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KAIST Develops Eco-Friendly, Nylon-Like Plastic Using Microorganisms
Poly(ester amide) amide is a next-generation material that combines the advantages of PET (polyester) and nylon (polyamide), two widely used plastics. However, it could only be produced from fossil fuels, which posed environmental concerns. Using microorganisms, KAIST researchers have successfully developed a new bio-based plastic to replace conventional plastic.
KAIST (represented by President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced on the 20th of March that a research team led by Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee from the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering has developed microbial strains through systems metabolic engineering to produce various eco-friendly, bio-based poly(ester amide)s. The team collaborated with researchers from the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT, President Young-Kook Lee) to analyze and confirm the properties of the resulting plastic.
Professor Sang Yup Lee’s research team designed new metabolic pathways that do not naturally exist in microorganisms, and developed a platform microbial strain capable of producing nine different types of poly(ester amide)s, including poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-ran-3-aminopropionate) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-ran-4-aminobutyrate).
Using glucose derived from abundant biomass sources such as waste wood and weeds, the team successfully produced poly(ester amide)s in an eco-friendly manner. The researchers also confirmed the potential for industrial-scale production by demonstrating high production efficiency (54.57 g/L) using fed-batch fermentation of the engineered strain.
In collaboration with researchers Haemin Jeong and Jihoon Shin from KRICT, the KAIST team analyzed the properties of the bio-based plastic and found that it exhibited characteristics similar to high-density polyethylene (HDPE). This means the new plastic is not only eco-friendly but also strong and durable enough to replace conventional plastics.
The engineered strains and strategies developed in this study are expected to be useful not only for producing various poly(ester amide)s but also for constructing metabolic pathways for the biosynthesis of other types of polymers.
Professor Sang Yup Lee stated, “This study is the first to demonstrate the possibility of producing poly(ester amide)s (plastics) through a renewable bio-based chemical process rather than relying on the petroleum-based chemical industry. We plan to further enhance the production yield and efficiency through continued research.”
The study was published online on March 17 in the international journal Nature Chemical Biology.
·Title: Biosynthesis of poly(ester amide)s in engineered Escherichia coli
·DOI: 10.1038/s41589-025-01842-2
·Authors: A total of seven authors including Tong Un Chae (KAIST, first author), So Young Choi (KAIST, second author), Da-Hee Ahn (KAIST, third author), Woo Dae Jang (KAIST, fourth author), Haemin Jeong (KRICT, fifth author), Jihoon Shin (KRICT, sixth author), and Sang Yup Lee (KAIST, corresponding author).
This research was supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) under the Eco-Friendly Chemical Technology Development Project as part of the "Next-Generation Biorefinery Technology Development to Lead the Bio-Chemical Industry" initiative (project led by Distinguished Professor Sang Yup Lee at KAIST).
2025.03.24 View 2109 -
KAIST Research Team Develops Stretchable Microelectrodes Array for Organoid Signal Monitoring
< Photo 1. (From top left) Professor Hyunjoo J. Lee, Dr. Mi-Young Son, Dr. Mi-Ok Lee(In the front row from left) Doctoral student Kiup Kim, Doctoral student Youngsun Lee >
On January 14th, the KAIST research team led by Professor Hyunjoo J. Lee from the School of Electrical Engineering in collaboration with Dr. Mi-Young Son and Dr. Mi-Ok Lee at Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) announced the development of a highly stretchable microelectrode array (sMEA) designed for non-invasive electrophysiological signal measurement of organoids.
Organoids* are highly promising models for human biology and are expected to replace many animal experiments. Their potential applications include disease modeling, drug screening, and personalized medicine as they closely mimic the structure and function of humans.
*Organoids: three-dimensional in vitro tissue models derived from human stem cells
Despite these advantages, existing organoid research has primarily focused on genetic analysis, with limited studies on organoid functionality. For effective drug evaluation and precise biological research, technology that preserves the three-dimensional structure of organoids while enabling real-time monitoring of their functions is needed. However, it’s challenging to provide non-invasive ways to evaluate the functionalities without incurring damage to the tissues. This challenge is particularly significant for electrophysiological signal measurement in cardiac and brain organoids since the sensor needs to be in direct contact with organoids of varying size and irregular shape. Achieving tight contact between electrodes and the external surface of the organoids without damaging the organoids has been a persistent challenge.
