Ki Tae Nam

Ki Tae Nam
EducationSeoul National University (B.S, M.S)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Ph.D)
Known forelectrochemical CO₂ utilization
AwardsPOSCO TJ Park Prize (2022)
Presidential Young Scientist Award (2018)
Scientific career
FieldsMaterials science
InstitutionsSeoul National University
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
ThesisMultifunctional Virus Scaffolds for Energy Applications: Nanomaterials Synthesis and Two Dimensional Assembly (2007)
Doctoral advisorAngela Belcher[1]
Korean name
Hangul
남기태
RRNam Gitae
MRNam Kit'ae

Ki Tae Nam (Korean: 남기태) is a South Korean materials scientist, engineer, and professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Seoul National University (SNU).[2] He is known for his research in bioinspired materials, chiral nanomaterials, and electrochemical CO₂ utilization.[3] He received the POSCO TJ Park Prize[4] and Presidential Young Scientist Award[5]

Early life and education

Nam earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Materials Science and Engineering from Seoul National University. He received his Ph.D. in the same field from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he was awarded the Outstanding PhD Thesis Award in 2007 for his dissertation on virus-based electrochemical devices, including the first virus-based lithium-ion battery.[6][7]

Career

Following his doctorate, Nam conducted postdoctoral research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Molecular Foundry from 2007 to 2010.[8] There, under Ron Zuckermann's guidance, he developed sequence-specific peptoid nanosheets—a breakthrough in peptide-mimetic materials published in Nature Materials.[9]

In 2010, he joined SNU's faculty. His work has since spanned bioinspired synthesis of chiral plasmonic nanomaterials, electrochemical CO₂ conversion, and advanced optoelectronic applications.[10][11]

Nam also contributes to national science and technology policy. In 2022 and 2023, he served on South Korea's Presidential Advisory Council on Science and Technology, among other strategic roles.[3]

Research

Nam's research spans several interconnected areas within bioinspired nanomaterials, chiral plasmonics, and electrochemical CO₂ utilization.[12] In the field of bioinspired nanomaterials and energy applications, he co-authored a 2006 Science paper reporting the first battery built using genetically engineered viruses to assemble oxide nanowires for lithium-ion electrodes.[7] In 2010, as a postdoctoral researcher, he advanced peptide-mimetic two-dimensional materials through the development of free-floating peptoid nanosheets, published in Nature Materials.[13][14]

His contributions to chiral nanomaterials include a 2018 Nature study [15] demonstrating amino-acid-directed synthesis of plasmonic gold nanoparticles with tailored chiral optical properties.[16]

In 2022, he developed chiral sensors based on collective circular dichroism for enantioselective molecular detection,[17] followed in 2024 by a Nature Materials publication elucidating the mechanistic pathways of chiral nanoparticle formation using generative approaches.[18]

In electrochemical CO₂ utilization, Nam achieved the first electrochemical synthesis of dimethyl carbonate directly from CO₂ in a 2021 Nature Energy paper,[19] and in 2024 reported the electrochemically initiated conversion of CO₂ into ethylene carbonate in Nature Synthesis.[20] He has also advanced methods for CO₂ capture and conversion, including paired electrosynthesis and catalyst development, reinforcing his leadership in applied CO₂ electrochemistry.[21]

