Seoul National University Department of Architecture and Architectural Engineering Produces Professors at Prestigious Overseas Universities
- Five professors appointed to universities in the U.S., the Netherlands, and Indonesia
- Both international and domestic graduates poised to promote K-Architecture globally


▲ (From left) Hafshah Salamah, Assistant Professor at Bandung Institute of Technology; Marta Gil Perez, Assistant Professor at Eindhoven University of Technology; Kwonsik Song, Clinical Assistant Professor at Purdue University; Youjin Jang, Assistant Professor at North Dakota State University; Hyosii Moon, Assistant Professor at North Carolina A&T State University

Seoul National University College of Engineering announced on the 26th that the number of graduates from the Department of Architecture and Architectural Engineering being appointed as professors at prestigious overseas universities is on the rise.

A total of five graduates from SNU Department of Architecture and Architectural Engineering were recently appointed to professorships at various universities in countries including the United States, the Netherlands, and Indonesia. The cohort includes both international PhD students and those who completed their studies domestically, drawing attention from the academic community.

One of these graduates, Professor Hafshah Salamah, an international student from Indonesia who received her PhD from SNU Department of Architecture and Architectural Engineering in August this year, returned to her home country and began teaching at the prestigious Bandung Institute of Technology as an Assistant Professor on September 15. Having previously earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Bandung Institute of Technology and served as a lecturer there, Professor Salamah completed her PhD at SNU on a full scholarship funded by the university.

Her advisor, Professor Hyun-Koo Kang, remarked, "Hafshah has been conducting research on traditional Korean wooden structures and modern joint technology, and I expect her to continue her research on wooden structures in Indonesia, a country rich in timber, and further promote the excellence of K-Architecture. Her appointment marks a significant milestone, proving SNU Department of Architecture and Architectural Engineering’s global competitiveness in cultivating top-tier faculty members for prestigious universities worldwide.“

Another international student from Spain, Professor Marta Gil Perez, who was a master’s student under Professor Kang, was appointed as an Assistant Professor at the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands in February this year. Professor Gil Perez, who holds bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees from institutions including the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, SNU, and the University of Stuttgart, respectively, also gained practical experience working in structural design for three years in Korea. She plans to continue research and teaching on sustainable structural design using advanced materials and digital manufacturing.

Meanwhile, the research group led by Professor Moonseo Park has made remarkable strides in producing “domestic PhD” graduates who have gone on to be appointed at prestigious overseas universities. Three of his former students, Kwosik Song, Youjin Jang, and Hyosoo Moon, who earned their PhDs from SNU in 2016, 2017, and 2020, respectively, have been appointed as faculty members at top public universities in the United States.

Professor Song was appointed as a Clinical Assistant Professor at Purdue University’s Indianapolis campus in July this year, while Professor Jang was appointed as an Assistant Professor at North Dakota State University in August 2020. Additionally, Professor Moon began his position as an Assistant Professor at North Carolina A&T State University in August 2023.

Professor Park expressed his hopes, stating, “I am confident that my students, who have dedicated themselves to research in construction technology and management, will continue to elevate the status of Korean construction research and contribute to the advancement of K-Construction in the United States.”

[Contact Information]
Prof. Hyun-Koo Kang, Department of Architecture and Architectural Engineering, Seoul National University
Email: tkang@snu.ac.kr
Phone: +82-2-880-8368