Joanna Nassar obtained a Ph.D. degree and Master's degree both in EE from KAUST under the supervision of Professor Muhammed Mustafa Hussain.

Why did you choose KAUST?

KAUST was my first choice because it is the first university in​ the Middle East to offers such high levels of technological innovation and such broad research opportunities for science and engineering students.​

How is KAUST helping you to fulfill your dream?

As a PhD student in nanotechnology, KAUST has given me the opportunity to work in the Core Labs and in other major laboratory facilities that have state-of-the-art research equipment. This has given me the opportunity to carry out nanofabrication, an exciting experience for me that has helped me move a step closer towards my dream of working in one of the largest semiconductor manufacturing companies in the world.

What is your research topic?

My PhD research topic is SiGe nanotube FET.

What are your research accomplishments so far?​

So far I have worked on the epitaxial growth of SiGe. I have shown for the first time SiGe on a flexible platform with high-k metal gate devices fabricated on top. This work has been presented at the fall 2013 IEEE NMDC conference as an oral contribution. I have also been working on the bottom-up growth of strained Si nanowires on SnO2 catalyst. This work was accepted for poster presentation at the fall 2013 MRS conference.

What do you think about the KAUST environment and social life?

Everywhere in KAUST, you can meet people who have the same passion
and enthusiasm about science as you do. This makes the University a great environment for working, learning, and mingling with people.

Education Profile

• BSc Degree, American University of Beirut (AUB), 2012
• MS Degree, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, 2013
• PhD Degree, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, 2017