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POSTECH Professor Sei Kwang Hahn, Korea's First Fellow of the Controlled Release Society

[International Recognition for Convergence Research in Biomaterials, Nanomedicine, and Photomedicine - Expected to Elevate Korea's Standing in Bio-Pharmaceutical Research] Professor Sei Kwang Hahn in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Graduate School of Convergence Science and Technology at POSTECH has been named a Fellow of the Controlled Release Society (CRS) - the first researcher based in Korea to receive this distinction. The CRS Fellowship is the highest academic honor conferred by the society, awarded to researchers who have made outstanding and sustained contributions to the advancement of drug delivery science and technology. The CRS played a leading role in the development of COVID-19 vaccines by pioneering nucleic acid (mRNA) delivery systems during the pandemic. With membership spanning multinational pharmaceutical companies and drug delivery researchers from more than 50 countries, the Fellowship remains an exceptionally selective honor: only approximately 185 individuals worldwide have ever been inducted, including Professor Robert Langer at MIT, who led the development of the Moderna vaccine. Each year, roughly 10 new Fellows are elected globally. Professor Hahn's selection was made upon the recommendation by Professor Yu-Kyoung Oh at the Seoul National University College of Pharmacy (Minister of Food and Drug Safety) and Professor Maria Alonso, the former CRS President from Spain. Professor Hahn has built a world-class body of work through convergence research applying multifunctional biomaterials to drug delivery, nanomedicine, and photomedicine. He serves as Executive Editor of Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, a leading journal in the field of drug delivery; Associate Editor of Biomaterials, a premier journal in the biomaterials field; and Editor-in-Chief of Biomaterials Research - contributing to the advancement of both academia and industry in these disciplines. Expressing his reaction to the honor, Professor Hahn said, "I am deeply honored to have been selected as a CRS Fellow. I will continue to do my utmost to contribute to the academic advancement and translational research in the field of drug delivery, and to strengthen the global standing of Korea's bio-pharmaceutical and drug delivery research." Professor Hahn will be officially inducted as a Fellow at the CRS Annual Meeting, to be held July 6–9. Following his induction, he will be entitled to use the designation FCRS (Fellow of the Controlled Release Society) and will take part in key academic activities within the society.

“Beyond Semiconductor Chips to the Era of ‘Biochips’” — POSTECH Launches ‘K-BIGHEART’

[Opening ceremony held on March 18; leading efforts to strengthen Korea’s biohealth competitiveness through convergent research in biomedical integrated circuits (BIC) chip] POSTECH held the opening ceremony for K-BIGHEART (Korea Biomedical Institute for Global Health Research and Technology) on March 18 at the Changeup Ground on campus, officially marking the institute’s launch. The event was attended by Hyuk Chae Koo, First Vice Minister of the Ministry of Science and ICT; Hae-sook Lee, Deputy Minister of the Office of Higher and Lifelong Education Policy at the Ministry of Education; Geum-hee Yang, Deputy Governor for Economic Affairs of Gyeongsangbuk-do; Won-hwa Hong, Chairman of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF); Seong Keun Kim, President of POSTECH; along with other key university leaders and researchers. K-BIGHEART was established as part of the National Research Laboratory (NRL) 2.0 Program, jointly promoted by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Ministry of Education. The program selects university-based research institutes capable of producing world-class outcomes and fosters them as large-scale, interdisciplinary research hubs. Each institute may receive up to KRW 10 billion per year, for a total of up to KRW 100 billion over 10 years. K-BIGHEART will pursue interdisciplinary research spanning medicine, engineering, life sciences, physical sciences, and AI data science to develop core technologies for future healthcare. This includes precision medicine and digital healthcare enabled by next-generation BIC biosensors and medical devices. It also plans to expand large-scale national R&D projects and global collaborations and to build an open research platform that fosters cooperation among industry, academia, research institutes, and hospitals—thereby strengthening technology commercialization and industrial linkages. In a vision presentation titled “Vision for K-BIGHEART,” Institute Director Professor Luke P. Lee outlined mid- to long-term strategies, stating, “We are eager to collaboratively shape the future of healthcare through the development of a data-driven precision biomedical engineering platform and the enhancement of international collaboration networks. “ With the launch of K-BIGHEART, POSTECH aims to further enhance its research competitiveness in global healthcare, nurture national strategic technologies, and create future growth industries. In his welcoming remarks, President Seong Keun Kim said, “Today marks a monumental milestone that will reshape the paradigm of science and technology in Korea,” adding, “We will create a ‘safe playground’ where researchers can fail freely and rise again—leveraging POSTECH’s convergence research capabilities to alleviate human suffering and deliver world-class outcomes that advance global healthcare.”

