01 January, 2026
Professor Husam Alshareef joined the founding cohort of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in 2009, drawn by the collective ambition of its earliest academic community to establish a “House of Wisdom in the Arab World.” It is a pursuit he still sees reflected in KAUST to this day.
“The vision attracted me here, and to be honest, it still does,” he said. “Policies and strategies may change, but at the end of the day it’s all about the same thing: solving challenges facing the Kingdom and the world by bringing bright people together and giving them the resources and infrastructure they need to succeed.”
The Ibn Alhaytham Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering will now help shape that mission more directly than ever as the new dean of the Physical Science and Engineering Division. “My vision is to lead an internationally recognized division known for groundbreaking science and impactful research, helping Saudi Arabia achieve its economic diversification and environmental goals, including those outlined in Saudi Vision 2030.”