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THE KGSP

Fall Extracurricular Activities

Throughout the fall, KGSP students remained committed to pursuing holistic educational goals, despite the challenges inherent to such an atypical year. In addition to intensive coursework, students also participated in extracurricular activities that expanded their skills, introduced new knowledge, and helped them to further engage with their broader university community—all while having fun in the process! KGSP Advisors actively encourage students in pursuing these sorts of developmental activities, and support them through identifying potential opportunities, helping them to find and navigate university platforms that advertise clubs and organizations, and preparing them for interviews or applications.  

Norah AlhindiNorah Alhindi, a junior majoring in Biochemistry at the University of Washington (UW) joined the The Daily, the student newspaper of UW. Norah believes that developing her skills as a writer will positively impact her future as a scientist because “as a journalist you learn to spot misinformation and fact check everything you put out, which is a skill incredibly important to integrate into science communication.” In her role, she also co-hosts The Daily’s Wellness Weekly podcast, where she discusses topics of wellness and health with the UW student population. Norah also serves as a mentor for UW’s International Student Mentor Program chapter, which pairs international students with upperclassmen to help them adapt to studying in the United States.

“These experiences display Norah’s passion for supporting others, while also developing her own skills and techniques to be a better student and professional,” said Casey Bulen, Norah’s KGSP Advisor. “This also helps her to develop creative and effective ways to communicate her own research and academic experiences to others.”

Laith Abdulmajeid, a senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering at theLaith Abdulmajeid University of Wisconsin-Madison, is participating in the WI Space Race, an undergraduate research team that is working to design and manufacture liquid propellant rockets. Through his participation, Laith has gained valuable knowledge that has enhanced his engineering studies and complemented his classes, especially regarding lessons about heat transfer and fluids and using the Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software Solidworks.

“The beautiful thing about engineering is that the skills gained in one area can be transferred and applied in another area. . . This allows for multidisciplinary exposure to mechanical engineering topics and developing essential critical thinking skills, which would prove to be helpful later in my career,” Laith said.

Hawra AljawadHawra Aljawad, a junior majoring in Chemical Engineering also from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW), joined the UW Peer Learning Association, which provides learning support for other students. Hawra reports that she is learning a lot from the cross-disciplinary topics and thought-provoking questions asked in her weekly sessions, and has found that she is becoming more confident speaking in large groups due to her leadership position as a Peer Facilitator. Hawra’s KGSP advisor, Sonya Chaudhry, describes her as a tenacious student who not only searches for extracurricular activities at UW, but also takes advantage of the wide array of opportunities that the KGSP provides its students.

KGSP students participating in exciting activities throughout their first semester of 2021 demonstrated great intellectual curiosity, time management and communication skills, and leadership potential. These qualities reflect the talent that KGSP students possess and their determination to grow academically and professionally.

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STUDENT PROFILE 

KGSP students represent the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s future scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs, and thought-leaders. As both individuals and as a community, they reflect the KAUST mission of driving scientific discovery through excellence in education and cutting-edge research, and share a commitment to fostering innovation, economic development, and social prosperity throughout the Kingdom and the world.  

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ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

Selection to the KGSP is extremely competitive, and currently by invitation only. Successful applicants are Saudi Arabian students in their final year of high school who demonstrate impressive academic credentials within STEM fields, meaningful extra-curricular achievements, and who share the KAUST ethos of continuous discovery.  Learn more here.

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KGSP ADMINISTRATION

The KGSP is administered by the Office of Strategic National Advancement at KAUST, under the direction of Vice President & Senior Associate to the President, Dr. Najah Ashry. Strategic National Advancement directs the university's strategy to serve Saudi Arabia's transformational priorities: Through initiatives in young talent and Saudi workforce development, social responsibility, and national engagement, the Office contributes to a thriving innovation ecosystem by building knowledge capacity, creating opportunities, and strengthening impact.