Biography 

Educational Background

Growing up in a small fishing village, I witnessed industrial wastewater pollute the coastline, sparking my interest in ecological recovery. In high school, I read Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring and represented my school in a national environmental essay-writing contest.

I earned my B.Sc. from the School of Biological Sciences at Seoul National University in 2005. Coursework in ecology, plant biology, evolution, soil geography, and statistics laid the foundation for my research in plant ecology.

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

During my master’s program in Environmental Management, I joined a plant ecology laboratory on my own initiative to train in fieldwork and experiments. I earned a Master of Environmental Planning in 2007. My thesis examined vegetation succession and water quality in abandoned rice fields as potential freshwater wetlands, leading to a paper in Journal of Ecology and Field Biology (2008; Scopus; IF/JCR: N/A). Related research on flooding regimes, wetland plant growth, and species dominance was published in Plant Ecology (2017; IF: 1.8, JCR top 65.9%), with me as co-first author.

Doctoral Research (McGill University, 2009–2015)

I completed my Ph.D. in Plant Science at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, with a research assistantship covering tuition and living expenses. My doctoral research used greenhouse and wetland restoration experiments to examine how plant community reassembly strengthens resistance to invasive plants, particularly introduced Phragmites australis. This work connected community assembly theory with species selection for restoration and led to four major publications:

·  A first-author paper in Journal of Ecology (2013; IF: 6.3, JCR top 9.8%) and a co-first-author paper in Journal of Ecology (2020; IF: 6.3, JCR top 9.8%) showed how functional group identity and diversity influence invasion resistance. The field experiment revealed that the importance of particular groups and their interactions differed among colonizing species. One of these papers was recognized by BRIC Hanbitsa as highly cited.

·  A first-author paper in Oecologia (2015; IF: 2.7, JCR top 42.0%) examined how abiotic conditions, propagule pressure, and biotic resistance interact to regulate invasion.

·  A first-author review in Biological Invasions (2018; IF: 2.7, JCR top 42.0%) synthesized approaches to managing invasive plants through ecological resistance.

Professional Experience

Postdoctoral Researcher (Seoul National University, 2015–2016)

As principal investigator, I secured a National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) postdoctoral fellowship grant of KRW 33 million to investigate invasive plant management through native vegetation restoration. I applied the experimental approaches developed during my doctoral training to Ageratina altissima and Ambrosia trifida. This work produced first-author papers in Ecology and Evolution (2017; IF: 2.6, JCR top 46.8%) and Journal of Plant Biology (2018; IF: 2.7, JCR top 38.9%), respectively, and provided a basis for subsequent work on species differences in invasion resistance.

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

At Yonsei University, I led an NRF Young Researcher Program project with total funding of KRW 255 million. My research expanded to native sowing density, invasive plant management, and ecological restoration. A co-first-author paper in Ecological Engineering (2020; IF: 4.1, JCR top 21.5%) showed that seed density can be as important as functional similarity, diversity, and propagule pressure in determining resistance to invasion. In 2017, I received a Best Oral Presentation Award at the Ecological and Environmental Science Council conference hosted by the Ecological Society of Korea.

I also investigated how elevated atmospheric CO₂ and nitrogen availability affect wetland plants and their soil environment. In a wetland microcosm study in Ecoscience (2020; IF: 1.0, JCR top 84.9%), we found that elevated CO₂ changed dissolved organic carbon release and soil phenolic content in ways that depended on nitrogen availability, despite no significant increase in plant biomass. The study links climate responses to changes in root-derived compounds and the soil environment.

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

I joined Gyeongkuk National University (formerly Andong National University) as an Assistant Professor in 2020 and became an Associate Professor in 2024. I lead the Plant Ecology Lab in the Department of Biological Sciences. My research connects greenhouse and field experiments with nationwide vegetation data, plant functional traits, and statistical modeling to understand plant community assembly and guide invasive plant management, biodiversity conservation, and ecological restoration.

My publication record comprises 71 peer-reviewed articles published or accepted, including 65 in SCIE-indexed journals and 35 as first, co-first, or corresponding author, counted without duplication. My Google Scholar record included 7,378 citations and an h-index of 31 in September 2026. In 2026, I was included in the Stanford/Elsevier World’s Top 2% Scientists list in the single-year impact category, based on 2025 citation data. Alongside research, I contribute to international assessments, journal editing, student mentoring, and restoration projects involving industry, conservation organizations, and local communities.

(1) Community Assembly and Biotic Resistance

Building on my doctoral research, I investigate how native species identity, functional diversity, establishment density, and arrival order determine biotic resistance, the capacity of resident communities to suppress invasion.

Subsequent experiments translated these principles into decisions about sowing density and timing. In Journal of Applied Ecology (2025; IF: 5.3, JCR top 9.1%), we showed that denser native sowing increased resistance to Ageratina altissima and that allowing native species to establish four to six weeks earlier competitively excluded the invader under the experimental conditions.

