KAIST has been an R&D powerhouse and the gateway to innovations in Korea. Basic and applied research at KAIST drove the industrialization of Korea and led the nation to emerge as one of the global economic powers. KAIST is now scaling up new research initiatives to become a ‘first mover,’ whose innovations will make a huge difference to the people all over the world.
KAIST Institutes (KI)
The KAIST Institutes is the hub of open innovation and inter- and multidisciplinary research. KI pursues groundbreaking research projects that will change the world by solving problems through an integrated approach that considers science, engineering, and governance measures. KI aims for innovative and futuristic convergence research among its six research institutes and three centers.
KI is comprised of six research institutes in the fields of BioCentury, IT Convergence, Robotics, NanoCentury, Health Science and Technology. There are also seven additional research centers.
KAIST operates over 150 research centers under the following research organizations: KAIST Research Centers, Institute of Mechanical Technology, Institute of Industrial Management, Institute of Applied Sciences, Institute of Natural Sciences, Institute of Information Electronics, Institute of Techno Management, Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences, Institute of Bioscience, and the Culture Technology Research Institute.
KAIST Research Centers are operated under the direct supervision of the Senior Vice President for Research. These centers are independent from the field-specific institutes and are funded by large-scale external grants for specific research initiatives. Approximately 60 KAIST Research Centers are currently active.
The Institute of Mechanical Technology conducts research in areas such as mechanical engineering, robotics, aerospace, ocean systems, transportation and mobility, nuclear engineering, and quantum engineering. The institute currently oversees around 15 research centers.
The Institute of Industrial Management focuses on research in industrial engineering, systems engineering, knowledge services, and industrial design and has around 5 research centers in operation.
The Institute of Applied Sciences engages in research in materials science, chemical and biomolecular engineering, energy, environmental science, and civil engineering. The institute operates around 10 research centers.
The Institute of Natural Sciences conducts research in physics, mathematics, chemistry, nanoscience, and quantum mechanics. The institute manages around 10 research centers.
The Institute of Information Electronics pioneers research in electrical and electronic engineering, communications, computer science and computing, AI and data science, web technology and security, bio and brain engineering, semiconductors and nanotechnology, optical engineering, and quantum technologies. The institute oversees around 30 research centers.
The Institute of Techno Management focuses on technology management, business and economics, policy and systems, industrial and corporate research, finance/accounting/marketing, and information media. Around 15 research centers are operated under this institute.
The Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences conducts research in the humanities, social sciences, arts, and interdisciplinary fields combining the humanities and social sciences. The institute currently runs around 5 research centers.
The Institute of Bioscience focuses on biology, medical science, biomedical engineering, brain and cognitive science, and engineering biology. Around 12 research centers operate under this institute.
The Culture Technology Research Institute engages in research in various areas of culture technology and currently operates around 3 research centers.
KAIST Space Institute (KSI)
In the New Space era, space technology development is being driven by the private sector. In response to this changing landscape, KAIST established the KAIST Space Institute, pooling together the university's full spectrum of space technology capabilities under a single, unifying umbrella. The institute aims to pursue pioneering future space missions and advance core/convergent space technology research. Building on SaTReC's traditional small satellite programs, KAIST has established a robust and expansive foundation for space research that encompasses key areas such as space cybersecurity, biology for space health, next-generation space communication, advanced materials and components for extreme environments, mission design and policy, and deep space navigation. By unifying KAIST’s efforts across these key domains, the institute aims to bring about a paradigm shift in Korean space development.
Institute for Security Conversence (ISC)
The Institute for Security Convergence was established to develop innovative foundational technologies in the field of security and defense in anticipation of future battlefields that will be shaped by advanced technologies. Shifting away from the traditional focus on military-driven weapons system development, the institute seeks to build an open innovative research platform by harnessing the technological capabilities of industry, academia, and research institutions. To this end, it has designated eight research groups focused on cybersecurity, space systems, defense technologies, autonomous systems, energy, materials, sensors, and quantum technologies.
The Cross-Generation Collaboration Labs program is a key component of KAIST’s innovative research culture initiative, designed to sustain and build upon our outstanding research achievements. This program ensures that the academic legacy and accumulated research contributions of distinguished senior professors are preserved beyond retirement, while also giving junior faculty members the opportunity to carry that legacy forward through collaborative research.
