Although science is considered the most rigorous and extreme appearance of order in the physical world, the desire for that order, and often the means to declare it, were peculiarly nestled against the emotion and wild flight of the human world. This lecture goes through the creative tension between science and art, logic and instinct. It shows that the path to the hard facts of science often goes through the whimsy human texture. Most of the time, these human feelings all swirl together as a swoop of ideas, a wondrous and beautiful and finally mysterious cry of the world, rational and irrational, certain against uncertain, with the apparent firmness versus the deeply sited ambiguity, answering some questions and questioning all the answers. This lecture is part our Business Leadership Series, Learn to Lead in collaboration with the KAUST University Development Department. This is a part of our Brown Bag Lecture Series. A light lunch will be provided.

Speaker Bio

Khalid S. Al-Yahya, Ph.D., is an Awad-Winning leader who serves as the Director of iThra Programs at King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture. Currently he, also, leads Saudi Aramco Corporate Initiative named iThra Youth . Focused on creative STEM education and character building skills, iThra Youth will inspire and enrich two million Saudi Youth Kingdom-wide by 2020 through providing innovative and high quality programs and will position Saudi Aramco as a national patron of youth development in Saudi Arabia. In addition, he is leading the progress of King Abdulaziz Center s Library and Archive components as well as The Center s Research & Development and Content Development efforts. He was awarded World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) Award for his initiatives aimed at transforming education through innovation. In 2014, Saudi Aramco Board of Director recognized his efforts as a symbol of Excellence. Prior to joining the King Abdulaziz Center, Dr. Al-Yahya served as a Scientific Consultant for King Abdulaziz Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity. He launched an initiative aimed at promoting public awareness (and understanding) of science and making informal contributions to science education. The initiative, which gained cheering reviews by media, was based on capturing the methods and accuracy of science, while making the language more accessible and artistic. Previously, he served as a Professor of Physics at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. He is frequently invited as a guest speaker to deliver lectures for various intellectual circles. Dr. Al-Yahya received his Ph.D. in Physics from McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.