Awards

Selected publications

  • Nam, Ki Tae; Kim, Dong-Wan; Yoo, Pil J.; Chiang, Chung-Yi; Meethong, Nonglak; Hammond, Paula T.; Chiang, Yet-Ming; Belcher, Angela M. (2006-05-12). "Virus-Enabled Synthesis and Assembly of Nanowires for Lithium Ion Battery Electrodes". Science. 312 (5775): 885–888. Bibcode:2006Sci...312..885N. doi:10.1126/science.1122716. ISSN 0036-8075. PMID 16601154.
  • Nam, Ki Tae; Shelby, Sarah A.; Choi, Philip H.; Marciel, Amanda B.; Chen, Ritchie; Tan, Li; Chu, Tammy K.; Mesch, Ryan A.; Lee, Byoung-Chul; Connolly, Michael D.; Kisielowski, Christian; Zuckermann, Ronald N. (2010-04-11). "Free-floating ultrathin two-dimensional crystals from sequence-specific peptoid polymers". Nature Materials. 9 (5): 454–460. Bibcode:2010NatMa...9..454N. doi:10.1038/nmat2742. ISSN 1476-1122. PMID 20383129.
  • Lee, Hye-Eun; Ahn, Hyo-Yong; Mun, Jungho; Lee, Yoon Young; Kim, Minkyung; Cho, Nam Heon; Chang, Kiseok; Kim, Wook Sung; Rho, Junsuk; Nam, Ki Tae (2018). "Amino-acid- and peptide-directed synthesis of chiral plasmonic gold nanoparticles". Nature. 556 (7701): 360–365. Bibcode:2018Natur.556..360L. doi:10.1038/s41586-018-0034-1. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 29670265.
  • Kim, Ryeong Myeong; Huh, Ji-Hyeok; Yoo, SeokJae; Kim, Tae Gyun; Kim, Changwon; Kim, Hyeohn; Han, Jeong Hyun; Cho, Nam Heon; Lim, Yae-Chan; Im, Sang Won; Im, EunJi; Jeong, Jae Ryeol; Lee, Min Hyung; Yoon, Tae-Young; Lee, Ho-Young (2022-12-14). "Enantioselective sensing by collective circular dichroism". Nature. 612 (7940): 470–476. Bibcode:2022Natur.612..470K. doi:10.1038/s41586-022-05353-1. ISSN 0028-0836. PMID 36517715.
  • Lee, Kyu Min; Jang, Jun Ho; Balamurugan, Mani; Kim, Jeong Eun; Jo, Young In; Nam, Ki Tae (2021-07-08). "Redox-neutral electrochemical conversion of CO2 to dimethyl carbonate". Nature Energy. 6 (7): 733–741. doi:10.1038/s41560-021-00862-1. ISSN 2058-7546.
  • Jang, Jun Ho; Kim, Changsoo; Nayal, Onkar S.; Yeo, Jia Bin; Kim, Gyu Ri; Kim, Jinju; Jo, Young In; Lee, Ung; Kwon, Min Sang; Nam, Ki Tae (2024-05-23). "Electrochemically initiated synthesis of ethylene carbonate from CO2". Nature Synthesis. 3 (7): 846–857. doi:10.1038/s44160-024-00543-3. ISSN 2731-0582.

