The Big Gamble in the Saudi Desert.

The article discusses the construction of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia, which is hoping that generous funding and great research facilities with attract the talent needed to make it a top-ranked institution. According to the author, scientists at KAUST’s Red Sea Science and Engineering Research Center plan on using the coral reefs of the Red Sea as the centerpiece in understanding aspects of the marine environment from genomics to ecosystems. Topics include a brief overview of the design and construction of KAUST, what will be necessary to amass the talent needed for success, and how research at KAUST will be funded.