Kaist

KAIST Held Inauguration Ceremony for 18th Presiden..

< President Choongsik Bae delivering a presentation > KAIST announced that it held an inauguration ceremony for its 18th president, Choongsik Bae, at the KAIST Auditorium on Monday, August 10. At the ceremony, the university unveiled "Fundamentals First, Innovation Forward" as its new vision. The ceremony officially presented President Bae's philosophy on university governance and his vision for KAIST's future to the KAIST community and the public. Departing from the conventional format of a formal inaugural address, President Bae personally explained his vision and the strategies for implementing it. Professor Yiyun Kang of the Department of Industrial Design directed the stage production, bringing KAIST's future vision to life through an intuitive and immersive presentation. < President Choongsik Bae delivering his inaugural address > The event built on the innovation advanced under KAIST's 17th president, Kwang Hyung Lee, while introducing new leadership and development strategies that will guide the university toward its 60th anniversary. Distinguished guests from Korea and abroad attended, including Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Kyung Hoon Bae, former KAIST President Kwang Hyung Lee, and ambassadors to Korea from key countries. < Congratulatory address by Kyunghoon Bae, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT > In his inaugural address, President Bae presented "Continuity & Innovation" as the central philosophy of his administration. He aimed to preserve the values KAIST has cultivated over the past 55 years -- Creativity, Challenge, and Caring -- while pursuing innovation across education, research, entrepreneurship, and administration in response to AI-driven transformation and intensifying global competition for technological leadership. The new vision, "Fundamentals First, Innovation Forward," rests on two foundational principles: people strongly grounded in fundamental disciplines, humanistic insight, and AI capabilities; and an organization characterized by autonomy, accountability, and efficiency. On these foundations, KAIST aims to achieve world-class excellence in education, research, entrepreneurship, and internationalization. < President Choongsik Bae announcing KAIST’s new vision > To realize this vision, KAIST will pursue the following five development strategies, collectively called the Beyond Series: Beyond AI – AI for Everyone: Create a leading environment for education and research that moves beyond today's AI toward Humanistic AI, Democratic AI, and Agentic AI. Beyond Laboratory – Innovative Research and Entrepreneurship: Move beyond the laboratory to advance deep-tech innovation in partnership with industry and society and build a global startup ecosystem. Beyond Barriers – An Efficient and Open University: Remove barriers so that members can devote themselves to research and education, underpinned by transparent governance and a culture and systems built on trust. Beyond Carbon – Sustainability and a Greener Future: Strengthen research to address the climate crisis and create an environmentally responsible, carbon-neutral campus grounded in ESG and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Beyond KAIST – Toward the World and the Future through Global Connect: Connect global talent, universities, research institutions, companies, and local communities; foster a more international campus; expand international joint research; and strengthen global and regional partnerships. KAIST plans to make AI not merely a technology for specific disciplines or specialists, but a common language and general-purpose tool across all fields. By strengthening foundational education and interdisciplinary AI education, KAIST aims to push beyond merely using AI effectively toward leading AI innovation. KAIST will also expand research in physical AI, AI that operates in the real world, including robotics, autonomous driving, and advanced manufacturing, as well as in strategic technologies such as quantum science, climate technology, and energy technology. Building on world-class basic research, KAIST will expand industry collaboration, technology commercialization, and global entrepreneurship, creating a cycle in which research outcomes drive innovation in industry and society. KAIST will expand the establishment of corporate satellite laboratories and collaborative research centers. It will also support joint research and development with companies by building AI Autonomous Labs that integrate AI into the R&D process, creating a new research environment in which AI designs and conducts experiments and analyzes the results. The university will introduce specialized entrepreneurship education for newly admitted students and establish a model that combines classroom instruction with hands-on training, involving alumni entrepreneurs and industry professionals. The inauguration also featured case studies of KAIST alumni using AI to drive innovation in industry and research. Dr. Hyeon-Sook Yoon from Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (KSOE) presented the use of digital twins in the shipbuilding and maritime industries, while Dr. Ji-Yong Shin from Samsung Electronics' Semiconductor R&D Center discussed the use of AI in semiconductor manufacturing. Professor Joonsik Hwang of KAIST then discussed the development and applications of physical AI in automobiles, mobility, robotics, and other fields. KAIST plans to build an AI Native Campus that organically connects AI Interactive Education in education, AI Autonomous Labs in research, AI Agent Administration in administration, and AI Energy Convergence in infrastructure. KAIST will also build an AI-based digital administration system to streamline or eliminate unnecessary regulations and procedures so that faculty and students can focus more fully on education and research. The campus will also become a living lab where climate and energy technologies are developed and validated, while global cooperation will be strengthened by recruiting outstanding international students and faculty, expanding international joint research, and broadening dual-degree programs. In his address, President Bae said, “We will carry forward the proud tradition we have inherited: our vision of becoming a Global Value-Creative Leading University and our C-Cube core values of Creativity, Challenge, and Caring. Building on this foundation, we will pursue the innovation needed to move toward our new goal, Fundamentals First, Innovation Forward.” He added, “Grounded in strong fundamentals across both our people and our institution, we will advance five strategic priorities—AI, global entrepreneurship, a stronger focus on education and research, sustainable growth, and internationalization—and further establish KAIST as a world-leading university.” He also emphasized, “I will listen with an open mind and act with determination. As both a facilitator and a servant leader, I will empower every member of the KAIST community to pursue their aspirations with confidence and fulfillment. Together, we will take KAIST beyond innovation—establishing it as a university that sets new standards and a national innovation platform shaping the future of science and technology in Korea.” President Bae is an internationally recognized mechanical engineer and energy scientist specializing in carbon-neutral transportation power systems and sustainable mobility technologies. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in aerospace engineering from Seoul National University and a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Imperial College London. Since joining KAIST in 1998, he has served in leadership roles including Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dean of the College of Engineering, and Director of the Mobile Clinic Module Project during the COVID-19 pandemic, gaining broad experience in education, research, and university administration. He has also contributed to energy and carbon-neutrality research and to national science and technology policy as chair of the International Energy Agency's Technology Collaboration Programme on Sustainable Combustion, chair of the Climate Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Science and Technology Diplomacy Advisory Committee, and chair of the Society of Carbon-Neutral Fuel Technology. He was the first Korean researcher in the powertrain field to be elected an SAE Fellow and has received honors including a Presidential Commendation and a Merit Award from the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea. KAIST presented the inauguration as a ceremony marking the start of a new presidency and as a forum for sharing the university's future vision and implementation strategies. The occasion marked KAIST's move beyond "a KAIST that embraces challenges" toward "a KAIST that sets the next standard for innovation," as it pursues its goal of becoming a world-leading university for innovation. < President Choongsik Bae waving the university flag >

