Seong Kim

Seong Kim is a distinguished Professor at Pennsylvania State University, holding joint appointments in the Department of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, and Materials Science and Engineering. His research focuses on tribology, glass surface science, and nanomaterials, with a particular emphasis on understanding surface interactions and mechanochemical reactions at solid interfaces. He leads the Kim Group, which employs advanced techniques like AFM, XPS, and SFG spectroscopy to study materials' mechanical and chemical properties.

Education: BS in Chemistry (Yonsei University, 1990), MS in Chemistry (Yonsei University, 1992), Ph.D. in Chemistry (Northwestern University, 1998), and postdoctoral research at UC Berkeley (2001).

Research interests include: Tribology, Glass durability, Cellulosic nanomaterials, Surface chemistry, and Biomaterials. Recent work explores mechanochemical reactions in tribofilms and the tribology of glass materials. His group's studies on automotive clearcoats and glass corrosion have implications for industries like electronics and nuclear waste storage.

Key awards include the Dean's Fellow (2017–2019) and the PSEAS Premier Research Award (2019). Collaborators include Dr. Carlo Pantano (Materials Science) and Dr. John Mauro (Glass Science). His lab investigates topics like nanoscale friction, polymer brushes, and glass surface defects.