Professor Al-Athel received his Bachelor of Science BSc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas in 1965; an MSc in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University in 1968, and a PhD in Applied Mechanics in 1971 from Stanford University also.
Two years later he enrolled at King Saud University (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) where he became Vice-Dean of the College of Engineering (1974-1975), Dean of College of Engineering (1975-1976).