SNU Prof. Tae-Woo Lee Delivers Invited Talk at Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (KVA) Symposium
- Selected as one of 20 global scholars in next-generation optoelectronics, demonstrating leadership in perovskite technology
- Publishes four papers in Nature and Science in a single year, an exceptional achievement
- Leads commercialization through startup SN Display and successful Series A investment


▲ Photo 1. Tae-Woo Lee, Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Seoul National University

Seoul National University College of Engineering announced that Professor Tae-Woo Lee of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering successfully delivered an invited talk at an international symposium hosted by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (KVA), held in Stockholm, Sweden, from April 28 to 29 (local time).

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (KVA), one of the world’s most prestigious academic institutions responsible for selecting Nobel laureates in Physics, Chemistry, and Economic Sciences, organizes annual symposia on key scientific challenges facing humanity. Being invited to this highly selective event—where only a small number of leading scholars gather to discuss the future direction of a field—is regarded as formal recognition of world-class technological leadership.

In this context, Professor Lee’s invitation as one of 20 leading scholars in next-generation optoelectronics at the symposium titled “Emerging Optoelectronics for a Sustainable Future” is considered a significant milestone, especially given the rarity of Korean scholars being invited to KVA-hosted events. The achievement highlights the global standing of Korean engineering research.

On April 29, Professor Lee delivered a lecture titled “Halide Perovskites as Next-Generation Light Emitters,” presenting over a decade of groundbreaking research by Korean scientists along with a vision for commercialization.

“It was a great honor to discuss technologies for a sustainable future with leading scholars from around the world at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, the home of the Nobel Prize,” Lee said. “We will continue to accelerate both research and commercialization so that foundational technologies developed in the laboratory can drive real innovation in industry.”

Professor Tae-Woo Lee is a globally recognized leader who has pioneered and advanced perovskite light-emitting materials, a key technology for next-generation displays. In 2014, he secured foundational patents in perovskite light-emitting materials, and in 2015, he published breakthrough research in Science demonstrating a dramatic improvement in the external quantum efficiency of perovskite light-emitting devices, effectively opening the field. Since then, he has continued to report cutting-edge results in top-tier journals such as Nature Photonics and Nature Nanotechnology, repeatedly setting world-record efficiencies. In 2022, he further solidified his leadership by publishing research in Nature that achieved near-theoretical efficiency along with unprecedented lifetime and brightness.

Notably, in 2026 alone, Professor Lee has published four papers in Nature and Science within just four months, demonstrating unmatched leadership in the field of optoelectronic devices. These studies address key challenges in perovskite commercialization—particularly stability and scalable manufacturing—and are expected to play a critical role in accelerating industrial adoption.

Professor Lee’s academic achievements have also translated into tangible industrial innovation. His faculty startup, SN Display Co., Ltd., has been recognized for its perovskite light-emitting materials and device technologies, winning an Innovation Award at CES 2026, the world’s largest consumer electronics and IT exhibition. The company has also successfully secured Series A funding, reflecting strong confidence in its technological potential and commercial viability, and is widely regarded as a next-generation game changer in the display industry.

Meanwhile, the perovskite optoelectronic device research conducted by Professor Lee’s team—including the key results presented at this symposium—was supported by the “Leader Research” program funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT.

▲ Photo 2. Tae-Woo Lee, Professor at SNU, delivering an invited talk at the KVA symposium


▲ Photo 3. Tae-Woo Lee, Professor at SNU, delivering an invited talk at the KVA symposium


▲ Photo 4. Tae-Woo Lee, Professor at SNU, delivering an invited talk at the KVA symposium


▲ Photo 5. Tae-Woo Lee, Professor at SNU, invited to the KVA symposium

[Contact Information]
- Tae-Woo Lee, Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University / twlees@snu.ac.kr
- Sungjin Kim, Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University / sjkim93@snu.ac.kr