Prof. Baker Visits POSTECH as the First Speaker in the 40th Anniversary Lecture Series

[Prof. David Baker, the 2024 Nobel Prize laureate visits POSTECH to reunite with his former postdoctoral researcher, Prof. Sangmin Lee… lecture, meeting, and commemorative tree-planting] To commemorate the 40th anniversary of its founding, POSTECH welcomed Prof. David Baker of the University of Washington, a Nobel Prize laureate in Chemistry, to its campus. On April 10th, as part of the “POSTECH 40th Anniversary Lecture Series,” POSTECH hosted a meeting, a commemorative tree-planting ceremony, and lectures featuring Prof. David Baker and his wife, Prof. Hannele Ruohola-Baker. Prof. Baker delivered a lecture titled “Protein Design Using Deep Learning,” where he introduced current trends and future possibilities in protein design research using deep learning. Prof. Ruohola-Baker also shared research achievements in the life sciences through a keynote address. The visit stemmed from an academic connection. Prof. Sangmin Lee of the Department of Chemical Engineering at POSTECH worked as a postdoctoral researcher in Prof. Baker’s laboratory for two years and nine months beginning in February 2021. Prof. Baker is a pioneering scientist in the field of “protein design,” using computers and AI to create novel proteins not found in nature. In recognition of these contributions, he received the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. In December of the same year, Prof. Baker and Prof. Sangmin Lee published their joint research in the prestigious journal Nature. A POSTECH official said, “The visit by Prof. Baker and his wife provided great inspiration to our students and community members,” adding, “We hope this lecture series will become a meaningful program in celebration of POSTECH’s 40th anniversary.”

Renowned Metamaterials Scholar Professor Junsuk Rho Appointed Associate Editor of Leading Applied Physics Journal ‘APL’

[To oversee papers in nano-optics and metamaterials, further expanding global academic influence] Professor Junsuk Rho of POSTECH has been appointed an Associate Editor of Applied Physics Letters (APL), a leading journal in applied physics. His three-year term began on April 1, 2026. Published by the American Institute of Physics, APL is an internationally renowned journal in applied physics with a 65-year history. During his tenure, Professor Rho will oversee the editorial process for submissions in the fields of metamaterials, nano-optics, nanofabrication, and nanodevices. Professor Rho received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Seoul National University, followed by an M.S. from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. Since joining POSTECH in 2014, he has led pioneering research in metamaterials—engineered materials that transcend the conventional limits of light—earning international recognition as a leading scholar in the field. His accolades are equally distinguished. He received the Presidential Award (Young Scientist Award) from the Korean Academy of Science and Technology in 2019 and the Young Engineer Award from the National Academy of Engineering of Korea in 2022. He was also named a Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate—ranking within the top 0.1% of researchers worldwide—for two consecutive years in 2023 and 2024. Professor Rho has also been highly active in editorial roles. He currently serves as Associate Editor of ‘Light: Science & Applications’, published by Springer Nature, becoming the first Korean to hold the position. With his appointment at APL, he is expected to further expand his influence within the global academic community. “APL is a journal with a long-standing tradition and authority in the field of applied physics,” said Professor Rho. “As Associate Editor, I will do my utmost to ensure that outstanding research in metamaterials and nano-optics is published more rapidly and fairly.”

📢Prof. Jae-Hyung Jeon Receives Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Commendation🎉

