For most people what spring to mind upon hearing the word physics are usually figures or graphs, or formulas that seemed to be written in hieroglyphs. However, to some, those seemingly enigmatic numbers are passwords to a world of wonder waiting to be explored.

Professor IHM Ji-soon (Department of Physics and Astronomy) is one of those adventurers who are in love with physics. A distinguished authority on carbon nano materials and a potential candidate for the Nobel Prize, Professor IHM shared his experience and insights with incoming freshmen during a session in the three-week long “Winter Bridge Program for New Students” held in January.

In his testimony to students looking apprehensive about majors and careers, he assured them that pursuing the field of study which one finds most fascinating does pay off well. And he continued on to recount how physics, a discipline explaining invisible but ever-present principles of the universe, captivated him so deeply that he never had a second thought about which major to choose.

Professor IHM compared such a fascination with physics and other basic sciences to that of art, saying that just like art in modern sense is a creative activity, so is physics “a creative logic explaining new phenomena observed.” And he added that nothing can be more compensatory than being acknowledged by colleagues for research breakthroughs.

Moreover, expressing a growing concern over students’ preoccupation with professional schools and shunning away from basic science, Professor IHM urged students to “leave their overly routinzed schedules aside” and take some time to immerse themselves in what really captivates their minds. He emphasized that it is during such a time of personal exploration that one’s imagination and creativity- and hence, intellectual potential- can be unleashed.

Professor IHM is known for initiating the field of computational materials physics and acknowledged for finding the semiconductor traits of carbon nano-tubes in 1996. Since 2005, he has been examining hydrogen energy storage methods and in 2009, was granted an endowed chair for his academic achievements.


Feb 10, 2010
SNU PR Office