May 03, 2026

WiDS 2026 Explores the Intersection of AI and Cybersecurity

KFUPM marked the 7th edition of the Women in Data Science (WiDS) Conference on Thursday, April 30th, 2026, with a series of exciting sessions on the theme “AI-Security Nexus,” examining the interconnectedness between artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. Following the model of its previous edition, the conference was organized by female students from all academic levels and brought together more than 250 attendees from across the region.

The event opened with remarks from Dr Abdullah Alsultan, Dean of the College of Computing and Mathematics, who outlined the agenda and provided background on the event and the efforts behind this edition. A keynote followed on behalf of Dr Muhammad Al-Saggaf, delivered by Dr Ali Al Shaikhi, Vice President of Research & Innovation, which set the tone for the day’s topics.

The program included three sessions, each building on the previous one. These were “Threats and Defenses,” “Applications and Responsibility,” and “What Comes Next.” The sessions included presentations from both academia and industry, with participation from industry leaders such as HUMAIN, Saudi Aramco, and Mastercard.

The third session began with rapid-fire five-minute talks by KFUPM PhD students, followed by a panel discussion titled “The Cyber Paradox: AI Defends What It Also Endangers.” A workshop and mentoring segment by five mentors, concluded the conference and truly brought out the goal of the event, namely to empower the next generation of women in data science.

Alongside the main program, the event featured a poster competition with participants from different local universities. Six medals were awarded for top three winners in the undergraduate and graduate categories. Four KFUPM students were among the winners; In first place Alaa Dalaq, Afrah Shaahid is in second place and Rehab Ibrahm received third place in the graduate category. As for the undergraduate category, Renad Elsafi placed second place.

A new component in this edition was a datathon that also brought together students from several universities. Earlier in April, an intensive workshop was held to support participants in preparing for the competition. The datathon concluded the Women in Data Science (WiDS) event by challenging participants to predict wildfire impact. Three winners were announced, including two from KFUPM: Dwi Haryani received second place, while Azizah Alqahtani and Ezaz Alotaibi both received third place.

KFUPM continues to advance progress through student-led initiatives that align with emerging fields. The conference reflects the university’s sustained efforts to support and empower women in technology. It also reflects the scale of organization and delivery achieved by KFUPM students in national and international events.