WNAM REPORT: A Saudi Arabia researcher at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology has won a major international award for providing innovative solutions to provide nations with sustainable clean energy, the Press Agency reported recently.
Dr. Majed Alawad, director of the Joint Center of Excellence for Nanomaterials for Clean Energy Applications at KACST, received the Distinguished Innovator Award from the Global Innovation Institute, an honor recognizing impactful innovations with societal benefits.
The award is considered among the leading global distinctions in innovation. A total of 1,476 applicants from 26 countries competed in the 2025 edition, with only 100 winners selected across 10 categories, including 30 recipients in the Distinguished Innovator category.
Alawad was recognized for several initiatives in climate technology and advanced materials research. And the establishment of PureSky, a climate-tech company focused on atmospheric water-harvesting technologies aimed at supporting agriculture and afforestation in arid regions.
He also contributed to launching the GenAI for Materials Discovery Hackathon, an initiative designed to strengthen integration between artificial intelligence and materials science under the supervision of Prof. Omar Yaghi, the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureate.
The prize is awarded to researchers whose innovations progressed from concept to implementation over the past two years and demonstrated sustainable societal impact.
Alawad said the award would encourage further development of innovative solutions in energy and sustainability. The achievement reflects KACST’s supportive research and development environment and its efforts to foster scientific and technological partnerships with global reach.
The achievement also underscores Saudi Arabia’s broader push to strengthen its research, development and innovation ecosystem as part of efforts to expand the Kingdom’s presence in global science and technology sectors, the SPA reported.
KACST has been increasing support for researchers and emerging technologies aligned with sustainable development goals.
