Educational Background

My passion for environmental science was sparked in childhood when I witnessed the pristine coastline of my small seaside village being polluted by factory wastewater. This experience ignited a lifelong commitment to understanding nature’s resilience and ecological restoration. As a high school student, I immersed myself in environmental literature, including Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, and participated in a national environmental essay-writing contest.

This early passion led me to the School of Biological Sciences at Seoul National University, where I built a comprehensive foundation in ecological studies through coursework in ecology, plant physiology, plant taxonomy, microbiology, environmental biology, evolutionary biology, soil geography, statistics, and experimental design.

Academic Trajectory

Master’s Research (Seoul National University, 2005–2007)

During my Master's program in Environmental Management, I voluntarily joined a plant ecology laboratory, where I developed my capabilities as a researcher by gaining hands-on experience with various ecological research methods through an apprenticeship. My Master’s research focused on the ecological assessment of abandoned fields and their natural restoration into freshwater wetland ecosystems through plant succession. This work was published in the Journal of Ecology and Environment (Scopus). I also examined the effects of flooding on wetland plant growth and competition, publishing the results in Plant Ecology (SCIE, IF: 1.7, JCR top 65.5%).

Doctoral Research (McGill University, 2009–2015)

I was awarded full funding through a research assistantship (~3,000 USD/month) to pursue my Ph.D. at McGill University in Montreal, Canada—the top-ranked Canadian university, ranked 27th in the world (QS World University Rankings 2026). My research focused on ecological restoration of diverse plant communities to manage invasive alien species, particularly Phragmites australis. This work led to four high-impact publications:

•   Two first-author papers in Journal of Ecology (SCIE, IF: 5.6, JCR top 10.0%) on functional groups/diversity and biotic resistance to invasion, with one recognized as the most highly cited paper by BRIC, the Korean biological research community

•   A first-author paper in Oecologia (SCIE, IF: 2.3, JCR top 47.5%) on environmental factors and biotic resistance to invasion

•   A first-author review paper in Biological Invasions (SCIE, IF: 2.6, JCR top 38.5%)

During my doctoral program, my advisors described me as “a running horse,” a nickname reflecting my drive to lead research from the forefront.

Professional Experience

Postdoctoral Researcher (Seoul National University, 2015–2016)

As a principal investigator, I secured a National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant (25,000 USD) to apply advanced ecological technologies to invasive species management. This research on Ageratina altissima and Ambrosia trifida—two representative Korean invasive species—produced two first-author publications in Ecology and Evolution (SCIE, IF: 2.3) and Journal of Plant Biology (SCIE, IF: 2.0).

Postdoctoral Researcher / Research Professor (Yonsei University, 2017–2020)

I continued to demonstrate research leadership by securing a substantial NRF grant (190,000 USD) as project PI for a three-year program investigating invasive species (Sicyos angulatus, Ambrosia trifida, and Spartina anglica). This work resulted in three first-author publications in Ecological Engineering (SCIE, IF: 4.1, JCR top 18.0%) and Wetlands Ecology and Management (SCIE, IF: 1.6). My contributions were recognized with a Best Oral Presenter Award from the Korean Ecology Environmental Science Congress, hosted by the Ecological Society of Korea in 2017.

Assistant/Associate Professor (Gyeongkuk National University / Andong National University, 2020–present)

In my current role, I have established myself as an independent researcher, educator, and scientific leader.

(1) Major Funding Acquisition

I obtained a five-year NRF grant (500,000 USD) as project PI for “Seed mixture-based restoration of native plants for invasive plant management and biodiversity conservation” (2022–2027). I also secured funding (80,000 USD, 2024–2027) as project PI from the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) in partnership with Microsoft for “Application of optimal eradication and native plant restoration methods to control invasive plants and improve native biodiversity in Gwanaksan / Umyeonsan Mountain, Republic of Korea.” Additionally, I secured further funding (35,000 USD / 135,000 USD, 2025–2028) as a responsible participant for “Restoration of Taiga Bean Goose Wetland Habitat” from SER in partnership with Microsoft.

