Plant Science PhD Program

Program Mission:

The Plant Science Program at KAUST advances fundamental and applied understanding of plant biology to address challenges in arid and semi-arid environments, with a particular focus on abiotic and biotic stress tolerance, sustainable agriculture, and land restoration. The mission of the program is to:

• Generate knowledge through research in plant genomics, physiology, molecular biology, metabolomics, biotechnology, and systems-level approaches.
• Educate and train the next generation of scientists and leaders equipped with advanced research, technical, and innovation skills.
• Contribute to national and global priorities by enabling sustainable food production, developing resilient agroecosystems, supporting Vision 2030 and RDIA pillars, contributing to reaching net zero emissions by 2060, and increasing human health through healthy and nutritious food.
• Serve as a beacon of innovation, fostering partnerships with academia, industry, and government to create a Laboratory for a Greener Future Living in Saudi Arabia and beyond.

Program Goals:

•  Scientific Excellence – Pursuit of curiosity-driven and applied research at the highest international standards.
• Innovation & Impact – Translating discoveries into tangible outcomes for food security, sustainability, and biotechnology (in alignment with the KAUST Center for Sustainable Food Security).
• Alignment with National Priorities – Supporting Vision 2030, Saudi Green Initiative, and Human Capability Development.
• Interdisciplinarity – Integrating plant biology with bioinformatics and AI, engineering, biotechnology, and ecology.
• Collaboration & Partnership – Building national and international networks for research, training, and knowledge transfer.
• Integrity & Responsibility – Commitment to ethical research, responsible stewardship of natural resources, and inclusive training.

Program Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

• K1: Demonstrate synthesis and integration of frontier research in plant science, including molecular, genetic, physiological, ecological, and computational approaches, with particular emphasis on crops and plants relevant to arid and semi-arid environments.
• K2: Identify knowledge gaps and emerging challenges in plant science, including climate resilience, food security, sustainable agriculture, and plant–environment interactions, and situate these gaps within a global and Saudi Arabian context.
• K3: Independently perform original and advanced research projects in plant science, including hypothesis generation, experimental and computational design, advanced data analysis (e.g. genomics, transcriptomics, phenomics, and systems biology), and dissemination through impactful publications.
• K4: Define novel, interdisciplinary research questions in plant science that integrate experimental, computational, and translational perspectives, and that contribute new knowledge relevant to plant productivity, resilience, and sustainability under challenging environmental conditions.

Skills

•  S1: Lead an original, independent PhD-level research project in plant science within KAUST’s highly interdisciplinary and international research environment, demonstrating strategic planning and scientific leadership.
• S2: Publish original research findings in leading, peer-reviewed international journals in plant science and related disciplines, meeting the highest standards of rigor, reproducibility, and scientific integrity.
• S3: Secure competitive research and travel funding, e.g. from internal KAUST funding schemes or external national or international grants.
• S4: Engage critically and constructively in advanced scientific discussions, communicating complex plant science concepts across disciplines, cultures, and scientific communities, including participation in seminars, conferences, and collaborative projects.
• S5: Contribute new methodologies, analytical pipelines, experimental platforms, or conceptual frameworks in plant science, particularly those leveraging KAUST’s strengths in genomics, bioinformatics, imaging, controlled-environment agriculture, and computational biology.

Values, Autonomy, and Responsibility

•  V1: Mentor and support junior researchers, students, and technical staff, fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and international research culture aligned with KAUST’s mission and values.
• V2: Demonstrate scientific and professional leadership within research groups, taking responsibility for project outcomes, research quality, and collaborative dynamics in highly complex research settings.
• V3: Shape scientific agendas in plant science by initiating innovative research directions that address national and global priorities, including food security, environmental sustainability, and climate adaptation.
• V4: Take responsibility for the societal, environmental, and ethical implications of plant science research, particularly in relation to agriculture, sustainability, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals.
• V5: Commit to the highest standards of rigor, transparency, reproducibility, and ethical conduct in scientific research, including responsible data management, authorship, and engagement with emerging ethical challenges in plant science and biotechnology.