Zhandarbek Sapargaliyev is an MSc student in the Chemical Engineering Program at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), joining in 2025, and working within the KAUST Catalysis Platform under the supervision of Professor Pedro Castano.

Before joining KAUST, he completed his Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical and Materials Engineering at Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan. During his undergraduate studies, he worked as a research assistant on multiple projects, including natural chemicals and nanoparticle–polymer systems for enhanced oil recovery, and diffusion modelling in multilayer reactors.

In addition to academic research, he completed a Process Engineering Internship at Karachaganak Petroleum Operating, where he developed simulation models for industrial heat exchangers, analyzed corrosion-related failures, and collaborated with process and mechanical engineers to assess operational risks. At KAUST, his research interests lie in the intersection of catalytic reaction engineering, process design, transport phenomena, and reactor modeling.