Welcome to the Interfacial Lab (iLab) at KAUST. Our curiosity-driven research group consists of chemical engineers, physicists, chemists, and plant scientists. We're passionate about understanding the fascinating interactions that happen at the water-soil-plant interface.

At iLab, we're not just about theory – we translate our fundamental science into practical solutions. In fact, we've developed proven soil amendment technologies that are making a real impact.

One of our significant accomplishments is the creation of innovative products like SandX, a biomimetic mulch that boosts irrigation efficiency in open-field agriculture, and CarboSoil, an engineered biochar derived from organic waste. CarboSoil not only enhances soil fertility but also helps divert organic waste from landfills and sequester carbon.

It's incredible to see the positive results of our work. Tens of thousands of plants across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have already benefited from our technology portfolio. A former member of iLab went on to co-found TerraXY, a startup aimed at scaling up our innovations and bringing them to a broader audience.

 

Our doors are always open for brilliant, curiosity-driven graduate students and interns who thrive in a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural atmosphere. KAUST offers exceptional academic environment and infrastructure for scientific research through its outstanding faculty members, researchers, Core Laboratories and collaborations with excellent research institutions world wide.