< Figure 1. Schematic image of highly stretchable MEA (sMEA) with protruding microelectrodes. >
The KAIST research team developed a highly stretchable microelectrode array with a unique serpentine structure that contacts the surface of organoids in a highly conformal fashion. They successfully demonstrated real-time measurement and analysis of electrophysiological signals from two types of electrogenic organoids (heart and brain). By employing a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS)-based process, the team fabricated the serpentine-structured microelectrode array and used an electrochemical deposition process to develop PEDOT:PSS-based protruding microelectrodes. These innovations demonstrated exceptional stretchability and close surface adherence to various organoid sizes. The protruding microelectrodes improved contact between organoids and the electrodes, ensuring stable and reliable electrophysiological signal measurements with high signal-to-noise ratios (SNR).
< Figure 2. Conceptual illustration, optical image, and fluorescence images of an organoid captured by the sMEA with protruding microelectrodes.>
Using this technology, the team successfully monitored and analyzed electrophysiological signals from cardiac spheroids of various sizes, revealing three-dimensional signal propagation patterns and identifying changes in signal characteristics according to size. They also measured electrophysiological signals in midbrain organoids, demonstrating the versatility of the technology. Additionally, they monitored signal modulations induced by various drugs, showcasing the potential of this technology for drug screening applications.
< Figure 3. SNR improvement effect by protruding PEDOT:PSS microelectrodes. >
Prof. Hyunjoo Jenny Lee stated, “By integrating MEMS technology and electrochemical deposition techniques, we successfully developed a stretchable microelectrode array adaptable to organoids of diverse sizes and shapes. The high practicality is a major advantage of this system since the fabrication is based on semiconductor fabrication with high volume production, reliability, and accuracy. This technology that enables in situ, real-time analysis of states and functionalities of organoids will be a game changer in high-through drug screening.”
This study led by Ph.D. candidate Kiup Kim from KAIST and Ph.D. candidate Youngsun Lee from KRIBB, with significant contributions from Dr. Kwang Bo Jung, was published online on December 15, 2024 in Advanced Materials (IF: 27.4).
< Figure 4. Drug screening using cardiac spheroids and midbrain organoids.>
This research was supported by a grant from 3D-TissueChip Based Drug Discovery Platform Technology Development Program (No. 20009209) funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy (MOTIE, Korea), by the Commercialization Promotion Agency for R&D Outcomes (COMPA) funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) (RS-2024-00415902), by the K-Brain Project of the National Research Foundation (NRF) funded by the Korean government (MSIT) (RS-2023-00262568), by BK21 FOUR (Connected AI Education & Research Program for Industry and Society Innovation, KAIST EE, No. 4120200113769), and by Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) Research Initiative Program (KGM4722432).
2025.01.14 View 2235 -
KAIST Office of Global Initiative Hosts 2024 Global Startup Internship Seminar
< Photo of ImpriMed CEO Sungwon Lim’s lecture >
The Office of Global Initiative at KAIST successfully hosted the 2024 Global Startup Internship Seminar (GSIS) from Wednesday, November 20, to Friday, November 22.
Now in its third year, following the 2022 Global Startup Internship Fair, the GSIS aims to introduce KAIST students to internship opportunities at U.S.-based startups and encourage participation in global internship programs, particularly for students with entrepreneurial aspirations. This year’s seminar featured notable startups including ImpriMed, a precision medical AI company; Klleon, an AI culture tech firm; and Bear Robotics, renowned for its autonomous serving robots. Approximately 80 KAIST students attended the event through prior registration.
A key highlight of this year’s seminar was the participation of the CEOs from Bear Robotics and ImpriMed, two prominent Silicon Valley startups. Both CEOs, who had previously participated in the 2024 Global Entrepreneurship Summer School (GESS) last June, offered insights into their companies, provided one-on-one career counseling sessions, and discussed the concept of global entrepreneurship with students interested in U.S. startup internships.
In addition to company presentations, the seminar offered practical workshops on resume and email writing tailored for U.S. internships, testimonials from current KAIST students and alumni who interned at Silicon Valley startups, and a J1 Visa Information Session, all aimed at preparing students for internships in the United States.
So Young Kim, Vice President of the International Office and Director of the Office of Global Initiative, expressed her hopes for the event, stating, “through this event, KAIST students will be inspired by the global entrepreneurial spirit of mentors who have started businesses abroad, and that it will help further spread a culture of challenging adversity and overcoming the risks of failure.” She further added that KAIST is committed to continuously developing programs that cultivate a global entrepreneurial mindset among its students.
The 2024 Global Startup Internship Seminar successfully concluded, providing KAIST students with vision and opportunities in global entrepreneurship.
