We are pleased to announce that Professor Kihwan Kim, Director of the IBS Center for Trapped Ion Quantum Science at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS), has joined the KAIST School of Electrical Engineering as an Adjunct Professor, effective June 26, 2026.
Professor Kim is a leading scholar recognized for his pioneering contributions to trapped-ion quantum computing and quantum simulation. His research focuses on developing scalable quantum computing platforms and programmable quantum simulators by integrating precision optical and electronic control technologies with quantum hardware system design.
His main research interests span trapped-ion quantum computing hardware, laser- and microwave-based qubit control, multi-qubit quantum gates, two-dimensional ion crystals, quantum simulation, and quantum systems for modeling quantum chemistry and materials.
Professor Kim has published numerous landmark studies in world-renowned journals, including the demonstration of single-ion qubit coherence times exceeding one hour (Nature Communications, 2021), the realization of programmable Ising models using all-to-all entangling gates (Nature, 2019; PRL, 2025), quantum simulation based on 2D ion crystals (Nature Physics, 2024), and programmable bosonic networks using ion vibrational modes (Nature Physics, 2023). More recently, his group achieved a breakthrough by implementing coherence times exceeding ten hours through the use of decoherence-free subspaces.
At KAIST, Professor Kim will bridge the top-tier research infrastructure of the IBS Center with our School to foster advanced collaborative research and educational initiatives. His efforts will focus on next-generation quantum hardware systems and control algorithms that expand the horizons of quantum information science. In particular, he will mentor students in connecting foundational electrical engineering disciplines—such as system design, control, and optics—with quantum technology.
Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Professor Kihwan Kim. For further details on his research or for student recruitment inquiries, please refer to the links and contact information below.
- Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com.hk/citations?user=4iNn12QAAAAJ&hl=en
- IBS Center Website: https://www.ibs.re.kr/eng/sub02_03_18.do#
- Contact (E-mail): kimkihwan@ibs.re.kr / kimkihwan@gmail.com
