Dr. Cha Byung-jun, Assistant Professor Appointed at Seoul National University of Science and Technology
▲ Dr. Cha Byung-jun
Dr. Cha Byung-jun from the Department of Chemistry at our university (Bachelor’s degree in 2010, Master’s in 2017, Ph.D. in 2019) has been appointed as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Applied Chemistry at Seoul National University of Science and Technology.
Dr. Cha earned his Ph.D. in February 2023 with a dissertation titled “Surface Studies on Supported Fe-oxide Nanoparticle Catalysts for Efficient Decomposition of Air Pollutants” (Physical Chemistry, supervised by Professor Kim Young-dok). After graduation, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Rice University in Houston, USA. He is set to join Seoul National University of Science and Technology’s Department of Applied Chemistry in March 2025.
During his master’s and doctoral studies under Professor Kim Young-dok, Dr. Cha conducted surface physical chemistry research, utilizing a variety of surface analysis techniques based on X-rays, infrared, and ion beams. His work focused on understanding chemical reactions at the atomic and molecular levels on solid surfaces and interfaces. He primarily studied the relationship between the structure and reactivity of heterogeneous nanoparticle catalysts used for air purification and developed environmentally friendly, high-efficiency catalytic technologies. As a result, he published 16 SCI-grade journal articles as the lead author, including two papers in the top 3% of journals in chemical engineering, Chemical Engineering Journal, and four in Applied Surface Science, ranked in the top 10% of thin-film materials journals.
Following his Ph.D., Dr. Cha spent approximately two years as a postdoctoral researcher in the laboratory of Professor Michael S. Wong at Rice University, where he conducted research on heterogeneous metal catalysts used for wastewater treatment and the synthesis of high-value chemicals. His work involved in-situ structural analysis of catalysts, providing insights for designing highly efficient and selective catalytic structures.
After joining Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Dr. Cha plans to continue his research on the structural-functionality relationships and reaction mechanisms of various nanomaterials, including heterogeneous catalysts. His work aims to contribute to both foundational scientific challenges and environmentally significant applications.
Meanwhile, Professor Kim Young-dok's research lab has produced 20 master’s and 11 Ph.D. graduates to date, with two Ph.D. graduates appointed as professors at universities in Seoul.
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