University of Seoul professors selected for technology commercialization project

Two University of Seoul professors have been selected for a government-led support program for technology commercialization, the university said Monday.

The two are Professor Song Oh-sung of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Professor Lee Seung-hwan of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

The program, part of the “2026 Technology Management Promotion Project” run by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the Commercialization Promotion Agency for R&D Outcomes, aims to support professors and researchers in commercializing technologies they have developed.

Song and Lee are expected to receive support under the “IP Star Scientist Support Program,” which is designed to help researchers put their outstanding research outcomes and intellectual property (IP) into practical use.

Professor Song Oh-sung, left, and Professor Lee Seung-hwan / Courtesy of the University of Seoul

The university said the two professors will carry out the full process of technology commercialization in collaboration with private sector agencies specializing in commercialization.

The program also aims to promote further development of intellectual property by researchers, leading to successful outcomes in technology commercialization, technology transfer and startup creation.

It added that selected research teams will receive support for up to three years and nine months, going through a two-stage evaluation covering IP advancement, technology development and commercialization performance.

According to the university, Song will carry out a project on IP advancement and commercialization of single-crystal synthetic diamond materials for next-generation heat sink applications.

The technology is designed to address extreme heat generated in high-power systems such as artificial intelligence (AI) data centers and electric vehicles. The goal is to commercialize ultra-high thermal conductivity, single-crystal diamond-based heat dissipation technology capable of replacing conventional metal materials.

Meanwhile, Lee will lead a project on the commercialization of AI-based high-frequency power conversion system design technology.

Through this project, he plans to establish a design process-centered IP portfolio and promote the commercialization of a design platform applicable across the power electronics field. The project aims to build a scalable commercialization model by securing patents, enhancing technology readiness levels and concluding technology transfer agreements.

“This selection represents a meaningful achievement in laying the foundation for our university’s outstanding research outcomes to be translated into tangible industrial value,” said Lee Moon-que, head of the Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation.

“We will continue to strengthen researcher-centered IP advancement and technology commercialization support so that our university’s research achievements can contribute to enhancing the nation’s industrial competitiveness,” he added.