GIST graduates its 1,000th Ph.D.!
Dr. Youngung Kim has officially become the 1,000th Ph.D. to graduate from the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST). GIST was established in 1993 by legislative enactment of the Korean government and enrolled its first class of master"s degree students in 1995.
Interestingly, Dr. Kim"s given name of Youngung (영웅) literally means "hero" when translated into English. And in a way, Dr. Kim is a hero for GIST and the Gwangju community. As a child, he was born near Gwangju and later moved to the city when he was in elementary school. Then in March of 2008, Dr. Kim enrolled in the joint master"s/Ph.D. program at GIST.
Dr. Kim studied optics under the supervision of Professor Won-Taek Han in the Specialty Optical Fibers Technologies Lab in the School of Information and Communications where he has shown excellence as a researcher. Dr. Kim has authored five SCI papers, co-authored 16 SCI papers, and has five registered patents.
Dr. Kim plans to remain in the Gwangju area as he becomes a post-doctoral researcher for Korea Photonics Technology Institute"s Nano Optoelectrical Research Center. When reflecting about his experience at GIST, Dr. Kim said, "GIST provided me with a rich experimental experience as well as access to high-tech fiber manufacturing equipment that no other university in Korea can match. With all of the educational advantages GIST has provided, I want to continue challenging myself by advancing the development of optical fusion technologies."