Prof Kim graduated with BEng in Aeronautical Engineering from Seoul National University; MEngSci in Materials Engineering from Monash University, Australia; and PhD in composite materials from Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Sydney. He was an ARC Postdoctoral Research Fellow (1992), then started his faculty career as Lecturer (Assistant Professor) at Australian National University (1993-1994). Prof. Kim joined the Hong Kong University of Science & Technology (HKUST) in November 1994. He was a Visiting Research Scientist at Research Centre for Advanced Science & Technology (RCAST), University of Tokyo, Japan; and a Tan Chin Tuan Exchange Fellow at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore while on a sabbatical leave in 1998. He is currently a tenured professor and Associate Dean of Engineering, and directs the Finetex-HKUST R & D Center. Prof Kim has been active in both fundamental and applied researches. His current research activities are centred on the development, synthesis, characterisation of structure-property relationships and fracture of advanced materials, including nano-scale reinforcements such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, graphite nanoplates, nanoclay; polymer-based nanocomposites; fibre-reinforced composites; thin films/coatings; transparent conducting thin films; nanostructured materials for Li ion battery electrodes and supercapacitors; and adhesion and debonding in multi-phase materials. Prof Kim has widely written in the area of advanced materials, fibre reinforced composites and nanocomposites, with over 380 publications including two co-authored research monographs on fibre composites (in 1998) and carbon nanotube nanocomposites (in 2011); and presented well over 50 plenary/keynote lectures in international conferences as well as more than 80 invited talks/seminars worldwide. Prof. Kim and his research team members have been honored with seven Best Paper Awards from various international conferences and regional competitions. Prof Kim has played leading roles and contributed to various international professional societies. He has been the organizer and General Chairman of three international conferences, including 5th Asian-Australasian Conference on Composite Materials (ACCM-5, held in November 2006 at HKUST). Some notable international offices held by Prof. Kim in recent years include President (2008-2010), Vice-President (2004-2006) of the Asian-Australasian Association for Composite Materials (AACM); Director of the Asian Liaison Committee of International Microelectronics and Packaging Society (IMAPS, 2002-2007). He is the Editor of Composites Part A, and Editorial Board Member for eight leading international journals in the broad area of advanced materials and composites.

Nanocomposites reinforced with carbon nanotube, nanofiber, graphene, graphite, nanoclay, nano-fillers & fibre reinforced composites; Synthesis of graphene, graphene reinforced nanocoposites, graphene papers, graphene films for transparent conductors; Nanostructured materials for renewable energy systems: Li ion batteries, Li air batteries, supercapacitors, wind turbine systems; Interface science; adhesion mechanisms in various composite materials; nanoscopic characterization of interphase; Damage and fracture of advanced composite materials, microstructure-property relationships; Reliability of microelectronic packages: delamination failures, shrinkage stresses.