Professor Jae-Hyung Jeon of the Department of Physics at POSTECH has received the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Science and ICT Commendation for “Contributions to the Advancement of Basic Research” in recognition of his achievements in advancing basic research and generating outstanding research outcomes. Since 2021, Professor Jeon has served as Executive Director of Asia Pacific Center for Theoretical Physics (APCTP), and has been recognized for leveraging his international research experience and academic networks in physics to: promote basic research across the Asia-Pacific region, expand cooperation in the basic sciences, and contribute to the creation of excellent research outcomes through the cultivation of next-generation scientific talent. In particular, Professor Jeon helped expand and strengthen frameworks for international joint research and researcher exchange. As a result, the number of APCTP member countries and partner institutions has continued to grow over the past five years. During the same period, participants in academic exchange programs came from approximately 126 countries, and about 5,000 international scientists visited Korea each year—achievements that have reinforced Korea’s standing by positioning the country as a practical hub for basic-science cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. Professor Jeon has also played an important role in advancing the Asia-Pacific basic-science community through his service as a Korean Council Member of the Association of Asia Pacific Physical Societies (AAPPS), where he supported cooperative programs and contributed to energizing networks among research institutes and academic societies. He has further worked to expand international programs aimed at discovering and nurturing next-generation science and technology talent. In collaboration with Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), Vietnam’s largest government-affiliated science and technology research organization, he hosted local international workshops to invigorate research exchange. He also established a new undergraduate internship program linked with POSTECH for 30 top students from a prestigious university in Indonesia, providing outstanding STEM students in Asia opportunities to experience Korea’s research environment. These programs have contributed to attracting international talent to Korea’s basic-science fields and expanding the foundation for research collaboration, with plans to extend them to other member countries such as Vietnam and China. In addition, through activities under APEC PPSTI (Policy Partnership on Science, Technology and Innovation), Professor Jeon supported the training of early-career researchers and international academic collaboration. He also contributed to elevating Korea’s stature in science and technology diplomacy by attracting initiatives such as the APEC science and technology partnership cooperation program and an international basic-science forum. Professor Jeon has also actively promoted science-culture programs to broaden public engagement with science and technology. Centered on APCTP’s “Science Book of the Year” program, he oversaw a wide range of public outreach initiatives—including author talks, a science book review contest, and AI science classes—designed to reach underserved groups, increase societal interest in science and technology, and expand a science-culture foundation in partnership with local communities. In recognition of these contributions, he also received the Gyeongsangbuk-do Science and Technology Award in 2025. Professor Jeon said, “I will continue to expand collaboration with researchers across the Asia-Pacific region and work steadily to cultivate the next generation of scientific talent and advance basic science.”

“Small but Powerful”: POSTECH Recognized Globally as a Leading Science & Technology University

[Ranked in the Top 60s Worldwide in ‘Natural Sciences’ and ‘Engineering & Technology’ in 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject] Experts tend to view these fields differently. In areas such as Natural Sciences and Engineering & Technology, depth and focus often matter more than breadth or size. POSTECH has ranked within the top 60 globally in both Natural Sciences and Engineering & Technology in the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject. This places the university more than 40 positions higher than its overall ranking (102nd globally) in the 2026 QS World University Rankings, released in June last year. While this difference may appear to be a simple numerical gap, a closer look at the evaluation frameworks reveals that it offers an important insight into POSTECH’s core strengths. The key difference between the two rankings lies in who evaluates and what criteria are used. The QS World University Rankings are calculated using a range of indicators, including reputation (45%), with survey respondents drawn from researchers across nearly all academic fields—including the humanities, social sciences, and medicine. Within this structure, the strengths of specialized science and engineering institutions can be relatively diluted. By contrast, the QS World University Rankings by Subject place a much greater emphasis on reputation accounting for 60–70% of the evaluation. The methodology also differs: respondents first select their own field of expertise and then identify universities they consider outstanding in that specific discipline. In other words, the rankings for Engineering & Technology and Natural Sciences are primarily shaped by evaluations from experts in those fields across academia and industry. In the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject, POSTECH placed 64th in Natural Sciences and 67th in Engineering & Technology worldwide. The results highlight how the university’s world-class research in science and engineering, combined with its small but highly focused education model, continues to earn recognition from experts in the field. One way to understand the difference is to imagine a restaurant that may not stand out in an overall rating, but is regarded by culinary experts as among the very best in a specific cuisine. “This result reflects POSTECH’s long-standing commitment to competing through expertise rather than scale,” said Professor Sung-Min Park, Vice President for External Affairs at POSTECH. “The essential role of specialized science and engineering universities like POSTECH lies in pursuing challenging research and innovative education through strategic focus and concentration. We will continue to build on our strengths and further sharpen this focus going forward,” he added. Meanwhile, in the JoongAng Ilbo University Rankings by Subject, announced last November, POSTECH and Sungkyunkwan University were the only institutions to receive the highest rating across all fields of Natural Sciences and Engineering.