References

  1. ^ "Congratulations to Dr. Ki Tae Nam – Biomolecular Materials Group". belcherlab.mit.edu.
  2. ^ 조선일보 (2020-10-13). ""내 신소재는 모두 최초"… 인류 기후문제 풀 열쇠 내놨다". The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-09-17.
  3. ^ a b c "Peptide Encoded Chiral Inorganic Nanomaterials". MIT Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Retrieved 2025-09-17.
  4. ^ cheol, Park Jae-. "The POSCO TJ Park Foundation held the 2022 POSCO TJ Park Prize Ceremony". Steel&Metal News. Retrieved 2025-09-17.
  5. ^ "Seoul National University College of Engineering SelectsFive Recipients of the 2021 Shinyang Engineering Academy Award". SNU 서울대학교 공과대학 (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  6. ^ "Researchers build tiny batteries with viruses". MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 2006-04-07. Retrieved 2025-09-17.
  7. ^ a b Bulkeley, William M. (2006-04-07). "Virus Fuels a Battery Breakthrough - WSJ". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2025-09-17.
  8. ^ "Ron Zuckerman, Ki Tae Nam, DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory". EurekAlert!. Retrieved 2025-09-17.
  9. ^ Risbud, Aditi (2010-04-12). "Berkeley Lab Scientists Create 'Molecular Paper' - Berkeley Lab". Berkeley Lab News Center. Retrieved 2025-09-17.
  10. ^ "Metamaterial significantly enhances the chiral nanoparticle signals | Newswise". www.newswise.com. Retrieved 2025-09-17.
  11. ^ Cho, Nam Heon; Guerrero-Martínez, Andrés; Ma, Jessica; Bals, Sara; Kotov, Nicholas A.; Liz-Marzán, Luis M.; Nam, Ki Tae (2023). "Bioinspired chiral inorganic nanomaterials". Nature Reviews Bioengineering. 1 (2): 88–106. doi:10.1038/s44222-022-00014-4. ISSN 2731-6092.
  12. ^ Kim, Hyeohn; Bang, Kyeong Mi; Ha, Heonjin; Cho, Nam Heon; Namgung, Seok Daniel; Im, Sang Won; Cho, Kang Hee; Kim, Ryeong Myeong; Choi, Won Il; Lim, Yae Chan; Shin, Ji Yeon; Song, Hyun Kyu; Kim, Nak Kyoon; Nam, Ki Tae (2021-01-26). "Tyrosyltyrosylcysteine-Directed Synthesis of Chiral Cobalt Oxide Nanoparticles and Peptide Conformation Analysis". ACS Nano. 15 (1): 979–988. Bibcode:2021ACSNa..15..979K. doi:10.1021/acsnano.0c07655. ISSN 1936-0851. PMID 33332089.
  13. ^ "Scientists create 'molecular paper' -- largest two-dimensional polymer crystal self-assembled in water". ScienceDaily. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  14. ^ Nam, Ki Tae; Shelby, Sarah A.; Choi, Philip H.; Marciel, Amanda B.; Chen, Ritchie; Tan, Li; Chu, Tammy K.; Mesch, Ryan A.; Lee, Byoung-Chul; Connolly, Michael D.; Kisielowski, Christian; Zuckermann, Ronald N. (2010). "Free-floating ultrathin two-dimensional crystals from sequence-specific peptoid polymers". Nature Materials. 9 (5): 454–460. Bibcode:2010NatMa...9..454N. doi:10.1038/nmat2742. ISSN 1476-1122. PMID 20383129.
  15. ^ Lee, Hye-Eun; Ahn, Hyo-Yong; Mun, Jungho; Lee, Yoon Young; Kim, Minkyung; Cho, Nam Heon; Chang, Kiseok; Kim, Wook Sung; Rho, Junsuk; Nam, Ki Tae (2018). "Amino-acid- and peptide-directed synthesis of chiral plasmonic gold nanoparticles". Nature. 556 (7701): 360–365. Bibcode:2018Natur.556..360L. doi:10.1038/s41586-018-0034-1. ISSN 1476-4687. PMID 29670265.
  16. ^ Halford, Bethany (2025-01-21). "Guiding chiral nanoparticle growth". Chemical & Engineering News. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  17. ^ "Professor Ki Tae Nam's Research Team at Seoul National University and Professor Junil Choi's team at KAIST jointly Develop a New Visible Light Communication Encryption Technology Using Chiral Nanoparticles". SNU 서울대학교 공과대학 (in Korean). Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  18. ^ "Development of a Technology for Measuring the Chirality of Ultrasensitive Molecules An important academic step in the field of next-generation matter analysis and material synthesis". graduate2.korea.ac.kr. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
  19. ^ Lee, Kyu Min; Jang, Jun Ho; Balamurugan, Mani; Kim, Jeong Eun; Jo, Young In; Nam, Ki Tae (2021-07-08). "Redox-neutral electrochemical conversion of CO2 to dimethyl carbonate". Nature Energy. 6 (7): 733–741. doi:10.1038/s41560-021-00862-1. ISSN 2058-7546.
  20. ^ "Paired electrochemical process for the capture and conversion of CO2 to ethylene carbonate". Nature Synthesis. 3 (7): 805–806. 2024. doi:10.1038/s44160-024-00544-2. ISSN 2731-0582.
  21. ^ Bin Yeo, Jia; Ho Jang, Jun; In Jo, Young; Woo Koo, Jeong; Tae Nam, Ki (2024). "Paired Electrosynthesis of Formaldehyde Derivatives from CO2 Reduction and Methanol Oxidation". Angewandte Chemie International Edition. 63 (2) e202316020. Bibcode:2024ACIE...63E6020B. doi:10.1002/anie.202316020. ISSN 1521-3773. PMID 38018795.
  22. ^ yeunsookim (2021-10-26). "Professor Han Ho Song received the Shinyang Engineering Award". 서울대학교 기계공학부. Retrieved 2025-09-18.
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