KAIST Alumnus and TeamSparta CEO Beomgyu Lee Donat..

< (From left) Professor Sukyoung Ryu from the KAIST School of Computing; Beomgyu Lee, CEO of TeamSparta; Jae-Gil Lee, Dean of the KAIST School of Computing > KAIST (President Choongsik Bae) announced on the 16th of July that Beomgyu Lee, CEO of AI education company TeamSparta, donated 100 million KRW (approximately ＄66,000 as of July 2026) to the School of Computing to support a research program centered on the use of generative AI agents. With the support of this donation, KAIST plans to run a two-year program enabling master’s and doctoral researchers from all departments to use generative AI agents. Participating researchers will receive access to the latest AI development agents, including Claude Code and Codex, along with related training and regular seminars. The donation ceremony was held on the 15th of July at KAIST's main campus in Daejeon and was attended by Beomgyu Lee; Jae-Gil Lee, Dean of the KAIST School of Computing; and Professor Sukyoung Ryu from the School of Computing. This marks Lee’s second private contribution, following his first donation in September 2025. The program will operate in six-month cycles, with 20 researchers selected for each cohort. KAIST aims to select the first cohort by the end of 2026 and plans to gradually expand both the scope of support and donor participation. The program is meaningful in that, amid the rapid spread of generative AI across research settings, it lays the groundwork for KAIST researchers to be early adopters of cutting-edge AI tools and apply them to their research. In particular, the program is expected to foster a new research culture in which master’s and doctoral researchers actively incorporate AI agents into their research workflows and share their experiences with one another. “I sincerely thank alumnus Beomgyu Lee for once again making a meaningful contribution in support of junior researchers,” said KAIST President Choongsik Bae. “His generous commitment will provide a strong foundation for researchers to actively use generative AI and pursue new research challenges. KAIST will continue to provide sustained support so that researchers can produce creative and innovative outcomes in the best possible environment during this era of AI transformation.” “AI agents have already become a new standard across industry, and I was concerned that researchers who will lead the development of future technologies were unable to make full use of them because of the associated costs,” said Beomgyu Lee. “I hope this support will help researchers freely use cutting-edge AI tools to help produce world-class research outcomes.” Professor Sukyoung Ryu from the KAIST School of Computing said, "I am deeply grateful to alumnus Beomgyu Lee for continuing to support junior researchers for a second year in a row." She added, “As generative AI agents are significantly enhancing research productivity and transforming approaches to problem-solving, I hope this program will encourage researchers to actively use the latest AI tools and foster a new culture of sharing their experiences.” Jae-Gil Lee, Dean of the KAIST School of Computing, said, “We will actively support training and regular seminars so that researchers across all KAIST departments—not just the School of Computing—can use the latest generative AI agents in their research, allowing AI-driven research innovation to spread across the university.”

Professor Hyun Myung Selected for Research Grand P..

