World-class
undergraduate programs
Unsurpassed
pre-professional
opportunities
Immersive study
abroad experience
Committed advisors
A vibrant academic
community
Cultural experience
Access to KAUST’s
premier faculty and
resources
The opportunity to
contribute to KAUST’s
bold global mission
THE KGSP

2021 Spring Graduate

7/28/21

This Spring, Fahad Alshaiban, a graduating senior from University of Wisconsin-Madison, completed his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Fahad was admitted to the KGSP in 2016, joining the University of California, Berkeley as a Foundation Year student—an experience he credits with greatly preparing him for what to expect as an international undergraduate. “The Foundation Year was the perfect opportunity to accumulate an understanding of what I wanted to achieve during my college program in the U.S., as well as furthering my long-term career goals and ambitions,” stated Fahad.

Becoming part of the KGSP peer network was also instrumental to Fahad’sPhoenix 2018 Fahad Alshaiban early success:  While attending the 2017 Convocation Fahad found inspiration through this unique community of talented, driven, and like-minded students who not only encouraged one another in their academic pursuits but also set ambitious goals of what could be achieved during their time with the KGSP.

Fahad used those lessons to inform his undergraduate career. He participated in several enrichment opportunities throughout his time in the Program to maximize his skills and expand his pre-professional profile, proudly citing his 2019 summer internship with Dow Chemical Company as a major influence on his overall academic and professional career. Serving as a Maintenance Engineer at the company’s Freeport, TX facility, he was supervised by a reliability engineer and helped maintain the equipment. His role focused on monitoring critical spare parts, updating equipment procedures, and implementing visual inspection procedures. His internship experience provided ample supplemental and applicable knowledge for his Mechanical Engineering classes, particularly regarding theoretical ideas of thermodynamics and heat transfer.  

Fahad was also actively involved in student clubs at UW-Madison, particularly the WI Space Race whereas a senior he served as Chief Finance Officer.   As competitors in the Base 11 Challenge, the student club aims to be the first student-led university team to design, build, and launch a liquid-propelled, single-stage rocket to an altitude of 100 kilometers (the Karman Line) by December 30, 2021.

Fahad is planning to pursue a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at KAUST in August, stating “In the future, I hope to further the development and deployment of renewable energy in Saudi Arabia. I think there’s a lot to be learned and achieved in the renewables sector, so helping push that idea to reality would be a remarkable achievement for my personal goals and the sustainability of the country.” 


Fahad working in Student Group at 2019 Convocation    i-pG3W6bW-XL
                                           



scholarship-icon
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.  

Application-icon
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.

about-icon
KGSP ADMINISTRATION

The KGSP is administered by KAUST Academy under the leadership of Dr. Sultan Al-Barakati. KAUST Academy is mandated by KAUST to support the acceleration of Saudi Arabia's knowledge-based economy by providing world class training programs in emerging technologies aligned with Vision 2030. KAUST Academy crafts these unique learning interventions by exporting the intellectual DNA acquired by KAUST for the benefit of the entire Kingdom.