The nation’s expectations of SNU have never been this high and our ambitions never this grand. We can and must seize a challenging future. Our solid educational programs, in association with our world-class research capabilities, will allow us to more than meet these expectations and challenges. We are obliged to educate future leaders dedicated to society by becoming leaders ourselves. Together, we can make SNU one of the most rewarding experiences of our lives and an important part of others’ as well.

Excellence in education and research is our priority. I humbly look forward to having the opportunity to serve and work with you to accomplish our dream of supporting future leaders.

Biography

Tae Jin Kang is a professor of engineering at Seoul National University. He has taught at and served SNU now for almost thirty years since his faculty appointment in 1985. During his tenure as dean of the College of Engineering from 2007 to 2011, he helped design and oversee a significant expansion and renovation of the College's educational and research facilities, including the state-of-the-art Global Education Center for Engineers http://www.gece.or.kr, emphasized and shaped a curricular focus on inter-disciplinary learning, and contributed to create a vibrant and collegial global student-faculty community. In 2009, Professor Kang successfully launched the National Research Foundation of Korea http://www.nrf.re.kr/nrf_eng, one of the largest research institutions in Korea – with an initial funding of 2.6 trillion Won – in his capacity as the Chair of the Founding Committee.

Professor Kang has published over 180 research papers in top academic journals, including Journal of Applied Polymer Science, and is on the board of editors of several international journals, including Textile Research Journal, contributing to the advancement of knowledge and international academic collaborations in his fields of expertise. He has also advised many government agencies and departments in Korea, including the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Ministry of Industry and Energy, and Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. He writes op-eds for leading papers in Korea on higher education as well as the nation’s strategic priorities of the future and receives media coverage for his work, speeches, and professional activities. A proud graduate of SNU’s Department of Textile Engineering, Professor Kang received his Ph.D. in Fiber & Polymer Science with Phi Kappa Phi Award from the North Carolina State University.