List of all Cross-Generation Collaboration Labs
| Cross-Generation Collaboration Labs | Principal Investigator |
|---|---|
| Systems Metabolic Engineering and Systems Healthcare (SMESH) Laboratory | Prof. Sang Yup Lee (Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering) |
| Acousto-microfluidics Research Center for Next-generation Healthcare | Prof. Hyung Jin Sung (Mechanical Engineering) |
| Computational Materials Physics Laboratory | Prof. Kee Joo Chang (Physics) |
| Laboratory for Molecular Design of Catalysts and Chemical Reactions | Prof. Ryong Ryoo (Chemistry) |
| Nanophotonics Laboratory | Prof. Yong-Hee Lee (Physics) |
| KAIST BioDesigneering Laboratory | Prof. Sun Chang Kim (Biological Sciences) |
| Thermal Superconductor Lab | Prof. Kim, Sung Jin (Mechanical Engineering) |
| Laboratories for Sustainable Chemical Transformations and Organic Synthesis |
Prof. Sukbok Chang (Chemistry) |
| KAIST System Semiconductor Packaging Laboratory |
Prof. Joungho Kim (Electrical Engineering) |
| Frontiers of Synthetic Research for Partial Differential Equations | Prof. Jaeyoung Byeon (Mathematical Sciences) |
| Aerospace/Extreme Materials and Processes Laboratory | Prof. Kim, Chun-Gon (Aerospace Engineering) |
| Cross-Generation Collaborative Lab for VIsion-Centered Artificial General Intelligence (ViC-AGI) |
Prof. In So Kweon (Electrical Engineering) |
| Next-Gen. AI Semiconductor System Lab | Prof. Yoo, Hoi-Jun (Electrical Engineering) |
| Molecular Spectroscopy and Chemical Dynamics Lab | Prof. Kim, Sang Kyu (Chemistry) |
| Advanced Data Computing Lab | Prof. Moon, Sue Bok (Computing) |
A Singularity Professorship is awarded to unusual faculty members who seek out the most intriguing academic disciplines with exceptional scholarship and unrivaled creativity. Every year, KAIST selects two or three professors for this special track with full-scale research funding for 10 years. Singularity Professors are selected either from existing faculty members or those newly recruited exclusively for this track.
State-of-the-art facilities at KARA provide accurate data and experiment analysis for helping research create meaningful results. The center is open to other universities, research institutes, startups, and SMEs.
The LARC is committed to providing quality animal husbandry and veterinary care to support biomedical education and research. The center promotes best and responsible practices for animal experimentation.
University-Industry Cooperation
In collaboration with global partners, KAIST aims to create new knowledge and technological value that will contribute to the global economy and drive new economic growth engines. The Technology Commercialization Center systemically supports startups at every step to help them with commercialization and finding the right business partners.
KAIST Advisors on Materials and Parts (KAMP)
KAIST Advisors on Materials and Parts is composed of 100 faculty members who advise SMEs in the fields of materials, parts, and equipment to help them develop their own technological edge. These fields are a crucial component for Korea’s key industries, which include semiconductors, energy, and automobiles. KAMP supports the development of 159 key technologies to respond to the SMEs’ technological challenges for advancing their competitiveness.
Startups and Entrepreneurship
Startup KAIST aims to invigorate entrepreneurship on campus, create an ecosystem in which startups can thrive, and help startups go abroad. To this end, Startup KAIST provides the KAIST community with workspaces as well as training on practical business skills.
KAIST-NYU
KAIST-NYUKAIST-NYU
KAIST signed a cooperative agreement to form a partnership with NYU to establish a joint campus geared for nurturing global talents, and also signed an agreement for mutual cooperation with the administrative authority of New York City. By combining the strengths of both KAIST and NYU, we seek to advance research and education, and proactively address global challenges and problems through science and technology.
Research Portal (Pure)
Visit the KAIST Research Portal, Pure, to explore research profiles and detailed research performances of KAIST faculty members. Powered by the Scopus database, Pure provides integrated access to comprehensive research information across the university.