KAIST

Professor Choongsik Bae officially assumed office as the 18th President of KAIST on July 1, 2026.

A world-renowned mechanical engineer and energy scientist, President Bae has advanced carbon-neutral transportation power systems and sustainable mobility. Throughout his career, he has pioneered innovations in advanced combustion, hydrogen engines, e-fuels, laser diagnostics, and future propulsion technologies, bridging engineering science with industrial applications.

Since joining the faculty in 1998, he has built leadership experience in engineering education and interdisciplinary research. He has served as Chair of both 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.

An active contributor to science and technology policy, President Bae has shaped 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). 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 to strengthen global cooperation in sustainable energy and future mobility.

As a distinguished scholar with over 150 publications, 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). He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Seoul National University and his PhD 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 further enhanced his global academic leadership through visiting professorships at University College London and Tokyo Institute of Technology (now Science Tokyo).

As the 18th President of KAIST, President Bae is committed to building "a globally leading innovation university with strong fundamentals." Under his leadership, KAIST will strengthen excellence in research, education, entrepreneurship, and global engagement while accelerating AI-driven innovation and fostering scientific and technological breakthroughs that contribute not only to Korea but to all of humanity.