Our Team Works
We will deliver the best job with the best team
Abdulaziz Alturki
Assistant Professor (KAU)
Abdullah Alrasheed
Ph.D. Student at UCLA
Majed Alharbi
Ph.D. Student at UCLA
Alumni
“MERGE offered an excellent opportunity for me after joining the research competition about addressing a problem in Saudi Arabia and solving it. I developed my teamwork skills and learned from my teammates, mentors, and PI. I was guided through this competition by people with strong backgrounds in research which taught me the correct research process and shared with us valuable information. Having available academic mentors whenever I want them is a great part of MERGE. I had some obstacles with the factors I should consider in choosing the university I would attend, and I had a discussion with experts in the field and chose the best option for me. MERGE is the community where young enthusiasts connect with experts who offer support and guidance.”
“When I first joined MERGE, I was unaware of my capabilities as a student. MERGE guided my teammates and I through the completion and patenting of a way to increase the safety of deep diving using MOF’s. What I learned throughout the completion of that process was so valuable, I heavily doubt it could be offered by any other program for high school students. MERGE’s mentors and field experts pushed me to advance the extent of my scientific knowledge through exposing me and introducing me to advanced topics I would not have understood, had it not been for MERGE. This not only made my grades improve since I was able to understand my curriculum’s content better, but it also made me more confident in researching topics I was curious about. My mentor had also helped me overcome my weaknesses when it comes to learning, which also contributed to me becoming a better learner. Moreover, MERGE guided me through the process of college applications and academic choices for my future. MERGE provided me with the opportunity of having unique extracurriculars which is what made me stand out in college applications. MERGE made me believe that I can start advancing my scientific knowledge despite being a high school student. ”
Merge Fellows
Arwa
Arwa is currently a sophomore at the University of California, Berkeley. Arwa has interests across a variety of disciplines. Her passion for scientific research has led her to strive for academic excellence from an early age. She pursued extracurricular activities that fulfilled her passion for STEM, such as conducting a 2D material research project at the Center of Excellence for Green Nanotechnology (CEGN), which is a joint center between the University of California, Los Angeles and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST). She also took part in national and international scientific competitions and published a peer-reviewed conference paper in Springer’s volumes of Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS).
Nowadays, Arwa is pursuing her passion for entrepreneurship and combining it with her passion for STEM. Arwa is currently an Investment Analyst at Tech Invest Com (TIC), which is one of the largest Venture Capital funds in Saudi Arabia. In her work, she utilizes data analysis and mathematical/financial modeling to assess investment opportunities. Arwa is also active in entrepreneurship-related projects on campus; she is pursuing a technology startup alongside her peers at Berkeley.
Lubna
A first-year student at UC Berkeley (Astrophysics Major), Won NASA Space Apps Challenge and MERGE research competition.
An editor in NOON scientific magazine, worked on a research paper with professors from Emory University in the biology field. Founded the Saudi astronomy club, aiming to become an astronaut, a successful researcher, and a scientist. Was chosen to be a PI for the community by the mentors. as part of MERGE students community, we meet with the mentors and discuss STEM or academic related subjects regularly.
Kadi Al-otaibi
Kadi is a sophomore at taibah university. Kadi has many interests in engineering and technology disciplines that will have a significant role in the future. Because I am passionate and confident with inspiration, it has always been my motto to represent my country in an international and local competitions. I began to explore and learn scientific research from an early age to achieve academic excellence. I continued to participate in extra-curricular activities and to develop myself in the field of science, engineering, and technology, such as conducting a research project by participating in a competition with my university that predicts risks and suggests interventions through ML-supported syndromic observation using artificial intelligence. She participated in many national science competitions and published a scientific paper examining the impact of media on intellectual security.
My goal has always been not to win only, but to produce actual value that will benefit society and my country. Currently, Kadi pursues her passion for cybersecurity, science, and engineering, and continues to introduce and help my peers and educate students about scientific research and its importance. Kadi is now seeking to publish accurate scientific research in the field of science or technology.
Omar Al-Turki
I have recently graduated from my last year of high school just a month ago and am currently pursuing my educational degree through the means of the CPC in Aramco. Throughout my high school career, I participated in multiple extracurriculars some in more social interactive hobbies like tutoring and more STEM-related passions like researching, writing papers, and coding. Most recently I have been drawn toward anything involving personal research which is what drew me to MERGE. I was first introduced to MERGE by a friend almost a year ago, and during our first meeting, I was introduced to one of the most brightest and kind people I know, and soon-to-be mentor, Dr. Abdullah Alrasheed. We were put into a group of three and decided we wanted to create a patent. Not only did he encourage us to do our own research but he also guided us every step of the way. With every task, we completed towards finalizing our patent he was there to give us feedback and ways to improve it. Finally, we were able to finally complete our first patent and by age 17 I had my name on one. Writing this patent assisted in many ways, I was able to add this to my extracurriculars list for college to enhance my, at the time, lacking STEM portfolio, and I was also able to contribute to many other activities they hosted. MERGE provided me with one of the greatest opportunities any student could hope for. MERGE is a great way for any student to start their research-filled academic career. They are able to give a student the opportunity of a lifetime but to also lay on them the responsibilities of this opportunity and have them work towards it.
Merge Alumni
“When I first joined MERGE, I was unaware of my capabilities as a student. MERGE guided my teammates and I through the completion and patenting of a way to increase the safety of deep diving using MOF’s. What I learned throughout the completion of that process was so valuable, I heavily doubt it could be offered by any other program for high school students. MERGE’s mentors and field experts pushed me to advance the extent of my scientific knowledge through exposing me and introducing me to advanced topics I would not have understood, had it not been for MERGE. This not only made my grades improve since I was able to understand my curriculum’s content better, but it also made me more confident in researching topics I was curious about. My mentor had also helped me overcome my weaknesses when it comes to learning, which also contributed to me becoming a better learner. Moreover, MERGE guided me through the process of college applications and academic choices for my future. MERGE provided me with the opportunity of having unique extracurriculars which is what made me stand out in college applications. MERGE made me believe that I can start advancing my scientific knowledge despite being a high school student. ”
Yara Bawazer
Merge Alumni
Merge Alumni
“MERGE offered an excellent opportunity for me after joining the research competition about addressing a problem in Saudi Arabia and solving it. I developed my teamwork skills and learned from my teammates, mentors, and PI. I was guided through this competition by people with strong backgrounds in research which taught me the correct research process and shared with us valuable information. Having available academic mentors whenever I want them is a great part of MERGE. I had some obstacles with the factors I should consider in choosing the university I would attend, and I had a discussion with experts in the field and chose the best option for me. MERGE is the community where young enthusiasts connect with experts who offer support and guidance.”
Lubna Alrabie
Merge Alumni
