Professor Ibrahim Hoteit is a faculty member at KAUST, specializing in the simulation, analysis, and prediction of weather and climate patterns across the Arabian Peninsula. His pioneering research leverages data-driven modeling systems to advance the understanding of climatic dynamics in the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf regions. Professor Hoteit's work not only contributes to regional climate science but also supports sustainable environmental management and policy development in these critical areas.

Biography

Ibrahim Hoteit is a Professor of Earth Science and Engineering at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). He leads the Climate Change Center, a national initiative supported by the Saudi Ministry of Environment, and directs the Aramco Marine Environment Center at KAUST. Since joining KAUST in 2009, Professor Hoteit has developed extensive expertise in climate and environmental modeling, data assimilation, and uncertainty quantification for large-scale geophysical applications.

Professor Hoteit's research focuses on creating integrated data-driven modeling systems to analyze and predict atmospheric and oceanic circulation and climate patterns across the Arabian Peninsula, with a specific emphasis on the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf. He is dedicated to understanding the impacts of these climate dynamics on regional ecosystems, offering critical insights that support sustainable environmental management and inform policy development.

Research Interests

Professor Hoteit’s research centers on integrating dynamical models with observational data to simulate, understand, and predict geophysical fluid systems. He specializes in developing and implementing oceanic and atmospheric models, alongside data assimilation, inversion, and uncertainty quantification techniques tailored for large-scale geophysical applications.

Currently, his work emphasizes the creation of integrated data-driven modeling systems to study the circulation and climate of the Arabian Peninsula, with a specific focus on the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf and their effects on ecosystem productivity. His team further leverages advanced artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to enhance forecasting accuracy, improve model parameterizations, and address critical applications in marine and land ecosystems, as well as renewable energy.

Awards and Distinctions

  • Honorable mention (top five papers), PacificVis Symposium, IEEE, 2013
  • Best poster award, Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), 2011
  • Best poster award, CMD-IT (Center for Minorities and People with Disabilities in IT), 2011
  • Ph.D. Fellowship Award, French Government, 2000

Education

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Applied Mathematics, Université Joseph Fourrier, France, 2002
Master of Science (M.S.)
Applied Mathematics, Université Joseph Fourrier, France, 1998

Related Media

Watch Faculty in Focus: Ibrahim Hoteit on YouTube.

Quote

The Red Sea is our backyard and "a tout d'une grande". We are working on studying all aspects of its variability and its role in the global climate using state-of-the-art and developing next-generation tools.