📢POSTECH Professor Chulhong Kim’s Team Wins Best Paper Award at SPIE Photonics West 2026, the World’s Largest Optics Co

[Transparent ultrasound–based optical–ultrasound fusion imaging technology recognized for its clinical translation potential] Professor Chulhong Kim’s research team at POSTECH, together with Dr. Jeongwoo Park (now Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Convergence Science & Technology at Kyungpook National University), received the Best Paper Award at SPIE Photonics West 2026, the world’s largest optics and photonics conference, held on January 21 in San Francisco, USA. This prestigious award is presented to only three teams worldwide each year. The award recognizes the results of a collaborative study conducted by Professor Kim’s team at POSTECH and Professor Yujin Myung’s team in the Department of Plastic Surgery at Seoul National University Hospital. The joint team was highly commended for developing an optical–ultrasound fusion imaging technology based on a transparent ultrasound transducer array (TUT-array). The technology developed by the team integrates ultrasound imaging, photoacoustic imaging, and fluorescence imaging into a single compact probe. This enables clinicians in real surgical settings to obtain diverse imaging information simultaneously and in real time, without the need to switch between multiple devices. The system has been recognized as a practically deployable image-guided platform for immediate use in clinical environments. The research was published in the international journal Nature Communications, and based on its academic and technological impact, it was selected for the Best Paper Award at the “Photonics Plus Ultrasound: Imaging and Sensing” conference within SPIE Photonics West 2026. The study was co–first-authored by Dr. Jeongwoo Park (Department of Electrical Engineering at POSTECH, now Assistant Professor at Kyungpook National University), Dr. Donghyeon Oh, and Dr. Jinhee Yoo. Dr. Park said, “This work goes beyond a laboratory-level technology proposal and demonstrates a real-time imaging system that can be applied directly in actual clinical settings, which makes it especially meaningful,” adding, “It is deeply gratifying that both the technical maturity and clinical practicality of our system have been recognized at the world’s largest optics conference.” He continued, “We plan to further extend this technology toward precision surgical image guidance and next-generation optical–ultrasound fusion medical imaging.” Meanwhile, SPIE Photonics West is the world’s largest conference in optics and photonics, organized by SPIE (The International Society for Optics and Photonics). The “Photonics Plus Ultrasound: Imaging and Sensing” conference, at which the team received the award, is regarded as a key venue focusing on fusion technologies that combine optics and ultrasound.

“From Research to Industry, From the Classroom to the World” — POSTECH Proves Its Virtuous-Cycle Model at CES 2026

[Seven startups participated; three CES Innovation Awards won… spotlight also on POSTECH’s fourth consecutive year of its CES student delegation program] POSTECH participated in CES 2026, the world’s largest IT and consumer electronics exhibition, held in Las Vegas, USA, from the 6th to the 9th, once again showcasing on the global stage its university innovation model in which education, research, and entrepreneurship are tightly interlinked. This year, POSTECH operated an independent booth at CES together with seven companies founded by POSTECH faculty, alumni, and regional partners. All are companies that have grown on the foundation of technologies and talent cultivated at POSTECH, and five of them have been invested in and nurtured through the POSCO Group’s venture platform. Among these, two companies achieved the distinction of receiving CES Innovation Awards. ‘OMNICOAT’ (CEO Sun Hong Park, alumnus of POSTECH’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering) was named an Innovation Award honoree in the “Construction & Industrial Tech” category, recognized for its dry-toner-based digital metal printing technology. In addition, ‘whereable.ai’ (CTO Woo-Sol Hur, alumnus of POSTECH’s Department of Electrical Engineering) presented an indoor multi-passenger autonomous driving system and won Innovation Awards simultaneously in both the “Smart Communities” category and the “Accessibility & Longevity” category. These achievements were supported by the university’s end-to-end consulting program. POSTECH provided close assistance—from assessing technological competitiveness to developing exhibition strategies and responding to evaluations—helping participating companies prepare for CES and expand into global markets. Meanwhile, the university is also working to broaden students’ exposure to global technology frontlines. This year marked the fourth year of POSTECH’s CES student delegation program, with 164 students participating this year and a cumulative total of approximately 720 students over four years. On site, participating students experienced global technology and industry trends firsthand, strengthening practical insights and deepening their understanding of entrepreneurship. A POSTECH official stated, “CES 2026 served as a venue where the university’s research outcomes expanded into industry, and where students absorbed global technology trends through direct experience,” adding, “We will focus on nurturing ‘globally field-ready talent’ through the close integration of research, entrepreneurship, and education.”

