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How do I know who my advisor is? Can I change my advisor?

​For M.S. students, your advisor when you are admitted to KAUST is the Program Chair. For Ph.D. students, your advisor is your PI (supervisor) whose lab you have been accepted in to. 

Yes, you can change your advisor. M.S. students are advised to do so if/when they begin their thesis or directed research.  Ph.D. students do have the ability to change advisors, but the overall impact to the Ph.D. project, as well as the time left to finish the Ph.D., could be significant.  This will have to be taken into account before approval.

​M.S. students need 36 credits (combination of courses and research is specific to your program). 

Ph.D. students need 6 credits of 300-level coursework and will earn dissertation research credit each semester until they defend (no minimum credits established, although there is a minimum residency requirement of 2.5 years).

​During your final M.S. semester at KAUST, you will be eligible to submit a “rollover” application.  You will be contacted by the Admissions Office for this.  You must have a confirmed supervisor in order for the application to be approved.

​M.S. students get all university holidays (Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha, Spring break).  

Ph.D. students get university holidays and three weeks of annual/vacation leave per calendar year to be taken in agreement with your PI.

​Mandatory, core and elective courses are listed in the program guide. The program guides for all BESE programs can be found here 
​“Time Extension to Complete M.S. Thesis” application request can be submitted by the 9th week of your final Fall semester.  See application for required approvals here .
​No.  Only once during your time here at KAUST.  If “WE Courses” appears on your KAUST transcript, that means you have met this requirement.​
​Yes, both M.S. and Ph.D. in all BESE programs must register, attend, and receive an S grade for the graduate seminar each semester (Spring and Fall, NOT summer).

​Yes. Drop and Add deadlines are on the academic calendar.

​Your GPC can help you request these from the Registrar’s Office, or you can contact them directly at  RegistrarHelpDesk@KAUST.EDU.SA​​ 

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Diversity, evolution, and symbiotic associations of the stony corals Agariciidae in the Red Sea.

Abstract:
My doctoral research investigates the diversity, evolution, and symbiotic relationships of the stony coral family Agariciidae in the Red Sea across depth and latitudinal gradients. By integrating genomic and morphological data, I revised species boundaries and characterized the distribution of Agariciidae corals, revealing a significant underestimation of biodiversity and endemism rates in the basin. Phylogenomic analyses of 159 coral specimens identified 23 species, including several undescribed genera and potential Red Sea endemics. In addition, high-throughput sequencing of the Symbiodiniaceae associated with Agariciidae corals uncovered depth-specific symbiont communities, highlighting the role of these associations in shaping coral distribution. Lastly, coevolutionary analyses of Agariciidae corals and their obligate gall crab symbionts revealed host-specificity and cospeciation events. These findings enhance our understanding of coral biodiversity and symbiotic relationships, providing valuable insights for conservation efforts in the Red Sea.

Bio:
Silvia is a PhD candidate specializing in the diversity and biogeography of reef-building hard corals. In particular, by integrating genetics, genomics, and morphological evidence, she is studying the composition and zonation of the family Agariciidae in the Indo-Pacific, focusing on the seas around Arabia. Under the supervision of Prof. Francesca Benzoni, she is involved in different projects addressing the study of stony corals' biodiversity, ecology, and biogeography through a multidisciplinary approach from the shallow to the mesophotic and deep environments. Before pursuing her PhD at KAUST, she earned her MSc in Biology from the University of Milano-Bicocca, following her BSc in Biological Sciences from the same institution.

Speakers

Silvia Vimercati

​LIFE AT KAUST