Principal Investigator

Associate Professor | Korea University

노인수 (Insoo Ro)

Insoo Ro is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Korea University. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering (Magna Cum Laude) from Rice University in 2012 and his doctoral degree from University of Wisconsin at Madison under the supervision of Professors James Dumesic and George Huber. Following his degree, he worked as a postdoctoral scholar at University of California at Santa Barbara with Professor Phillip Christopher. From 2020 to August 2025, he was a faculty member at Seoul National University of Science and Technology before joining Korea University in September 2025. His research interests include heterogeneous catalysis, reaction kinetics, and in situ and operando characterizations.

Education
  • B.S. (2012) in Chemical Engineering, Rice University.
    Bachelor of Science, Chemical Engineering, Magna Cum Laude

  • Ph.D. (2017) in Chemical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison
    Advisors: Professors James A. Dumesic and George W. Huber
    Thesis: Synthesis, Characterization, and Catalytic Properties of Interfacial Sites on Supported Metal Catalysis
Experience
  • Postdoctoral Scholar (2017-2019), University of California-Santa Barbara
    Advisor: Professor Phillip Christopher
Community Service
  • Early Career Advisory Board, Journal of Catalysis
    Dec 2025 – present

  • Associate Editor (Catalysis, Reaction Engineering), Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering
    2023 – present

Awards and Honors
  • Chemical Society of Japan (CSJ) Lectureship Award 2025
    Chemical Society of Japan, 2026

  • Emerging Investigator in Chemical Communications
    Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), 2025

  • Emerging Investigator in Green Chemistry
    Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), 2025

  • 34th Science & Technology Outstanding Paper Award
    Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies, 2024

  • Excellent Teaching Award
    Seoul National University of Science and Technology, 2024

  • Miwon Young Scientist Award
    The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 2021

  • Kokes Award
    North American Catalysis Society, 2017

  • Doh Wonsuk Memorial Award
    Korean Institute of Chemical Engineering (KIChE)-US Chapter, 2016

  • International Symposium on Chemical Reaction Engineering (ISCRE) Travel Award
    Dow Chemical, 2016