Ihm Jisoon
Distinguished Professor
Pohang University of Science and Technology
AsianScientist (Jul. 19, 2016) – Ihm Jisoon, a celebrated and decorated Korean physicist, has been described as “most likely to win a Nobel Prize in Physics.”
Considered an authority in theoretical condensed matter physics, Ihm introduced a new field of physics called computational materials physics during his PhD studies. He was also the first to discover that multiple collections of carbon nanotubes produce features of semiconductors in 1998. In between his discoveries, Ihm has authored more than 170 papers published in leading international journals, including Nature, Science, and Physics Review Letters.
In 2006, Ihm was named a National Scholar of Korea by the Ministry of Education of Korea. The next year, he was selected by the President of Korea as a Korean Scientist of Highest Honor. And in 2009, he became Seoul National University’s only Distinguished Professor, before joining POSTECH as a Distinguished Professor in March 2016.
For his work into developing novel computational methods for calculating the electronic structure and the total energy of solids, Ihm was elected a Foreign Associate of the National Academy of Sciences of the US in 2011. He was the first Korean national to be given this honor.
Below, Ihm shares with Asian Scientist Magazine about how physics improves our daily lives; his experiences as a researcher in Korea and the US; and why research into physics is important, despite a lack of any immediate application.
- What first attracted you to study physics?
In my elementary school days, I learned that the Earth goes around the sun, and the Moon goes around the Earth. I was very curious about the movement of heavenly bodies. When I actually observed the lunar eclipse at exactly the predicted time, I was thrilled and thought that when I grew up, I would be a scientist who could understand such natural phenomena.
- Your first paper, “Momentum-space formalism for the total energy of solids” that was published in 1979, kick-started a new field in physics called computational materials physics. Why were these findings so important to the field of physics at the time?
Although basic laws, or equations, governing the behavior of atoms and electrons were known, it was extremely difficult to solve the equation for a real material because there are too many atoms and electrons in a material and the interactions among them are very complicated.
By proposing a systematic method to solve the equation and get the total energy of a solid accurately, it became possible to predict the stable structure of solids and even design and synthesize new materials which hadn’t existed before.
- How would you explain theoretical condensed matter physics to a layperson?
Theoretical condensed matter physics is a research field to study the electromagnetic, structural and mechanical properties of solids based on fundamental physical principles, as opposed to mere phenomenological or empirical descriptions of those properties.
- In what ways will advances in computational materials physics help to improve our daily lives?
For example, using computational materials physics methods, we can search for alternative materials to improve the function of batteries in electric cars. Also, by designing new material structures and device architectures based on computational material physics, we have achieved a rapid advancement in the technology of computers and cell phones.
- What research are you working on currently that excites you the most?
I have been developing hydrogen storage materials in collaboration with experimentalists in the fields of material engineering and chemical engineering. Currently, hydrogen fuel cell-powered cars store hydrogen in high-pressure tanks. If we can find a way to store hydrogen in the form of a solid, which does not require a highly-pressurized tank, hydrogen cars will be much safer.
- You have been a researcher for over three decades. What has kept you motivated over the years to continue with your research pursuits, even when you experience ‘speed bumps’?
Sometimes, we are not able to obtain any research outcomes for an extended period of time. Even worse, our research results, which we believe are very important and original, are not recognized by other people in the science community.
There are two essential elements that keep me motivated in spite of hardships in my career. One is the joy and satisfaction originating from my sense of achievement, that I have solved a physics problem and grasped the understanding of the physical system which had looked mysterious before.
The other is that I keep producing good students in my group and witnessing their intellectual growth.
- What are the advantages, disadvantages and challenges to conducting research in South Korea, compared to the US, where you were based early in your career?
There are two advantages: I can recruit excellent Korean students whom I can trust to my group. Also, government support for basic science research has been improving steadily for the last 30 years in Korea.
As for the disadvantages, when I worked at MIT or AT&T Bell Laboratories, world experts in my field or related fields of research were only a few doors away and I could have discussions with them at any time. We don’t have such a resource of experts in Korea.
Furthermore, in Korea, the culture of discussions and constructive criticism is lacking, and Korean professors have too many administrative or social duties that are not directly related to research or education.
One challenge I see is this: Given that the education in Korean high schools is biased towards training students to prepare for college entrance exams, it is crucial to encourage scientific creativity and originality among students who want to study the basic sciences. Professors in the basic sciences depend heavily on students and postdocs!
- Why is research into certain areas of physics essential in today’s world, even when there is no immediate application or translation for it?
I can mention two things: Even if a certain field of physics does not lead to immediate applications, history shows that, in the long run, there may be totally unexpected applications of the basic sciences in our daily lives. Electricity, which was a pure curiosity among scientists, is one good example. Semiconductor physics is another.
Additionally, a general education in the natural sciences helps a human being to think rationally and prepare for rapid changes in the world due to technology.
This article is from a monthly series called Asia’s Scientific Trailblazers. Click here to read other articles in the series.
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Copyright: Asian Scientist Magazine; Photo: Ihm Jisoon.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.
