WEP 2020 Sponsorship booklet WEP 2020 sponsorship book-final version | Page 4

About KAUST Enrichment Programs Invention is fuelled by more than necessity. It feeds on creative energy. It consumes the brightest minds. The creation of new ideas, new products and new ways of doing things is why our university exists and why the KAUST Enrichment Program launched a decade ago. KAUST is not just a world class university but a powerful community of people focused on helping move humanity’s collective understanding forward— in science, in engineering and in developing inventions to solve the world’s challenges of water, food, environment and energy. Historically, invention has happened out of sight, secreted away in the lab, Marie-Laure Boulot Director, Office of Enrichment Programs Marie-Laure Boulot is the director of the Enrichment Programs at KAUST. Starting with the inaugural 2010 Winter Enrichment Program, Marie-Laure has successfully spearheaded the development and expansion of the University’s Enrichment Programs. In this role, Marie-Laure sets strategy, oversees program development and positions the University’s Enrichment Programs in Saudi Arabia and in the world. She provides graduate and visiting students, staff, faculty, community members, and in-Kingdom guests experiences that open their minds, transform the way they think, expand their knowledge and stimulate their creativity. behind closed doors. At KAUST we are changing that equation. We’ve learned it takes a community to create genuinely new ideas. Every great inventor has a community that inspired and willed him or her to greatness. With the Enrichment Programs, we aim to focus the lens of our mission. For two weeks, we put aside routine and ask foundational questions. We probe the limits of our understanding. And we support the kind of directed learning that empowers curious minds to make new things. We have seen great things come from the Enrichment Programs— we’ve fostered new collaborations, launched startups, and inspired new areas of inquiry. Join us and be part of this enriching program for all.