Initial research at the Dow Middle East R&D Center at KAUST will focus on water and water treatment technologies, eventually expanding its scope to oil and gas, processes research and development, and infrastructure materials. All of these activities are aligned with existing KAUST Research Centers.
Dow, a founding member of the University’s Industrial Collaboration Program (KICP), plans an initial annual minimum funding commitment of US$1 million to support multi-year R&D sponsored projects and initiatives. The R&D facility will also financially and intellectually support a number of programs and initiatives, including funding thesis research and semi-annual technology research challenges, as well as the Dow Talent Program to develop and train Saudi talent.
“By establishing the Dow Middle East R&D Center at KAUST, Dow has taken the lead among a group of distinguished multinational companies to partner with the leading representation of King Abdullah’s vision for KAUST,” said Andrew Liveris, chairman and CEO of The Dow Chemical Co.
KAUST president Professor Choon Fong Shih said: “The establishment of the Dow Middle East R&D Center at KAUST is a significant event by itself, but we are also excited by Dow’s commitment to support research within KAUST’s walls, as well as by the prospect of having KAUST graduates hired by Dow, here in Saudi Arabia."
The proposed state-of-the-art R&D centre will be jointly designed by Dow and KAUST and should be substantially completed by the end of 2010.