المملكة: Halima Al -Omari .. The role of women is important in the energy field to build the most skilled leadership cadres

Dr. Halima Al -Omari, a graduate of “Kaost”, highlights the role of the university in supporting Saudi women in the energy sector.
Dr. Halima Al -Omari, Director General of the Innovation and Technology Observatory at the Ministry of Energy, embodies the commitment of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (Kaost) to the future of sustainable energy in the Kingdom. Its work contributes to building skilled local leadership cadres, which enhances the Ministry’s goals in localizing the energy sector.

The role of Kaost in preparing competencies

Al -Omari, who holds a doctorate in science and physical engineering from Kaost in 2016, said: “Kaost plays an important role in preparing competencies for excellence in the energy sector. The university is closely in line with the Kingdom’s vision and mission, and considers itself the cornerstone of this ecosystem, where it possesses All resources needed to achieve this from international educational and research facilities, to their partnership and solid and growing relationships within the Kingdom.
The academic trip of Dr. Halima Al -Omari from Kaost to Saudi Aramco, then to the Ministry of Energy, is an example of the university’s success in preparing basic leaders for the future of energy in the Kingdom.
The Ministry – the Ministry of Energy – seeks to achieve a 75% resettlement rate across the energy sector, including creating local job opportunities, which is supported by Al -Omari with full support as part of the Saudi Vision 2030, to enhance competitiveness in the energy sector, says: “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a fingerprint A leadership in the energy sector, which is part of our identity to support this sector. The Saudis feel this responsibility not only towards the Kingdom, but also towards the world to ensure reliable and sustainable energy sources.

Caust’s attractiveness in all forms of development

After obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Sciences in Chemistry from Umm Al -Qura University in Makkah Al -Mukarramah, Al -Omari completed a master’s degree in chemistry and polymer science from the University of Waterlo in Canada.
Although it was accepted at McGill University for the PhD, the CAAST employment team persuaded it in 2012 to return to the Kingdom, where it was attracted by advanced facilities, distinguished faculty members, and the dynamic research environment at the university.
Al -Omari notes that Kaost provides a distinguished university experience, as it provides students with a promising platform to explore opportunities in the fields of work and future research, especially in the energy sector.
She explains that communication with the industry begins early in their career, as Aramco, SABIC and Daw were near them in the research and technology complex on the campus.
She also confirmed that the opportunities to communicate with faculty members were excellent, in addition to the communication of several large companies with her while studying a doctorate in Kaost.

Ibn Khaldun’s fellowship program at the MIT Institute

After graduating from Kaost, Al -Omari decided to work in Aramco, where she found a consensus between her studies, passion and skills. But her relationship with academic research has not yet ended. After her graduation in 2016, Aramco nominated her for the Ibn Khaldoun Fellowship program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which gave her the opportunity to return to North America, this time to the United States, to work as a post -doctoral research. It was the best example of the distinguished role of Saudi women in practical research, she says: “This was a dream for me. I was already working with the industry, and I had a lot of visions about offering successful solutions to their challenges, then I worked as a post -doctoral researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, My skills in the energy sector are largely strengthened. “

Return to Kaost

Al -Omari, while she was at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, contributed to research, developing patents and composing scientific publications, and participated in leadership training courses. Then she returned to the homeland, joined the Aramco-Kost Center in 2018 and helped to develop his strategies, as she took multiple leadership roles, balanced between leading teams and developing strategies.
In 2021, Aramco nominated it for the “Youth Leaders” competitive program presented by Harvard Business College, which lasted for ten months, as the program was designed to rehabilitate future leaders in the energy sector, which gave it a greater role in the company during which it contributed to the establishment of the center and association of non -metal materials In King Salman Energy City (Spark).
Dr. Al -Omari says: “I worked for a period of three years as a team leader, then I moved to a position as Acting Senior Technician to the non -metal material department, then as Acting Director of the Aramco Research and Development Center in KAST. .

Bus scientific march

Al -Omari joined the Ministry of Energy in 2022, taking advantage of her extensive experience to take over a strategic role that supports the research and development system in the Kingdom in the entire energy field.
And you see that this position is a natural development of its career, as it focuses on forming and enhancing energy strategies in the Kingdom, she says, “My journey in Kaost helped me to link many points. Given Kaost and other institutions that I worked with, I think Kaost is characterized by its flexibility and its ability to quickly adapt to What happens in the Kingdom and adjust its strategies accordingly. “

The importance of Kaost in the energy sector

According to Halima, Kaost is closely related to the energy sector, as it leads innovation and technology development through the value chain. The university describes it as the “oasis of science” in which scientists and technology developers flourish.
This unique mixture of research, industrial cooperation and entrepreneurship support creates an ideal environment for talents in Kaost. It hopes that the university will continue to enable future leaders in vital areas of the economy.
“Kaost is a pioneer, and her leadership in the energy sector will continue. We have seen the impact of the university on many activities within the energy system at various levels, and how its projects and research are fully consistent with the Kingdom’s priorities. There is no doubt that Cost will play an important role in the energy sector in the future “.
She also indicated that Saudi Aramco is aware of the importance of Kaost in preparing a specialized workforce in the field of energy, and often sends its students as part of special programs. Many KAST graduates work in Aramco, which reflects the strong ties between the two institutions.
In the Ministry of Energy, Al -Omari says that she is actively employing Kaost graduates, confirming the quality of the university’s outputs and their great impact in the energy sector in the Kingdom.
She concluded her speech by saying: “Kaost has a prominent leadership ability, as an academic institution is a multidisciplinary institution that includes a large amount of advanced intellectual property that supports the Kingdom’s renaissance in various fields. These are some of the reasons that make it able to lead and accelerate the development of talent in the field of energy.”