2024 KGSP Summer Enrichment

During the summer of 2024, over 250 KGSP students completed enrichment activities including internships, research, and fellowships, to build skills in a diverse range of experiences. Through partnerships with academic, corporate, and research institutions, the KGSP facilitates and supports student development in hands-on enrichment experiences in a variety of disciplines. The Program’s Advising and Enrichment teams work year-long to identify summer enrichment opportunities that match student interests and academic and career goals, as well as support them through application processes. Below are some of the enrichment opportunities students engaged in during the summer.

 

Research

Over 100 KGSP students completed STEM research placements under the supervision of faculty at their home university or another research institution this summer. Of those, two rising sophomores, 10 rising juniors, and 16 rising seniors participated in the KGSP’s KAUST Summer Internship Program (KSIP), researching under the mentorship of distinguished faculty at KAUST’s state-of-the-art research facilities. Jood Ali, now a junior at Boston University majoring in Biomedical Engineering, worked on a bioscience project within the Cell Migration and Signaling Lab at KAUST. “My mentor, Dr. Asma Al-Amoodi, provided me with invaluable support, from developing my theoretical knowledge to training me in essential skills, such as operating the flow cytometry machine,” Jood said. “My major takeaways from the program are to make the most out of every lab experience, ensure a thorough understanding of all procedures and results, and remain curious and eager to learn from everyone in the lab. This approach has enriched my research experience and deepened my appreciation for scientific inquiry.”

Image 1: Jood Ali, junior at Boston University majoring in Biomedical Engineering.

Image 1: Jood Ali, junior at Boston University majoring in Biomedical Engineering.

Research placements provide the opportunity to gain practical, hands-on experience and introduce students to collaborative spaces in the scientific world. Seven students participated in Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs at various institutions across the US including Carnegie Mellon University, the University of California, San Diego, and the University of Central Florida (UCF). Zainab Alyousef, a junior at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute majoring in Chemical Engineering, worked in the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Aerodynamics lab  as part of UCF’s  HYPER REU program. There, she conducted research focused on analyzing fluid casting during microgravity using computational fluid dynamics tools, with findings consisting of fluid casting simulations and data visualization. “My research mentors helped me tremendously with navigating the CFD program,” Zainab said. “This summer program taught me the importance of the research community when conducting academic research. Everyone needs help at times and having a good research community is the key to an enriching research experience.” Besides the KSIP and REU placements, an additional 31 students worked with faculty at their home universities on research projects based on their interests. These competitive research placements provide students with direct involvement in transformative research, sometimes resulting in their contribution to papers that go on the published in scientific journals. Other notable summer research experiences include two KGSP students who won the RISE Germany fellowship, three students selected for the prestigious Summer Student Program at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, two students selected for summer research at Harvard University, as well as the ShanghaiTech Summer Lab Research Program,  and CEER Armor Labs in San Diego.

Image 2: Zainab Alyousef (junior at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute majoring in Chemical Engineering) presenting research findings from her REU at University of Central Florida.

Image 2: Zainab Alyousef (junior at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute majoring in Chemical Engineering) presenting research findings from her REU at University of Central Florida.

Internships

Nearly 80 KGSP students participated in internships at more than 50 different host companies spanning various industries and enterprises, including Fortune 500 corporations and start-ups. Four students interned at Dow’s Middle East Innovation Center at KAUST. Sarah Alabbad, a junior at Georgia Institute of Technology majoring in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, was tasked with benchmarking paint products, testing for different functionalities for paint, to draw conclusions on the standing of products within the market and provide suggestions to improve product formulation and cost. “I wanted to get more traditional Chemical Engineering industry experience,” Zainab said. “This experience has shifted my career interests from academia to industry… I think my biggest takeaway is how to go from an idea to data to a business decision.” Other notable companies that hired KGSP student interns included Amazon, Aramco, Capital One, Deloitte, Honeywell, McKinsey, NEOM, Subaru, and Zoom.

Image 3: From left to right, KGSP student interns Lamar Abdulaal, Sarah Alabbad, Dow Saudi Arabia president Omar Ayoub, Ahmed Turkistani, and Molham Alforidi.

Image 3: From left to right, KGSP student interns Lamar Abdulaal, Sarah Alabbad, Dow Saudi Arabia president Omar Ayoub, Ahmed Turkistani, and Molham Alforidi.

Fellowships and Award Programs

33 KGSP students were accepted to nationally or internationally selective leadership and awards programs including CalTech Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships, the MIT Summer Research Program (MSRP), Harvard University’s Herchel Smith Undergraduate Science Research Program, Camp 2030, the MiSK Fellowship Program, and the Qimam Fellowship. Rayan Alsayed, a junior at the University of California, Davis majoring in Mechanical Engineering, was accepted to participate in Unite 2030’s annual Camp 2030, where he worked on the Clean Energy track. “Camp 2030 was incredibly beneficial as it emphasized the importance of taking action and stepping out of my comfort zone,” Rayan said. “Through this, I was able to meet and collaborate with changemakers from around the world, gain a deeper understanding of global struggles, and see firsthand that innovative solutions can be developed in just a few days of teamwork.”

As a central component of the KGSP, enrichment activities provide students with the chance to experience the hands-on application of their preferred fields in industry or laboratories as well gain new skills, knowledge, professional networks, and develop as young leaders. The Program supports students through pursuing enrichment opportunities as they contribute to students’ academic goals and lay the foundation for their futures in STEM careers and their journeys to becoming thought leaders and experts in Saudi Arabia and in the world.