcity of potable water.
- Plant Stress Genomics and Technology: It will study the molecular mechanisms underlying
plant tolerance to drought and salt stress conditions and developing technologies
for improving drought and salt tolerance of crop plants.
- Geometric Modeling and Scientific Visualization: It will conduct fundamental and
application-oriented research in a variety of areas ensuring that KAUST is at the
forefront of petascale computing, modeling, visualization, and immersive environments.
- Membranes: It will focus on developing novel, cutting-edge technologies to provide
efficient and sustainable separation processes.
- Computational Bioscience: It will use cutting-edge computational technologies
to accelerate scientific discovery within the life sciences.
- Solar and Alternative Energy Science and Engineering: It will become a leading
institute in the field, providing the foundation for innovation in photovoltaic
foundational technologies.
- Red Sea Science and Engineering: It will develop an integrated understanding of
the diverse Red Sea ecosystem and its oceanographic context.
- Catalysis: It will help the chemical, petroleum, and new energies industries by
improving efficiency, reducing waste, and minimizing environmental impact.
- Clean Combustion: It will play a large role in creating better technology for
energy and environment studies, a key research thrust at KAUST.
KAUST hopes to have 20 Research Centers in operation by 2020.
Global Participation
KAUST Global Collaborative Research (GCR) advances KAUST’s mission by enabling
scientists and researchers from leading institutions around the world to collaborate
on solutions to challenging scientific and technological problems. Research relationships
between KAUST and renowned universities and research institutions across the world
were established in 2007 and 2008, and the GCR was created in early 2009 to merge
three external collaborative research programs under a unified management structure.
The three programs managed by the GCR — the Global Research Partnership (GRP),
the Academic Excellence Alliance (AEA), and Special Academic Partnerships (SP) —
accelerated and continue to support KAUST's on-campus research ramp-up, the development
of collaborative educational programs, and the creation of unique and synergistic
opportunities in a robust global research enterprise. KAUST provides grants that
support path-breaking work in areas most relevant to KAUST’s research priorities
and development.