2024.11.25 View 1617 -
‘Realizing the Dream Beyond Limits’… KAIST Space Institute opens
“KAIST Space Institute will present a new paradigm for space research and education, foster creative talents, and become a space research center to lead the advancement of national space initiatives” (KAIST President Kwang-Hyung Lee)
< Vision Declaration Ceremony Photo during Space Research Institute Opening Ceremony >
KAIST (President Kwang-Hyung Lee) opened the ‘Space Institute’, which brings together all of KAIST’s space technology capabilities to realize the dream of mankind leaping higher toward space, and held the opening ceremony on September 30th in the main auditorium of Daejeon. The opening ceremony included a vision declaration ceremony and a special lecture for KAIST Space Institute.
KAIST Space Institute is a newly established organization for space missions and convergence/core technology research that can lead the new space era. In September 2022, a promotion team was established to plan the specifics, and it was officially established as an organization within the school in April of this year to lead to this opening ceremony.
< Group Commemorative Photo during Space Research Institute Opening Ceremony >
Under the slogan of ‘Realizing the dreams beyond limits,’ the organization is to carry out projects to realize the vision of ▴ conducting space research that aims to be the first and expand the horizons of human life, ▴ presenting a new paradigm for space research and education as a global leading university space research cluster, ▴ contributing to domestic space technology innovation and space industry ecosystem establishment through verification and development of challenging space missions, and ▴ supporting sustainable national space development by fostering creative talents to lead space convergence.
To this end, the space research organizations that have been operated independently by various departments have been integrated and reorganized under the name of the Space Institute, and the following subordinate organizations will be established in the future: ▴ Artificial Satellite Research Institute, ▴ Space Technology Innovation Talent Training Center, ▴ Space Core Technology Research Institute, and ▴ Space Convergence Technology Research Institute.
At the same time, ▴ Hanwha Space Hub-KAIST Space Research Center, ▴ Perigee-KAIST Rocket Research Center, and ▴ Future Space Education Center will be reorganized under the Space Institute to pool their capabilities.
< President Kwang-Hyung Lee giving a welcoming speech at Space Research Institute Opening Ceremony >
The Satellite Research Institute, a subordinate organization, successfully developed and launched Korea’s first mass-produced ‘ultra-small cluster satellite 1’ in April of this year. It is currently conducting active research with the goal of launching a satellite in 2027 to verify active control technology for space objects.
The first special lecture was given by Professor Se-jin Kwon of the Department of Aerospace Engineering on the topic of ‘KAIST Space Exploration Journey and Vision.’ The institute looked back on its space development history and present future research and development directions and operational plans.
Next, Professor Daniel J. Scheeres, who was appointed as Co-director of the Space Institute and a Visiting Professor of KAIST Department of Aerospace Engineering, delivered a message on the topic of ‘The Future of Asteroid Exploration.’ He talked about preventing asteroid collisions, and lectured on the spirit of challenge for continuous exploration and future research issues.
Co-director Scheeres is a leading scholar in the fields of space engineering and celestial dynamics who was invited to lead the KAIST Space Institute’s leading international cooperation activities. He is well known as a key researcher who led asteroid research, including the ‘DART’ mission, in which the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) experimented with changing the trajectory an asteroid by colliding it with a spacecraft.
After its full-fledged opening, the Space Institute will be operated as an open organization where domestic and foreign experts as well as KAIST students can freely participate in research and education.
< Director Jae-heung Han introducing the organization at Space Research Institute Opening Ceremony >
KAIST Space Institute Director Jae-heung Han said, “On the 10th anniversary of the death of the late Dr. Soon-dal Choi, who helped establish space technology in Korea, we have established KAIST Space Institute to inherit the spirit of ‘Uri-Byul’, our first satellite, and develop subsequent achievements.”
He also said, “With a sense of mission to challenge limitations and venture into the greater unknown, we will strive to strengthen our space research and development capabilities and our global status as a leading aerospace country.”
2024.09.30 View 2415 -
KAIST ISSS Research Session Captivates 150↑ International Scholars, Achieve Major Success
< Photo. Scholars gatheres for NRF Information Session at Chung Keun Mo Hall >
KAIST’s International Office, headed by Vice President Soyoung Kim, successfully organized the ‘NRF Information Session for International Scholars’ on September 11, 2024, in collaboration with the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF).
The event was held at KAIST’s main campus to enourage the international scholar’s active participation in research projects and support their establishment of stable research environment and integration into Korea’s academic community by introducing NRF’s key research programs.
