Choongsik Bae
President Choongsik Bae is a world-renowned mechanical engineer and energy scientist whose research has significantly advanced carbon-neutral transportation power systems and sustainable mobility technologies. Throughout his academic career, he has pioneered innovations in advanced combustion, hydrogen engines, e-fuels, laser diagnostics, and future propulsion technologies, contributing to global efforts toward carbon neutrality. His research has successfully bridged fundamental engineering science with industrial applications, positioning KAIST at the forefront of next-generation energy and transportation technologies.
President Bae has extensive leadership experience at KAIST. Since joining the faculty in 1998, he has served as Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Dean of the College of Engineering, Director of the Combustion Engineering Research Center, and Director of the Mobile Clinic Module Project during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through these leadership roles, he has advanced engineering education, promoted interdisciplinary research, strengthened industry collaboration, and enhanced KAIST's global research competitiveness.
Actively engaged in national and international science and technology policy, President Bae has played a leading role in shaping Korea's carbon-neutral and energy strategies through numerous government advisory positions. He currently serves as Chair of the Society of Carbon-Neutral Fuel Technology and has represented Korea at the International Energy Agency (IEA), leading international collaborations on combustion and clean energy technologies. He has also served as Chair of the Climate Division of the Science and Technology Diplomacy Advisory Committee at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, External Member of the Renault Group Scientific Council, and KEPCO Chair Professor, helping strengthen global cooperation in sustainable energy and future mobility.
A distinguished scholar in mechanical engineering, President Bae has published more than 150 papers in leading international journals and is widely recognized for his contributions to combustion science and automotive engineering. He became the first Korean researcher in the powertrain field to be elected an SAE Fellow and has received numerous prestigious honors, including the Presidential Commendation of Korea, the Arch T. Colwell Merit Award, the Harry L. Horning Memorial Award, and the Distinguished Research Award from KAIST. He is also a Fellow of the National Academy of Engineering of Korea (NAEK).
President Bae earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in Aerospace Engineering from Seoul National University before receiving his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Imperial College London. Prior to joining KAIST in 1998, he worked as a researcher at the Korea Aerospace Research Institute and later served on the faculty of Chungnam National University. He has also held visiting and invited professorships at University College London and Tokyo Institute of Technology (now Science Tokyo), further strengthening his international academic leadership.
As the 18th President of KAIST, President Bae is committed to building "a globally leading innovation university with strong fundamentals." Under his leadership, KAIST aims to advance excellence in research, education, entrepreneurship, and global collaboration while creating scientific and technological innovations that contribute to humanity and address the world's most pressing challenges.