**Three Laboratories in Semiconductor, Chemistry, and Computing Fields Selected**
**Contributes to Securing Global Research Competitiveness with High Excellence**
On the 7th, at KAIST’s main campus in Daejeon, KAIST President Lee Kwang Hyung (second from left) held a plaque unveiling ceremony at the inauguration of the “Next-generation AI Semiconductor Systems Laboratory” by Professor Yoo Hoi-Jun (third from left) in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and posed for a commemorative photo.
“A laboratory where a soon-to-retire renowned professor continues research across generations with junior professors has opened its doors.”
KAIST announced on the 7th that three “Intergenerational Collaborative Laboratories” have held their plaque unveiling ceremonies and have started operations.
The newly established intergenerational collaborative laboratories are:
– Next-generation AI Semiconductor Systems Laboratory (Professor Yoo Hoi-Jun, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering)
– Molecular Spectroscopy and Chemical Dynamics Laboratory (Professor Kim Sang Kyu, Department of Chemistry)
– Advanced Data Computing Laboratory (Professor Moon Soo-Bok, Department of Computer Science).
The intergenerational collaborative laboratories are KAIST’s unique research system, allowing retiring professors to continue their academic achievements and knowledge through collaboration with younger professors. This system was first introduced in 2018. With three more labs added following nine that were operational until the end of last year, there are now a total of 12.
In the Next-generation AI Semiconductor Systems Laboratory headed by Professor Yoo Hoi-Jun, Professor Kim Joo-Young from the same department participates in its operation. Professor Yoo is a world-renowned scholar in on-device AI semiconductor design, while Professor Kim is a rising researcher in large language models and server-use AI semiconductor design, studying Process In Memory (PIM) design technology. They plan to synthesize next-gen AI semiconductor design technologies that include brain-inspired AI algorithms and help domestic AI semiconductor companies achieve global competitiveness. Professor Yoo stated, “Through collaborative research, we will propose the next-generation development direction for the AI semiconductor field both domestically and internationally and expand our global leadership.”
Professor Kim Sang Kyu is responsible for the “Molecular Spectroscopy and Chemical Dynamics Laboratory” with Professor Kim Tae-gyu in the same department, along with faculty from the spectroscopy and dynamics field. Professor Kim has secured innovative experimental equipment technologies based on ultrashort lasers and supersonic molecular beams. He is recognized as a global leader who has creatively pioneered new fields in experimental physical chemistry. They plan to describe chemical reactions from a quantum mechanical perspective, verify existing concepts based on this, and establish new theories and technologies. Professor Kim Sang Kyu said, “We aim to become a world-renowned laboratory through intergenerational collaborative research.”
The “Advanced Data Computing Laboratory,” headed by Professor Moon Soo-Bok with participation from Professor Cha Myeong-Yeong of the same department and Professor Lee Won-Jae of the Graduate School of Culture Technology, shows the limitless possibilities of large-scale data-based social network research on platforms like Cyworld, YouTube, and Twitter. Professor Cha is a data scientist analyzing social issues such as misinformation, poverty, and disaster detection with big data-based AI, being the first Korean director at Germany’s Max Planck Institute. The synergy from overseas collaborative research is anticipated in the intergenerational collaborative laboratory. Professor Lee Won-Jae studies dynamic interactions between science and technology using structural topic models and plans to develop a hate prediction model using emotions and morality occurring online to proactively block hate speech. Professor Moon Soo-Bok stated, “Through in-depth collaborative research on unexpected negative impacts in the AI era, we aim to secure high-level research competitiveness globally.”