(2) Greenhouse Experiments

I established a specialized greenhouse facility that has become a regional resource for invasive species research. I conducted pot experiments testing various invasive alien species—including Sicyos angulatus, Ambrosia trifida, Ageratina altissima, Symphyotrichum pilosum, Solidago altissima, and Hypochaeris radicata—as well as alien species of concern (e.g., Muhlenbergia capillaris) through seed mixture-based ecological restoration. I demonstrated independent research capacity by publishing three sole-author articles: Muhlenbergia capillaris in Ecosphere (SCIE, IF: 2.9, JCR top 34.0%), Ambrosia trifida in Ecology and Evolution (SCIE, IF: 2.3, JCR top 47.5%), and Symphyotrichum pilosum in Plant Ecology (SCIE, IF: 1.7, JCR top 65.5%). I also published the S. angulatus experiment as first author in Oecologia (SCIE, IF: 2.3, JCR top 47.5%). More recently, I published greenhouse experiments on Rumex acetosella and Hypochaeris radicata as first and corresponding author in Journal of Environmental Management (SCIE, IF: 8.4, JCR top 8.3%) and NeoBiota (SCIE, IF: 3.0, JCR top 23.2%), respectively.

(3) Field Experiments

I conducted field experiments on invasive Sicyos angulatus, Ambrosia trifida, Solidago altissima, and Spartina anglica at multiple sites (near Nakdong River in Andong; Daejeo and Maekdo Ecological Parks and Eulsukdo Island in Busan; and Ganghwado Island mudflats) to test various mechanical eradication methods and restore diverse native plants by sowing seeds immediately after removal. The A. trifida field experiment was published in NeoBiota (SCIE, IF: 3.0, JCR top 23.2%). Two papers on S. angulatus and S. altissima were published in Journal of Environmental Management (SCIE, IF: 8.4, JCR top 8.3%), a top-tier journal in the environmental science field.

(4) Large-Scale Field Applications

Funded by Microsoft and the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER), I am leading a large-scale (>3 ha) restoration project to manage invasive Ageratina altissima along trail paths and improve plant biodiversity in Umyeonsan Mountain, Gwacheon, with more than 80 citizen volunteers participating in 2024. Successfully managing this project demonstrates my ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders. Notably, this project applies a newly invented seed flat technology (Patent Application No. 10-2025-0046655, Korean Intellectual Property Office), currently being tested for its effectiveness in ecological restoration.

Funded by Microsoft and the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER), I am also conducting, as a responsible participating researcher, a 1.2-ha floodplain wetland restoration project at Maekdo Ecological Park in the lower Nakdong River, Busan, aimed at restoring self-sustaining foraging habitat for the Eastern Taiga Bean Goose (Anser fabalis middendorffii), which winters at the site in internationally important numbers. The 2026 restoration campaign engaged more than 110 volunteers, including local citizens and Microsoft employees, and combined broadcast seeding, rhizome planting, seed flat deployment, and hydrological management in an integrated restoration approach. Carried out through multi-institutional collaboration with Birds Korea, Land Aura, and InvaLab, this project represents the first application of seed flat technology to wetland ecosystem restoration.

(5) International Collaborations

I actively collaborate across four continents and multiple sectors. With Prof. Jane Molofsky and Dr. Kirsten Tyler (University of Vermont, USA) — Prof. Molofsky was a visiting professor at my lab from March to June 2024 — I authored three papers based on the nationwide Korean vegetation dataset (~23,000 plots), submitted to top-tier journals as first and corresponding author.

With Dr. Jens Kattge of the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry (MPI-BGC), Germany, I have collaborated since 2017 as an official Data Contributor to the TRY Global Database of Plant Functional Traits, co-authoring multiple publications with the broader European and global trait research community in top-tier journals including Nature Ecology & Evolution, Nature Communications, Nature Plants, PNAS, Science Advances, and Global Change Biology.

With Prof. Kripal Singh of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil, with whom I have co-authored more than 17 SCIE publications, I am conducting parallel Korea–Brazil field experiments on sheep sorrel (Rumex acetosella). As the Korean Principal Investigator of a Korea–China NRF–MOST program with Prof. Yanjie Liu (Chinese Academy of Sciences; collaborator Dr. Lu Xiao), I investigate the effects of elevated CO₂ and drought on plant invasion. With Dr. Christie Lovat (McGill University, Canada), I am preparing a manuscript on the seed viability of common reed (Phragmites australis) along a ~1,000 km latitudinal gradient under the CC-PEQ project.

Past international collaborations include serving as a Lead Author (Chapter 6) for the IPBES Thematic Assessment Report on Invasive Alien Species from July 2019 to December 2023, representing the Republic of Korea, and a co-authored review with North American ecologists (Prof. Karin Kettenring and Prof. Sylvie de Blois) on maximizing invasion resistance in restored plant communities, published in Ecological Engineering (SCIE, IF: 4.1, JCR top 18.0%).

