In the weeks leading up to the Alumni Awards Ceremony, we’ll be profiling each of this year’s honorees in detail here on the blog. Today we’re featuring our Natural and Mathematical Sciences award winner, Dr. Yoon-Ho Kim, Ph.D. ’01, applied physics.

Dr. Yoon-Ho Kim is a physicist, researcher, and professor at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) in South Korea. He received his Ph.D. in applied physics from UMBC in 2001 and worked as a Wigner Fellow at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory before starting at POSTECH in 2004. Currently, his research involves the experimental aspects of quantum information and quantum optics. He chose UMBC precisely for its reputation in optics and says he was inspired by several of his professors here, including his thesis advisor Dr. Yanhua Shih and professor emeritus Dr. Morton Rubin. Getting his research re-established upon returning to Korea was a challenge, he says, but today he has his own research group, and greatly values the chance to do interesting work in physics. He also takes pride in seeing his students earn their degrees and go on to their own research positions.

Don’t forget to register for the Alumni Awards Ceremony on Thursday, October 8!

Each year, the UMBC Alumni Association celebrates those people who have made outstanding contributions to the University, their fields, and their communities. This year, we extend that honor to the following distinguished alumni and faculty:

Engineering and Information Technology:
Andre Gudger ’99, Information Systems
Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Manufacturing, and Industrial Base Policy, U.S. Department of Defense

Natural and Mathematical Sciences:
Dr. Yoon-Ho Kim ’01 Ph.D., Applied Physics
Professor, Pohang University of Science and Technology

Social and Behavioral Sciences:
Bryan Kelly ’92, Economics
Co-Founder and Managing Partner, The Kelly Group

Visual and Performing Arts:
Dr. Lisa Urkevich ’86, Music
Professor and Chair of Music and Drama, American University of Kuwait

Distinguished Service:
The Honorable Allan Kittleman ’81, Political Science
County Executive, Howard County Government

Rising Star:
Nicole DeBlase, ’06, Financial Economics
Executive Director, Equity Research, Morgan Stanley

Outstanding Faculty:
Dr. Tara Carpenter, Senior Lecturer, Chemistry and Biochemistry
College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences

Learn more about our past award winners