Prior to joining the King Abdulaziz Center, Dr. Al-Yahya served as a Scientific Consultant for King Abdulaziz Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity. He launched an initiative aimed at promoting public awareness and understanding of science and making informal contributions to science education. The initiative, which was applauded by the media, was based on using the accurate methods of science while making the language used to describe them more accessible and appealing. Previously, he served as a Professor of Physics at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. He is frequently invited as a guest speaker to deliver lectures. Dr. Al-Yahya received his Ph.D. in Physics from McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.