PROGRAMME

Keynote Speaker

DIVISIONS

Thinking as a design material in city-making: Involving city stakeholders in design journeys that deepen their way of envisioning the future
DR. SIMEONE, Luca
Aalborg University, Denmark
Dr. Luca Simeone currently serves as an Associate Professor at Aalborg University, where his core focus is on how design and arts can support personal, organizational and community resilience, innovation, transition thinking, long-term strategic orientation and positive and impactful change. He has carried out research, teaching and consulting activities at various universities (Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Polytechnic University of Milan, Malmö University and University of the Arts London), (co)authoring and (co)editing 5 books and other 80+ publications. He has founded and managed successful companies and award-winning design-driven firms operating in more than 30 countries and with commercial hubs in Milan, Singapore, Toronto and Doha (key Clients include Procter & Gamble, Unilever, Dior, Sony). He also helps private and public organizations (e.g. the European Commission, the World Bank, UNICEF and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research) to define strategies, policies, and funding schemes to foster innovation. As a certified yoga instructor (RYT-500 Yoga Alliance), he offers experiential sessions that anchor breath-based movement to creativity and that leverage science-based insights on mindfulness.
Unveiling Venus, from afar and from up-close
DR. LEE, Yeon Joo
Institute For Basic Science
Yeon Joo Lee is the chief investigator of the Planetary Atmospheres Group, IBS. Yeon Joo studied atmospheric sciences for her B.S. and M.Sc. She started her research on the atmosphere of Venus during her Ph.D. project at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in Germany. She has been involved in several space missions, such as the European Space Agency(ESA)'s Venus Express, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency(JAXA)'s Akatsuki, ESA-JAXA's BepiColombo, and ESA's future Venus orbiter EnVision. She came to Korea to set up PAG at IBS.
Lithium-Alloy Anodes in Solid-State Batteries
PROF. PASTA, Mauro
University Of Oxford
Prof. Mauro Pasta (FRSC) is Professor of Applied Electrochemistry in the Department of Materials at the University of Oxford. He currently serves as the Principal Investigator of the SOLBAT (solid-state batteries) project as part of The Faraday Institution. His research interests encompass electrochemistry and materials chemistry, with a primary focus on developing innovative materials for electrochemical energy storage. With expertise in battery chemistries beyond Li-ion, he has published 95 papers, with an h-index of 44 and over 15000 citations. Additionally, he holds 18 patents and patent applications. As a co-founder of three battery startup companies, Natron Energy, Cuberg and Project K, Prof. Pasta is dedicated to translating his research into real-world solutions.
Autonomous design of products and processes: Generative Chemical Transformer to reinforcement learning-guided combinatorial chemistry
PROF. NA, Jonggeol
Ewha Womans University
Bio: Dr Na is an assistant professor in Chemical engineering at Ewha Womans University. Prior to joining Ewha, he served as a Postdoctoral Fellow in Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University under the guidance of Prof. Nick Sahinidis. Additionally, he conducted visiting research with Prof. Richard D. Braatz at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He received his Ph.D. in 2018 from Seoul National University. His research group focuses on addressing computational challenges in the design and optimization of advanced process systems. Utilizing tools from process systems engineering, machine learning, multiscale simulation, and mathematical optimization, his team tackles specific problem areas. These include the autonomous discovery of innovative process systems designs through artificial intelligence and multiscale simulations, and the conceptual design of novel processes that enhance sustainability in the chemical industry. Dr. Na's research contributions have been recognized widely, with features on the front cover of the Journal of Materials Chemistry A, ACS Energy Letters, and the Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling. His accolades include Best Paper Awards at the AIChE Annual Meeting in 2022 and the Ewha Outstanding Research Award in the same year.
The Anthropocene is real despite news to the contrary!
PROF. WATERS, Colin
University of Leicester, UK
Prof. Colin N. Waters is a retired principal mapping geologist, formerly of the British Geological Survey (between 1988 and 2017), with specific interests in Carboniferous and Anthropocene stratigraphy. He has been Honorary Professor at the Geography, Geology and the Environment School, University of Leicester since 2016, and in 2019 was Visiting Professor at the University of Vienna. He has been Secretary of the Anthropocene Working Group (of the ICS Quaternary Subcommission) from 2011 and its Chair since 2020, and has been Secretary of the Stratigraphy Commission of the Geological Society of London since 2006. He has 165 peer-reviewed publications, with in excess of 12000 citations. He received a degree in Geology and Mineralogy from Oxford University in 1984 and completed a PhD at University College, Cardiff in 1988.
