The KAIST Department of Materials Science and Engineering successfully hosted the 4th KAIST International Emerging Materials Symposium on Wednesday, November 15th, at the Jung Geun-Mo Conference Hall on the 5th floor of the Academic Culture Center. The symposium, themed 'Exploring Big Ideas for Next-Generation Materials Development', featured 15 distinguished speakers from the fields of materials science, chemistry, chemical engineering, and applied physics, including Professor Sharon Hammes-Schiffer, Editor-in-Chief of Chemical Reviews (Impact Factor = 62.1), a leading journal in the field of chemistry published by the American Chemical Society.

This symposium was designed to introduce significant ideas in the fields of materials science, chemistry, chemical engineering, and applied physics, and to share the latest achievements in nanotechnology for next-generation applications. It provided a vibrant platform for discussions encompassing three main topics: the latest applications of nanomaterials, the direction of research in chemistry and materials engineering, and the societal contributions for the commercialization of innovative materials. To facilitate this, esteemed speakers such as Professor Sharon Hammes-Schiffer from Yale University, Editor-in-Chief of Chemical Reviews, Professor Hua ZHANG from City University of Hong Kong, Editor-in-Chief of SmartMat, Professor Tsuyoshi Sekitani from Osaka University, Associate Editor of ACS Nano, Professor Jiaxing Huang from Westlake University, Editor-in-Chief of Accounts of Material Research, Professor Zijian Zheng from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Editor-in-Chief of EcoMat, Professor Wei Gao from California Institute of Technology, Associate Editor of Science Advances, and Professor Hee-Tae Chung from KAIST, Associate Editor of ACS Sensors, along with four young research professors representing KAIST, participated in the event. They presented the current research status in emerging and promising materials and engaged in a panel discussion to discuss the future direction of international journals.

In the first lecture of the symposium, Professor Sharon Hammes-Schiffer from Yale University presented a lecture on quantum-coupled electron transport. Renowned for her theoretical and computational research contributions in quantum mechanics, she is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS) and is recognized as an expert in quantum-coupled electron transport. This phenomenon describes the transfer of electrons and protons in electrochemical reactions from a quantum mechanical perspective and can be applied to the development of materials for electrochemical catalysts and energy conversion devices, which have recently gained prominence.

As a response to the growing societal concern over carbon emissions, there has been increasing interest in methods to mitigate carbon emissions, such as catalytic production of hydrogen and high-value-added compounds, as well as energy storage materials capable of converting and storing produced energy. Through this symposium, distinguished professors from around the world discussed the research status and directions of outstanding researchers abroad and delivered lectures to explore big ideas for next-generation materials development. Additionally, KAIST professors who are leading the way in social contribution by founding startups based on innovative material-based technologies, such as Kim Il-Doo (IDKLab Inc.), Yong-Keun Park (Tomocube), Steve Park (Aldaver), and Yeon-Sik Jung (Artificial Photosynthesis Lab), delivered lectures on advanced technology-based startups. Drawing from their own experiences, these faculty entrepreneurs vividly conveyed the value of advanced material technology, the researcher's attitude towards future industries, and KAIST's efforts to foster future industries.

The international symposium featured sessions on leading fields of new materials and the latest nanoscale research, including sessions on Nanoscience, KAIST Technology Entrepreneurship, New Researchers, and Editor-in-Chief of Nano New Materials. Particularly noteworthy were the lectures by young rising star professors from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (Woochul Jung, Ki-beom Kang, Himchan Cho, and Donghwa Seo) on cutting-edge new materials, along with Professor Wei Gao from the California Institute of Technology, who passionately presented on wearable sensors and biosensors. Additionally, Professor Seungbeom Hong (Chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering) highlighted the department's major achievements in internationalization and its vision to enter the global top 10.

Professor Il-Doo Kim from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at KAIST, who oversaw the event, explained, "Following the successful 3rd KAIST Emerging Materials Symposium held last year, we organized this symposium to further enhance information exchange and conduct collaborative research with distinguished scholars from both domestic and international arenas. Our aim is to utilize this opportunity not only for the advancement of science and technology in South Korea but also to create global value." Professor Kim emphasized, "With prominent scholars gathering in one place from the fields of materials, chemistry, bioengineering, and applied physics, this symposium provided a valuable opportunity to learn about cutting-edge future technologies such as nano new materials, next-generation energy storage and generation technologies, advanced electronic devices, and biomaterials.“

The event took place at the Jung Geun-Mo Conference Hall on the 5th floor of the Academic Culture Center at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). It was an open symposium accessible to anyone interested in the latest research trends in the fields of materials science, chemistry, physics, bioengineering, and chemical engineering. Attendees had the opportunity to engage with globally renowned experts firsthand, gaining valuable insights, and fostering innovative collaborative research and exchanges through discussions. Moreover, the symposium provided KAIST with the opportunity to invite distinguished figures from the international scientific community and engage in active research and exchanges with prominent journal editors. Following the event, Professor Jiaxing Huang, Editor-in-Chief of the journal Accounts of Material Research, invited KAIST to publish a special review paper, demonstrating special affection and interest in KAIST researchers. Similarly, Professor Zijian Zheng, Editor-in-Chief of the renowned journal Ecomat, extended an invitation for a special review paper, reflecting a high level of regard and interest in KAIST researchers. Additionally, the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at our university ranked 18th globally and 1st domestically in the 2023 QS World University Rankings by Department.