A meta-analysis of 32 studies in Ecological Indicators (2024; IF: 8.7, JCR top 11.1%) further showed that late arrival penalized invasive plants, even though early arrival did not consistently increase native plant biomass.

My recent studies of Rumex acetosella in Journal of Environmental Management (2026; IF: 9.2, JCR top 9.4%) and Hypochaeris radicata in NeoBiota (2026; IF: 3.2, JCR top 26.0%) identified priority effects, and in the latter study seed density, as particularly strong determinants of invasion resistance relative to functional similarity and diversity. I am also developing a framework for linking resistance mechanisms to management at appropriate spatial scales in a sole-author manuscript under peer review at Ecological Monographs (IF: 9.0, JCR top 3.9%).

(2) Invasive Plant Management and Ecological Restoration

My field research evaluates control methods through both invader suppression and native vegetation recovery. In a three-year experiment on Sicyos angulatus, high-pressure water spraying reduced invader cover by 95% and its soil seedbank by 78%, outperforming the conventional mechanical treatments tested. Published in Journal of Environmental Management (2025; IF: 9.2, JCR top 9.4%), this study demonstrated the value of selective control that limits damage to existing native vegetation. Native seed addition provided no significant additional benefit in that experiment, illustrating why revegetation methods require field evaluation.

A separate Solidago altissima field study in Journal of Environmental Management (2025; IF: 9.2, JCR top 9.4%) found that selective uprooting combined with functionally diverse native seed mixtures suppressed reinvasion and promoted biodiversity recovery. My Ambrosia trifida study in NeoBiota (2024; IF: 3.2, JCR top 26.0%) also supported selective uprooting, but detected no additional restoration benefit from sowing native seeds. Together, these results show why restoration decisions must consider the target invader, surviving vegetation, and site conditions. I have synthesized principles for assembling invasion-resistant communities in Ecological Engineering (2023; IF: 4.1, JCR top 21.5%).

(3) Plant Diversity and Conservation

I use vegetation, habitat, and functional trait data to identify plant diversity patterns and inform conservation priorities. With collaborators at the University of Vermont and the National Institute of Ecology, I am analyzing more than 23,000 vegetation plots across Korea. Our study of nationwide diversity patterns, hotspots, and their environmental correlates is under major revision at Biological Conservation (IF: 5.1, JCR top 13.0%). A related study under major revision at Plant Diversity (IF: 5.9, JCR top 11.6%) examines the diversity–invasion paradox across spatial scales, distinguishing alien plant cover from alien species richness. I am first and corresponding author of both manuscripts.

This work also includes a submitted manuscript on ecosystem type and human footprint as correlates of invasion in Ecological Applications (IF: 4.6, JCR top 17.6%). At the global scale, I contributed to a study documenting human pressure on tree diversity in PNAS (2022; IF: 9.5, JCR top 10.0%). I am now integrating habitat information for the vascular flora of the Korean Peninsula into a dataset intended to support ecological research, species selection, and conservation planning.

(4) Climate Change and Plant–Soil Interactions

Our meta-analysis of 48 experimental studies in NeoBiota (2024; IF: 3.2, JCR top 26.0%) found broadly similar responses of native and invasive plants to drought and elevated CO₂ for most traits, alongside differences in height and biomass allocation that may favor invaders in some conditions. My experimental work in Oecologia (2022; IF: 2.7, JCR top 42.0%) also connects soil nutrient conditions with native species identity, diversity, and resistance to Sicyos angulatus. Building on this evidence, I am extending the research to root-mediated allelopathy and arbuscular mycorrhizal interactions under changing climate conditions.

(5) Field Restoration and Technology Development

I lead a five-year National Research Foundation of Korea project on seed mixture-based native plant restoration for invasive plant management and biodiversity conservation (2022–2027; KRW 730 million). This program connects experimental tests of community assembly with restoration methods that can be evaluated under field conditions.

With support from the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) and Microsoft, I lead a project covering more than 3 ha on Umyeonsan Mountain in Gwacheon. The project combines selective management of Ageratina altissima, native vegetation recovery, and citizen participation. In 2024, 74 volunteers removed 6,565 invasive plants; 89% of survey respondents reported that the activity changed their attitudes toward nature conservation. At Maekdo Ecological Park in Busan, I am responsible for vegetation restoration within a 1.2-ha project to restore foraging habitat for the Eastern Taiga Bean Goose (Anser fabalis middendorffii), working with Birds Korea, Land Aura, and InvaLab. More than 110 volunteers participated in the 2026 restoration activities.

Together with InvaLab, I co-developed Seed Flat, a patent-pending restoration technology in which seed mixtures are coated onto the outer surface of a multilayer composite (Korean Patent Application No. 10-2025-0046655). Field trials evaluate germination, establishment, invasion suppression, and labor requirements. I also collaborate with Gicheongsan Botanical Garden on endangered plant restoration, including field restoration of propagated Lysimachia maritima var. obtusifolia and advisory work on Pedicularis ishidoyana. These partnerships connect species selection and habitat requirements with propagation, reintroduction, and vegetation monitoring.