< KAIST Research Day Group Photo > KAIST held the ‘2026 KAIST Research Day’ at the Chung Kunmo Conference Hall in the Academic Cultural Complex at the main Daejeon campus on the morning of the 28th starting at 10:00 AM. ‘Research Day’ is an annual festival for campus researchers that has been held since 2016. It serves as a platform to reward and encourage excellent researchers for their hard work and to exchange R&D information by introducing selected outstanding research achievements. Notably, this year’s award scale was expanded to further encourage researchers and foster an environment conducive to research immersion. The number of Research Award recipients increased from two to four, and Special Research Award recipients from one to two. During the event, Professor Hyun Myung (School of Electrical Engineering), who was selected as the recipient of the Research Grand Prize—the highest research honor—delivered a commemorative lecture titled “Spatial AI-based Autonomous Robot Navigation.” < Professor Hyun Myung Delivering His Lecture > Professor Hyun Myung developed proprietary autonomous robot navigation technology based on spatial AI and applied it to various robot platforms. Recently, he has also been pursuing commercialization through a startup venture. Since joining KAIST in 2008, he has been dedicated to researching autonomous mobile robot technology, applying it to various platforms such as wheeled robots, walking robots, and drones. Furthermore, he has proven his technical prowess by winning numerous international competitions. “By focusing on spatial AI and autonomous navigation technology—the core fields of robotics—for the past 17 years, I have been able to contribute to the localization and independence of mobile robot technology in Korea through industry-academic cooperation and startups,” Professor Myung stated in his acceptance speech. “I am grateful and pleased to have had the opportunity to nurture such excellent research talent.” < Professor Hyun Myung Receiving His Award > In addition, Professor Jae-Hung Han (Department of Aerospace Engineering), Professor Byung-Kwan Cho (Graduate School of Engineering Biology), Professor Joseph Searing (School of Computing), and Professor Hyun-Joo Lee (Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering) were selected as recipients of the Research Award. The Special Research Award was presented to Professor Sun-Chang Kim (Graduate School of Engineering Biology) and Professor Woo-Young Cho (School of Electrical Engineering), while Professor Jae Kyoung Kim (Department of Mathematical Sciences) was selected as the recipient of the Innovation Award. Furthermore, Professor Himchan Cho (Department of Materials Science and Engineering) and Professor Jung-Yong Lee (School of Electrical Engineering) received the Convergence Research Award as a team. Professor Ji-Joon Song (Department of Biological Sciences) was selected for the International Collaborative Research Award, and Professor Bongjin Kim (School of Electrical Engineering) for the QAIST Creative Challenge Research Award. The ceremony also included awards for the ‘2025 Top 10 KAIST Research Achievements’ and the ‘KAIST 14 Future Leading Technologies,’ recognizing outstanding accomplishments in national strategic technology sectors with significant academic, social, and economic impact. President Kwong Hyoung Lee remarked, “Today’s Research Day is a meaningful occasion to share challenging and innovative ideas and to celebrate the achievements of our outstanding researchers. KAIST, which aims for the world’s first and best research, will continue to contribute to the development of the nation and human society through research and leap forward as a leading global institution in science and technology.” < 2026 Research Day Poster >

Professor Yiyun Kang Selected as TED 2026 Main Sta..

< Professor Yiyun Kang (Photo Credit: Ryan Lash / TED) > KAIST announced on April 17th that Professor Yiyun Kang of the Department of Industrial Design has been selected as a speaker for the Main Stage at TED 2026, the world-renowned knowledge conference. Founded in 1984 under the motto "Ideas Worth Spreading," TED is an American non-profit knowledge platform where scholars, innovators, and artists from around the globe gather annually to lead global discourse. Previous Korean speakers on the Main Stage include novelist Young-ha Kim (2012) and violinist Ji-hae Park (2013). In 2011, roboticist Professor Dennis Hong stood on the main conference stage as the first Korean-American speaker. < TED Lecture Photo (Photo Credit: Ryan Lash / TED) > Professor Kang’s selection is particularly significant as it marks the first time since TED moved its venue to Vancouver, Canada, in 2014 that a Korean national—an artist and scholar actively based in South Korea, rather than an overseas resident or defector—has been invited to the Main Stage. Furthermore, it marks the return of a Korean speaker to the main stage after a 12-year hiatus, serving as a symbolic milestone. The TED 2026 annual conference is being held from April 13 to 17 at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Canada, under the theme "ALL OF US." Professor Kang took the Main Stage on April 15, the third day of the conference, to present visual insights and philosophical solutions for a future where Artificial Intelligence (AI), humans, and nature must coexist. The lecture video will be edited and released globally via the official TED website and YouTube channel this coming July. In this talk, Professor Kang defines AI and the climate crisis as "problems we understand intellectually but fail to feel physically," noting that data- and information-centric communication methods often lower our sense of reality. She proposes the potential of art as a means to bridge this gap. Specifically, Professor Kang will demonstrate on stage how to transform complex challenges into visual and sensory experiences through cases from her own projects. Notably, this presentation transcends traditional lecture formats, structured as an "Immersive Talk" that transforms the entire stage into an artistic space. Rather than just listening, the audience participates by experiencing the content with their entire bodies. Professor Yiyun Kang is a world-class media artist and researcher who crosses the boundaries between sensation and technology, and materiality (physical forms) and immateriality (elements like light, video, and data). She leads the Experience Design Lab (XD Lab) at KAIST and has consistently explored the convergence of technology and art through collaborations with NASA, Google Arts & Culture, and the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A). "Humanity is currently at a critical turning point that will determine the coexistence of technology and nature," Professor Kang stated. "Through this TED stage, I aim to ensure that AI and the climate crisis are perceived not just as mere information, but as realities of our lives. I hope to create a practical opportunity to expand fragmented individual perceptions into collective human solidarity through the creative energy of art." < TED 2026 Professor Yiyun Kang (Source: TED Website) >

Undergraduate Rover Team (MR2) Advances to Finals ..

