Dong-A University Undergraduate Publishes as First Author in Top-Tier SCI Journal Based on Government R&D Results

Achievement in Ministry of SMEs and Startups Project
Expanding to Industrial Application Through Industry-Academia Collaboration

An undergraduate student at Dong-A University is drawing attention after publishing a paper as the first author in a top-tier SCI journal, based on the results of a government R&D project.

Dong-A University announced that Jonghyo Shim, a student from the research team of Professor Sucheol Yang in the Department of Chemical Engineering, published a paper as the first author in "Surfaces and Interfaces," a journal ranked in the top 14.6% of SCI in the field of films and coatings. Shim is currently a fourth-year student in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Dong-A University and has participated in research as an undergraduate researcher.

This research was conducted as part of the R&D project "Development of Eco-Friendly Antibacterial Film Based on Piezoelectric Catalysts," supported by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. The study was carried out in collaboration with Samsung Fiber Ceramics, aiming for real-world industrial application rather than remaining at the laboratory research stage, with a focus on practical field implementation.

Shim took a leading role throughout the entire research process, from project planning, experimental design, process condition optimization, and performance analysis to writing the paper. Unlike conventional coating technologies that rely on chemical antibacterial agents, this research proposed a new antibacterial mechanism based on photocatalytic materials, earning recognition for both its academic and technological value.

In particular, the technology developed through this project has led to a technology transfer agreement with Samsung Fiber Ceramics and is now expanding to the stage of actual industrial application. The technology is expected to be utilized in a wide range of fields, including bathtubs, interior and exterior building materials, and materials for daily life and hygiene products.

This achievement is a representative example of an undergraduate student participating substantively in a government R&D project and publishing a paper as the first author in an SCI-level journal, demonstrating the competitiveness of research-centered education and industry-academia cooperation-based education at Dong-A University's Department of Chemical Engineering.

Professor Sucheol Yang, who supervised the research, stated, "We have continuously provided education that links research, patents, and papers so that undergraduate students can grow beyond simple experimental assistance and become the main agents of research. We will further strengthen cooperation with industry to expand the educational environment where undergraduates can achieve tangible research outcomes."

Jonghyo Shim, the first author of the paper, commented, "It was meaningful to directly participate in the Ministry of SMEs and Startups project and company-linked research, experiencing the process of research results being translated into real industry. I hope to use this experience as a stepping stone to take on new challenges in research and entrepreneurship."

The "Energy and Environmental Nanomaterials Laboratory" at Dong-A University, led by Professor Sucheol Yang, has been steadily operating undergraduate research education programs while carrying out various projects, including mid-level research funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT, R&D projects from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, and joint industry-academia technology development projects. Through these efforts, the laboratory continues to produce excellent career outcomes, such as employment at large corporations and overseas doctoral studies.

Jonghyo Shim, a student from the research team of Professor Sucheol Yang in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Dong-A University, is posing for a commemorative photo after publishing a paper as the first author in "Surfaces and Interfaces," a journal ranked in the top 14.6% of SCI in the film and coating field.