Applied Mechanics News

Sunday, January 08, 2006

Kyung-Suk Kim won Ho-Am Prize of $200,000

The Ho-Am Prize in Engineering for 2005 has been awarded to Dr. Kyung-Suk Kim, Professor of Engineering, Brown University. Dr. Kim has been a preeminent figure in the emerging field of nanomechanics from its beginnings. In particular, he has made important contributions towards the understanding of mechanics on the nano scale by creating novel scale-bridging techniques and formulating multi-scale theories and models.

Dr. Kim has led the establishment of the single-asperity friction law, using dislocation models to explain the nano and micro single-asperity-contact friction phenomena observed in experimental comparisons of atomic force microscope (AFM) and surface force apparatus (SFA) results. The friction law is a useful and necessary principle in designing fabrication processes of semiconductor nano-devices on solid surfaces and examining characteristics of nanostructures with an atomic force microscope. In addition, he provided a seminal method of measuring surface residual stresses on a fine scale, accurately formulating the self-organization principle of surface nanostructures in the evolution of surface roughness caused by stress during chemical etching. The chemical etching research was primarily funded by the CMS Division, while the nano friction research was principally funded by the MRSEC/DMR of the U.S. National Science Foundation.

He has been active in research, publishing more than 90 articles in peer-reviewed journals including Proceedings of The Royal Society of London, Jounrnal of The Mechanics & Physics of Solids, Physical Review Letters, editing three books in the field of nano and micro mechanics, organizing the first international nanomechanics workshop funded by the CMS Division, U.S. National Science Foundation in 1999, and contributing to the development of worldwide nano science and technology as Chairman of the Thin Film & Nano Structures symposium for the International Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (ICTAM) held in 2004. In addition, he has collaborated in research internationally with various research institutes, government agencies and universities including KAIST, KIST, SKKU, IMRE-Singapore, Cambridge University, US-NSF, Harvard University, UC Santa Barbara, University of Illinois UC, and Caltech. In addition, he has participated actively in industrial-academic partnerships with leading international industrial groups including IBM, GTE, Polaroid, Ford, GM, Samsung and Hyundai Motors.

The Ho-Am Prize is presented in the five areas of Science, Engineering, Medicine, The Arts and Community Service. In academic areas, the Ho-Am Prize is awarded to scholars and researchers who have made outstanding achievements of international standards. It is presented to commemorate their excellent endeavors and at the same time encourage their future activities to even higher levels and present exemplary models for the academic community. The prize in each area consists of a diploma, a plaque, a gold medal (187.5g) and 200 million Korean won (Approximately US$200,000).

The Ho-Am Prize was founded in 1990 by Chairman Kun-Hee Lee of Samsung inheriting the noble spirit of public service shown by his father, the late Byung-Chull Lee, founder of Samsung. The prize, named after the late Mr. Lee's sobriquet, is given to individuals who have contributed to cultural, artistic and social development or furthered the welfare of humanity through distinguished accomplishments in their respective professional fields. A special prize may also be given to Koreans who have made prominent accomplishments in professional fields other than those afore-mentioned, or to foreigners who have made major contributions to Korea's cultural and social advancement that transcend national and racial boundaries.

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