Dr. Abdulrahim Rafdan Hakami, associate professor in the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences at the College of Applied Medical Sciences in Abha and Vice Dean of Academic Development & Quality at King Khalid University was awarded first place in the field of Education - faculty member category, in King Khalid University Excellence Award 8th cycle for his efforts in this direction.

Hakami, is a specialist in microbiology and medical virology. He obtained a Ph.D. from the University of Nottingham, UK, in virology, a master’s degree from the Royal Melbourne University in Australia (RMAT) in laboratory medicine, and a bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory sciences from King Khalid University.

Al Hakami has a rich portfolio of scientific research, in addition to a number of published books, such as the "The Age of Extravagance, Pollution, and Extinction: The Greatest Threat" and the book "Light Pollution: Its Numerous Negative Effects and Solutions". It is also reported that he published 46 papers, which serve as significant references in a variety of scientific fields.

Before receiving this honor, "Hakami" had already won a number of awards for his work in research and practice. He received accolades for academic excellence from the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Britain and was awarded 2nd place among King Khalid University's most productive researchers for the 2018 research repository.

In the field of quality, training, and scientific research, "Hakami" worked on reviewing the university's academic programs and raising their level of quality, in addition to peer-reviewing a number of research papers in international journals classified in the Thomson Reuters database of journals and scientific research. He also delivered training courses in the field of quality and the preparation for accreditation in various colleges of the university.

When asked on his approach to excellence Hakimi said: "Continuous documentation is evidence of quality and is one of its fundamentals" Additionally, he affirms that King Khalid University is a leader in this field thanks to His Excellency the University President's commitment to achieving excellence. Hakimi also advises academics, researchers, and students to work on their own professional growth by participating in training sessions, seminars, and workshops, which are focused on their respective fields.