Ajou University alumnus Chi Hwan Lee (Department of Industrial Engineering, entrance class of 1999) won the ‘Young Investigator Award’ at the US-Korea Conference (UKC), which was held from August 14th to the 17th in the U.S. city of Chicago.
The Young Investigator Awards are given by the Korean-American Scientists and Engineers Association (KSEA) to young experts who have doctoral degrees in science or engineering and have worked at least six years in academic, industrial, or public organizations. The award-winners, selected by the KSEA Honor & Awards Committee, receive $10,000 in prize money.
After obtaining dual degrees from Ajou University and the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chi Hwan Lee received his master’s and doctoral degrees from the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Stanford University. He is now serving as Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University.
The Award is in recognition of his excellent research papers published in the U.S. that have received over 3,500 citations, earning him an h-index of 27, as well as other research projects carried out for US AFOSR, Eli Lilly & Company, and NIH.
Lee said, “Challenges are valuable because they bring meaningful experiences and rewards, and I encourage young people not to hesitate to take on challenges, even if they may fail from time to time,” adding, “Ajou University is providing its students with various opportunities, including exchange student and dual degree programs, and the University graduates who try to explore their overseas career may find these programs very helpful.”
Meanwhile, Ajou University participated in UKC for the second straight year to hire talented faculty members.