Keynote Speaker I

Prof. Kwang Leong Choy, University College London, UK

Professor Kwang-Leong Choy (DSc, FIMMM, FRSC) and her team performing pioneering research into novel, sustainable, and cost-effective processing of nanostructured thin films and thick coatings using non-vacuum and environmentally friendly Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) based methods, characterised by unique nanocrystalline microstructure and superior properties for energy, transport, functional, healthcare and biomedical applications. She has over 30 years’ experience in surface coating and nanomaterials. She has authored over 250 peer-reviewed publications, including 4 books and 20 patents related to CVD based nanoparticles, nanowires, nanostructured ceramic and composite thin and thick films for engineering applications. She has given over 150 keynote/invited lectures. Professor Choy obtained her D.Phil. in Materials Science from the University of Oxford, where she was awarded the Hetherington Prize and Oxford Metallurgical Society Award. She also held academic position at Imperial College London and her pioneering on the Electrostatic Spray Assisted Vapour Deposition has led to the Grunfeld Medal and Prize from Institute of Materials (UK) and a spin-out company. She helped to establish two university spin-out companies. She also held a Chair in Materials, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham (2002-2014), where she was the Research Director of University Innovation Centre and University’s Knowledge Exchange Board. Over the past four years, Professor Choy’s work has led to her participation in numerous multimillion pounds research programmes. These include research contracts funded by EU, EPSRC, HEFCE, the Royal Society, Marie Curie, Innovate UK, TSB, Regional Development Agency (RDA) and many companies. She has been the international expert reviewer. She has been awarded Guest Professorships at the University of Uppsala (2001/03), Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE, 2010/2012), and Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Visiting Professorship for Senior International Scientist (2011/2013). Professor Choy is now a Director of UCL Institute for Materials Discovery and Professor of Materials Discovery at University College London since February 2014 to lead a multidisciplinary research Institute to integrate fundamental materials, chemistry, physics, engineering and biological principles across the disciplines to create new opportunities in materials creation, discovery and exploitation for the clean energy, aerospace, transport, optoelectronics, engineering, healthcare and biomedical applications. The Institute also plays an active role in materials translation and industrial engagements, linking theory with real world applications. She is also active in several UCL’s Global Engagement programmes with China, Europe and Africa.

Keynote Speaker II

Prof. Sung-Hoon Ahn, Seoul National University, South Korea

Sung-Hoon Ahn is a Full Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Seoul National University (SNU), and is the director of the Innovative Design and Integrated Manufacturing Lab at the university. He received his undergraduate degree in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Michigan (1992) and his Masters' degree (1994) and PhD in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University (1997). Since then, he has held professional and visiting positions at Stanford University, University of California at Berkeley, Gyeongsang National University and University of Washington. He joined Seoul National University in 2003 and has served SNU Institute of Global Social Responsibility as a Director (2016-2017), University Industry Technology Force (UNITEF), Korea as the President (2016-2017), SNU Graduate School of Engineering Practice as the Associate Dean (2017-2018), and Tanzania-Korea Innovative Technology Energy Center (ITEC) as the Program Director (2017-present).
Dr. Ahn's research interests include soft robotics, smart/composite materials, micro/nano fabrications, 3D/4D printing, smart factory, green manufacturing, renewable energy, smart grid, and appropriate technology. He has published over 310 peer-reviewed journal articles at Nature Materials, Advanced Materials, Advanced Functional Materials, Materials Horizons, Soft Robotics, Scientific Reports, CIRP Annals etc. as well as over 700 conference talks and 150 invited presentations. Since 2011 his team as the Global Solar Volunteer Corps has constructed several off-grid solar/small-hydro/wind power plants in Nepal and Tanzania which Provide electricity and LED light for over 3,500 people in remote villages. For his research accomplishments, he has been honored with Highly Commended Award from Literati Club, UK (2003), Sinyang Engineering Award (2010), Gaheon Award (2011), Seoul National University Education Award (2012), LG Yonam International Visiting Fellowship (2012), and Certificate of Commendation from Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning of Korean government (2015). Since 2013, as the editor-in-chief, he has founded and managed the International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing - Green Technology (IJPEM-GT, 2018 impact factor 4.560). He has served as an editorial member of Rapid Prototyping Journal (RPJ), International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing (IJPEM), Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology (JMST), Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering, Multifunctional Materials, Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing, the Initiator and Co-chair of International Symposium on Green Manufacturing and Applications (ISGMA, 2011-2017), the Founder and Conference Chair of International Conference on Energy, Aquatech and Sustainability (ICEAS, 2017-present), the Founder  and Chair of the Startup Mission for Art/design, Responsibility and Technology Competition and Conference (S.M.A.R.T., 2016-present), and the Founder and Chair of International Conference on Engineering Innovation 2017, a director of Korean Society of Precision Engineering, Academic Society for Appropriate Technology, Korean Society for Composite Materials, Society for Computational Design and Engineering, Scientists and Engineers without Borders, Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers, and a Fellow of CIRP (The International Academy for Production Engineers) since 2019.

Plenary Speaker I

Prof. Dae-Eun Kim, Yonsei University, South Korea

Dae-Eun Kim is a Professor at the School of Mechanical Engineering at Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea. Prof. Kim received his B.S. from Tufts Univ., and M.S. and Ph.D. from M.I.T. He was an Assistant Professor at the Ohio State University before joining Yonsei University in 1993. Prof. Kim is currently the President of the Korean Society for Precision Engineeering, Vice President of the International Tribology Council, and Vice President of the Asian Tribology Council. He has also served as the President of the Korean Tribology Society, Chair of the Tribology Technical Committee of IFToMM, Editor-in-Chief of IJPEM, Senior Editor of JMST and Associate Editor of ASME J. of Tribology. Prof. Kim currently serves in the editorial board of Tribology Letter, Advances in Tribology, Friction, Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering, IJPEM-GT and Tribology Online. He has received various awards from KSME, KSPE, KSTLE, including the ASME Best Paper Award in Journal of Tribology and the Minister Award from Korea Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. He has organized several international conferences and delivered numerous plenary and keynote talks at major conferences. Prof. Kim’s research interests are tribology, coatings and micro-fabrication.

Plenary Speaker II

Prof. Han-Yong Jeon, Inha University, South Korea

Prof. Han-Yong Jeon, geosynthetics/technical organic materials researcher, graduated from textile engineering department, Hanyang University in 1979. He worked for Hyejeon College, 1982-1990 and Howon University, 1990-1992, Chonnam National University, 1992-2005 and now works for Inha University. Since 1998, he is the director of Geosynthetics Institute (USA)-Korea Directory. From 2008-2012, he worked in International Geosynthetics Society as Council member (2006~2012) and he was the 6th president of Korean Geosynthetics Society (2011~2013). Also, he is members of ASTM D35 and ISO TC221 on geosynthetics from 1998. Now he is elected the 32nd President of Korean Fiber Society (2014~2015). He has published 117 papers and more than 742 papers in domestic and international conferences. Also, he wrote 18 texts including 'GEOSYNTHETICS’ and also published 98 papers in domestic & international journals. He has awards of Marquis Who'sWho - Science and Engineering in 2003~2014 and Top 100 Scientists in the World: 2005/2011 of IBC (International Biographical Centre, UK). Also, he got the 33rd Academy Award of Korean Fiber Society in 2006 and “Excellent Paper Award of 2012” by The Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies. Area of Specialization Manufacturing, Application and Evaluation of Technical Organic Materials Manufacturing, Evaluation, Standardization & Regulation of Geosynthetics Polymeric Geocomposites etc.