Former IBK Fellows Acknowledged at BCG V60 Exhibition Event
On January 19th, former IBK fellows—Khulood Rambo, Maha Aljuhani, and Dalal Alezi—were acknowledged at the BCG V60 Exhibition event in Dubai for their noteworthy contributions to sustainability. Hosted by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the event, including a gala and an exhibition, underscored the urgent mission of achieving net-zero by 2030. Beyond accolades, discussions at the event emphasized the crucial goal of reaching net-zero and the imperative role these exceptional women play in aligning their efforts with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.
Moreover, for women championing sustainability in the Middle East through innovation and strategic action, the BCG V60 Awards provide a platform. The awards endeavor to celebrate and honor 60 women who excel as trailblazers in sustainability—leading the way in scientific innovation, shaping policy, and inspiring through their contributions to the field. As nominees, Aljuhani, Rambo, and Alezi exemplify this commitment, actively addressing evolving sustainability needs in energy and water within the region. Their unwavering dedication showcases leadership prowess and a pivotal role in the global movement toward a more sustainable and climate-resilient future. As we applaud their exceptional contributions, we eagerly anticipate witnessing their continued success and the positive impact they will make.
Khulood Rambo, currently a program manager in the sustainability field, holds a Ph.D. in Informatics from the University of Reading, UK. Her informatics expertise carried into her postdoctoral research at MIT, supervised by Prof. Ahmed Ghoniem, exploring the intricate dynamics of the water-energy-food nexus. Driven by the belief that we borrow the earth from future generations, Rambo utilized advanced tools to predict water, energy, and food supply and demand up to 2050, revealing critical interconnections and environmental impacts. Addressing challenges posed by climate change, her research aims to understand and evaluate current electricity production technologies and propose efficient technologies for future use. Her initiatives seek to offer a new framework for estimating water use in energy production, providing valuable insights to address pressing environmental concerns.
Maha Aljuhani is currently a representative for the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. She served as a postdoctoral researcher at MIT under the guidance of Prof. Zachary Smith, specializing in chemical engineering. Holding a Ph.D. in chemical science from KAUST, Aljuhani has advanced sustainable technologies, particularly in solar energy materials and water desalination. She contributed to collaborative projects with KAUST, spanning desalination, environmental science, and entrepreneurship programs, with a focus on creating materials for optimal efficiency without compromising ecosystems. During her postdoctoral tenure at MIT, Aljuhani’s focus on mixed matrix membranes for water purification contributed significantly to sustainable technologies, especially in Polymers of Intrinsic Microporosity (PIM) for solvent and gas separation systems.
Dalal Alezi, presently an assistant professor of Chemistry at King Abdulaziz University (KAU), conducted her postdoctoral research at MIT under the supervision of Prof. Mircea Dinca, focusing on chemistry. Building upon her Ph.D. work at KAUST, her research centers around the design and synthesis of Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) to address enduring societal challenges related to energy and environmental sustainability. Alezi’s work explores and synthesizes new stable MOFs, focusing on applications such as energy storage and gas separation. Her specific objective is to find solutions for freshwater availability issues by utilizing characteristic performance MOFs in water absorption-related applications, including water capture and humidity control.