Towards eXplainable AI (XAI) with deep learning
PROF. JENSSEN, Robert
Uit The Arctic University Of Norway
Robert Jenssen is Director of Visual Intelligence, a Norwegian Centre for research-based innovation funded by the Research Council of Norway and consortium partners. Visual Intelligence solves research challenges in deep learning to advance image analysis. Jenssen is professor and founder of the Machine Learning Group at UiT The Arctic University of Norway. He is in addition a part time professor at the Pioneer AI Centre, University of Copenhagen, and an adjunct professor at the Norwegian Computing Center, Oslo, Norway. Jenssen received his Dr. Scient (PhD) in 2005 from UiT. He has had long-term research stays at the University of Florida, at the Technical University of Denmark, and at the Technical University of Berlin. Jenssen’s research interests are in neural networks, graph and kernel-based learning, and in health and industrial applications of machine learning. Jenssen has been on the IEEE MLSP TC and on the Governing Board of IAPR. He is an editor for the journal Pattern Recognition and a member of the ELLIS Cph unit. Jenssen is general chair of the annual Northern Lights Deep Learning Conference - NLDL.
Single-Cell Nanoencapsulation: Past, Present, and Future
PROF. CHOI, Insung
Department of Chemistry, and Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon, Korea
Prof. Choi, a PhD in Chemistry and MS in Computer Science, is a chemistry-centered naturalist, utilizing chemical, biological, and computational tools for deciphering the cytosociety. After earning his BS degree with summa cum laude from SNU, he obtained his MS degree (with Prof. Eun Lee) at SNU and his PhD degree (with Prof. George M. Whitesides) at Harvard. He then conducted postdoctoral research (with Prof. Robert Langer) at MIT, before joining the faculty at KAIST in 2002. He has been a director of the Center for Cell-Encapsulation Research (Creative Initiative) since 2012.
Status of Korea’s fusion research activities and strategies to accelerate fusion energy commercialization
DR. OH, Yeongkook
Korea Institute Of Fusion Energy
Dr. Yeongkook OH received his doctorate in nuclear engineering from Seoul National University in 1999. Starting his professional journey in 1993 at the Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI), he was responsible for the desig and alignment of magnets for the "Hanbit" magnetic mirror system. Additionally he contributed to the design and testing of superconducting magnets for the KSTAR device. He continues his contribution to the KSTAR project as division head for integrated commissioning, tokamak operation, joint plasma experiments at National Fusion Research Institute (NFRI) from 2005. He served as director of KSTAR project and Vice President of the NFRI before his delegation to the ITER project in France from 2018, where he was responsible for preparing the devices for operation and coordinating the performance of ITER modules. Returning to the Korea Fusion Energy Institute (KFE) in 2023, he led the K-DEMO design group and was appointed as the KFE president in April 2024. His technical expertise encompasses on superconducting magnets, tokamak operation, and plasma experiments.
Integrated interdisciplinary engineering efforts towards realisation of a fusion power plant
PROF. YOU, Jeong-ha
Max Planck Institute For Plasma Physics
Prof. Jeong-Ha You joined Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (Garching) in 1999 after his postdoc training at FZ Jülich and RWTH Aachen. Since 2014, Dr. You has been leading the European R&D activities of conceptual design and key technologies for the Divertor and Limiter PFCs of the European demonstration fusion reactor (EU-DEMO) in the framework of the EUROfusion Consortium. In his project team, roughly 60 experts from 9 European national laboratories, 11 university groups and a number of industry partners are involved (cumulative budget: ~39 M€). He is teaching as adjunct professor at the physics department of Ulm University since his habilitation in physics. He also serves as chair of the design review panel for the Chinese BEST tokamak and editorial board member of Nucl. Mater. Ener. Prof. You was educated at SNU (metallurgy) and RWTH Aachen (mechanical engineering). He published roughly 200 papers in international journals.
Flow control via external applied magnetic fields
PROF. ALTMEYER, Sebastian Andreas
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Prof. Sebastian Altmeyer is an Serra Húnter associate professor in School of Telecom and Aerospace Engineering at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. He received two Pre-Diplomas (B.Sc. degree) in Mathematics and Physics in 2004, the Diploma (M.Sc. degree) in Physics in 2007 and Ph.D. degree in Theoretical Physics at University Saarland (Germany). Hereafter he worked as Postdoctoral researcher at different institutions. First at the Department of Mathematics at Kyungpook National University (South Korea), hereafter at the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization (Germany) from where he moved to Institute of Science and Technology (Austria). He joined the Castelldefels School of Telecom and Aerospace Engineering at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya as Serra-Húnter Fellow (tenure track) in 2017, where he became recently promoted to an Associate Professor (2022). He has carried out research and academic activities for more 15 years at the different institutions and to date has published 42 papers. His main research interest is in Computational Fluid Dynamics with emphasis of complex systems, nonlinear dynamics, pattern formation, computational methods and bifurcation theory. He is also interested in complex fluids as ferrofluids, for which he has been modifying and optimizing models to numerical simulate ferrofluidic flows to match experimental observations, e.g. considering particle interaction, internal field magnetization. Key goal of simulations are to obtaining physical insight into complex fluids to understand complex flow physics and modeling requirements as well to explore their potential use for flow control. Recently the research area expand into the aero-spacial sector with focus on numerical simulations using genetic codes for optimal mission design and efficiency.
