When Daniel Toth, MS '13 made the decision to attend KAUST he had several aims. The first was to complete another Master's degree; the second was to meet like-minded people with diverse backgrounds; and the third was to have an adventure exploring the unique region around KAUST.

Daniel is pleased to report that his experience at KAUST more than fulfilled his expectations.

Currently working as a PhD student in Switzerland, Daniel holds a Bachelor of Science (Physics) from Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary; a Master's degree in Theoretical Physics and Applied Mathematics from the University of Cambridge, UK; and a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering – Photonics from KAUST.

His current work in the Laboratory of Photonics and Quantum Measurements at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne  relates to the interaction of light with mechanical motion at the microscale.

"This year, our research team has published four papers, including one in Nature Physics," he says.

Daniel credits KAUST with great academic and personal growth, which has been beneficial in his career.

"Having the opportunity to take a wide range of interesting courses, as well as to pursue a thesis, made it easier for me to choose the right research topic for my PhD afterwards. On the personal side, I benefitted a lot from being exposed to such a diverse community," he says, and added, "I met knowledgeable, smart people who had the complete opposite opinion to me on certain topics, and that is very valuable."

Team management and leadership are something close to Daniel's heart, particularly with his position as President of ShARE — a multicultural, global, non-profit think tank association for students who wish to deepen their understanding of complex socio-economic and business issues. 

"I am currently in charge of the EPFL branch. In the past I have done projects with multinational companies and a startup. Together with a team, I am responsible for managing around 20 students (BSc, MSc, PhD) across all functions such as recruitment, training and establishing collaborations to secure and deliver external projects and more." says Daniel.

In order to make the most of their time at KAUST, Daniel advises current students to contribute as much as they can, because its is satisfying, rewarding, and develops valuable skills.

"Finally, remember that you are at a unique place – with an international flavor that can rarely be found anywhere else — which can grow you both professionally and personally.  Be balanced and try to get the most out of it from both sides."