Faculty
The CLSE Division includes the following members of the KAUST faculty:
Dr. Gary Amy - Director, Water Desalination and Reuse Research Center; Professor, Environmental Science and Engineering
Dr. Amy’s research focuses on membrane technology, innovative adsorbents, ozone/advanced oxidation, riverbank filtration and soil aquifer treatment, natural organic matter and disinfection by-products, and micropollutants. (Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley, United States)
E-mail: gary.amy@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Jean Marie Basset - Director, Catalysis Research Center; Named Professor, Chemical Science
Dr. Basset’s research is focused on interfacing homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis creating the area of “surface organometallic chemistry.” This new field of chemistry led to the discovery of a number of new catalytic reactions in the fields of energy, green chemistry and environment, such as alkane metathesis used to transform paraffins into its lower and higher homologues, Ziegler-Natta de-polymerization, which transforms polyethylene into diesel range gasoline, conversion of methane into higher alkanes as well as the removal of traces of arsenic from water. (Ph.D., University of Lyon, France)
E-mail: jeanmarie.basset@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Pierre Beaujuge - Assistant Professor, Chemical and Life Sciences and Engineering
Dr. Beaujuge’s research interests are interdisciplinary and span the synthesis, characterization, and practical applications of functional organic materials and organic-inorganic hybrids with unique structure-property relationships. Materials developed in his group address specific challenges related to Energy Management and Surface and Interface Engineering. (Ph.D., University of Florida, United States)
E-mail: pierre.beaujuge@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Michael Berumen - Assistant Professor, Marine Science
Dr. Berumen’s research focuses on a range of coral reef taxa, but specializes in the family of butterflyfishes. His current projects address larval connectivity in coral reef fishes, movement ecology of coral reef organisms, and demography of reef fishes, as well as the impact of climate change and other disturbances on coral reef ecosystems. (Ph.D., James Cook University, Australia)
E-mail: michael.berumen@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Luigi Cavallo - Associate Professor, Chemical Science
Dr. Cavallo research is based on a computational approach to the rational design of new catalytic materials. Main interests focus on cutting edge problems in the academia as well as in the industry. Both heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysts based on transition metals are usually investigated. Applications span from commodities, such as polymeric materials, to high value molecules in the agro and pharma industry. (Ph.D., University of Napoli, Italy)
E-mail: luigi.cavallo@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Jean-Philippe Croué - Professor, Environmental Science and Engineering
Dr. Croué's research focuses on Natural/Effluent Organic Matter characterization and reactive properties in the environment (adsorption, photoinduced reactions) and along water treatment trains i.e, membrane technology (organic fouling, biofouling and pre-treatments), sorption (i.e. IEX and non-IEX), oxidation (ozonation, chlorination, disinfection by-products), (Ph.D., Université de Poitiers, France)
E-mail: jp.croue@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Mohamed Eddaoudi - Associate Director, Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Research Center; Professor, Chemical Science
Dr. Eddaoudi’s research is concerned with developing new design and synthesis approaches toward the construction of functional solid state materials and metal-organic materials that will address many challenging social issues, including clean energy alternatives, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, remediating chemical and biological threats, and controlled drug delivery. (Ph.D., Denis Diderot University, France)
E-mail: mohamed.eddaoudi@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Jörg Eppinger - Assistant Professor, Chemical Sciences
Dr. Eppinger’s research is focused on a deeper understanding and application of nature’s catalysis toolbox for the design of highly selective and active molecular catalysts. In a multidisciplinary approach, organometallic synthesis, electrochemistry, and biotechnological methods are combined to deliver catalytic solutions for prospective demands of synthetic chemistry. (Ph.D., Technical University of Munich, Germany)
Web site: http://boc.kaust.edu.sa/Pages/Home.aspx
E-mail: jorg.eppinger@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Nina Fedoroff - Professor, Bioscience.
Dr. Fedoroff's research interests include regulation of gene expression by small RNAs, mechanism of microRNA precursor processing, molecular mechanisms of transposition, molecular modification of plants and halophyte domestication. (Ph.D., Rockefeller University, United States)
E-mail: nina.fedoroff@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Christoph Gehring - Professor, Plant Science
Dr. Gehring’s research interest is in plant responses to environmental stimuli, the underlying molecular structures and modes of downstream signal transduction, and finally, the systemic responses at the level of transcription and translation. (Ph.D., University of London, United Kingdom)
Web site: http://www.kaust.edu.sa/christophgehring
E-mail: christoph.gehring@kaust.edu.sa
Dr Nikos Hadjichristidis - Professor, Chemical Sciences
Dr Hadjichristidis research focuses on the synthesis of novel model homopolymers, copolymers and hybrids with well-defined complex macromolecular architectures by using anionic polymerization high vacuum techniques, as well as combinations of different polymerization methodologies These polymeric materials are very important and ideal for: checking theories, understanding and improving the properties of industrial polymers and high-tech applications (nanolithography, high temperature membanes, drug delivery, etc). (Ph.D., University of Liege, Belgium)
E-mail: nikolaos.hadjichristidis@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Samir Hamdan - Assistant Professor, Biosciences
Dr. Hamdan’s research combines biochemical, biophysical, and structural tools with single-molecule techniques to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the multi-protein DNA replication machinery, the replisome, and its interplay with DNA repair and recombination. (Ph.D., Australian National University - Canberra, Australia)
E-mail: samir.hamdan@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Yu Han - Associate Professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering
Dr. Han’s research interests are in the synthesis, characterization and applications of porous materials. His materials are important for a wide range of applications including controlled adsorption and release, separation, catalysis, drug delivery, optics, and as electrodes and biomaterials. (Ph.D., Jilin University, China)
E-mail: yu.han@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Kuo-Wei Huang - Assistant Professor, Chemical Science
Dr. Huang’s research centers on catalysis, including the physical organometallic chemistry of small molecule activations and functionalizations for renewable energy (water splitting) and carbon dioxide utilization. In addition, his interests include polymer chemistry with its applications, as well as OFT studies and modeling of transition metal catalysis. (Ph.D., Stanford University, United States)
E-mail: kuowei.huang@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Xabier Irigoien - Director, Red Sea Research Center; Professor, Marine Ecosystems
Dr. Irigoien research is oriented to the understanding of marine ecosystems functioning with a focus on planktonic systems. His main interests are on trophic webs and recruitment of marine pelagic systems as well as factors that control biodiversity in marine ecosystems.(Ph.D., University of Bordeaux I, France)
E-mail: xabier.irigoyen@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Stein Kaartvedt - Associate Director, Red Sea Research Center; Professor, Marine Science
Dr. Kaartvedt’s research interests are in marine pelagic ecology, focusing on distribution and behavior of zooplankton and fish and their predator-prey relationships. His work is based on field studies from a wide variety of habitats, with particular focus on novel ways of using submerged, stationary echo sounders for in situ studies of individuals, populations, and marine communities. (Ph.D., University of Bergen, Norway)
E-mail: stein.kaartvedt@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Niveen Khashab - Assistant Professor, Chemical Science; Assistant Professor, Environmental Science and Engineering
Dr. Khashab’s interests are in programmable and controllable microscale robots comprised of nanoscale parts. She is interested in bioresponsive single-wall carbon nanotubes and nanodiamonds, total synthesis of biologically active heterocycles, and design and delivery of P-glycoprotein inhibitors. (Ph.D., University of Florida - Gainesville, United States)
E-mail: niveen.kashab@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Zhiping Lai - Assistant Professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering
Dr. Lai’s research is directed toward understanding and using porous materials such as zeolite, mesoporous silica, metal organic frameworks and their membranes, polymeric and inorganic mixed matrix membranes, membrane reactors, gas separations, hydrocarbon mixture separations waste-water treatments, recovery of industrial organic solvents, and chemical sensors. (Ph.D., University of Massachusetts - Amherst, United States)
Web site: http://www.kaust.edu.sa/zhipinglai
E-mail: zhiping.lai@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Jasmeen Merzaban - Assistant Professor, Biochemistry
Dr. Merzaban’s research interests focus on understanding and optimizing the mechanism by which immune and stem cells exit the blood circulation to “home” to specific sites within the body using biochemical, biophysical, and imaging techniques with in vivo mouse models. (Ph.D., University of British Columbia, Canada)
E-mail: jasmeen.merzaban@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Suzana Nunes - Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering
Dr. Nunes research focuses on the development of new polymeric materials and membranes for water, energy and bioanalytical application. The main interests include synthesis and morphology control of copolymers, nanofiller functionalization, self-assembly for coatings and porous membranes to be used in nanofiltration, forward osmosis, membrane reactors, etc. (Ph.D., University of Campinas, Brazil)
E-mail: suzana.nunes@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Arnab Pain - Associate Professor, Bioscience
Dr. Pain’s research interests are in parasite genomics and transcriptomics, comparative genomics, host-pathogen interactions, non-protein-coding RNAs and regulation of gene expression in parasites, and genomic diversity in pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganisms. (Ph.D., University of Cambridge, United Kingdom)
E-mail: arnab.pain@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Klaus-Viktor Peinemann – Professor, Chemical Engineering
Dr. Peinemann’s research focuses on the development of multicomponent polymer-based membranes. Main interests are nanocomposite materials for gas separation (e.g. natural gas purification), solvent stable membranes for nanofiltration/reverse osmosis and stimuli-responsive self-assembled membranes.(Ph.D., University of Kiel, Germany)
E-mail: klausviktor.peinemann@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Ingo Pinnau – Director, Advanced Membranes and Porous Materials Research Center; Named Professor, Chemical Engineering
Dr. Pinnau’s research focuses on synthesis of high-performance polymers, development of high-performance membranes for gas and liquid separations, hybrid organic/inorganic membranes, nanostructured microporous polymer membranes, thin-film technology, and membrane modifications (surface coatings/fouling resistance). (Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin, United States)
E-mail: ingo.pinnau@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Vivek Polshettiwar - Assistant Professor, Chemical Science
Dr Polshettiwar's research interests are in the area of nano-catalysis. He believes that next generation catalysts can be developed by shape and morphological control of nano- materials which will allows preferential exposure of active site. His nano-catalysis group is working in the area of advanced nano-materials synthesis with controlled shape and morphology and their application as nano-catalysts that allow for more sustainable and green production processes. His final goal is to push the boundaries of catalysis research by using this technique to develop nanocatalysts based on non-precious metals. (Ph.D., DRDO: Jiwaji University, Gwalior, India)
E-mail: vivek.polshettiwar@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Timothy Ravasi - Associate Professor, Bioengineering
Dr. Ravasi is working to develop computational models of biological signaling, transcription regulatory networks, and regulatory pathways, to integrate, model, and visualize the enormous amount of data derived from modern biological experiments. He also uses a metagenomic approach to explore microbial biodiversity in the Red Sea to discover useful microbial bioactive molecules. (Ph.D., University of Milan, Italy)
Web site: Dr. Ravasi is working to develop computational models of biological signaling, transcription regulatory networks, and regulatory pathways, to integrate, model, and visualize the enormous amount of data derived from modern biological experiments. He also uses a metagenomic approach to explore microbial biodiversity in the Red Sea to discover useful microbial bioactive molecules. Web site: http://www.kaust.edu.sa/timothyravasi
E-mail: timothy.ravasi@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Valentin Rodionov – Assistant Professor, Chemical Science
Dr. Rodionov’s research interests are broadly focused on on nano- and mesoscale catalytic systems, such as micelles or colloidal particles, capable of emergent behavior. His group develops enzyme-like self-assembled catalysts using approaches inspired by the biological evolution. (Ph.D., The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA)
E-mail: valentin.rodionov@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Alexander Rothenberger - Associate Professor, Chemical Science
Dr. Rothenberger's research interests are in synthetic inorganic chemistry. He investigates the coordination chemistry of novel anions and develops solution-processable inorganic materials for next-generation solar cells. He uses exploratory synthesis of crystalline or amorphous porous solids to discover new materials for optical applications, water-purification and gas-separating membranes. (Ph.D., University of Cambridge, United Kingdom)
E-mail: alexander.rothenberger@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Pascal Saikaly - Assistant Professor, Environmental Science and Engineering
Dr. Saikaly’s research focuses on the microbial ecology of wastewater treatment, microbial fuel cells, and membrane bioreactors. (Ph.D., University of Cincinnati, United States)
E-mail: pascal.saikaly@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Ulrich Stingl - Assistant Professor, Marine Science
Dr. Stingl focuses on combining novel cultivation techniques with modern cultivation-independent techniques like genomics and proteomics to elucidate the physiology and ecotype speciation of different members of microbial communities in the Red Sea. He is also interested in symbiotic systems with eukaryotic hosts and microbial symbionts, like termite guts and corals. (Ph.D., University of Konstanz, Germany)
Web site: http://faculty.kaust.edu.sa/sites/ulistingl/Pages/home.aspx
E-mail: ulrich.stingl@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Kazuhiro Takanabe - Assistant Professor, Chemical Science
Dr. Takanabe’s research interests include generation of completely renewable hydrogen from photocatalytic water splitting. Development of solid catalysts in the form of novel classes of oxides, (oxy)nitrides and (oxy)sulfides, as well as controlled surface modification with active metal centers, will lead to unprecedented rates and selectivity for various (photo)catalytic process. (Ph.D., Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan)
E-mail: kazuhiro.takanabe@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Christian Voolstra - Assistant Professor, Marine Science
Dr. Voolstra’s research interests are evolutionary genomics and systems biology of coral reefs. He focuses on adaptive evolution and coral-specific genes in mechanisms of bleaching and stress, the machinery of mutualism between corals and algae, and the role of prokaryotes in these processes. (Ph.D., University of Cologne, Germany)
Web site: http://www.kaust.edu.sa/christianvoolstra
E-mail: christian.voolstra@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Peng Wang - Assistant Professor, Environmental Science and Engineering
Dr. Wang’s research interests are in environmental nanotechnology, particularly design, synthesis and application of novel nanomaterials for environmental remediation and in developing point of care nanosensors for contaminant detection. He is also seeking new ways to immobilize enzymes, bacteria, or cells for contaminant degradation and environmental detection. (Ph.D., University of California - Santa Barbara, United States)
Web site: http://www.kaust.edu.sa/pengwang
E-mail: peng.wang@kaust.edu.sa
Dr. Liming Xiong - Associate Professor, Plant Science
Dr. Xiong’s research interests are in the mechanisms of plant response and adaptation to adverse environmental conditions, such as drought and extreme temperatures, and the development of stress-resistant crop plants. (Ph.D., University of Arizona, United States; D.Sc.,Chinese Academy of Sciences, China)
Web site: http://www.kaust.edu.sa/limingxiong
E-mail: liming.xiong@kaust.edu.sa
Staff
Ms. Leigh Kilpert, Graduate Program Coordinator
E-mail: leigh.kilpert@kaust.edu.sa
Ms. Ann Macaulay, Graduate Program Coordinator
E-mail: catherine.macaulay@kaust.edu.sa
Admission Information
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