KAUST is proud to announce that one of its alumni, Dr. Abdulilah Mayet (PhD '16, MS '11 Electrical Engineering), was named a Fulbright fellow earlier this year. The fellowship will allow him to pursue work on nanotechnology at the University of California, Irvine, from September 2023 to June 2024.

Mayet left KAUST in 2016 after earning his master's degree and later his Ph.D. under Professor Muhammad Hussain. His thesis investigated amorphous metal tungsten nitride in electromechanical systems at nanoscale. He has since become a leader in nanofabrication and is currently an associate professor at King Khalid University in Abha, Saudi Arabia. In addition, he has started a number of companies.

These academic and industrial accomplishments along with future goals have motivated him to take his fellowship to Irvine, where he aims to develop new NEMS technologies, such as inertial sensors and infrared imagers that have lower cost and higher performance than current standards.

"The ultimate targets are to innovate advanced commodities to start a company for commercial production. I need advanced nano fabrication facilities to fabricate the innovations," he explained.

Approximately 800 Fulbright fellows are invited annually from abroad to conduct research at U.S. institutes. Researchers from more than 150 countries are eligible.

Although Mayet left KAUST many years ago, he maintains a close relationship with the University, which he attributes greatly to his career success.

"My study at KAUST opened the opportunities widely for my future in nanoelectronics fabrication, and my relationship with KAUST has never ended. I visit KAUST continously, having an office at KRTP [KAUST's Research and Technology Park] and connections with administration and faculty," he said. Earlier this year, he spoke and moderated several panels at the KAUST Future of Semiconductors Forum.

Moreover, the impact KAUST has had on him is generational. "My daughter, Jumanah, got her master's degree from KAUST, and she is doing her Ph.D. degree also at KAUST", he said.