<Photo: KAIST Undergraduate Club MR2 Team Members> Undergraduate students from KAIST are set to take on the world stage with an exploration rover—a robotic vehicle designed to explore in place of humans—that they built themselves. The team has secured a spot in the finals of the world’s largest Mars rover competition, marking a first-ever achievement for KAIST. KAIST announced on the 3rd that 'MR2' (Advised by Professor Yong-Hwa Park, Department of Mechanical Engineering), a rover team from the undergraduate robotics club MR (Microrobot Research), has earned a seed in the finals of the '2026 University Rover Challenge (URC)', the premier international Mars rover competition for university students. The URC is organized by The Mars Society and takes place at the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) in Utah, USA, an environment that closely mimics the Martian surface. Participating teams compete in four key missions using rovers they developed: ▲Science Mission, ▲Delivery Mission, ▲Equipment Servicing Mission, and ▲Autonomous Navigation Mission. This year’s competition saw 116 university teams from 18 countries engage in a fierce preliminary round. Team MR2 secured its place in the top 38 finalists by scoring 95.38 out of 100. This milestone is particularly significant as it is the first time a KAIST team has ever reached the URC finals, proving the excellence of KAIST undergraduates in robot design and control on a global scale. The next-generation exploration rover 'GAP-1000', independently developed by MR2, is a modular rover designed for stable operation in extreme environments. It features a 6-DOF (Degrees of Freedom) robotic arm capable of precisely controlling objects over 5kg, allowing it to perform complex equipment manipulation tasks. <Photo: Operation of GAP-1000's Manipulator and Science Module Integration> The rover also boasts strong autonomous driving capabilities. By combining RTK-GNSS (precision satellite positioning), IMU (Inertial Measurement Units) for motion sensing, and odometry based on wheel rotation, it can autonomously navigate optimal paths through complex terrain. Additionally, a drone relay system has been integrated to ensure stable exploration even in areas with communication dead zones. For the science mission, the rover can collect soil from 10cm underground, remove impurities via centrifugation, and analyze traces of life using protein detection reagents such as Biuret and Bradford. This is paired with spectroscopic analysis technology that identifies material composition by analyzing light wavelengths, creating an integrated system for real-time life detection. "We experienced a lot of trial and error while managing everything from design to production ourselves, but I am thrilled that we achieved KAIST’s first-ever advancement to the finals," said Myung-woo Jung (Department of Mechanical Engineering), the team leader of MR2. "We will prepare thoroughly in the remaining time to achieve a great result on-site." <Photo: Scenery of MDRS in Utah, USA, where the competition will be held (Photo Credit: The Mars Society)> Advising Professor Yong-Hwa Park noted, "It is impressive that the students independently implemented a rover for extreme environments. This competition will serve as an opportunity to showcase KAIST’s technological prowess to the world." KAIST President Kwang-Hyung Lee added, "It is a very meaningful achievement for our undergraduates to reach the finals of the world’s largest competition with a rover they designed and built themselves. I hope this experience serves as a catalyst for our students to challenge themselves and grow on the global stage." Team MR2 consists of 13 undergraduate students from various majors, including Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Industrial Design. Having completed long-distance operation tests in outdoor environments, they are currently conducting final checks for the finals. The main competition will be held from May 27th to 30th at the MDRS in Utah, USA. ※ Related Links MR2 Official Website: https://urc-kaist.github.io/ MR2 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urc_mr2/ MR2 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/＠MR2KAISTRoverTeam

World’s First AI-Managed Unmanned Factory Implemen..

