KAUST program inspires young scientific talent

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology is creating new opportunities for young people in Saudi Arabia by supporting research and innovation in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and space.

These efforts are part of the Space 2102 program, organized in partnership with the Communications, Space and Technology Commission and the Saudi Space Agency.

The program hosted 150 outstanding students, aged from 13 to 15, from various regions, in a five-day event, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday.

A team of international experts and KAUST faculty provided the students with training and education.

The Space 2102 program included lectures, software training, and enrichment activities to guide and develop the students’ learning journey.

Dr. Najah Ashry, vice president of the strategic national advancement division at KUAST, highlighted the success of the Space 2102 program, which aims to fulfill the dreams and aspirations of talented young Saudis in fields such as science, technology, and space.

KAUST’s early-onset enrichment activities help to engage the best young minds in the program, which improves the likelihood of science-based future leaders and entrepreneurs emerging and of a new era of leadership, research, and exploration in the Kingdom, the SPA reported.

The Space 2102 program concluded with a CubeSat challenge, where teams used technology to design and test their own missions. The focus was on using science and technology to address the conservation and rehabilitation of coral reefs in the Red Sea.