Divided into two main segments – science and engineering, and humanities and social sciences – the session attracted approximately 150 international faculty and researchers from 23 universities across the nation.
The event commenced with a keynote address by Vice President Soyoung Kim, followed by a presentation from Dr. Seol Min of the National Research Foundation, who highlighted basic research initiatives in the science and technology sector. Subsequently, Professor Daniel Martin from the Digital Humanities and Social Sciences Department and Professor Thomas Steinberger from the Department of Business and Technology Management presented practical research project support case studies, sharing invaluable insights gained from their domestic research experiences.
Following the information session, participants engaged in a networking event, where researchers involved in major R&D projects exchanged insights and discussed their ongoing research initiatives.
An international professor remarked, “My understanding of NRF’s research programs for international researchers has broadened considerably. I am now more inclined to actively participate in projects organized by NRF in the future.”
Vice President Kim expressed her aspiration that the event would address the challenges faced by researchers and offer essential support to those engaged in research projects. “We will stay attuned to the needs of the research community and work towards creating a more supportive research environment,” said the VP.
Meanwhile, KAIST hosts a distinguished faculty comprising 134 professors from 22 countries and 71 researchers representing 23 nations, all contributing to groundbreaking academic achievements. Additionally, KAIST is home to over 1,000 international students from more than 100 countries, actively pursuing their studies. This diverse composition of global talent reinforces KAIST's position as a leading international hub for research and education.
2024.09.13 View 3332 -
KAIST and NYU set out to Install Korea's First Joint Degree Program in AI
< (From left) New York University President Linda Mills and President Kwang-Hyung Lee >
KAIST (President Kwang-Hyung Lee) and New York University (NYU, President Linda G. Mills) signed an MOU in the afternoon of the 9th to introduce a graduate program for a joint degree in the field of artificial intelligence.
This agreement was promoted based on the consensus between the two universities that strengthening capabilities in the field of AI and fostering global talent are essential elements that can lead to great development in the entire future society beyond simple technical education.
The two universities have been operating joint research groups in various industrial fields related to AI and convergence with it, and based on this agreement, they plan to establish an operating committee within this year to design a joint degree program for graduate school courses related to artificial intelligence.
A KAIST official said, “If the joint degree program in AI is implemented, it is expected to be an unprecedented innovative experiment in which KAIST and NYU join forces to create ‘a single AI degree.’
The committee will consist of an equal number of faculty members from both schools, and will discuss the overall strategic planning of the joint degree program, including ▴curriculum structure and course composition ▴course completion roadmap ▴calculation of faculty and student population ▴calculation of budget size ▴calculation of operating facility size and details ▴legal matters regarding certification. In addition, the development of a new logo symbolizing the joint degree of KAIST and NYU in AI will also be carried out.
The two schools expect that the joint degree program being promoted this time will contribute to advancing education and research capabilities in the field of artificial intelligence, jointly discovering and fostering talent in related fields that are currently lacking worldwide, and will become an exemplary case of global education and research cooperation.
The faculty members of both schools, who possess excellent capabilities, will provide innovative and creative education in the field of artificial intelligence. Students will receive support to gain top-level research experience by participating in various international joint research projects promoted by the faculty members of both schools. Through this, the core of this joint degree program promoted by both schools is to continuously cultivate excellent human resources who will lead the future global society.
Since signing a cooperation agreement for the establishment of a joint campus in June 2022, KAIST and NYU have been promoting campus sharing, joint research, and joint bachelor's degree programs. Including this, they are developing an innovative joint campus model and establishing an active international cooperation model.
In particular, the exchange student system for undergraduate students will be implemented starting from the second semester of the 2023 academic year. 30 students from KAIST and 11 students from NYU were selected through a competitive selection process and are participating. In the case of KAIST students, if they complete one of the six minor programs at NYU, they will receive a degree that states the completion of the minor upon graduation.
Based on the performance of the undergraduate exchange student operation, the two schools have also agreed to introduce a dual degree system for master's and doctoral students, and specific procedures are currently in progress.
In addition, from 2023 to the present, we are carrying out future joint research projects in 15 fields that are integrated with AI, and we plan to begin international joint research in 10 fields centered on AI and bio from the fourth quarter of this year.
NYU President Linda Mills said, “AI technology can play a significant role in addressing various social challenges such as climate change, health care, and education inequality,” and added that, “The global talent cultivated through our two schools will also go on to make innovative contributions to solving these social problems.”