< Integrated Operation of Heterogeneous Logistics Robot Systems > KAIST announced on March 23rd that Professor Young Jae Jang's team from the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering has constructed ‘KAIROS’ (KAIST AI Robot Orchestration Systems), a physical AI testbed that integrates and controls heterogeneous robots, sensors, facilities, and digital twins into a single system. KAIROS is a 100％ unmanned factory platform based on physical AI and is the first integrated testbed of its kind in Korea, developed with support from the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT). It is particularly noteworthy as a domestic integrated solution aimed at exporting "Dark Factories" in the future. The most significant feature of KAIROS is its structure, which integrates and controls various factory equipment through a single AI agent-based Operating System (OS). While existing factory automation was operated around individual devices, KAIROS integrates Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR), humanoid robots, collaborative robots, and automation facilities into a single intelligent platform. Through this, the concept of ‘Physical AI-based factory operation’—where the entire factory is operated like a single AI system—has been realized. The core of this testbed is the 100％ domestic integration of the entire process from sensors and control to data processing. By integrating key elements of a Dark Factory—including logistics robots (AMR), OHT, 3D shuttles, humanoid robots, collaborative robots, industrial sensors and PC controllers, wireless charging systems, digital twins and simulations, and AI-based integrated control and safety management systems—using domestic technology, the project has replaced factory automation equipment and software that were heavily dependent on foreign technology and laid the foundation for a ‘K-Manufacturing Factory Export Model.’ As part of the Physical AI Pre-verification Project, the MSIT has supported the establishment of a demonstration lab within the KAIST Industrial Management Building. On March 23, Vice Minister Bae Gyeong-hoon (Minister of Science and ICT) visited KAIST to announce the National Physical AI Strategy (Draft) and unveil the KAIROS-based Dark Factory demonstration site. At the event, the factory operating system of the KAIST demonstration lab, joint physical AI demonstration results with Chonbuk National University, and the direction of the ‘Team Korea Physical AI (TK-PAI)’ alliance—a cooperative structure of domestic companies—were discussed. < KAIROS Operation Plan Announcement > < KAIROS Demonstration > < KAIROS Factory Site > KAIST plans to further advance the next-generation factory operating system (OS), covering the design, construction, and operation of Dark Factories through KAIROS, and to develop simulation and virtual verification environments. In addition, the university intends to utilize the platform as a testing and evaluation site where domestic robot and automation companies can pre-verify highly reliable equipment, thereby increasing industrial applicability. Furthermore, the goal is to develop physical AI-based Dark Factory solutions capable of competing with global companies such as Siemens (Germany), FANUC (Japan), and Yaskawa (Japan) to pursue entry into the global market. Kwang Hyung Lee, President of KAIST, stated, “KAIROS is the beginning of a new industrial paradigm where AI directly operates factories. KAIST will lead manufacturing innovation based on physical AI and contribute to ensuring South Korea’s leadership in global industrial competition.” Professor Young Jae Jang, who led the construction of KAIROS, explained, “KAIROS goes beyond individual automation technologies to implement the concept of a factory operating system (OS) that integrates diverse robots and facilities into one system. It will serve as a foundation for domestic companies to verify physical AI technologies applicable to actual industrial sites and expand into the global market.”

European Academy of Microbiology welcomes 95 new F..

<KAIST Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee> The European Academy of Microbiology (EAM) is pleased to announce the election of 95 new Fellows, recognising scientific excellence and long-standing contributions to microbiology. The newly elected Fellows represent a diverse range of expertise across microbiology and related disciplines, spanning institutions across Europe and beyond. Their work reflects the breadth and dynamism of the field, from fundamental microbial research to applied innovations addressing global challenges in health, environment, and biotechnology. Election to the EAM Fellowship recognises outstanding scientific achievement and leadership in microbiology. Fellows are selected through a rigorous nomination and evaluation process by existing members of the Academy. With the addition of these new Fellows in different areas of microbiology from Europe and beyond, the EAM continues to strengthen its network of leading microbiologists. As Fellows of the Academy, members are committed to advancing knowledge, fostering collaboration, and supporting the next generation of scientists. Together they promote the visibility, impact and rapid progress of microbiology across the world. Reflecting strength and diversity of microbiology Commenting on the election, the EAM President Prof. Cecília M. Arraiano said: “We are delighted to welcome this new group of Fellows to the European Academy of Microbiology. Their achievements and expertise reflect the strength and diversity of microbiology. The Academy thrives through the engagement of its Fellows, and we look forward to the perspectives and contributions they will bring to shape the future of microbial science.” See the full list of the newly elected Fellows. About the European Academy of Microbiology (EAM) The European Academy of Microbiology, is part of the Federation of European Microbiological Societies (FEMS) network, and brings together eminent microbiologists whose work has significantly advanced the field. Through the collective expertise of its Fellows, the Academy contributes to scientific dialogue, supports emerging priorities in microbiology, and helps amplify the impact of microbiological research for society.

Professor Jihyeon Yeom Selected as Early Career Ad..

< Professor Jihyeon Yeom > KAIST announced on the 13th that Professor Jihyeon Yeom from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering has been selected as a member of the Early Career Advisory Board (ECAB) for Chemical Reviews, widely considered the world's most prestigious academic journal in the field of chemistry. Published by the American Chemical Society (ACS), Chemical Reviews is a flagship review journal that comprehensively organizes and surveys the most influential research achievements across all areas of chemistry and materials science. It is evaluated as a top-tier international journal in the field. The journal boasts an Impact Factor (IF) of 56, ranking it among the highest of all scientific journals worldwide. Its authority is particularly significant because it is a review journal that analyzes global research trends to suggest future academic directions, rather than simply publishing individual experimental data. The ECAB, which began its term in January 2026, consists of 10 researchers selected from among rising global science leaders. Candidates are evaluated based on academic originality, research impact, and contributions to the scientific community. Members provide advisory roles for the journal's academic direction and strategic planning, contributing to the discovery of next-generation research trends and the expansion of global research networks. This selection highlights that Professor Yeom’s research achievements are receiving high international acclaim. Professor Yeom is conducting research on applying "chirality"—a property where objects, like DNA or proteins, are mirror images of each other but cannot be perfectly superimposed—to nanomaterials. Her core work involves precisely controlling atomic arrangements to realize artificial materials that can interact naturally with biological signals. In particular, she is gaining attention for developing next-generation smart healthcare technology that combines light-responsive chiral materials with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to detect and analyze minute changes in the human body in real time. Professor Yeom explained that these chiral characteristics offer new possibilities for expanding information transmission and processing capabilities beyond simple structural properties. Building on this foundation, she plans to expand her research into various fields, including precision medical diagnostic technology, next-generation optoelectronic devices utilizing circularly polarized light, and AI-based platforms. Professor Yeom has established herself as a global leader in chiral materials research, recently publishing results in world-renowned journals such as Nature Communications, Advanced Materials, ACS Nano, and Accounts of Chemical Research. "Chirality is not just a structural characteristic, but a new degree of freedom that expands the functional and information-processing capabilities of matter," said Professor Yeom. "I plan to expand my research into chiral-based electronic and optical devices, bio-diagnostic technologies, and AI-based spectroscopic platforms in the future." This ECAB selection once again demonstrates the research competitiveness and international standing of the KAIST Department of Materials Science and Engineering. It is expected to further strengthen KAIST's role as a global research hub in the field of next-generation materials research.

Robot Valley Project Activation of the Korean styl..

< From left: Top Excellence Award winner Robolight (Pre-startup Founder Han-seol Choi), Top Excellence Award winner Coils (CEO Seong-ryeol Heo), Professor Jung Kim of KAIST, Grand Prize winner Noman (CEO Jung-wook Moon), Professor Kyoungchul Kong of KAIST, CEO Dae-hee Park of Daejeon Creative Economy Innovation Center, Excellence Award winner Gigaflops (CEO Min-tae Kim), Excellence Award winner BLUE APEX (Pre-startup Founder Na-hyeon Kwon) > KAIST announced on December 10th that KAIST Holdings (CEO Hyeonmin Bae), a specialized technology commercialization investment institution, successfully held the '2025 KAIST Hu-Robotics Startup Cup' on the 9th at the main building of Daejeon Startup Park. This was held as part of the Robot Valley Project, aiming to discover and foster promising startup teams in the robotics field and establish a robot scale-up ecosystem based on a technology platform. This competition was conducted as a core program of the Robot Valley Project (Deep-Tech Scale-up Valley Fostering Project), which is promoted by the Ministry of Science and ICT and supported by Daejeon Metropolitan City. The competition proceeded through a meet-up day with KAIST Mechanical Engineering researchers, robotics companies like Angel Robotics and Twinny, and startup experts such as Bluepoint, leading to the final round. Throughout this process, a support system for the scale-up of robot startups was established, linking technology verification, strengthening entrepreneurial capabilities, and investment linkage. KAIST Holdings and the Deep-Tech Valley Project Group (hereinafter referred to as the Project Group) stated that this competition marks the beginning of 'establishing a Korean-style Robot and AI startup ecosystem.' Their goal through the Robot Valley Project is to create a Korean-style robot scale-up ecosystem centered around Daejeon and KAIST, and furthermore, to build a technology circulation structure utilizing verified technology platforms. KAIST has produced successful scale-up cases in the robotics field, such as Rainbow Robotics and Angel Robotics. However, the recent robotics industry has seen a rapid increase in technological difficulty due to the convergence of mechanical engineering, AI, and control software, creating structural limitations for early-stage founders to challenge alone. To solve this, the Project Group proposed the 'Scale-up Valley Construction Strategy,' which opens up the verified technologies of established senior companies to junior founders. This strategy focuses on supporting startups to concentrate on developing market-ready robot services and applications on top of verified technology platforms, rather than consuming excessive time on developing basic hardware like motors and controllers. The Angel Robotics technology platform, presented as the core underlying technology of this strategy, consists of actuators, control modules, and core software. KAIST plans to gradually open up these foundational technologies for use by early-stage startup teams. The Project Group emphasized that enabling startup teams to utilize such technology platforms from the initial stage is the core infrastructure for accelerating the Korean-style robot startup ecosystem. A total of 21 teams participated in this competition, including pre-startup founders (Track A) and early-stage startups established within 3 years (Track B), all possessing human-centered robotics technology and convergence business models. After fierce preliminaries, 8 teams advanced to the final round, and a total of 5 teams were finally selected: one Grand Prize winner, two Choi Woo-sung (Top Excellence Award) winners, and two Excellence Award winners. The Grand Prize was awarded to 'Noman' for proposing an integrated system for a strawberry farm work robot and a rotating vertical cultivation module. The Woo-sung Choi (Top Excellence Award) went to 'Robolight' and 'Coils.' The Excellence Award was awarded to BLUE APEX and Gigaflops. Professor Jung Kim, Head of the KAIST Mechanical Engineering Department and General Manager of the Robot Valley Project, said, "This competition has become the starting point for discovering future robot unicorns. For the next three years, we will continue to provide practical support for the growth of robot startups, and KAIST will play a leading role in building and expanding the deep-tech robot ecosystem centered in Daejeon." < Group Photo of Award Winners > Meanwhile, this competition was jointly hosted and organized by the Ministry of Science and ICT, Daejeon Metropolitan City, and the Research and Business Development Special Zone Foundation, as well as startup support organizations including KAIST, KAIST Holdings, Daejeon Technopark, and Daejeon Creative Economy Innovation Center.

