UNIST First Cohort Student Becomes Seoul National University Professor … Dr. Jin-Young Kim Appointed as Professor in Seoul National University Department of Chemistry Education

From Admission to PhD at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology 'Tong', Achievement Two Years After Earning PhD

Advisor Moon Hoeri as Role Model ‥ Bold Challenges and Failure Experiences as a Stepping Stone for Leap

Dr. Jin-Young Kim, a graduate of UNIST's first class, was recently appointed as a professor in the Department of Chemistry Education at Seoul National University.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] The first cohort of students at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) has brought smiles to the university by completing both undergraduate and doctoral degrees and being appointed as a professor at Seoul National University.

Dr. Jin-Young Kim, who earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry at UNIST (President Lee Yong-hoon) under the supervision of Professor Moon Hwe-ri, has been appointed as a professor in the Department of Chemical Education at Seoul National University.

Dr. Jin-Young Kim was part of UNIST's inaugural undergraduate class. He enrolled in 2009 when the university opened and completed both his undergraduate and graduate studies at UNIST.

After receiving his Ph.D. in February 2019, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at UC San Diego and will begin a new chapter as a professor at Seoul National University starting this March.

Dr. Kim said, “Having received significant support from the country in growing as a researcher, I want to contribute to nurturing more junior scientists domestically.”

He also expressed gratitude, saying, “I am thankful to have the opportunity to fulfill both research and educational roles.”

During his degree program, Dr. Kim conducted research on the design and synthesis of porous materials for deuterium separation, aromatic molecule sensing, and the development of single-crystal porous composite materials.

He published 10 papers at UNIST, serving as the first author on six of them. These papers appeared in prestigious journals such as the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS) and Advanced Materials, garnering attention by featuring on journal covers.

However, it was not easy to publish excellent research from the start. Dr. Kim was able to achieve his first paper only in his fifth year of graduate studies.

He said, “Although I worked hard on experiments and research, I struggled for a long time without producing results.”

“Despite continuous failures, I never gave up because my advisor always listened to new ideas and supported me, which ultimately led to success.”

His ability to keep challenging himself without fear of failure was also greatly influenced by his experience as part of UNIST’s first cohort. There were no seniors to rely on.

Being accustomed to facing problems independently and solving them through direct experience without senior help positively affected his journey toward becoming a professor.

Dr. Jin-Young Kim said, “I applied to several universities with the desire to become a professor, but initially faced the bitter taste of failure. However, by reviewing the reasons for rejection and improving myself, I was able to grow and eventually achieve valuable results.”

Dr. Jin-Young Kim of UNIST (left) and his advisor, Professor Hoi-ri Moon.

Dr. Jin-Young Kim says he wants to be a professor who works closely with students, shares their concerns, and opens paths together.

He said, “My dream is to become a professor like my advisor, who always respects students, supports them strongly, and serves as an excellent female scientist role model.”

“I want to be someone who dreams of positive change and shares good experiences.” These are the words of ‘Professor Kim,’ who will join Seoul National University this March.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.