Beginning July 1, the BESE Division welcomes Professor Hylke Beck, who joins the division from KAUST's Physical Science and Engineering (PSE) Division.

Beck is an Earth systems scientist whose research combines climate science, hydrology, remote sensing and machine learning to better understand and predict environmental extremes. His work focuses on floods, droughts, water resources and climate risks, with the goal of developing data-driven solutions that support resilience and informed decision-making in a changing climate.

Originally from the Netherlands, Beck earned his Ph.D. from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam before pursuing research positions at Princeton University and the European Commission's Joint Research Centre in Italy. He joined KAUST in 2023, where he established a research program dedicated to advancing climate analytics and hydrological modeling through innovative computational approaches.

His transition to BESE reflects the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of environmental research and the strong alignment between his work and the division's mission to address global challenges related to ecosystems, water, climate and sustainability. Beck's expertise in integrating large-scale environmental datasets with artificial intelligence and predictive modeling complements ongoing research efforts across BESE and creates new opportunities for collaboration within the division and across the University.

As Professor Beck begins this new chapter within BESE, the division looks forward to the insights, partnerships and scientific advances his research will help foster.

Please join us in welcoming Professor Hylke Beck to the BESE community.