This project aims to equip latent structural equation models with a powerful and highly efficient Bayesian inference engine called INLA (www.r-inla.org), a state-of-the-art computational framework that delivers the speed and scalability of modern machine learning while preserving the interpretability and flexibility of traditional statistical models. Leveraging INLA’s capabilities for structural equation models and the like will unlock a new wave of scalable, domain-ready tools that expand the reach and relevance of latent variable analysis. The public good is substantial: more accurate diagnostics in healthcare, better-targeted interventions in education, and smarter decision-making in digital and data-driven industries.

BAS/1/1667-01-01

haavard.rue@kaust.edu.sa

SEM, INLA, IRT

Statistics / Applied Math

Statistics

Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering

Conversational visualization can be characterized as an integration of interactive visualization with large-language models (LLM) through prompting or fine-tuning strategies. We have recently developed several web-based visualization systems for volume visualization (tomography.kaust.edu.sa) and for visualization of atomistic models (mesocraft.kaust.edu.sa). The task for this project will be to integrate these visualization systems with client-based web-based LLMs (or alternatively with server-based LLM inference) and with speech recognition, so that these conversational capabilities extend the interaction metaphors based on mouse and keyboard interactions.

BAS/1/1680-01-01

ivan.viola@kaust.edu.sa

conversational 3D visualization

visual computing

Computer Science

Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering

Induced seismicity is a central issue in the development of subsurface energy technologies in the United States and around the world. It is basically the earthquakes caused by human activities that involve extracting or injecting fluids into the subsurface and modifying subsurface stresses around pre-existing faults. Examples include subsurface wastewater injection, reservoir impoundment in the vicinity of large dams, development of mining, geothermal or hydrocarbon resources, and in geologic carbon sequestration. While most of the induced earthquakes are fortunately too small to be felt, some can go up to magnitude 5 — large enough to be felt and to cause damage to buildings. Understanding the physical mechanisms behind induced seismicity is essential to successful management and mitigation of the seismic risk associated with subsurface energy technologies. The basic mechanism for induced fault slip is widely understood in terms of the Coulomb failure criterion. When fluid is injected into or withdrawn out of a reservoir, the associated pore pressure perturbations and poroelastic stress changes increase the ratio of shear to effective normal stress on a fault and cause it to slip. This criterion, however, does not address the evolution of the rupture, and whether a fault slips seismically or aseismically. A different criterion, derived from theoretical analyses of frictional slip between two elastic media, differentiates from seismic and aseismic slip. It states that fault slips seismically if the spatial scale for the slipping zone is larger than a critical nucleation length inversely proportional to the effective normal stress, and slips aseismically otherwise. This criterion, however, assumes spatially and temporally uniform effective normal stress and does not take into account the dependence of friction on fluid presence.

BAS/1/1437-01-01

maryam.alghannam@kaust.edu.sa

induced seismicity

induced seismicity

Earth Science and Engineering

Physical Sciences and Engineering

Induced seismicity is a central issue in the development of subsurface energy technologies in the kingdom and around the world. It is basically the earthquakes caused by human activities that involve extracting or injecting fluids into the subsurface and modifying subsurface stresses around pre-existing faults. Examples include subsurface wastewater injection, reservoir impoundment in the vicinity of large dams, development of mining, geothermal or hydrocarbon resources, and in geologic carbon sequestration. While most of the induced earthquakes are fortunately too small to be felt, some can go up to magnitude 5—large enough to be felt and to cause damage to buildings. Quantifying the statistical properties of induced seismicity is essential to successful management and mitigation of the seismic risk associated with subsurface energy technologies. A fundamental statistical relationship in seismology is the Gutenberg-Ricter frequency-magnitude relation. It describes the frequency of earthquakes as a function of their magnitude. It is usually expressed as: log10 N = a - b M, where N is the number of earthquakes with magnitude ≥ M, a is a constant that represents the total seismicity rate in a given region and time period, b is the b-value, typically around 1 for natural earthquakes, which characterizes the relative likelihood of small versus large earthquakes, and M is the earthquake magnitude. The b-value associated with induced earthquakes is a subject of ongoing debate and uncertainty.

BAS/1/1437-01-01

maryam.alghannam@kaust.edu.sa

Injection-induced earthquakes

Injection-induced earthquakes

Earth Science and Engineering

Physical Sciences and Engineering

Natural faults are typically viewed as rock surfaces filled with fluids and wear detritus, called fault gouge. In the laboratory, there is an apparent discrepancy in frictional behavior between observations of sliding on bare rock surfaces and shearing granular gouge materials. Experiments on bare rock surfaces and rock surfaces separated by a thin layer of gouge indicate that slip between two rock surfaces is much more stable at high than at low fluid pressure. In contrast, the majority of experiments on granular gouge materials indicate that slip is less stable at high than at low fluid pressure. While some studies speculate on the role of dilatancy in the frictional behavior of fluid-filled gouge materials, the exact explanation behind this discrepancy is unclear.

BAS/1/1437-01-01

maryam.alghannam@kaust.edu.sa

friction, seismic faulting, dilatancy, compaction, slip instability, gouge, fluid-infiltrated fault

Geophysics, Granular mechanics

Earth Science and Engineering

Physical Sciences and Engineering

BAS/1/1096-01-01

niketan.patel@kaust.edu.sa

Nanoparticles, polydopamine, drug-resistant bacteria, smart materials

Microbiology, Nanotechnology, Bioengineering

Marine Science

Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering

ASP/1/1669-01-01

diego.jimenezavella@kaust.edu.sa

Metagenomics, mangrove soil, plastics, bioeconomy

Applied Microbial Ecology

Marine Science

Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering

Stable isotopes are a powerful tool for understanding energy flow through ecosystems. On coral reefs we use this technique to trace reef-derived vs. oceanic sources of carbon and nitrogen into the food web. This project will focus on the collection and analysis of samples to characterize the temporal and spatial gradients in stable isotope baselines around the reefs of KAUST. The project will place particular emphasis with on hands on experience with isotope ratio spectrometry and analytical skill development.

bas/1/1103-01-01

michael.fox@kaust.edu.sa

coral reef ecology, oceanography, stable isotopes, food webs

coral reef ecology

Marine Science

Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering

Red Sea Research Center

Our lab works at the intersection of coral reef ecosystems and the coastal ocean. We conduct interdisciplinary research focused on understanding the spatial and temporal fluxes of nutrients and planktonic resources to reefs along the Red Sea. This project seeks a VSRP student to contribute to our monthly oceanographic sampling campaigns and process samples in the lab for biogeochemical analyses. Your will gain experience across a range of field and laboratory techniques and work closely with PhD students and postdoctoral researchers in the Ecological Oceanography Lab.

bas/1/1103-01-01

michael.fox@kaust.edu.sa

coral reefs, oceanography, nutrition, chemistry

Coral reef ecology, Oceanography

Marine Science

Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering

Red Sea Research Center

This project is in the Volcanology Igneous Petrology and Geochemistry group of Prof. Froukje van der Zwan. The Red Sea is formed by spreading of two plates, whereby the Red Sea axis respresents the mid-ocean ridge spreading center. Where the southern Red Sea the mid-ocean ridge is well exposed, in the northern Red Sea it is partially covered by salt flows, and therefore much less is known about the formation of the mid-ocean ridge and about the volcanism that builds it. The student will work with basalt samples recovered in previous expeditions from the northern (and central) Red Sea and do petrological evaluations under a microscope and perform geochemical analyses such as XRF and ICPMS, including the preparation of the samples for these analyses. Using geochemical data, aim is to understand the source of the magma, magmatic processes and the volcanic expressions of the magmatism.

BAS/1/1408-01-01

froukje.vanderzwan@kaust.edu.sa

geochemistry, volcanology, petrology, Red Sea

Petrology and Igneous Geochemistry

Earth Science and Engineering

Physical Sciences and Engineering

Red Sea Research Center

Design and synthesis of nano platforms to be used for drug and biologics delivery

1343-01-01

rosemarie.reyes@kaust.edu.sa

drug delivery, personalized medicine, nanotechnology

chemistry, nanotechnology, bioengineering

BioEngineering

Physical Sciences and Engineering

In this project, we design smart and stimuli responsive smart materials to be used for fertilizers encapsulation, bio-composites, and coating materials.

1343-01-01

rosemarie.reyes@kaust.edu.sa

smart materials, agriculture, zero hunger

chemistry, nano science, nanotechnology

Chemistry

Physical Sciences and Engineering

Large Language Models (LLMs) have become ubiquitous in contemporary applications. They are trained on extensive collections of human writings, ranging from books, papers, and news articles to conversations on social media platforms. This comprehensive approach enables the development of sophisticated tools capable of emulating human interactions with remarkable fidelity. However, it is important to recognize that LLMs might inherit and perpetuate the biases inherent in human communications. This project represents a concerted effort to delve deeply into the multifaceted landscape of biases inherent in interactions with LLM agents. By examining various dimensions of biases, we aim to explore how these biases manifest within LLM-mediated interactions. Through this project, we would not only understand the complexities of bias within LLM interactions, but also explore the possibility to mitigate, neutralize, or rectify these biases. This will underline if LLMs are more inclined to change opinions than humans. This approach underscores our commitment to fostering fairness, equity, and inclusivity in the realm of LLM-driven communication and interaction, ultimately advancing the societal impact and ethical integrity of LLM technology.

BAS/1/1701-01-01

roberto.dipietro@kaust.edu.sa

LLM, moderation, bias, guardrail, security, privacy.

Computer Science

Computer Science

Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering

Resilient Computing and Cybersecurity Center

A series of compounds will be designed and synthesized as molecular sieves for separation applications

6311-01-01

rosemarie.reyes@kaust.edu.sa

chemistry, nano science, nanotechnology

Chemistry, nano science

Chemistry

Physical Sciences and Engineering

The StruBE synthetic biology team is harnessing the power of proteins to forge innovative tools for biotech and medical applications. We are collaborating with material scientists and chemists to embed our designer proteins in novel materials or bioelectronic circuits. Ongoing projects include the design of next-generation biosensors, smart drugs, targeted therapeutic protein degrading systems, and designer enzymes for industrial applications. This entails experimental and computational work as well as the development of robotic liquid handling workflows. On the experimental side, a prospective student will be involved with protein production from E. coli or mammalian cell culture and the biophysical characterization of protein-protein interactions or enzymatic (whole-pathway) reactions. Prior wet-lab experience is a plus. A computational project in support of protein design and lab automation would require prior knowledge in Python programming. Hence, the interdisciplinary projects can host students from various backgrounds, e.g. from biochemistry, (bio)engineering, protein structural biology, or computer science.

BAS/1/1056-01-01

Stefan.Arold@kaust.edu.sa

structural biology; synthetic biology; protein design; bioelectrics & biosensors; computational biology; Python

Synthetic Biology

BioScience

Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering

Graduate or Undergraduate

This project involves designing a high-efficiency power amplifier (PA) operating at 140 GHz for sub-THz communications using advanced SiGe technology. The intern will explore power combining techniques, transistor technology selection, and thermal management strategies to maximize efficiency.

BAS/1/2910-01-01

abdulrahman.hamed@kaust.edu.sa

140 GHz power amplifier, THz RF design, high-efficiency power amplifiers

RF/Microwave Engineering, THz Electronics

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering

This project focuses on designing a dual-polarized phased-array antenna at 60 GHz with high cross-polarization (X-pol) isolation for Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and WiGig applications. The intern will optimize antenna elements for high gain and polarization purity while maintaining compactness.

BAS/1/2910-01-01

abdulrahman.hamed@kaust.edu.sa

60 GHz phased array, dual-polarized mmWave antennas, WiGig FWA

Antenna Engineering, mmWave Communications

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering

Hybrid beamforming is crucial for future 6G networks, offering a balance between hardware complexity and energy efficiency. This project aims to analyze different hybrid beamforming architectures, including subarray-based and dynamic partitioning approaches, to determine the most optimal configuration for various deployment scenarios.

BAS/1/2910-01-01

abdulrahman.hamed@kaust.edu.sa

Hybrid beamforming, 6G MIMO, mmWave beamforming architectures

Wireless Communications, Signal Processing, 6G Networks

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering

This project focuses on developing a tunable wideband RF front-end that can operate between 7 GHz and 24 GHz, enabling flexible frequency access for next-generation 6G networks. The intern will design a tunable bandpass LNA with minimal insertion loss and high linearity.

BAS/1/2910-01-01

abdulrahman.hamed@kaust.edu.sa

6G tunable RF front-end, wideband RF circuits, reconfigurable RF design

RF Circuit Design, 6G Wireless Systems

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering

This project involves designing a tunable phase shifter using TSMC 65 nm technology operating in both Ku-band and Ka-band for satellite communication systems. The intern will explore compact, low-loss designs suitable for integration into phased arrays for SATCOM terminals.

BAS/1/2910-01-01

abdulrahman.hamed@kaust.edu.sa

Ku/Ka-band phase shifter, SATCOM phased arrays, dual-band RF design

RF/Microwave Engineering, SATCOM Systems

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering