KAIST

Hello everyone.

It is indeed my great pleasure to welcome you all to the first KAIST Emerging Materials e-Symposium.

I would like to thank all the participants who are joining us online. Even though we must gather virtually during this very unfortunate time, this online symposium allows us to meet eminent scholars from around the world.

I myself am a materials physicist. I know very well that it was quite challenging to bring this group of eminent speakers together. In particular, I am deeply moved that many editors of prestigious journals, a Nobel laureate, and world leading scientists are attending this symposium. It is truly great honor for KAIST and thank you all for joining us.

I would also like to recognize and thank the chair of the symposium, Professor Il-Doo Kim and his team, for making this symposium possible.

This symposium will explore the big ideas in emerging materials science, applied physics, and chemistry. It will extensively cover the nanostructures for next-generation emerging applications, chemical and bio-engineering for environmental and industrial applications, and materials innovations for functional and wearable applications.

This is also open to students and young scientists around the world via Zoom and YouTube. I hope this symposium will provide another good opportunity for young scientists to learn more about the latest trends in new materials and get inspired by the world-leading scientists’ presentations.

Dearest participants,

History defines a civilization by the materials we develop and use. The search for better materials and new processes has continued to impact the world.

As such, materials are always new dynamics for the industrial and socio-economic development of our society. All the breakthroughs in materials have extended a new paradigm that transformed our lives.

How to improve our quality of life and benefit humanity are longstanding research topics that KAIST is pursuing. An unwavering commitment to innovation in the research sector and global collaborations will be the key to realizing breakthroughs.

When KAIST was established by the government in 1971, we were missioned to make innovations that would drive the nation’s economic growth by fostering top-notch scientists and engineers. We have achieved that mission successfully. Even more, KAIST has created a very distinct educational model that is now being used as a benchmark by many other countries.

We now aim to make breakthroughs that will benefit people all over the world. To that end, we launched a new vision for another 50 years called ‘Vision 2031’ and shifted our R&D strategy to focus on creating global value.

Our goal is to produce the world’s best, first, or only research outcomes, and to be a first mover. Researchers at KAIST should be constantly creating and experimenting with new and innovative ideas along with our global partners.

In doing so, we need to identify what will be needed for the future more precisely, and make longer commitments so that our researchers can achieve tangible results.

Under Vision 2031, we launched the Global Singularity Research Project and selected three most creative topics in the fields of new materials, neuro-rehabilitation engineering, and brain function redesigning.

Among others, new materials fully embodies the future research direction of KAIST and our new vision. This is an excellent example of higher-level creativity embracing inter-and multidisciplinary research. This also involves very creative collaborators from around the world like yourselves.

Researchers around the world have continued to make new breakthroughs and we are producing new concept nanomaterials and inorganic materials using a wide array of new applications in IT, medicine, energy, and biotechnology.

International collaborations to make new materials and the scholarly passion to evaluate the materials’ characteristics were what made this significant progress possible.

Fortunately, materials scientists at KAIST are very passionate. More than 200 professors in the field of materials research are producing about 800 SCI papers every year. Our academic reputation in materials science has already been highly recognized globally.

For realizing our new vision, international collaboration with world-leading scholars are very critical and we intend to do more with many global partners. Your ideas and any suggestions for future collaboration will be appreciated.

Distinguished colleagues and students,

We are living in the time of a new normal, full of disruptions and uncertainties. However, we believe this can be viewed as an opportunity to improve our quality of life and rebuild the world through the advancement of science and technology.

Creative research projects alongside global collaborators like all of you will allow the breakthroughs that will deliver us from these crises.

I look forward to this Emerging Materials Symposium serving as another opportunity to help KAIST and many young scientists make a quantum leap forward for developing advanced new materials.

I would like to thank you once again for your participation and hope that you enjoy very meaningful and inspiring sessions during this five-day symposium.

Thank you very much.

September 21, 2020

Sung-Chul Shin
President of KAIST