KAIST Professor Sangyeop Lee, First Korean Elected as Member of the Royal Society of the UK

Co-appointed with Seoul National University Professor Kim Bitnaeri... "Newton and Einstein Were Also Members"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Eunmo Koo] The Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced on the 7th that Distinguished Professor (Vice President of Research) Lee Sang-yeop of the Department of Bio and Chemical Engineering has been appointed as a Foreign Member of the Royal Society in the United Kingdom. Along with Chair Professor Kim Bit-naeri of the Department of Life Sciences at Seoul National University, they are the first Koreans to be appointed.

With this, Professor Lee became the only scientist in Korea to be simultaneously listed as a member of the three major global academies: the National Academy of Engineering (USA), the National Academy of Sciences (USA), and the Royal Society (UK).

The Royal Society, established in 1660 in London, UK, is the world's most prestigious academic society. Renowned scientists such as Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and Albert Einstein have been members, and to date, it has produced over 280 Nobel Prize laureates.

Each year, researchers worldwide who have made significant contributions to the improvement of natural knowledge are reviewed and selected as members, with up to 52 members from the Commonwealth and up to 10 foreign members admitted.

Known as a pioneer in systems metabolic engineering, Professor Lee has developed various foundational technologies related to strategies and methods for developing microbial cell factories. Using these, he has succeeded in producing numerous products such as gasoline, diesel, biodegradable plastics, and natural active substances at the highest efficiency levels. He also developed succinic acid, a raw material for bioplastics, and carminic acid, a red edible pigment.