Professor Rak-Kyeong Seong of the Department of Mathematical Sciences at UNIST has been awarded the 2026 Baekcheon Physics Award by the Korean Physical Society in recognition of his outstanding contributions to theoretical physics research in Korea.

Professor Seong was honored for expanding the scope of theoretical physics by pioneering the use of machine learning techniques to the study of non-perturbative phenomena in quantum field theory and string theory.

Presented annually by the Korean Physical Society, the Baekcheon Physics Award recognizes outstanding early-career physicists in theoretical particle physics. Because recipients are selected through a rigorous review process based on research excellence, the award is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious distinctions in Korea's theoretical physics community.

Among Professor Seong's representative achievements is his 2017 paper, “Machine Learning of Calabi-Yau Volumes,” published in Physical Review D. The study, which used machine learning to predict the complex geometric properties of Calabi-Yau manifolds, is widely regarded as one of the pioneering works that introduced machine learning methods into research in quantum field theory, string theory, and mathematical physics.

Professor Seong has also received international recognition as an invited speaker at the International String Data Conference for three consecutive years, hosted by the University of Cambridge in 2022, the California Institute of Technology in 2023, and Kyoto University in 2024. He has also continued to publish in leading journals, including Physical Review D and the Journal of High Energy Physics .

Currently an associate professor in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at UNIST, with a joint appointment in the Department of Physics, Professor Seong has collaborated extensively with leading scholars in the field. His co-authored papers on Calabi-Yau manifolds with Professor Yang-Hui He and Fields Medalist Professor Shing-Tung Yau, published in 2018 and 2025, reflect the breadth of his international research collaborations. In January 2024, he also organized an international conference at UNIST, inviting Professor Yau as a distinguished speaker.

“Machine learning and AI will transform how fundamental science is conducted, particularly in the study of quantum field theory, string theory, and mathematical physics,” said Professor Seong. “At UNIST, I will continue to apply these to pursue even greater research techniques at the intersection of mathematics, physics, and AI.”