Abdullah Alshangiti

Abdullah is a dedicated student with a passion for sustainable energy and materials science. Throughout high school, he has been actively involved in research and volunteer work related to decarbonizing the economy and empowering people with disabilities.

Abdullah has demonstrated his passion for sustainable energy through his work as a researcher at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) Hydrogen and Solar Fuel Project. In this role, he designed a material that is significantly more cost-effective than commercialized catalysts and presented his work in national and international competitions. With a focus on materials science and engineering, Abdullah is also interested in applying his engineering solutions in an entrepreneurial way, and plans to continue his studies at Columbia University to explore solutions that make a positive impact on the world.

In addition to his research experience, Abdullah also served as a Project Manager in the MIT CoCreate Fellowship. This interdisciplinary innovation program, in partnership with scientists and engineers from MIT and local Saudi universities, focuses on empowering designers and engineers to collaboratively develop new assistive technologies for people with disabilities. As the project manager, he led a team of five engineers and students to develop a functional wheelchair product that assists quadriplegic individuals confined to wheelchairs.

Abdullah also has a number of awards and honors to his name. He placed 4th at the Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair 2021, and won 3rd Place, including $21,000, at the National Science Fair. He also received the First Author award at the Human Computer Interaction International 2020 conference, where he presented an academic paper about the factors that affect the design of wheelchair peripherals for quadriplegic wheelchair users in the MENA region. Furthermore, Abdullah was awarded a full-ride undergraduate scholarship from the KAUST Gifted Students Program, based on his potential as a scientific and technological future leader.

In Columbia, Abdullah aims to delve deeper into the field of materials science and engineering, with a specific focus on sustainable energy solutions. He is particularly interested in studying the technical aspects of sustainable energy as well as the policy and regulatory frameworks that shape its development and implementation. With a strong background in research and hands-on experience in the field, Abdullah brings a unique perspective to his studies, and is determined to use his education to make a positive impact on the world. He is excited to continue his journey in exploring sustainable energy at Columbia University.