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Welcome to the Physical Science and Engineering Division of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

 

At KAUST, our mission is to advance science and technology through interdisciplinary research, education, and innovation. The PSE Division plays a critical role in the university’s mission to drive the Kingdom’s innovation landscape by focusing on four essential pillars: Sustainable Environment & Essential Needs, Health and Wellness, Energy and Industrial Leadership, and the Economies of the Future.

Under these overarching themes, the PSE Division aims to address global challenges related to the environment, climate change, energy, health, water and food scarcity, and smart cities by taking part in the design and strategic development of Saudi mega projects such as NEOM, The Red Sea Global, the Green Initiative and many more.

Inspired by the spirit of progress, we proudly contribute to the transformative plan of the Kingdom Vision 2030, which seeks to shape sustainable development and create a brighter tomorrow for all by embracing the potential of science and technology.

Chak Chan, Dean, Physical Science and Engineering Division

Latest News

14 September, 2023

The once-in-a-generation Earthquake

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12 September, 2023

Mastering the Ropes of Research

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11 September, 2023

Professor Tariq Alkhalifah awarded the Society of Exploration Geophysicists’ Kauffman Gold Medal

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Upcoming Events

Global impacts of particulate air pollution on public health

Dean's Distinguished Seminar Speaker

 

Meeting URL: https://kaust.zoom.us/j/96275972695?from=addon

Meeting ID: 962 7597 2695

 

Abstract

Long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) poses a main public health risk. Our group has developed a data-informed global atmospheric model to compute the exposure to particle concentrations attributed to different source categories. We apply exposure-response functions to assess the health burden, including excess mortality. It appears that black carbon and anthropogenic organic aerosols are more harmful than other PM2.5 constituents, related to their high oxidative potential upon inhalation. Considering that these species may be about twice as hazardous as other PM2.5 compounds, domestic energy use emerges as a leading cause of mortality attributable to PM2.5, notably in Asia and Africa, while in Europe, America and the Middle East, the use of fossil fuels predominates. Recently, we computed the global concentrations of ultrafine particles (UFP, <0.1 µm) at high spatial resolution (10km). UFP are of special interest, as they can translocate into the bloodstream and trigger systemic inflammatory responses, important for cardiovascular disease. From the global exposure to UFP we estimated the cardiovascular disease incidence. Preliminary results indicate that a large fraction of cardiovascular disease, previously attributed to PM2.5, may actually result from UFP. Globally, the mean loss of life expectancy from air pollution surpasses that of many known health risk factors, such as infectious diseases and is comparable to that of tobacco smoking.

References

[1] S. Chowdhury et al., Global health burden of ambient PM2.5 and the role of anthropogenic black carbon and organic aerosols. Environ. Int. 159, 107020 (2022).

[2] M. Kohl et al., Numerical simulation and evaluation of global ultrafine particle concentrations at the Earth’s surface. Atmos. Chem. Phys. (2023), https://egusphere.copernicus.org/preprints/2023/egusphere-2023-317/.

[3] J. Lelieveld et al., Loss of life expectancy from air pollution compared to other risk factors: a worldwide perspective. Cardiov. Res. 116, 1910-1917 (2020).

[4] A. Pozzer et al., Mortality attributable to ambient air pollution: a review of global estimates. GeoHealth 7, e2022GH000711 (2023).

 

Bio

Jos Lelieveld has a PhD in atmospheric physics from the University of Utrecht, the Netherlands. He develops methods to identify and attribute air pollution to natural and anthropogenic sources, their role in climate change, and public health. He is the director of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz, Germany. He is also a professor at the University of Mainz and the Cyprus Institute, and additionally holds honorary professorships. He (co)authored more than 500 scientific publications. He is an associated editor of three scientific journals and a member of German and Chinese Academies of Science. He received an Advanced Research Grant from the European Research Council and many international distinctions, including an honorary doctor degree and awards by the American Geophysical Union for “Outstanding contributions to the understanding of atmospheric chemical processes”, and the European Geosciences Union for “Eminent and diverse scientific contributions and international leadership in atmospheric research”. The Web of Science and Google Scholar list him as a highly cited researcher.

Speakers

Professor Johannes Lelieveld

Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, Mainz, Germany

28

Sep 2023

Materials Science and Engineering Seminar and Applied Physics Graduate Seminar

Syngas economy with green hydrogen for rapid decarbonization of fuels and chemicals

Professor Cafer T. Yavuz

01

Oct 2023

Professor Xiaoqin Zou

05

Oct 2023

Materials Science and Engineering Seminar and Applied Physics Graduate Seminar

Smart Multifunctional Electronic Devices for IoT and Healthcare Applications

Assistant Professor Nazek El-Atab

​​Graduate Programs

Surrounded by cutting-edge facilities and an unparalleled environment to explore the leading edge of science, our students can conduct research in the absolute confidence that our faculty and staff members will fully support them as they pursue careers in science, industry, and academia.
 
The PSE Division currently offers seven-degree granting programs. Under the guidance of their expert advisors, our students can choose courses and design research projects that best suit their individual goals. Each program offers a combination of lectures, seminars, and laboratory classes. All of our students are expected to conduct independent research. 
 
Our students also enjoy a world-class campus, an engaging range of extracurricular activities and an array of opportunities provided by KAUST's fifteen academic programs, three divisions, and multitude of industrial partners.
 
For more information on our academic programs, please click on the link below.