Dr. Hyungdae Kim stands as a distinguished leader in nuclear engineering with a focus on advanced thermal-hydraulics research. He currently serves as a Full Professor and previously held the position of Department Head at Kyung Hee University's Department of Nuclear Engineering since 2021. Building on his strong foundation from POSTECH where he earned both his B.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Dr. Kim established himself as a rising expert during his postdoctoral research at MIT from 2007 to 2010. His career progression from Assistant to Associate and now Full Professor at Kyung Hee University reflects his growing influence and expertise in nuclear thermal-hydraulics. Currently, he also serves as General Affairs Director of the Korean Nuclear Society, demonstrating his leadership within the broader nuclear community.
Dr. Kim's groundbreaking research has significantly advanced thermal-hydraulic modeling for nuclear applications, particularly in high-burnup fuel cladding analysis and severe accident scenarios. His development of hypervapotron technology for ultra-high heat flux cooling represents a major innovation in thermal management systems for nuclear reactors. With over 5,400 citations according to Google Scholar, his work on boiling, condensation, and multiphase fluid dynamics has established him as a leading authority in nuclear thermal-hydraulics. His influential 2017 paper earned the Best Paper Award at the 17th International Topical Meeting on Nuclear Reactor Thermal-hydraulics, recognizing its significant contribution to the field. Dr. Kim's research extends to critical safety areas including ex-vessel corium cooling, helium bubble dynamics in molten salt reactors, and safety regulations for water-cooled small modular reactors.
Beyond his research contributions, Dr. Kim has been instrumental in advancing the nuclear engineering community through editorial and leadership roles that shape the field's research agenda. His service as Associate Editor for the Journal of Nanofluids from 2012 to 2021 and on the editorial board of the Institute for Liquid Atomization and Spray Systems demonstrates his commitment to scholarly communication. Dr. Kim has earned multiple Best Paper Awards from the Korean Nuclear Society in 2013, 2015, and 2017, reflecting the consistent quality and impact of his research. He continues to lead the Advanced Thermal-Hydraulics Research Lab at Kyung Hee University, mentoring the next generation of nuclear engineers while addressing critical challenges in reactor safety and thermal management. His current work focuses on next-generation thermal-hydraulic solutions for advanced nuclear systems, positioning him at the forefront of innovation in nuclear safety engineering.
