Former Presidents | UNIST ABOUT UNIST We are growing into a world-leading science and technology university that contributes to the lives of humanity. About UNIST University Overview Vision UNIST at a Glance UNIST Identity History Organization & Staff Organization Chart Searching Staff Leadership President Vice Presidents Academic Affairs Leadership Board of Trustees Media Resources UNIST Magazine Advertisements Brochure PR Videos Visitor Information Campus Maps Directions Parking Information Campus Sites Giving Information Disclosure Information Disclosure University Information Disclosure Ethical Management Disclosure UNIST Clean Reporting Center Integrity Portal Regulations Budget & Tuition Disclosure About UNIST Admissions Academics Research/Industry Campus Life News Center About UNIST etc Leadership University Overview Organization & Staff Leadership Media Resources Visitor Information Giving Information Disclosure President President Vice Presidents Academic Affairs Leadership Board of Trustees President Message Biography Interviews and Columns Recent Activities Speeches Former Presidents Former Presidents Moo Je Cho 1st and 2nd President (2007 ~ September 2015) Mooyoung Jung 3rd President (September 2015 – September 2019) Yonghoon Lee 4th President (November 2019 – July 2024) Biography of the 1st and 2nd President Moo Je Cho closeCont Education 1976 Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri-Columbia, USA (Ph.D.) 1970 Graduate of Agricultural Chemistry, Graduate School, Seoul National University (Master's) 1968 Gyeongsang National University, Department of Agricultural Chemistry (Bachelor's) Major career 2014 ~ 2015 Vice Chairman of the National Science and Technology Advisory Council 2012 ~ 2015 Director of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation Vice Chairman of the National High Performance Computing Committee 2011 ~ 2014 Vice President of the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies 2011 ~ 2012 Chairman of the National University Development Promotion Committee Chairman of the Science and Technology Subcommittee of the National Advisory Council on Academics, Science and Technology 2010 ~ 2011 Chairman of the National University Advancement Committee Civilian member of the 3rd National Science and Technology Committee 2008 ~ 2009 Chairperson of the Comprehensive Selection Committee for the Woman Scientist and Engineer of the Year Award 2007 Chairman of the Life Field Review Committee of the National Scientist Selection Committee 2007 ~ 2015 UNIST President 2003 ~ 2007 President of Gyeongsang National University 1990 ~ 1999 Director of the Research Center for Plant Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering (Science Foundation of Korea designated SRC) 1988 Visiting Professor at Bayreuth University 1984 Visiting Professor at Kyoto University 1982 ~ 1983 Visiting Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA 1971 ~ 2003 Lecturer to Professor of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Gyeongsang National University Academic activities 2003 ~ Present Lifetime member of the Korean Academy of Science and Technology 1999 President of the Korean Society for Molecular Biology Awards 2005 Order of Science and Technology, Creation Medal, 1st Class (Presidential) 2004 Republic of Korea National Assembly Science and Technology Award (National Assembly) 2000 The 7th Korea Science Award (Life Sciences, Presidential Field) 1998 Kumho Life Science Award (Kumho Foundation) Research achievements Papers in SCI-indexed international journals such as Nature, Cell, and PNAS (103), domestic and university journals (165), invention patents: Master's (57), Ph.D. (27) Biography of the 3rd President , Mooyoung Jung yeong closeCont Education 1972 Seoul National University, Department of Aerospace Engineering (Bachelor's) 1981 Kansas State University, USA, Department of Department of Industrial Engineering (Master's) 1984 Department of Industrial Engineering, Kansas State University, USA (Ph.D.) Major career 2015 ~ 2019 President of Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology 2014 ~ 2015 Vice President for Research Affairs/ Dean of Research, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology 2008 ~ 2014 Vice Vice President for Academic Affairs/ Dean of Academic Affairs, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology 1994 ~ Editorial board member of numerous international journals related to industrial engineering 2006 ~ 2007 Professor and Head of the Department of Industrial and Management Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology 1998 ~ 2000 Dean of Research at Pohang