SNU Professor Ilkyeong Moon Named Fellow of the International Foundation for Production Research (IFPR)
First Korean Honored, Elevating Korea’s International Standing in Industrial Engineering


▲ Commemorative photo for IFPR Fellowship induction. Professor Ilkyeong Moon of Seoul National University’s Department of Industrial Engineering is on the far right.

Seoul National University College of Engineering announced that Professor Ilkyeong Moon from the Department of Industrial Engineering has been named a Fellow of the International Foundation for Production Research (IFPR) — the first Korean ever to receive this prestigious honor in the field of production research.

The announcement was made at the 28th International Conference on Production Research (ICPR), hosted by IFPR in July in Colombia. The fellowship, awarded to only 22 individuals worldwide, is considered the highest distinction granted by IFPR. Among the distinguished recipients is Professor Shimon Nof of Purdue University, a leading authority in production engineering.

Founded in the early 1950s, IFPR was established to address the growing need for systematic collaboration on production technology and manufacturing process innovation. Since 1971, the organization has hosted the International Conference on Production Research every two years, rotating among Europe, Asia, and the Americas. IFPR members include global leaders in production management and manufacturing engineering, including Professor Shimon Nof.

The organization also publishes the highly regarded journal, International Journal of Production Research (Impact Factor 7.3, ranked 9th out of 106 Industrial Engineering journals), which serves as a top platform for cutting-edge research in production and manufacturing.

The IFPR Fellowship is the organization’s highest recognition, awarded through a rigorous selection process. Candidates must be nominated by IFPR board members based on exceptional academic achievements and significant contributions to the IFPR community.

The selection involves thorough deliberation and voting during the biennial IFPR board meeting. Additionally, IFPR’s regional chapters in Europe, Asia, and the Americas may recommend up to two candidates every two years. These candidates are then reviewed and validated by the IFPR Fellowship Committee before the final selection.

To date, only 22 researchers worldwide have received this distinction. With three of the previous recipients now deceased, Professor Moon’s selection places him among an elite group of just 19 active Fellows, marking a historic milestone for Korea’s industrial engineering community.

“After being selected as an IFPR board member in 2019, it is an incredible honor to now be inducted as a Fellow,” said Professor Moon. “I am deeply grateful to Professors Seokho Kang and Jinwoo Park, Professors Emeritus at SNU, who have significantly elevated the reputation of Korean academia through their active participation in IFPR since the mid-1980s.”

Professor Moon also expressed his hopes for future generations, “I encourage young industrial engineering scholars to consistently present their work at international conferences, build strong networks with global researchers, and continue raising the global profile of Korean industrial engineering.”

Professor Moon earned his B.S. and M.S. from Seoul National University and his Ph.D. from Columbia University. Before joining SNU in 2012, he taught at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Pusan National University.

At SNU, he specializes in production management, logistics, supply chain management, and simulation. Professor Moon received the SNU Academic Research Award in 2018 and, more recently, was elected a full member of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology (KAST) in 2024.


[Reference Materials]
- IFPR Fellows List : https://ifpr-icpr.org/board/

[Contact Information]
Professor Ilkyeong Moon, Supply Chain Management Laboratory, Department of Industrial Engineering, Seoul National University / ikmoon@snu.ac.kr