📢POSTECH Graduate Student Dongseop Lee Selected as the Only Korean Recipient of the 2025 IEEE AP-S Fellowship Program🎉

[ Next-generation display-based transparent antenna technology gains international recognition in the ISAC field] [ Paving the way for a next-generation hardware platform that integrates display, communication, and sensing] POSTECH Ph.D. integrated program student Dongseop Lee from the Department of Electrical Engineering (advisor: Professor Wonbin Hong) has been selected as a recipient of the 2025 IEEE AP-S Fellowship Program, awarded by the IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society (IEEE AP-S). He is the only recipient from Korea. The IEEE AP-S Fellowship Program is a prestigious international scholarship awarded to graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in the field of antennas and propagation worldwide who demonstrate strong academic originality and potential for growth. Through a rigorous document-based screening process, only about 48 researchers worldwide are selected each year. Recipients are granted USD 5,000 in research funding along with the title of IEEE AP-S Fellowship awardee. Dongseop Lee was internationally recognized for proposing a new research direction in ISAC (Integrated Sensing and Communication) through next-generation display-based transparent antenna technology, which integrates communication and sensing. In particular, by realizing a consistent and unified structure that can be scaled from the device level to the entire display panel, he successfully overcame the structural limitations of conventional display-integrated antennas, earning high evaluation. This technology is drawing attention as a core enabling technology that can simultaneously provide high-efficiency communication and precise sensing across a wide range of application platforms, including drones, mobile devices, smartwatches, vehicles, and satellites, as well as flexible and stretchable devices. Lee said, “It is very meaningful that our next-generation display-based transparent antenna technology has been internationally recognized as a new hardware platform that fuses communication and sensing,” and added, “I hope to continue contributing to the advancement of future wireless communication technologies together with fellow researchers at POSTECH.” His advisor, Professor Wonbin Hong, commented, “Dongseop Lee has been conducting globally competitive research in display-based transparent antennas and the ISAC field,” and added, “This selection is an official recognition of the academic maturity and international impact of his research.”

Prof. Moon Jeong Park Appointed as First Korean Executive Editor of Macromolecules

[Serves as key editorial leader of the ACS flagship journal, guiding its overall scholarly direction] Professor Moon Jeong Park of the Department of Chemistry at POSTECH has been appointed Executive Editor of Macromolecules, the world’s leading journal in the field of polymer science published by the American Chemical Society. This is the first time a Korean researcher has served as Executive Editor of this journal. Professor Park’s term will run from February 1, 2026 to 2036. As Executive Editor, she will play a central role in jointly overseeing the journal with the Editor-in-Chief, including making final decisions on the acceptance of submitted manuscripts and shaping the journal’s overall academic direction and standards. Since 2016, Professor Park has served as an Associate Editor of Macromolecules, actively contributing to the journal’s editorial and peer-review processes. As her 10-year term as Associate Editor concludes this year, she has now been appointed Executive Editor. This appointment is regarded as a recognition grounded in her sustained research achievements in polymer science and the strong trust she has built within the international scientific community. Professor Moon Jeong Park is a world-renowned scholar who has led the field through her research on ionic polymer phase transitions, which is considered a paradigm shift in polymer thermodynamics. In 2017, she became the first Korean recipient of the John H. Dillon Medal from the American Physical Society (APS), and in 2021 she was elected an APS Fellow. In 2023, she was elected Vice Chair—and now serves as Chair—of the APS Division of Polymer Physics, becoming the first researcher based at a non-U.S. institution to assume this leadership role. Most recently, she further solidified her academic stature both domestically and internationally by receiving the 2025 POSCO TJ Park Science Prize. Professor Park said, “I feel a deep sense of responsibility in taking on the role of Executive Editor of Macromolecules, a journal with a long history and tradition,” adding, “I will remain committed to upholding the journal’s rigorous academic standards while fostering constructive dialogue with the international scientific community.” Meanwhile, Macromolecules is a flagship journal in polymer science launched in 1968 by the American Chemical Society. For over half a century, it has served as a leading journal that has shaped research trends across polymer chemistry, polymer physics, and materials science as a whole.