University of Science and Technology 1994 ~ 1996 Dean of Research at Pohang University of Science and Technology 1987 ~ 2008 Assistant Professor/Associate Professor/Full Professor, Department of Department of Industrial Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology 1984 ~ 1986 Assistant Professor of Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Plattville 1984 ~ 1984 Lecturer in Department of Industrial Engineering at Kansas State University, USA 1978 ~ 1983 TA/RA, Department of Industrial Engineering, Kansas State University, USA 1976 ~ 1978 Researcher at the Agency for Defense Development 1974 ~ 1976 Aircraft Maintenance Officer, Republic of Korea Air Force Operations Command 1973 ~ 1974 Science and Technology Officer at the Agency for Defense Development 1972 ~ 1973 Aircraft Production Officer, 81st Repair Depot, Republic of Korea Air Force Academic activities founding member of the IIEA (International Industrial Engineering Association) IIE (Institute of Industrial Engineers) full member Lifetime Member of the Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers (Vice President 1992–1994) Regular member of KSPE (Korean Society of Precision Engineering) Awards 1992 The Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers Baekam Paper Award 1997 Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers Academic Award Research achievements Publications in SCI-indexed international journals such as Nature, Cell, and PNAS (103), domestic and university journals (165), Graduates: Master's (57), Ph.D. (27) Biography of the 4th President Yonghoon Lee hoon closeCont Education 1974 ~ 1978 Bachelor of Electrical College of Engineering of Engineering, Seoul National University 1978 ~ 1980 Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering of Engineering, Seoul National University 1982 ~ 1984 PhD in Electrical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, USA Major career 2019 ~ 2024 President of Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology 2011 ~ 2013 Vice President for Academic Affairs for Academic Affairs at KAIST 2011 KAIST ICC Vice Presidents 2008 ~ 2011 Dean of the College of Information Science and Technology, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology 2005 ~ 2008 Dean of the College of Engineering of Engineering at KAIST 2004 ~ 2005 Head of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Director of the Information Technology BK Project Group at KAIST 2001 ~ 2004 Director of the New Technology Startup Support Group at KAIST 2000 ~ 2007 Director of IT Research Center (ITRC) 1989 ~ 2019 Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology 1984 ~ 1989 State Univ. of New York at Buffalo Assistant Professor Awards 2018.02 KAIST Creative Lecture Award 2017.11 Excellent Paper Award at the Korean Institute of Communication Sciences 2016 Autumn Comprehensive Academic Conference 2016.04 Joint Conference on Communications and Information Technology (JCCI 2016) Outstanding Paper Award 2016.01 Excellent Paper Award at the Korean Institute of Communication Sciences 2015 Autumn Comprehensive Academic Conference 2004.05 Commendation from the Chairman of the Special Committee on Small and Medium Enterprises (under the direct control of the President) 2003.06 Minister of Information and Communication Commendation 2002.04 Ministry of Information and Communication Presidential Commendation 2002.04 Joint Conference on Communications and Information (JCCI 2001) JCCI Best Paper Award (Eun Jong-gwan Award) 1998.11 The Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers Achievement Award 1998.04 SK Telecom Corporation 97 Paper of the Year Award 1998.02 KAIST Research Development Award Extracurricular activities 2022.06 Member of the 5th Basic Plan for Science and Technology Establishment Committee 2020 ~ 2023 Vice President of the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies 2020 ~ 2022 Member of the Hydrogen Economy Committee 2019 ~ 2020 Vice President of the Korean Academy of Engineering 2014 ~ 2016 Director of the National Research Foundation of Korea 2009.08 Full member of the Korean Academy of Engineering 2008 ~ 2011 Global Engineering Deans Council(GEDC),Secretary Treasurer 2004 ~ Council Member of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers 2003 Council Member of the Korean Institute of Communication Sciences 2003 ~ 2005 The Journal of Communications and Networks(JCN) Division Editor 2002 ~ 2006 Editor-in-Chief of Telecommunication Review 2000.12 ~ Coordinator of the Joint Conference on Communications and Information Content Department : Office of the President Last modified: 2026.04.02