Admitted to the Ph.D. program at the University of Michigan and published a paper in a top-tier journal / Kim So-hee (Alumna, Master’s Program in Mechanical and Systems Engineering, Graduate School, Class of 2024)
- 26.03.25 / 홍유민
Alumna Kim So-hee from Professor Jang Se-geun’s laboratory in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Kookmin University has demonstrated her outstanding research capabilities by being simultaneously accepted into doctoral programs at several leading U.S. universities.
Alumna Kim So-hee was accepted into doctoral programs at top-tier U.S. universities, including the University of California, Santa Barbara (UC Santa Barbara), the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and the University of Michigan, and ultimately decided to attend the University of Michigan, a world-renowned research-intensive institution.
Notably, Kim was admitted with a commitment to the highest level of full funding (covering tuition and living expenses) for at least five years of her doctoral program, achieving this success despite a highly competitive admission rate of approximately 870:1.
Her research achievements are also noteworthy. Through joint research with Hyundai Motor Company and Incheon National University, Kim So-hee quantitatively analyzed the mutual degradation mechanism between the fuel cell electrolyte membrane and the bipolar plate. Based on these findings, she published the paper “Quantitative assessment of mutual degradation between membrane and bipolar plate in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells” in February 2026 in *Chemical Engineering Journal* (IF 13.2), an international journal ranked in the top 4%.
Furthermore, through joint research with KAIST, she is conducting research on low-cost non-platinum fuel cells and is currently undergoing peer review as a co-first author, continuing to achieve outstanding research results.
During her master’s program, alumna Kim So-hee was dispatched to Northwestern University in the U.S. for approximately six months through a talent development program led by Professor Jang Segeun, where she gained experience in international collaborative research. She had also accumulated consistent research experience by participating as an undergraduate research assistant since her undergraduate years.
Professor Jang Segeun stated, “Alumna Kim So-hee’s case demonstrates that it is entirely possible to advance to a Ph.D. program at a world-class research-oriented university through diverse research experiences and publication achievements during both undergraduate and graduate studies,” adding, “I hope this serves as a great source of motivation for future alumni.”
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Admitted to the Ph.D. program at the University of Michigan and published a paper in a top-tier journal / Kim So-hee (Alumna, Master’s Program in Mechanical and Systems Engineering, Graduate School, Class of 2024) |
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2026-03-25
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Alumna Kim So-hee from Professor Jang Se-geun’s laboratory in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Kookmin University has demonstrated her outstanding research capabilities by being simultaneously accepted into doctoral programs at several leading U.S. universities. Alumna Kim So-hee was accepted into doctoral programs at top-tier U.S. universities, including the University of California, Santa Barbara (UC Santa Barbara), the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and the University of Michigan, and ultimately decided to attend the University of Michigan, a world-renowned research-intensive institution. Notably, Kim was admitted with a commitment to the highest level of full funding (covering tuition and living expenses) for at least five years of her doctoral program, achieving this success despite a highly competitive admission rate of approximately 870:1. Her research achievements are also noteworthy. Through joint research with Hyundai Motor Company and Incheon National University, Kim So-hee quantitatively analyzed the mutual degradation mechanism between the fuel cell electrolyte membrane and the bipolar plate. Based on these findings, she published the paper “Quantitative assessment of mutual degradation between membrane and bipolar plate in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells” in February 2026 in *Chemical Engineering Journal* (IF 13.2), an international journal ranked in the top 4%. Furthermore, through joint research with KAIST, she is conducting research on low-cost non-platinum fuel cells and is currently undergoing peer review as a co-first author, continuing to achieve outstanding research results. During her master’s program, alumna Kim So-hee was dispatched to Northwestern University in the U.S. for approximately six months through a talent development program led by Professor Jang Segeun, where she gained experience in international collaborative research. She had also accumulated consistent research experience by participating as an undergraduate research assistant since her undergraduate years. Professor Jang Segeun stated, “Alumna Kim So-hee’s case demonstrates that it is entirely possible to advance to a Ph.D. program at a world-class research-oriented university through diverse research experiences and publication achievements during both undergraduate and graduate studies,” adding, “I hope this serves as a great source of motivation for future alumni.”
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