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Eric Martin graduated from KAUST in December 2010 as part of the University’s first graduating class with a master’s degree in environmental science and engineering, and describes himself as “a millennial, an entrepreneur and a family first kind of guy.”

He joined KAUST in 2009 from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he studied mechanical engineering. During his time at KAUST, he also helped establish and manage the University’s VentureLab accelerator program.

Martin currently finds himself in the middle of a new chapter in his professional career, having recently made the switch from product and engineering to sales. He now works as an account executive as part of a sales team for a venture capital-backed tech company called DataFox based in Silicon Valley.

“I decided to go to KAUST for the adventure and to be a part of something special. I had studied abroad twice during my undergraduate education, and I was riding a high on international living,” he said.

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“My time at KAUST was one of learning, growth and struggle. Being part of the founding class was perfect for me. Very few things had been established or built when I was at KAUST, and so there was an opportunity to really help shape the University. I seized many of these opportunities and got to learn by both invention and experimentation. It wasn’t always easy, but I think in the long run it strengthened me and made me a little more business savvy,” he added.

Martin feels that everyone’s time at KAUST represents a unique chapter in their lives—a chapter they should embrace—no matter how high or low the experience may be. He believes that a student's time on campus is a unique opportunity that is simply not available universally.

“Not everyone gets the opportunity to live and study in such a unique environment, and it’s a very leverageable story—no matter what type of professional career you decide to pursue," he said.


- By David Murphy, KAUST News

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