- UST appoints researchers from 27 national labs, including IBS, KIMM and ETRI

- Quantum computing expert Kim Ki-hwan, AI humanoid robot pioneer Park Chan-hun among new hires; 47% are 40 or younger

(Clockwise from top left) Kim Ki-hwan of the IBS School, Kang Bong-gyun of the IBS School, Park Chan-hun of the KIMM School, Jin Han-bit of the ETRI School, Lee Ha-na of the KRIBB School, and Park Cheol-hun of the KIMM School. [Provided by UST]
(Clockwise from top left) Kim Ki-hwan of the IBS School, Kang Bong-gyun of the IBS School, Park Chan-hun of the KIMM School, Jin Han-bit of the ETRI School, Lee Ha-na of the KRIBB School, and Park Cheol-hun of the KIMM School. [Provided by UST]

World-class quantum computing scholars, researchers leading the development of AI humanoid robots, and scientists who have turned laboratory technologies into deep tech startups are joining the university faculty.

The University of Science and Technology (UST) said it has appointed 229 researchers from 27 national laboratories as new faculty members for the second semester of the 2026 academic year.

The new appointments include researchers leading work in quantum science, brain science, physical AI, biotech, and robotics and healthcare from institutions such as the Institute for Basic Science (IBS), the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM), the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), and the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI).

Several globally recognized scholars have joined the IBS School.

Professor Kim Ki-hwan is a leading authority on trapped-ion quantum computing and quantum simulation. After serving 14 years as a professor in the physics department at Tsinghua University in China, he returned to South Korea last year to become the inaugural director of the IBS Center for Trapped Ion Quantum Science.

Professor Kang Bong-gyun is a distinguished neuroscientist who has spent his career studying the mechanisms of learning and memory. He has been named a National Scientist of Korea, holds a chair professorship at Seoul National University, and is a recipient of the Samsung Ho-Am Prize. He currently leads the learning and memory group at the IBS Center for Cognition and Sociality.

A researcher spearheading the development of a Korean-made AI humanoid robot will also join the UST faculty.

Professor Park Chan-hun of the KIMM School serves as director of the Global Top Strategy Research Center for Autonomous-Growth AI Humanoid Robots. He is leading the development of KAIROS, a Korean AI humanoid robot, by bringing together the research capabilities of KIMM, ETRI and the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology.

Students will also benefit from the experience of researchers who have successfully translated foundational technologies into real-world startups.

Professor Park Cheol-hun of the KIMM School developed an ultralight artificial muscle fabric capable of lifting more than 1,000 times its own weight and used it to create a muscle-assist wearable suit weighing under 2 kilograms. He went on to spin the laboratory technology into a startup, winning the grand prize at the 2026 Daedeok Innopolis Deep Tech Pre-Startup Competition.

Also drawing attention is a virtuous cycle of talent development in which UST alumni return as faculty members.

Professor Lee Ha-na of the KRIBB School earned her doctorate at UST before being appointed to the faculty of her alma mater's school. She developed a xeno-free stem cell culture platform that uses no animal-derived components and confirmed that human induced pluripotent stem cells can be maintained through 10 or more passages in a xeno-free environment.

Professor Jin Han-bit of the ETRI School is an early-career researcher with a strong track record in technology commercialization in robotics and healthcare. He developed a wearable musculoskeletal monitoring sensor and a three-dimensional omnidirectional tactile sensor for robotic fingers, completing eight technology transfers to six companies. The licensing fees alone reached 890 million won ($649,000).

More than 47 percent of the new faculty are early-career researchers aged 40 or younger, and eight of them earned their doctorates at UST. The appointments reflect a structure in which students trained at national laboratories grow into leading researchers and return as faculty to mentor the next generation.

UST said it plans to incorporate into its curriculum not only the world-class research expertise these scholars bring, but also their hands-on experience spanning foundational technology development, deep tech entrepreneurship, technology transfer and commercialization.

"We have recruited the top researchers from each national laboratory school, taking into account the characteristics and research focus of each school," UST President Kang Dae-im said. "We will provide full support so that students can absorb the research philosophy and experience of world-class professors and grow into the next generation of leading researchers."


nbgkoo@heraldcorp.com