Kwang-Hyung Lee, the president of KAIST, said, “In the era of competition for global hegemony in technology, the development of AI technology is an essential element for countries and companies to secure competitiveness,” and “Through long-term cooperation with NYU, we will take the lead in fostering world-class, advanced talents who can innovatively apply and develop AI in various fields.”
The signing ceremony held at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul was attended by KAIST officials including President Kwang-Hyung Lee, Hyun Deok Yeo, the Director of G-School, NYU officials including President Linda Mills, Kyunghyun Cho, a Professor of Computer Science and Data Science, and Dr. Karin Pavese, the Executive Director of NYU-KAIST Innovation Research Institute, amid attendance by other key figures from the industries situated in Korea. (End)
2024.09.10 View 4351 -
The 3rd Global Entrepreneurship Summer School (GESS 2024) Successfully Completed in Silicon Valley
The 2024 Global Entrepreneurship Summer School (2024 KAIST GESS), hosted by the Office of Global Initiatives under the KAIST International Office (Director Man-Sung Yim), was held for the third time. This program allows students to visit Silicon Valley, a global startup hub, to directly experience its famous startup ecosystem and develop their capabilities for global expansion. A total of 20 students were selected through applications, interviews, final presentations, mentoring, and peer evaluations. Additionally, 17 students from the KAIST Impact MBA course at the KAIST Business School also participated.
Before starting the Silicon Valley program, participants received mentoring on business model development and pitching advice from a senior entrepreneur at KAIST for about two months, beginning last May. Afterward, they developed business items for each team at KAIST’s main campus in Daejeon. For seven days, starting from June 23rd, workshops were held under the themes of global entrepreneurship, learning through failure, capital and network, and startup culture at KOTRA Silicon Valley Trade Center, JP Morgan, and Plug and Play Tech Center. This program's lecture series provided prospective entrepreneurs with the opportunity to systematically learn the mindset and gain the experience needed to start a global business.
The participants also visited local companies and gained experience in the field of global technology startups. Visits included Bear Robotics (CEO John Ha), Soundable Health (CEO Cathering Song), ImpriMed (CEO Sungwon Lim), Phantom AI (CEO Hyunggi Cho), B Garage (CEO Aiden Kim), and Simple Steps (CEO Doyeon Kim). Lectures contained vivid experiences from Silicon Valley CEOs and company tours boosted the students' passion for entrepreneurship. In particular, Doyeon Kim, CEO of Simple Steps, which helps prevent career breaks for Korean female immigrants in Silicon Valley and allows talented female immigrants to demonstrate their abilities in society, said, “As a KAIST alumna entrepreneur, it was meaningful to share my experience with this generation of students who dream of starting a global business and creating social enterprises in the United States.”
This program also included a tour of Silicon Valley's big tech companies that have made a significant impact on the digital ecosystem through technological advancement and innovation. This included Broadcom, which maintains a strong global presence in the semiconductor and infrastructure software technology fields. At the invitation of Chairman Hock Tan, GESS participants had the opportunity to attend his lecture and ask questions. Chairman Tan, who received an honorary doctorate in engineering from KAIST last February, emphasized that experiencing failure and giving consistent effort over a long period of time are more important than anything else in order to grow as a global entrepreneur, and that technologies influencing the global market evolve over generations.
< Photo. Group photo of GESS 2024 participants at Broadcom with Chairman Hock Tan (center) ⓒBroadcom>
As part of this program, participants conducted a volunteer program called 'Let's play with AI+ Tech' with the Sunnyvale community in Silicon Valley and Foothill College to help grow together with the community. Through this program, GESS participants cultivated the virtues of a global leader. In this volunteer activity, low-income elementary school students and parents from the Sunnyvale community participated in chatbot training led by KAIST students, providing an opportunity to work with underprivileged groups in the local community.
In the final pitching event, the highlight of the program, local venture investors from Silicon Valley were invited as judges and evaluated the pitches for each team's business items. The participating students, who developed their own business models while receiving advice through face-to-face mentoring from a professional accelerator in Silicon Valley, showcased their creative and innovative ideas, presenting themselves as future global entrepreneurs. Merey Makhmutova (BS in Civil and Environmental Engineering) from the K-Bridge team, who won the final pitch, expressed her ambition: “Even before GESS pitch day, our team kept refining the pitch deck as we attended the lectures and benefitted from the mentoring. Our intense teamwork was a significant reason why we ultimately won first prize.” She added that K-Bridge aims to win an award at the upcoming UKC Pitching Competition and expressed her gratitude for being able to participate in this program. Arseniy Kan (BS in Electrical Engineering) from the KAIST Enablers team, who took second place, said, “The 2024 KAIST GESS Program became the most unforgettable and precious opportunity of my lifetime, and I dream of using this opportunity as a stepping stone to becoming a global entrepreneur.“ Additionally, Kangster (CEO Kang Kim), who won the Impact MBA final pitching session, had the opportunity to secure a meeting with a local investment company after their GESS final pitch.
