UNIST has strengthened its research partnership with Westlake University through a two-day workshop focused on sustainable energy, advanced materials, and emerging technologies. Bringing together leading researchers from both institutions, the event provided a platform to exchange recent scientific advances and identify new opportunities for international collaboration.

Hosted by the UNIST College of Engineering on July 20–21, the 2026 UNIST–Westlake Joint Workshop featured presentations by 14 faculty members—seven from each university. Discussions spanned catalysis, carbon neutrality, AI-driven manufacturing processes, optical materials, biomaterials, and other areas where the institutions share complementary research strengths.

Representing UNIST were Distinguished Professor Rodney S. Ruoff from the Department of Chemistry, Professors Dong Suk Kim and Tae Hoon Oh from the Graduate School of Carbon Neutrality, Professors Kwangjin An and Dongha Kim from the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Professor BongSoo Kim from the Department of Chemistry, and Professor Jinhyun Kim from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Westlake University was represented by Professors Xiao Yang, Chengchen Guo, Yao Yang, Zexin Jin, Jianbo Tang, Hailin Fu, and Siying Peng.

The workshop concluded with a keynote lecture by Jiaxing Huang, Chair Professor in the School of Engineering at Westlake University, titled Innovation Anxiety and the Industries of the Future. An internationally recognized materials scientist and Editor-in-Chief of Accounts of Materials Research, Huang examined how rapid technological advances are reshaping industry and discussed the evolving role of researchers in driving future innovation.

"This workshop allowed researchers from both universities to gain a deeper understanding of each other's expertise and explore new directions for collaboration," said Yong Hwan Kim, Dean of the College of Engineering at UNIST. “We look forward to expanding joint research, faculty exchanges, and collaborative programs that build on the strengths of both institutions.”

Founded in 2018 in Hangzhou, China, Westlake University is a research-intensive institution with strengths in the life sciences, natural sciences, and engineering. The university is dedicated to advancing frontier research and cultivating the next generation of scientific leaders.