(6) International and Domestic Collaboration

My collaborations span North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. With Prof. Jane Molofsky and Dr. Kirsten Tyler at the University of Vermont, I investigate plant diversity and invasion patterns across Korea; I hosted Prof. Molofsky as a visiting professor from March to June 2024.

With Prof. Kripal Singh at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, Brazil, I have co-authored at least 18 SCIE papers on invasion ecology and restoration, and we are developing comparative field research between Korea and Brazil. Since 2017, I have also contributed plant trait data to the TRY global database through collaboration with Dr. Jens Kattge at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Germany. This participation has supported international syntheses and co-authored publications in Nature Ecology & Evolution (IF: 17.1, JCR top 1.0%), Nature Communications (IF: 18.1, JCR top 5.7%), Nature Plants (IF: 15.0, JCR top 1.4%), Science Advances (IF: 13.9, JCR top 8.6%), and Global Change Biology (IF: 12.5, JCR top 2.4%).

With Prof. Lu Xiao and Prof. Yanjie Liu at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, I am developing research on how elevated CO₂ and drought alter competition, allelopathy, and mycorrhizal interactions. For our proposed NRF Korea–China Joint Research project, the Chinese side has been awarded funding and the Korean side remains under review; I am the proposed Korean principal investigator, and Prof. Lu Xiao is the Chinese principal investigator. With Dr. Christie Lovat at McGill University, I am preparing a study of Phragmites australis seed viability along an approximately 1,000-km latitudinal gradient.

Within Korea, I work with Dr. Minwoo Oh at the National Institute of Ecology on biotic resistance and species distribution modeling, and with Prof. Ho Choi at Seowon University on plant identification, vegetation surveys, and native seed collection. I also participated in a Ministry of Environment–KEITI project led by Prof. Sunhee Hong at Hankyong National University to improve invasive plant removal technologies. These partnerships connect ecological experiments with field expertise and management needs.

(7) Science and Policy

From July 2019 to February 2024, I served as a Lead Author of Chapter 6, “Governance and policy options for the management of biological invasions,” in the IPBES Assessment Report on Invasive Alien Species and their Control, published in 2023. This work involved synthesizing evidence on management and governance for international policy discussions. I also co-authored the assessment-related synthesis in Nature Ecology & Evolution (2024; IF: 17.1, JCR top 1.0%).

With Prof. Chang-Seok Lee, I am co-first and corresponding author of a policy manuscript under peer review at People and Nature (IF: 5.8, JCR top 6.5%) on the ecological value of the Civilian Control Zone bordering the Korean DMZ. The manuscript examines its importance as a national and global conservation asset. I also serve as a registered reviewer in Korea’s cross-ministry evaluation pool for national research and development programs.

(8) Journal Editing and Peer Review

I serve as an Associate Editor for Journal of Ecology (Biological Flora; IF: 6.3, JCR top 9.8%) and Journal of Applied Ecology (IF: 5.3, JCR top 9.1%), both published by the British Ecological Society. I am also a Subject-Matter Editor for Ecosphere (IF: 3.0, JCR top 36.6%), published by the Ecological Society of America, and an Editorial Board Member for Journal of Ecology and Environment (Scopus; IF/JCR: N/A), published by the Ecological Society of Korea.

My peer-review record includes 133 reviews across 46 journals, with 125 verified on ORCID. These include Nature (IF: 56.1, JCR top 0.7%) and Ecology Letters (IF: 7.7, JCR top 5.9%), alongside sustained service to journals in invasion ecology and restoration. In December 2025, Communications Biology (IF: 5.8, JCR top 8.5%) recognized me as Reviewer of the Month.

(9) Teaching and Mentoring

I have taught undergraduate and graduate courses in ecology, environmental biology, plant taxonomy, restoration ecology, plant ecology, and invasive alien species ecology. My teaching links ecological concepts with plant identification, experiments, vegetation surveys, data analysis, and scientific communication. I encourage students to formulate independent questions, evaluate evidence critically, and explain the limits of their conclusions. Editorial work also informs how I teach research design, data interpretation, and scientific writing.

Graduate research that I supervised has led to publications in Journal of Applied Ecology (IF: 5.3, JCR top 9.1%) and Oecologia (IF: 2.7, JCR top 42.0%), with me as co-first and corresponding author. Former graduate students have obtained permanent positions in ecological research institutions and restoration companies. Prof. Kripal Singh, a former postdoctoral researcher in my laboratory, took up a faculty position at the Federal University of Minas Gerais in 2026. I have also mentored at least 15 undergraduate research projects, giving students experience in developing questions and carrying research through to analysis and presentation.

Media Coverage and Public Engagement