The 2024 KAIST GESS was held in cooperation with the KAIST International Office, the KAIST College of Business, and Startup KAIST. Director Man-Sung Yim from the Office of Global Initiatives, who hosted the event, said, “KAIST students will grow into leaders with global influence and contribute to the international community by creating global value. At the same time, we hope to raise the international status of our university.” Professor Sangchan Park, who led the 17 Impact MBA students in this educational program, added, “Meeting with companies leading the global market and visiting Silicon Valley has been a valuable learning experience for students aiming to start a global startup.”
KAIST plans to continue promoting its global entrepreneurship education program by enriching its curriculum each year and helping students grow into entrepreneurs with the virtues of global leaders.
2024.07.03 View 6790 -
Dr. Bong-Joon Jung Elected as Interim President of KAIST U.S. Alumni Association
On April 29th, 2024, the Office of Global Initiative at KAIST, led by Vice President Man-Sung Yim, successfully conducted the election for the interim president of the KAIST U.S. Alumni Association. The authority to organize and operate the election was delegated by the KAIST U.S. Alumni Interim President Selection Committee Foundation, consisting of Je Woo Kim, Director of KAIST U.S. Foundation; Terri Kim, Director of KAIST U.S. Foundation; and Myungjin Yim, President of the KAIST Silicon Valley Alumni Association.
The election was announced during the KAIST Online U.S. Alumni Event held on December 8th, 2023, with the aim of establishing interim executive principles for six months and ultimately forming the official executive body of the KAIST U.S. Alumni Association.
The election was conducted according to the requirements set by the KAIST U.S. Alumni Interim President Selection Committee Foundation, which stated that "if there is a single candidate, they will be elected if they receive more than half of the votes from participating voters." The voting period lasted from April 13th (Monday) to April 24th (Friday) and was specifically directed towards KAIST alumni living in the Americas.
All 50 eligible voters participated in the election, unanimously supporting Dr. Bong-Joon Jung (Ph.D., admitted in 1993, Department of Electrical Engineering) with a 100% approval rate as the interim president of the KAIST U.S. Alumni Association. Dr. Bong-Joon Jung currently serves as the Senior Technology Analyst and Partner at Ambex Venture Group and previously served as the President of the KAIST Silicon Valley Alumni Association. Dr. Jung expressed his intention to strengthen connections with KAIST alumni in the United States and contribute to the establishment of the U.S. alumni association as the interim president.
< Photo. Newly elected president of interim KAIST U.S. Alumni Association, Dr. Bong-Joon Jung. >
Man-Sung Yim, Vice President of the International Office, congratulated Dr. Bong-Joon Jung on his election and pledged continuous support for the activities of the interim KAIST U.S. Alumni Association, led by alumni. He stated, "The election of the interim president of the KAIST U.S. Alumni Association marks the beginning of active engagement not only from alumni associations in various regions but also from alumni across the Americas, reflecting sustained interest in their alma mater."
2024.04.29 View 3738 -
Center for Global Strategies and Planning Hosts Successful Virtual KAIST U.S. Alumni Connection Event
< Screen capture of the KAIST U.S. Alumni meeting held online on December 8 >
On December 8th, the Center for Global Strategies and Planning at KAIST, led by Vice President Man-Sung Yim of the International Office, conducted a virtual event to bring together KAIST alumni in the United States. The purpose of this event was to showcase KAIST's current initiatives in the U.S., facilitate information exchanges among U.S. alumni, and foster networking opportunities. Over 130 KAIST alumni based in the U.S. registered and attended the event.
The event began with a warm welcome from President Kwang-Hyung Lee, followed by a presentation from Vice President Man-Sung Yim on the current status and vision of KAIST's U.S. collaboration project as well as that of KAIST U.S. Foundation, Inc. Additionally, a distinguished KAIST alumnus, Seok-Hyun Yun, a professor from Harvard Medical School, delivered a keynote speech that highlighted the development of collaborative projects between KAIST and the United States. Alumni Hyun Gook Yoon, a manager at Ford Motor Company, and Eunkwang Joo, CEO of Wasder, also presented recent technological trends in the fields of batteries and blockchain, respectively.
President Kwang-Hyung Lee said, "This event serves as a crucial opportunity to enhance exchanges between KAIST and the U.S., playing a pivotal role in expanding KAIST's global presence." The event also featured small group discussions and networking sessions focusing on revitalizing collaborative efforts between KAIST and the United States.
After the small group discussions, a KAIST alumna and the current president of the Boston KAIST Alumni Association, Jiyoung Lee, shared her belief that the event will provide a meaningful opportunity for KAIST alumni from across the U.S. to come together and build a strong alumni community. Vice President Man-Sung Yim said, "Because collaboration with KAIST alumni in the U.S. is essential for the development of KAIST and innovative science and technology at the global level, we are committed to sustainably organizing meaningful events."
This virtual event for KAIST U.S. alumni has set a new milestone for global networking, marking the beginning of future collaborations and development.
2023.12.08 View 5426 -
2023 Global Startup Internship Seminar (GSIS)
The Center for Global Strategies and Planning at KAIST hosted the 2023 Global Startup Internship Seminar (GSIS) both online and offline from November 29th to December 1st.
Following the success of the 2022 Global Startup Internship Fair (GSIF), the 2023 KAIST GSIS was organized in an enhanced format. This event provided students with the opportunity to explore internship opportunities with U.S. startups. Six startups in the fields of AI, bio, digital healthcare, drones, and e-commerce, Imprimed, Soundable Health, Vessl AI, B Garage, UNEEKOR, and Bringko, all founded by KAIST alumni, were invited. More than 80 KAIST students registered in advance to participate in the event.
The participating companies in this seminar shared who they and what they do and provided career mentoring for KAIST students. Catherine Song, the CEO of Soundable Health and a KAIST alumna, said, "It is very meaningful to introduce our company to KAIST students and provide them with the opportunity to take part in global internships."
In addition to startup company information and mentoring sessions, the seminar included sessions on preparing CVs, cover letters, and business emails for U.S. internships, and how to settle in Silicon Valley. Internship experiences were also shared by current KAIST students. Finally, a J-1 visa information session was conducted, providing useful tips for students preparing for U.S. internships.
Man-Sung Yim, the Vice President of the International Office at KAIST, said, "We hope that KAIST students, who have nurtured a global entrepreneurial spirit through this event, will grow into aspiring entrepreneurs with confidence on the global stage." He also mentioned plans to leverage the success of this event by connecting it with other KAIST global entrepreneurship programs.
2023.12.05 View 5610 -
2023 Global Entrepreneurship Summer School in Silicon Valley Successfully Concluded
< 2023 Silicon Valley Global Entrepreneurship Summer School Participants >
The 2023 KAIST Global Entrepreneurship Summer School (GESS) was successfully held. Co-hosted by the Center for Global Strategies and Planning (GSP) (Director Man-Sung Yim) and the Startup KAIST (Director Hyeonmin Bae), the 2023 KAIST GESS was the second one of the summer programs, repeating the Silicon Valley global entrepreneurship bootcamp of 2022 (2022 GESC), based on industry-academia collaboration. This program was designed to provide students with the opportunity to visit Silicon Valley, the global hub of entrepreneurship, and personally experience the Silicon Valley culture while developing human networks that would serve as a foundation for their overseas startup development.
A total of 20 participants were selected earlier this year, including potential KAISTian entrepreneurs and early-stage entrepreneurs from KAIST within one year of incorporation. In particular, a number of foreign students of various nationalities such as Vietnam, Azerbaijan, Honduras, Indonesia, Philippines, and Kazakhstan, increased significantly, demonstrating the enthusiasm for entrepreneurship across national boundaries along with the program's growing international status. This year's event was also open to 20 Impact MBA and Social Entrepreneur (SE) students from KAIST's College of Business for the Silicon Valley program.
For the past two months, the participants have trained on business model development and pitching at KAIST's main campus in Daejeon. From June 21st to the 30th, they visited the campuses of leading universities, such as, Stanford University, UC Santa Cruz, and UC Berkeley, as well as KOTRA Silicon Valley Trade Center (Manager Hyoung il Kim), and local alumni companies and Apple company to experience the global technology startups. The start-ups by KAIST alums including B Garage (CEO Aiden Kim), ImpriMed (CEO Sungwon Lim), Medic Life Sciences (CEO Kyuho Han), and VESSL AI (CEO Jaeman Ahn) participated in the program and gave lectures and company tours to inspire the participants to have passion to take on the entrepreneurial endeavors and challenges.