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=HUJJvYIAAAAJ&hl=en
Scopus Author ID: 57201593080 - https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57201593080
Researcher ID: https://publons.com/researcher/2354004/sebastian-sa-altmeyer/
Digital Healthcare Engineering for Enhancing Safety and Sustainability in Maritime Operations
PROF. PAIK, Jeom-kee
University College London
Dr. Jeom-Kee Paik is an Exceptional-Talent Engineer in the UK and Professor of Marine Technology in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at University College London, UK. He is also a National Special-Talent and Chair Professor in the School of Maritime and Transportation at Ningbo University, and at Harbin Engineering University in China. Prof. Paik is an International Fellow of the UK Royal Academy of Engineering, a Fellow of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology, a Fellow of the UK Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA), and a Life Fellow of the US Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME). He is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Ships and Offshore Structures and the Founder and Co-Chair of the International Conference on Ships and Offshore Structures (ICSOS). Among numerous accolades, Prof. Paik has received the RINA’s William Froude Medal (2015) and the SNAME’s David W. Taylor Medal (2013), the two most prestigious awards in the global maritime community. He has also received the Republic of Korea's Order of Science and Technology Merit (2014) and was awarded a Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Liège, Belgium (2012). Professor Paik's research interests encompass nonlinear structural mechanics, advanced structural safety studies, limit-state-based design, and quantitative risk assessment and management. He is renowned for pioneering Digital Healthcare Engineering, a proactive approach to the lifetime care of ageing ships, offshore structures, and seafarers operating in harsh oceanic environments and remote areas, leveraging digital twins, AI, and machine learning. He has authored or co-authored over 600 technical articles, 15 books, and 60 technical patents, and has supervised 170 MSc students and 47 PhD candidates. Prof. Paik holds the prestigious distinction of being ranked #1 among the world's top 0.05% scholars in Naval Engineering, as per the ScholarGPS ranking, with his lifelong contributions to the field standing as a testament to his exceptional expertise. The UK Royal Institution of Naval Architects introduced the Jeom Kee Paik Prize in 2014 to recognise his exemplary research contributions. This esteemed award is presented annually to outstanding researchers under the age of 35, acknowledging their exceptional academic papers in structural engineering. Notably, the Jeom Kee Paik Prize marks the first instance in the RINA's 164-year history where a living figure and a non-British scholar have been honored within the global maritime community.
The 20-Year Journey of KOFWST towards Gender Diversity in Korea's Science and Technology
PROF. KWON, Oh Nam
Kofwst
Oh Nam Kwon, a Professor of Mathematics Education at Seoul National University, has made significant contributions to the field both nationally and internationally. With a PhD in Mathematics from Indiana University, Kwon has been a pioneering force in adopting inquiry-based teaching methods in Korea. Her achievements include receiving the Svend Pedersen Lecture Award, being the first Asianaqq, and serving on the editorial boards of top-tier journals in mathematics education. Kwon has dedicated her career to enhancing math education in Korea, evidenced by her leadership roles in key academic societies and as the organizing chair for the 9th East Asia Regional Conference on Mathematics Education in 2025. Her work emphasizes the importance of inquiry-oriented approaches and divergent thinking in mathematics, significantly impacting education practices and research globally.
To be announced...
The Light and Shadow of Science Communication in Korea
PROF. CHO, Sook-kyoung
Korea Institute of Energy Technology (KENTECH)
Prof. CHO Sook-Kyoung had Ph.D. in History & Philosophy of Science with a thesis titled “The Special Loan Collection of Scientific Apparatus, 1876: The Beginning of the Science Museum of London and the Popularization of Physical Science” from Seoul National University (SNU) in 2001. Before that, she studied at the Dept. of History & Philosophy of Science and Mathematics, King’s College London (KCL) for MA and at the Dept. of Physics Education, SNU for B.Sc. Prior to joining KENTECH in 2021, she had worked at the government-funded agencies such as Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity (KOFAC) and Gwangju National Science Museum for 20 years. There, she executed a number of science communication and science education programmes either at national level or provincial level. Among them, the “Space-sharing Project” with Joong-ang Ilbo newspaper and a special exhibition “2030 Future Cities” with three national science museums for the first time in Korea were the most representative ones. Since 2002, she served as a Scientific Committee member for Public Communication of Science and Technology (PCST) Network - a global network for science communication. And she hosted the 9th International Conference for PCST in Seoul for the first time in Asia. This event enhanced the importance of science communication and the issue of “Science and Society” for the Asian countries such as Japan, China and Indonesia. From 2023, she has been serving as the president of PCST Network, the first time as an Asian. Now, she is trying to set up the PCST Korean Society and to enhance the public awareness of science and energy science. She published more than 10 books and translations. “12 Big Questions raised by Science (클래스가 남다른 과학고전)” is the most recent book, which introduce 12 science classics written by scientists, historian & philosophers of scientists. She also translated a well-known BBC book of “Man Masters Nature” and co-translated a book of “The Patterns of Discovery”.
To be announced...