About Yoonho Kim

About Yoonho

I am a graduate student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and currently working as a research assistant with Prof. Xuanhe Zhao in MIT Soft Active Materials Laboratory.

I believe that problems encountered in daily lives can be the biggest source of creativity and that improvements can be made only by those who discover those problems. Also, I believe strong engineering background can be a powerful tool to find breakthroughs when solving those problems.

My desire to become a professional researcher emerged from my research experiences in college, through which I tried to unravel human healthcare problems by applying principles of mechanical engineering. From these experiences, I realized that my chosen field of study could be used to improve people’s lives in practical and tangible ways.

My current research interests include advanced fabrication and design of soft active materials, mechanics of soft materials, and unconventional soft robotics for biomedical applications. Through my research, I wish to address unmet needs and challenges in healthcare through applying principles in mechanics and design to biomedical problems.

Education

Ph.D. Candidate in Mechanical Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA

Ph.D. Program in Medical Engineering and Medical Physics (MEMP)
Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA

M.S. in Mechanical Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
Thesis: Printing Ferromagnetic Domains in Soft Materials: Mechanism,
Modeling, and Applications [PDF]

B.S. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
Summa cum laude

Jun 2018 - Present

Sep 2016 - May 2018
(Left)

Sep 2016 - May 2018

Mar 2008 - Aug 2013

Academic Experiences

Graduate Research Assistant
MIT Soft Active Materials Lab, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
Advisor: Prof. Xuanhe Zhao (Dept. of Mechanical Engineering)

3D Printing / Mechanics of Programmable Soft Active Materials

Undergraduate Researcher
SNU Biorobotics Lab (BRL), Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
Advisor: Prof. Kyu-Jin Cho (Dept. of Mechanical Engineering)

Design of Motorized Instruments for Laparoscopic Surgery

Undergraduate Research Program (URP)
Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
Advisor: Prof. Sun G. Chung (Dept. of Rehabilitation Medicine)

Biomechanical Analysis of Deformation of Intervertebral Disc and Migration of Nucleus Pulposus in Cervical Extension

Independent Undergraduate Study Program
Innovative Design and Integrated Manufacturing Lab (IDIM),
Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
Advisor: Prof. Sung-Hoon Ahn (Dept. of Mechanical Engineering)

Design of Rehabilitation Devices for Patients with Cervical Disc Herniation

Jan 2017 - Present

Sep 2011 - Aug 2013

May 2012 - Aug 2013

May 2012 - Feb 2013

Academic Honors & Awards

ILJU Scholarship, ILJU Academy and Culture Foundation, Korea
Selected as one of the most outstanding PhD students studying abroad
2017 PM&R Journal Best Paper: Original Research - International
American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R)
Best Podium Research Presentation Award
23rd Spring Conference of Clinical Pain, Korean Association of Pain Medicine
Best Research Award - Undergraduate Research Program (URP)
Korea Foundation for the Advancement of Science and Creativity (KOFAC)

Jun 2018

Nov 2017

Mar 2013

Dec 2012

Industrial Experience *

Design of Hybrid Propulsion Systems for Naval Ships
Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME), Geoje, Korea
*in replacement of military service

Aug 2013 - Aug 2016

Invited Talk/
Seminar

Smart Materials & Design Seminar
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
SNU Biorobotics Group Seminar
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea