Nov 19, 2025
Ideas in Motion at the 2025 Research Rally
On November 12th, 2025, KFUPM gathered its researchers, students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty under one roof for the 2nd edition of its annual Research Rally, an event created to spotlight some of the most intriguing ideas being developed across the university. This year, the rally opened its doors wider, inviting the entire academic community to step into a space of curiosity and exchange.
The event featured twenty project presentations selected from nearly 150 submissions, based on their novelty and potential impact. Many of the chosen projects were associated with one of KFUPM’s 20+ Interdisciplinary Research Centers (IRC).
The rally began with opening remarks from KFUPM President, Dr Muhammad Al-Saggaf, who welcomed the presenters, attendees, and distinguished guests. Several members of the university’s International Advisory Board (IAB) were present, among them IAB Chairman Dr Charles Elachi, former Director of the NASA/Caltech Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Dr Munier Eldesouki, President of King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) and a KFUPM alumnus; Dr François Ortalo-Magné, former Dean and CEO of the London Business School; and Dr Arun Majumdar, Dean of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. They were joined by Dr Sultan Binsaeed, General Supervisor at the RDIA, together strengthening the dialogue around the presented work.
Despite its name, the Research Rally was not designed as a competition. While presenters had only a few minutes to communicate the core of their ideas, the aim was to increase awareness and spark new collaborations. The range of topics demonstrated how widely KFUPM’s research environment has expanded. Examples include Dr Ahmed Farid Ibrahim’s project, representing the IRC for Integrative Petroleum Research, which explored how waste-based nanoparticles could improve CO₂ foam stabilization for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). From the IRC for Advanced Materials, Dr Mohammad Al-Kuhaili presented work on using nanolayer coatings for creating transparent heat mirrors, a concept with potential to support energy-efficient building design. Dr Omar Alkhazragi, from the IRC for Advanced Quantum Computing, showcased new possibilities of chaotic semiconductor lasers, particularly for optical neural networks and quantum communication.
Faculty members also participated in an icebreaker activity led by Dr Turki Baroud, Dean of the KFUPM Business School and former IAB member. The activity encouraged them to share personal stories and engage more informally with the audience. Among them was Dr Mubashir Aziz, Chairman of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Reflecting on the event, he described how it truly resonated with the university’s slogan “Dream Big and Accomplish.” In his words, “I must firstly appreciate the university and its leadership for organizing this event. My takeaway is that, as the President rightfully said, research would never grow unless we collaborate with each other. This event gave us an excellent opportunity to showcase what we are doing and to find other researchers who are working really closely to our own field, which will benefit both our research and the future leaders we are creating in our students.”
Attendees also had the opportunity to peruse undergraduate research projects from the Young Scholar Fellowship (YSP) Expo, a competition highlighting the next generation of researchers. The expo showcased exceptional undergraduate work through poster displays and prototypes designed by YSP students, who had spent time conducting research at leading international universities.
Among them was Materials Science and Engineering student Alaa Al-Shaikhi, who had studied for one semester at the University of Manchester and won 1st prize for her project. Alaa presented a biodegradable PLA cardiovascular stent that can be manufactured in under 30 minutes, through rapid 3D printing. Designed to provide temporary arterial support before safely degrading, the stent aims to reduce mortality associated with cardiovascular diseases. Reflecting on her experience, she said, “I’m very grateful for KFUPM’s support in every step of the way.”
The Research Rally once again affirmed the value of bringing ideas into shared view. In a single day, the campus community moved from curiosity to discussion to inspiration, a sequence that often marks the beginning of lasting research partnerships.
