When Areej Alsadun first walked into a KFUPM laboratory, she was still in high school and unsure where her curiosity would lead. What she did know was that she liked asking questions, often more than one for every answer she received. That habit, she would later realize, was the key that would open new doors.

Areej was selected for the first edition of KFUPM’s Summer Research Program for high school students, joining a small cohort of just 12 to 15 participants. Working under Dr. Qasem Drmosh, Associate Professor in the Materials Science and Engineering Department, she found an environment that rewarded curiosity and creativity. Reflecting on that early experience, she says, “he played a major role in developing my passion for materials science and research. I always asked ‘Why?’ for everything. And he said this was how researchers think.”

Her initial project focused on hybrid tandem solar cells designed for both electricity generation and water purification. The subject matter was complex, but what left a lasting impression was the rhythm of research itself: long hours, repeated trials, and the patience required to wait for results. For Areej, the experience did not end with the program. The following summer, acting entirely on her own initiative, she returned to KFUPM to work again under Dr. Drmosh’s supervision. She traveled from Riyadh to Dhahran, lived in the university dorms, and spent three months in the lab, working daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

That early immersion in research former her ambitions. While still in high school, Areej participated in the National Olympiad for Scientific Creativity (Ibdaa), progressing through every stage to reach the final round, among 120 students selected from an initial pool of 150,000. By then, KFUPM had become a community that she understood and valued. So, when her acceptance letter from the university arrived in August 2023, alongside another one from a global top-20 university located in the United States, her decision surprised some. She choose KFUPM, citing her familiarity with the environment and a desire to contribute to research in her home country. That was a move she never regretted.

Her first year at the university quickly proved that the decision aligned with her drive. During her freshman year, Areej obtained a US patent for a novel method to fabricate ZIF-8 thin films for electrochemical CO₂ reduction. The patent application, number 558274US, was submitted jointly with Dr. Drmosh, and the related research is currently moving through the publication process with university support.

That same year, as a freshman, she secured a summer research internship at the Technical University of Vienna. Although she had hoped to apply through KFUPM’s Young Scholar Fellowship program, she did not meet the sophomore-level requirement. So she contacted universities directly, explaining her research interests and willingness to contribute. In Vienna, her work on pure molybdenum introduced her to a different challenge. Areej noticed inefficiencies in experimental workflows and processes. So she began developing customized software tools to improve accuracy and efficiency, drawing on her programming skills alongside her materials science background.

That experience had an additional distinction. Areej became the first Saudi female student to conduct research at the institution, working alongside PhD candidates from Austria and Switzerland. By the end of the internship, her academic direction had changed. Noticing her skills and curiosity around programming, she switched her major to computer engineering in her sophomore year, seeing software not as a departure from materials science but as a way to extend it.

However, that interdisciplinary outlook was already forming years earlier. One of her high school research projects at Princess Nourah University involved using artificial intelligence (AI) to predict optimal weather conditions for renewable energy deployment. This interest in technology had been sparked by her twin sisters, each with a PhD in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence respectively.

Besides her sisters, Areej also credits her father as one of her strongest advocates, encouraging her to pursue difficult paths without hesitation. This support system is what made her international research and travel possible, while opening her eyes to new career possibilities.

Back at KFUPM, she remained engaged in student life. In her first year, she also served as vice president of the Materials Science Engineering Student Club, helping organize the university’s first Materials Day. Designed as a hackathon-style event, it introduced high school and secondary school students to materials science through hands-on demonstrations, with backing from the Department Chairman, Dr. Nayef Mesnad Alsaifi. Describing the university environment that set all of this in motion, Areej says, “here, you surround yourself with creative minds; everyone thinks outside the box. They complete each other and not compete with each other; they want you to move, they want you to improve yourself.”

Today, her research interests sit at the intersection of renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and computer engineering. She continues to think across disciplinary boundaries, supported by Dr. Drmosh who still advises and supports her despite her change in major. For example, when she requested access to the materials science databases, to build software applications grounded in KFUPM research data, he didn’t hesitate in helping her.

Looking ahead, Areej is open to multiple paths. She is exploring both the possibility of building her own business and continuing her research while advancing her education. What remains constant is her approach to learning: questioning, connecting ideas, and seeking environments that support growth.