With 29 presentations at international conferences across nine countries, I have built a robust global research network, enabling me to study Korean ecosystem characteristics in a worldwide context.

(6) Domestic Collaborations

Within Korea, I maintain a long-standing collaboration with Dr. Minwoo Oh, a Senior Researcher at the National Institute of Ecology (NIE) who specializes in invasive plant management, urban riparian wetland ecology, and species distribution modeling. He has been central to my foundational seed-density and biotic-resistance research and currently participates in the Korea–USA species distribution modeling project. I also work closely with Prof. Ho Choi (Seowon University), who contributes plant identification, in-field vegetation measurements, and native seed collection across experiments. From October 2021 to December 2023, I served as a Participating Researcher (Principal level) on the KEITI-funded large-scale project “Optimization Technology Development for Removal of Invasive Alien Plants (Phase 2)” (KRW 3.2 billion, 33 months), led by Prof. Sunhee Hong at Hankyong National University as Principal Investigator.

(7) Industry & NGO Partnerships

In creating social value from academic research, I co-developed and filed a Seed Flat patent application (Korean Intellectual Property Office, Application No. 10-2025-0046655) together with InvaLab Inc. (CEO: Dr. Wonhyeop Shin), an ecological restoration company, and signed a technology transfer agreement to provide native plant species lists tailored to ecosystem type based on ecological niches and conservation status, and to support seed germination and greenhouse experiments for its industrialization.

On the NGO side, I partner with Birds Korea on the Maekdo Ecological Park wetland restoration project, where I serve as a Participating Researcher (Principal level) with primary responsibility for restoring vegetation in the habitat of the endangered Eastern Taiga Bean Goose (Anser fabalis middendorffii). This NGO–academia collaboration offers students hands-on experience with citizen science and multi-institutional conservation practice.

(8) Journal Editing and Peer Review

I have been contributing to the advancement of ecological scholarship through editorial service at international journals. I serve as an Associate Editor for two flagship journals of the British Ecological Society: Journal of Ecology (SCIE, IF: 5.6, JCR top 10.0%) and Journal of Applied Ecology (SCIE, IF: 4.8, JCR top 8.2%). I also serve as a Subject-Matter Editor for Ecosphere (SCIE, IF: 2.9, JCR top 34.0%), published by the Ecological Society of America, and as a Board of Editors member for Journal of Ecology and Environment, published by the Ecological Society of Korea.

I have also made extensive international contributions through peer review activities. To date, I have completed a total of 98 manuscript reviews for SCIE journals (verified via ORCID). The journals I have reviewed for span 38 titles, ranging from top-tier ecology journals to specialized outlets, including Nature (IF: 48.5), Nature Plants (IF: 13.6), Nature Communications (IF: 15.7), Ecology Letters (IF: 7.9), Journal of Environmental Management (IF: 8.4), and Journal of Applied Ecology (IF: 4.8). Notably, I have been repeatedly invited to review for key journals such as Ecological Engineering (15 reviews), Journal of Environmental Management (11 reviews), and Biological Invasions (7 reviews), which demonstrates that my expertise is internationally recognized in these fields. These editorial and review activities represent important scholarly service that enables me to stay abreast of the latest research trends and contribute to the academic community. In recognition of these contributions, I received the Reviewer of the Month award from Communications Biology.

(9) Supervision Excellence

I have successfully supervised several graduate students, with one student’s thesis published in Journal of Applied Ecology (SCIE, IF: 4.8, JCR top 8.2%) and another publication in Oecologia (SCIE, IF: 2.3, JCR top 47.5%) as corresponding author. All of my supervised students have been hired as full-time researchers at the National Institute of Ecology or ecological restoration companies. This track record reflects a commitment to both research mentorship and trainee career development.

Media Coverage

1. KBS KLAB Interview (October 2024): Featured on a YouTube channel with 680,000+ subscribers, discussing my research on pink muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris), which demonstrated that the species does not pose an invasive threat to Korean ecosystems (published in Ecosphere).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqHZQTpRQkA

2. Society for Ecological Restoration’s “Restoration Stories” (January 2025): Highlighted our community-engaged restoration project in Umyeonsan Mountain, involving 74 volunteers who removed 6,565 invasive plants and applied 164 kg of sawdust across treatment plots, with 80% of participants reporting improved understanding of conservation.

https://www.ser.org/news/691124/