KIM Yousoo, a professor at the University of Tokyo and the first Korean to be appointed as a Chief Scientist at Japan's RIKEN, along with Hakwan LAU, RIKEN Team Leader known for his innovative research bridging philosophy and cognitive science, have joined the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) as Directors.

Effective from September 1, IBS has appointed two new directors in the field of interdisciplinary research. KIM Yousoo, Professor at the University of Tokyo and RIKEN Chief Scientist, has been appointed as the Director of the Center for Quantum Conversion Research, located at the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) campus. Hakwan LAU, RIKEN Team Leader, will co-lead the Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research at Sungkyunkwan University alongside Director KIM Seong-Gi.

Director KIM Yousoo (age 56) graduated from the Department of Chemistry at Seoul National University and earned his PhD in Applied Chemistry at the University of Tokyo. He has conducted research at RIKEN and the University of Tokyo. In 2015, was appointed as Chief Scientist, the highest position for researchers at RIKEN, where he led the Surface and Interface Science Laboratory. Dr. Kim is the first Korean to attain this prestigious role. In 2022, he was also appointed as a professor in the Department of Applied Chemistry at the University of Tokyo.

Director Kim is recognized as a world-renowned researcher in surface and interface chemistry. Research in surface chemistry is notably complex field where traditional chemical tools often fail. Nobel Prize-winning physicist Wolfgang PAULI famously remarked that, “God created matter, but the devil made surfaces,” emphasizing the challenges in this field.

To study surfaces, new tools are required. Director Kim has used Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) to observe and investigate chemical reactions occurring at the atomic and molecular levels on material surfaces and interfaces. Notable achievements include measuring the photocurrent generated within a single molecule at the atomic level (Nature, 2022), developing precise nano-spectroscopy methods to directly measure the electronic structure and optical properties of nanomaterials (Science, 2021), and proposing a new light emission mechanism that significantly reduces the energy required to operate Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) (Nature, 2019). Based on these outstanding contributions, Director Kim has received numerous accolades, including the Japan Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT) Science and Technology Award (2018), the International Award from the Japan Society for Molecular Science (2018), and the Academic Award from the Chemical Society of Japan (2019).

The Center for Quantum Conversion Research, led by Director Kim, aims to develop innovative methodologies to quantitatively measure and control interactions between quantum states, creating new functionalities and properties driven by quantum conversion phenomena. Director Kim also plans to leverage his extensive infrastructure and collaborations in Japan to promote joint research between Korea and Japan.

Director Kim stated, “The foundational research conducted by basic scientists in the study of surface reactions underpins technologies that have brought great convenience to humanity, such as catalysts, batteries, and OLEDs. At the time I felt a significant need for a change in my research, I discovered that IBS’s goals aligned with my vision, which led to my decision to return to Korea.”

Newly appointed Director Hakwan LAU earned his PhD from the University of Oxford and was a professor at Columbia University and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He became a Team Leader at RIKEN’s Brain Science Institute in 2021.

Dr. Lau is a prominent researcher whose work spans psychology and neuroscience, boasting over 17,000 citations and an h-index of 64, reflecting his influence and impact in the field.

Past 20 years of his academic efforts to answer philosophical questions through scientific methods are evident in his 2022 book In Consciousness We Trust, where he proposed a novel theory of conscious perception based on empirical research and collaboration with theorists.

Recent attention has focused on Dr. Lau's research into whether machines, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), can possess consciousness (Science, 2017) and his development of computational methodologies for assessing metacognitive abilities. Based on these achievements, Dr. Lau has received major awards, including the William James Award (2005) and the Janet Taylor Spence Award (2012), in the field of psychological science.

As he joins IBS, Dr. Lau aims to investigate the fundamental reasons why human perception of the world differs from that of other animals. Specifically, his research will focus on the prefrontal cortex, one of the least understood areas of the brain, and its unique development in humans compared to other animals. His goal is to elucidate how this brain region contributes to perception. To achieve this, a combination of non-invasive experimental techniques suitable for human subjects and advanced technologies applicable to animal models like rodents will be essential.

Dr. Lau remarked, “The Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, led by world-renowned MRI physicist Director KIM Seong-Gi, offers all the tools necessary to tackle the big questions in neuroscience, making my decision to join an easy one. By leveraging the group's excellent neuroimaging techniques and methodologies, we will address some of the major questions in basic brain science.”

IBS President Noh Do Young expressed confidence in the new appointments, stating, “Director KIM Yousoo, who rose to prominence as a Japanese researcher, returned to Korea to lead the Center for Quantum Conversion Research. I believe this group will become a bridge for international collaboration, driving advancements in global chemistry. Additionally, with the Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research being co-led by a physicist and a neuroscientist, we anticipate even more challenging and innovative research in the interdisciplinary sciences.”

IBS Public Relations Team
William I. Suh