Four KAIST Scholars Named to the 2025 Highly Cited..

Four members of KAIST including Distinguished Professor Sang Yup LEE, have been selected for the '2025 Highly Cited Researchers (HCR)' list announced by Clarivate Plc, a global academic information analysis company in the United States. HCR is a program that identifies researchers who show top 1％ influence in their respective fields based on the citation frequency of papers included in Web of Science, and it is utilized as an important indicator in the evaluation of world universities and research institutions. Clarivate announced the final list this year after verifying the excellence of research performance and academic influence through rigorous qualitative and quantitative reviews. This year, the following professors from KAIST were selected: Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Professor Jin-Soo Kim＊ from the Graduate School of Engineering Biology in the field of Biology and Biochemistry; and Professor Bumjoon Kim and Professor Jangwon Seo from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering in the Cross-Field category. ＊ Professor Jin-Soo Kim is currently listed under Edgene on the HCR list, and the affiliation is scheduled to be updated to KAIST at the end of December. < KAIST Faculty List Selected as HCR (The total number of selected researchers is 6,868, but the total number of entries by field is 7,131, as the same researchers were selected simultaneously in multiple Cross-Field categories.) > The Cross-Field category was established to recognize researchers who have demonstrated influence across multiple fields, going beyond a single academic area. Its importance is growing with the spread of convergence research, and it is evaluated as an indicator showing that a researcher has diverse academic impact. This year, a total of 6,868 researchers from over 1,300 institutions in 60 countries worldwide were named HCR, and a total of 76 researchers from 12 fields were selected in South Korea. While several institutions in South Korea produced HCRs, KAIST produced its HCR selectees based on globally recognized research achievements in the fields of Bioengineering, Biotechnology, and Convergence.

KAIST K HERO Rides Nuri Rocket, Next Generation Mi..

< (From left) Ph.D candidate Jaehong Park, COSMOVY researcher Yoonsoo Kim, Professor Wonho Choe, Ph.D candidate Dongha Park, M.S candidate Seungbeom Heo > KAIST announced on the November 26th that the CubeSat 'K-HERO (KAIST Hall Effect Rocket Orbiter)', developed by the research team of Professor Wonho Choe from the Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering, is scheduled to launch into space aboard the 4th Nuri rocket launch vehicle on November 27th from the Naro Space Center in Goheung, Jeollanam-do. This 4th Nuri launch is the first to be managed by the private company Hanwha Aerospace, which received technology transfer from the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), marking a significant milestone in the transformation of the domestic space industry. Along with the main payload, the Next-Generation Medium Satellite 3, twelve CubeSats developed by industry, academia, and research institutions will be onboard, with K-HERO being one of them. The development of K-HERO was officially initiated when Professor Wonho Choe's research team was selected as the basic satellite development team in the '2022 CubeSat Competition' organized by KARI. The basic satellite is a technology verification satellite designed to confirm whether the design and core components operate normally in the space environment before proceeding with the flight model (FM) production. K-HERO is a 3U standard CubeSat with dimensions of ＄10＼text{ cm}＄ (width) ＄＼times＄ ＄10＼text{ cm}＄ (length) ＄＼times＄ ＄30＼text{ cm}＄ (height) and a weight of ＄3.9＼text{ kg}＄. It was designed to satisfy all stability, electrical specifications, and interface conditions with the launch vehicle. The core mission of K-HERO is to directly verify the in-space operation of the 150 W class micro-satellite Hall thruster developed by the research team. The Hall thruster can be simply described as a 'space engine powered by electricity'. It is an electric propulsion engine that moves the satellite slowly but very efficiently using electricity. Instead of burning a lot of fuel to generate instantaneous thrust, like a rocket, it works by using electricity to turn gas (Xenon) into a plasma state and rapidly accelerating it backward to push the satellite forward. Hall thrusters are considered a core technology for the era of small and constellation satellites due to their high fuel efficiency. < Image of plasma generation in the micro-satellite Hall thruster mounted on the K-HERO CubeSat > Hall thrusters are already a proven technology, having been used in large satellites and deep-space probes for over 20-30 years. However, their size and power requirements were large, so in the past, they were mainly operated on large geostationary (GEO) communication/broadcasting satellites and used by NASA and ESA deep-space probes for long-distance flights. Recently, the emergence of the SpaceX Starlink satellite constellation has led to a surge in demand for small and micro electric thrusters. As the global space industry shifts towards satellite constellations, 'small and efficient thrusters' have become essential technology. K-HERO is the first case of direct in-space demonstration of a micro Hall thruster made with domestic technology, and it is expected to be an important milestone in enhancing domestic technological competitiveness. Professor Wonho Choe's research team began research on Hall thrusters in Korea in 2003, securing original technology based on plasma physics. In 2013, they successfully mounted a 200 W class Hall thruster on the 'KAIST Science and Technology Satellite 3,' proving its practical utility. This time, they have improved the design to operate even at a lower power of 30 W, developing a next-generation model aimed at micro-satellites. COSMOVY Inc, a laboratory startup founded by Professor Wonho Choe's research team, also participated in the development of K-HERO, further strengthening the foundation for technology commercialization. < K-HERO CubeSat being loaded into the Nuri rocket's CubeSat dispenser (Photo source: Korea Aerospace Research Institute) > Professor Wonho Choe stated, "Starting with K-HERO, the number of small satellites equipped with electric thrusters will increase significantly in Korea. The Hall thruster being verified this time can be utilized for various missions, including low-Earth orbit constellation surveillance and reconnaissance satellites, 6G communication satellites, very-low-Earth orbit high-resolution satellites, and asteroid probes." President Kwang Hyung Lee stated, "The launch of K-HERO is a significant opportunity to directly verify KAIST's electric propulsion technology on a micro-satellite platform once again in space, and it will be an important turning point that will further enhance the technological competitiveness of small satellites in Korea. KAIST will continue to contribute to the development of our country's space technology.

AI Opens a New Era in Medical Science and Bio​

< (From left) KAIST Professors Yoonjae Choi, Tae-Kyun Kim, Jong Chul Ye, Hyunwoo Kim, Seunghoon Hong, Sang Yup Lee > KAIST announced on the 14th of November that it has been selected as a major participating institution in the 'Lunit Consortium' for the 'AI Specialized Foundation Model Development Project' supervised by the Ministry of Science and ICT, and has officially started developing an AI foundation model for the medical science and bio fields. Through this project, KAIST plans to develop an 'AI Foundation Model Specialized for Medical Science' that encompasses the entire lifecycle of bio and medical data, and lead the creation of an AI based life science innovation ecosystem. The 'Lunit Consortium' includes 7 companies-Lunit, Trillion Labs, Kakao Healthcare, Igenscience, SK Biopharm, and Rebellion-along with 9 medical and research institutions, including KAIST, Seoul National University, NYU, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, and Yonsei Severance Hospital. This consortium will be supported by 256 state of the art B200 GPUs to build and demonstrate a 'Chain of Evidence-Based Full-Cycle Medical Science AI Model', an AI system that connects and analyzes medical data from beginning to end, and a 'Multi-Agent Service', a system where multiple AIs collaborate to perform diagnosis and prediction. KAIST's participation in this project involves a joint research team formed by professors from the School of Computing and the Kim Jaechul Graduate School of AI. Professors Yoonjae Choi, Tae-Kyun Kim, Jong Chul Ye, Hyunwoo Kim, and Seunghoon Hong will serve as the research team, and Vice President for Research Sang Yup Lee will take on an advisory role. The research team is not merely collecting data but they are establishing a strategy (L1~L7 stages) to precisely process and systematically manage medical and life science data so that the AI can actually learn and utilize it. Through this, they plan to develop and verify an AI model that connects and analyzes diverse life science data, including medical information, gene/protein data, and new drug candidates. The data the research team aims to integrate includes a wide range from language to actual patient treatment information. Specifically, L1 represents language data, L2 is the structure of molecules, L3 is proteins and antibodies, L4 is omics data encompassing genetic and protein information, L5 is drug information, L6 is medical science research and clinical data, and L7 is real-world clinical data obtained from actual hospitals. In essence, the data handled by the AI connects everything from speech and text to molecules, proteins, drugs, clinical research, and actual patient treatment information. < The process of training AI by viewing X ray images and doctor's interpretation (text) together (MedViLL from Professor Jae-Yoon Choi' s lab) > Vice President Sang Yup Lee is a world-renowned scholar in the fields of synthetic biology and systems metabolic engineering, leading the establishment of a bio manufacturing platform and policy advice through the convergence of life science, engineering, and AI. He advises on the analysis of life information (omics) such as genes and proteins and designs a feedback system for verifying experimental results, supporting the Korean-developed medical AI model to secure international reliability and competitiveness. Vice President Lee stated, "AI technology is breaking down the boundaries of life science and engineering, creating a new paradigm for knowledge creation," adding, "KAIST will utilize full cycle medical science data to accelerate the era where AI uncovers the causes of diseases and predicts treatments." KAIST President Kwang Hyung Lee said, "KAIST will contribute to creating an AI-based life science innovation ecosystem, lead the innovation of national strategic industries through world-class AI-bio convergence research, and drive the progress of human health and science and technology." The model developed in the Lunit Consortium will be released as an Open License for commercial use, and is expected to expand into various medical and healthcare services such as national health chatbots. With this participation, KAIST plans to strengthen research on AI-based life science data infrastructure establishment, medical AI standardization, and AI ethics and policy advice, leading the AI transition of national bio and medical science research.