Professor

Research interests

I'm a theorist working on particle physics and cosmology.  I'm interested in physics beyond the Standard Model(SM), mainly motivated by the solution to the hierarchy problem in the SM.  Supersymmetric models (including supergravity) and scale invariant models are such examples. I'm also working on the early universe and cosmology. Inflation models and their consistency are such examples, in particular, Higgs inflation, unitarity problem and new physics. Dark matter models are a recent addition to the topic. I have suggested collider searches for dark matter in the mediator models and have also led model building and dynamics of a new species of dark matter, so called Strongly Interacting Massive Particles (SIMPs). I'm open-minded to new ideas for theoretical particle physics and cosmology.  I'm expecting to develop lots of new ideas in light of new data in the LHC and Planck era.

News interviews & talks

Cover Story in Donga Science magazine (1/4/22): Dark Matter. Korean version.

Interview with CAU researcher (2/12/21): Study the Universe by Particle Physics.

Plenary talk at SUSY 2021, Beijing, China: Four-form relaxation of Higgs mass and its cosmological implications. Recorded video.

Cover Story in Skeptic Magazine (8/6/21): Fundamental forces in Nature and new physics; Korean version.

News article in KIAS Horizon (16/12/19): Supergravity on the occasion of 2019 Fundamental Prize; English version

Interview with Weekly Chosun (14/3/19): WIMP? Axion? or SIMP?  English version.

Interview with CAU newsletter (14/05/18): Freeman Dyson's Birds and Frogs.  English version.

Interview with Monthly People (21/12/17): From Higgs boson to dark matter. 

Interview with CAU newsletter (05/12/16): Time in Science.  English version.

Lectures

First figure out why you want the student to learn the subject and what you want them to know, and the method will result more or less by common sense. -- R. Feynman

2023, 2024 spring - Particle Physics for undergraduates (based on S. Martin & J. Wells)

2021 fall - Standard Model and Dark Matter for graduates

2019 summer - Supersymmetry and new physics for graduates

2018 fall, 2022 fall - Advanced Quantum Field Theory for graduates (based on Alvarez-Gaume et al)

2018, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 fall - Mathematical Physics II for undergraduates (based on Arfken et al)

2018 spring, 2023 fall - Introduction to Cosmology for graduates (based on Kolb and Turner)

2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 spring - Relativity and Universe for undergraduates (based on B. Schutz)

2020 fall - Quantum Field Theory I for graduates

2017 fall - Classical Mechanics II for undergraduates

2017 spring - General Relativity for graduates

2017 spring - Classical Mechanics I for undergraduates

2013-2016  general physics, classical mechanics I,II (undergraduates), QFT I, quantum mechanics II, particle physics (graduates) taught.

Education

1998 - 2002  Ph.D. department of physics, Seoul National University

1996 - 1998  M.S. department of physics, Seoul National University

1990 - 1994  B.S.  department of physics education, Seoul National University

Senior Appointments

2020 - present  Professor, Chung-Ang University, Korea

2023 - present  Director, Chung-Ang University High Energy Physics Center, Korea.

2015 - 2020  Associate professor, Chung-Ang University, Korea

2013 - 2015   Assistant professor, Chung-Ang University, Korea

2019 - 2021 Chung-Ang University Distinguished Scholar (Honor Class, one of eight professors in CAU), Korea

2019 - 2020  Scientific Associate, CERN Theory division, Switzerland.

2018 - 2019  Affiliate professor, KIAS, Korea

2013 - present  Associate member, KIAS, Korea

2012 - 2013   Assistant professor, KIAS, Korea

2012 - present  Visiting Scientist, CERN Theory division, Switzerland.

Professional Appointments

2010 - 2012   Postdoc fellow, CERN, Switzerland

2008 - 2009   Postdoc fellow, McMaster University, Canada

2006 - 2008   Postdoc research associate, Carnegie Mellon University, USA

2004 - 2006   Postdoc fellow, DESY, Germany

2002 - 2004   Postdoc fellow, Bonn University, Germany

Awards & Recognitions

2019-2021   Chung-Ang University Distinguished Scholar (Honor Class), CAU, Korea.

2016   Research Prize of KIAS Alumni, Korea Institute for Advanced Study, Korea.

2015   Research Prize, National Research Foundation (Prize of Minister for Ministry of Education), Korea.

2013   Research Prize, Korea Institute for Advanced Study, Korea.

2012 Jan-May  CERN Postdoc fellowship, CERN Theory division, Switzerland.

2010 - 2011   CERN Postdoc fellowship, Ministry of Education, Korea.

2005   Research Prize, DESY, Hamburg, Germany.

Grants

2022 - 2027  Basic Science Research Program,

                        "Cosmological Approaches to Higgs and Dark Matter Physics (힉스 입자와 암흑 물질에 대한 우주론적인 접근)"(2022R1A2C2003567),

                        National Research Foundation of Korea,

                        Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Korea.  (1,200,000 US dollars in total.)

2021- 2023   Host of Brain Pool Fellowship (Kimiko Yamashita, Chinese Academy of Sciences),  

                      "Study on the origin of inflation and light dark matter (인플레이션과 가벼운 암흑 물질의 기원에 대한 연구)",

                        National Research Foundation of Korea,

                        Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Korea.  (Early terminated as of Feb 28th, 2023)

2020 - 2027   BK21 Four,  Team of "Educational Program for Quasi-particles and Fundamental Particles in Physics (준입자 및 기본입자 물리연구팀)", 

                        Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Korea.  (340,000 US dollars per year.)

2019 - 2021   Host of Korea Research Fellowship (Bin Zhu,  Yantai University),  

                      "Genesis of natural Higgs mass and dark matter abundance (자연스러운 힉스 입자와 암흑 물질의 생성)",

                        National Research Foundation of Korea,

                        Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Korea.

2019 - 2022   Basic Science Research Program,

                        "Connecting new particles to the origin of the Universe (새로운 입자와 우주 기원의 연관성)"(2019R1A2C2003738),

                        National Research Foundation of Korea,

                        Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Korea.  (600,000 US dollars in total.)

2018 - 2021 & 2021 - 2024   Basic Research Lab,

                        "Lab of Dark Universe (암흑 우주 연구실)"(NRF-2018R1A4A1025334),

                        National Research Foundation of Korea,

                        Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Korea. 

                        (Cohosted with Yonsei University and Chungnam National University, 300,000 US dollars per year.)

2017 - 2021   Host of Korea Research Fellowship (Ligong Bian, Chongqing University),  

                      "Testing new physics for dark matter and baryon asymmetry of the Universe",

                        National Research Foundation of Korea,

                        Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Korea. (Early terminated as of June 30th, 2019)

2016 - 2019   Basic Science Research Program,

                        "Particle cosmology and new symmetries (입자우주론과 새로운 대칭성)"(2016R1A2B4008759),

                        National Research Foundation of Korea,

                        Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Korea.  (300,000 US dollars in total.)

2016 - 2020   BK21+,  Team of "Physics-based extreme sensing (물리 기반 극한 감지 연구팀)", 

                        Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Korea.  (250,000 US dollars per year.)

2013 - 2016   Basic Science Research Program, 

                        "Probing new physics beyond the Standard Model in the LHC era 

                        (LHC 시대에 표준모형을 넘어서는 새로운 물리의 탐색)"(2013R1A1A2007919),  National Research Foundation of Korea,

                        Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Korea.  (150,000 US dollars in total.)