Seoul National University Professors Han Kyung-Won and Kang Ji-Hyeong Named Among MIT Technology Review’s “Innovators Under 35 Asia Pacific”

By Lee Sun-Yong, Daehak News 

Seoul National University announced on the 12th that Professor Han Kyung-Won from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Professor Kang Ji-Hyeong from the Department of Chemistry were selected as part of MIT Technology Review’s "Innovators Under 35 (TR35) Asia Pacific.“

The award ceremony took place on September 9th at Zhangjiang Science Hall in Shanghai, China.

MIT Technology Review, the world’s oldest technology magazine, annually selects 35 innovators under the age of 35 in various advanced science and technology (S&T) and industrial fields. The selection is part of a philosophy that emphasizes how technology can benefit humanity. Since 2014, the TR35 Asia Pacific has been recognizing outstanding young innovators in the region.

Professor Han Kyung-Won was recognized for his development of various soft robotics technologies for medical surgery, treatment, and assistance. Professor Kang Ji-Hyung was honored for his contributions to the design of elastomers that mimic human skin and self-assembling nanomaterials within polymers.

Professor Han’s soft robotics technologies, such as haptic devices enabling tactile interaction during remote robotic surgery, surgical instruments capable of stable tissue handling, and implantable robots supporting organs, aim to make safe interactions with human tissue possible and are expected to drive medical innovation. “I want to develop technologies that enhance the safety, accuracy, and outcomes of surgery by allowing robots to safely interact with human tissue,” said Professor Han, adding that MIT Technology Review’s recognition motivates him to continue pursuing his vision.

Professor Kang’s recent work on self-healing polymers and stretchable electrode composite materials for freeform electronic circuit platforms has not only garnered attention in academia but also holds potential applications in industries such as flexible displays and wearable medical devices that require elasticity. “As a materials scientist with a background in chemistry, my goal is to design and develop new materials for research and industrial applications,” Professor Kang said, expressing his delight at being recognized by MIT Technology Review and his commitment to advancing his research.

MIT Technology Review’s TR35 award has honored globally recognized innovators, including Larry Page and Sergey Brin, co-founders of Google, Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Meta, Max Levchin, co-founder of PayPal, and Jony Ive, former Chief Design Officer at Apple. The 2024 Korean recipients, in addition to Professors Han and Kang, include Professor Park Ji-Min from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and Professor Joanna from the University of Sydney. These selections once again demonstrate Korea’s growing recognition on the international stage in science and technology.