Prof. Kim's current research primarily focuses on the risk perceptions of climate change and their implications for public policy. He also actively conducts research in areas of environmental justice and climate adaptation. Before joining KAIST, Seung Kyum worked at the Cities 2050 Research Cluster at the University of Hong Kong, Harvard Law School, Harvard Graduate School of Design, and Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. He holds doctoral and master's degrees from Harvard University.

Academic Appointment 

Professor, KAIST Graduate School of Future Strategy

Joint Professor, KAIST Graduate School of Green Growth & Sustainability

Joint Professor, KAIST Global School

Affiliate Professor, New York University

Research Interests 

Urban and Environmental Resilience; AI and Sustainable Urban Governance; Urban Economics and Policy; Disaster Informatics; Environmental Justice; Sustainable Urbanization; Sustainable Real Estate; Urbanization in Developing Countries.

Education

Harvard University, Graduate School of Design

Doctor of Design in Urban Planning and Real Estate Development, Cambridge, MA

Harvard University, Graduate School of Design

Master in Design Studies (Urban Planning and Design), Concentration in Risk and Resilience, Cambridge, MA

Awards and Prizes

• 2024 Grand Research Excellence Award, KAIST

• 2024 Special Faculty Commendation on Q-Day for Creative Talent Education, KAIST

• 2024 Global Research Collaboration Excellence Award, KAIST

• 2024 Impact Research Award, KAIST

• 2023 Excellence in Research Award, KAIST

• 2023 Impact Research Award, KAIST

• 2023 Innovation in Teaching Award, Graduate School of Future Strategy, KAIST

• 2019 Howard T. Fisher Prize for excellence in GIS, Harvard University

• 2019 2nd Prize, Shanghai Urban Design Challenge, Shanghai, China

• 2018 2nd Prize, Urban Renewal Design, Shanghai, China

• 2018 3rd Prize, Natian International Design Competition, Jiangsu, China

• 2018 Honorable Mention, Beijing Urban Public Space Design, Beijing, China

• 2017 Excellence Award, Harvard Center for Geographic Analysis

• 2012 Presidential Commendation, President of the Republic of Korea

Services

• Awards and Scholarship Committee, Graduate School of Future Strategy, KAIST (2024~2026)

• Steering Committee of the Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, KAIST (2024~2027)

• KAIST Jang Young-Sil Fellowship Steering Committee (2023~2025)

• Expert Review and Advisory Committee Member of Business Development, Korea Railroad Corporation (2023~2025)

• KAIST Future Committee (2022~2024)

PhD students supervised 

• In-Won Choi (2025): Impact of Renewable Energy Storage Technologies on Climate Disaster Resilience

• Miyeon Kang (2024): Impact of Aging Regional Characteristics on Infrastructure Accessibility and Social Isolation

• Bongseok Kim (2024): The Impact of Energy Transition Policies on Population Movement - Analyzing Policy Effectiveness through Local Employment and Industrial Diversification Effects of Low-Carbon Power Generation Facilities

• Ji Soo Kim (2024): Effect of the ASEAN agreement on transboundary haze pollution

• Jaeyeon Kim (2023): Demographic responses to climate change - Birth, fertility, and adaptation in East Asia 

• Kyung Ho Lee (2023): Impact of retirement age extension on young adult unemployment and urban economic stability

Master’s students supervised

• 2025: Dea Eun Park (MFS); Gye Young Kyung (MSJ); Jieun Lee (MSJ); Dahye Han (GGGS); Dahyeong Choi (GGGS)

• 2024: Soomin Son (MFS); Jimin Lee (MFS 2025); Bo Rah Lee (MFS 2025); Sunwoo Hwang (MFS 2025); Cherin Yang (MFS); Hyemin Cho (MFS); Sun Kyoum Kim (MFS); Yeon Hong (MSJ); Wonsang Kim (MSJ); Shihoo Lee (MSJ)

• 2023: Ji Soo Kim (MFS)

Employment

• Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology, Graduate School of Future Strategy, Daejeon, Korea (2022–Present)

• Seoul National University, Institute of Information, Knowledge, and Policy, Graduate School of Public Administration, Seoul, Korea (2021–2022)

• University of Hong Kong, Cities 2050 Research Cluster, Faculty of Social Science, Hong Kong SAR (2019–2021)

• Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA (2018–2019)

• Harvard Graduate School of Design, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA (2017–2018)

• National Committee for the 7th World Water Forum, South Korea (2013–2014)

• Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, South Korea (2009–2013)

• Design Workshop, Inc. (Landscape Architecture and Urban Design Firm), Salt Lake City, UT (2008–2009), Phoenix, AZ (2005–2008), USA