On the last day, the participants gave presentations on their team’s business items in front of local venture capitalists in Silicon Valley. After receiving continuous coaching from Silicon Valley's professional accelerators through remote video conferencing and face-to-face mentoring for the last two months, the participants developed their business models and presented their creative and innovative ideas, revealing their potential as future global entrepreneurs. At the final competition, Team Sparky that developed “Snoove” won the first prize. Snoove is a scientifically-proven mattress accessory that applies mild vibration to the mattress to aid users in achieving better sleep, a method previously used to soothe infants.
< GESS Pitching Day Presentation >
Kevin Choi from the Team Sparky said, "Seeing and experiencing the realities of entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley, a global startup scene, made me think about the importance of unlearning, challenging, and failing to be a global entrepreneur who contributes to our society." Man-Sung Yim, the Associate Vice President of the International Office, who organized the event added, "Through this experience, we expect KAIST students to grow to become global leaders who would create global values and enhance the international reputation of our university."
Meanwhile, the GSP and Startup KAIST commented that they will to continue to develop the KAIST GESS program to foster prospective entrepreneurs who can compete in the global market based on the success of this program.
2023.07.05 View 9825 -
KAIST confers Honorary Doctorate of Science on NYU President Emeritus John Edward Sexton
< Photo 1. NYU President Emeritus John Edward Sexton posing with KAIST President Kwang Hyung Lee holding the Honorary Doctorate at the KAIST Commencement Ceremony >
KAIST (President Kwang Hyung Lee) announced that it conferred an honorary doctorate of science degree on NYU President Emeritus John Edward Sexton at the Commencement Ceremony held on the 17th.
An official from KAIST explained, "KAIST is conferring an honorary doctorate for President Sexton's longstanding leadership in higher education, and for his contributions to the process of establishing the groundwork for collaboration with NYU through which KAIST is to become a leading global value-creating university."
President Emeritus Sexton served as the president of NYU from 2002 to 2015, establishing two degree-granting campuses and several global academic sites of NYU around the world. Because of its steady rise in university rankings, such as its medical school earning the number two position in the United States, not only has NYU joined the ranks of first-class universities, but it has also achieved remarkable growth, with the number of students increasing dramatically from 29,000 to 60,000.
In addition, during his tenure as president at NYU, President Emeritus Sexton successfully expanded fundraising to support the University’s academic goals. During his 14-year tenure as president, he organized initiatives such as 'Raise $1 Million Every Day' and 'Call to Action' to raise $4.9 billion in donations, the largest in NYU history to date.
President Emeritus Sexton is famous for teaching full time even during his presidential tenure and for the anecdotes about his special care for students, addressing the school members as “family”. In particular, he is famous for giving hugs to all graduates at the commencement ceremony. Minister Park Jin of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea, who graduated from NYU School of Law in 1999 with a Master of Studies in Law, is one of the graduates who received President Sexton's hug.
President Emeritus Sexton, born in 1942, visited KAIST on the 17th to receive the honorary doctorate and to encourage the expedited development of the KAIST-NYU Joint Campus, for which he helped lay the foundation.
President Emeritus Sexton said, "I like the slogan, 'Onward and upward together,'" and added, "I look forward to having the two universities achieve their shared vision of becoming the world-class universities together through cooperation to establish the KAIST-NYU Joint Campus."
< Photo 2. NYU President Emeritus John Edward Sexton giving the acceptance speech at the KAIST Commencement Ceremony >
The US Ambassador to Korea, the Honorable Philip Goldberg, also attended the commencement ceremony at KAIST to congratulate President Emeritus Sexton on the conferment of the honorary doctorate. Ambassador Goldberg has been serving as the US Ambassador to Korea since July of last year.
President Kwang Hyung Lee said, “President Emeritus Sexton was a president best described as an innovator who promoted diversity in education and pursued academic excellence throughout his life.” He went on to say, “The KAIST-NYU Joint Campus, which will be completed on the foundation laid by President Emeritus Sexton, will serve as the focal point that will attract global talents flooding into New York by the driving force created from the synergy of the two universities as well as serving as a starting point for KAIST's outstanding talents to pursue their dreams toward the world.”
KAIST signed a cooperation agreement with NYU in June of 2022 to build a joint campus, and held a presentation of signage for the KAIST-NYU Joint Campus in September. Currently, about 60 faculty members are planning to begin joint research initiatives in seven fields, including robotics, AI, brain sciences, and climate change. In addition, cooperation in the field of education, including student exchange, minors, double majors, and joint degrees, is under discussion.
2023.02.17 View 8821