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Professor Sir Edward Byrne to Lead KAUST as President

Professor Sir Edward Byrne AC. SPA
Professor Sir Edward Byrne AC. SPA
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Professor Sir Edward Byrne to Lead KAUST as President

Professor Sir Edward Byrne AC. SPA
Professor Sir Edward Byrne AC. SPA

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) announced on Wednesday the appointment of Professor Sir Edward Byrne AC as its new president, effective September 1.

Byrne's appointment marks a significant milestone for KAUST as the university continues its transformative journey through the implementation of its Accelerating Impact Strategy. His extensive background in academia and industry uniquely positions him to propel KAUST in supporting the goals of Vision 2030 and solidifying its standing as a leading research technology university.

A statement said that by translating research advancements into practical innovations, fostering robust collaborations with public and private sectors, and enhancing KAUST's role in economic development, Byrne will guide the institution into a new era of growth and impact.

His previous roles include President and Principal of King’s College London and President of Monash University, where he led significant expansions and research initiatives. Byrne brings a wealth of experience, expertise and academic excellence across various sectors, said the statement.

“As the University embarks on a new era delivering its Accelerating Impact Strategy, it is an honor to join an academic community at the forefront of translating research into economically productive innovations for the benefit of society across the Kingdom and the world,” the statement quoted Byrne as saying.

"Drawing on my extensive career leading top-ranked global universities and visionary approaches to scientific discovery, I welcome the opportunity to lead an Institution that is paving the way for future progress and is committed to making the discoveries that will power tomorrow.”

Aligned with Vision 2030, KAUST’s focus on research, development and innovation is central to driving economic diversification and technological advancement in the Kingdom. The University's efforts in these areas support the Kingdom's ambitions.

Byrne succeeds Professor Tony Chan, who significantly enhanced KAUST's alignment with Vision 2030, expanding its global research and academic influence.

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Venice Is Sinking… But Italian Engineer Suggests Plan to Lift the City

Boats sail on a canal as flags of EU, Italy and Venice fly at half-mast at the building of Veneto Regional Council to pay tribute to the late Pope Francis in Venice on April 22, 2025. (Photo by Sergei GAPON / AFP)
Boats sail on a canal as flags of EU, Italy and Venice fly at half-mast at the building of Veneto Regional Council to pay tribute to the late Pope Francis in Venice on April 22, 2025. (Photo by Sergei GAPON / AFP)
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Venice Is Sinking… But Italian Engineer Suggests Plan to Lift the City

Boats sail on a canal as flags of EU, Italy and Venice fly at half-mast at the building of Veneto Regional Council to pay tribute to the late Pope Francis in Venice on April 22, 2025. (Photo by Sergei GAPON / AFP)
Boats sail on a canal as flags of EU, Italy and Venice fly at half-mast at the building of Veneto Regional Council to pay tribute to the late Pope Francis in Venice on April 22, 2025. (Photo by Sergei GAPON / AFP)

It’s the “floating city” but also the sinking city. In the past century, Venice has subsided by around 25 centimeters, or nearly 10 inches, CNN reported.

Meanwhile, the average sea level in Venice has risen nearly a foot since 1900.

It’s a tortuous pairing that means one thing: Not just regular flooding, but an inexorable slump of this most beloved of cities into the watery depths of its famous lagoon.

For visitors, its precarious status is part of the attraction of Venice — a need to visit now before it’s too late, a symbol that humanity cannot win against the power of nature.

For Venetians, the city’s island location has for centuries provided safety against invasion, but also challenges.

Tides have got ever higher and more frequent as the climate crisis intensifies. And the city sinks around two millimeters a year due to regular subsidence.

But what if you could just... raise the city? It sounds like science fiction. In fact it’s the idea of a highly respected engineer who thinks it could be the key to saving Venice.

While the Italian government is currently spending millions of euros each year raising flood barriers to block exceptionally high tides from entering the lagoon, Pietro Teatini, associate professor in hydrology and hydraulic engineering at the nearby University of Padua, says that pumping water into the earth deep below the city would raise the seabed on which it sits, pushing Venice skyward.

By raising the level of the city by 30 centimeters (just under 12 inches), Teatini believes that he could gift Venice two or three decades — during which time the city could work out a permanent way to fight the rising tides.

“We can say we have in front of us 50 years [including the lifespan of the MOSE] to develop a new strategy,” he says, according to CNN. “We have to develop a much more drastic project.”