Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)

This course provides an introduction to research methodology with an emphasis on experimentation. The goal of this course is to teach students how to turn an idea into a good research question and then turn that question into rigorous research studies. To do so, we survey a variety of basic and advanced research techniques, including experimental, behavioral, observational, survey, and physiological methods. Students participate in discussions to understand the applications of each class topic to their research interests. Finally, students design their own studies that utilize methodological approaches.  

Topics include Having and testing ideas, Operationalization and issues of validity, Statistical power and correlational design: measurement construction, Experimental design, Repeated sampling, Survey, Unobtrusive measures and observation, Inducing and assessing emotions, Physiological methods, Dyadic and group designs, Meta-analysis and cross-cultural research, Presenting and publishing research. 

This course introduces undergraduate students to the labs in the chemistry department. Through the lab visit experience as a small group, students learn the diverse aspects of research in cutting-edge chemistry. Groups will visit 9 labs. Students produce two term-reports and a summary regarding lab visits. 

This interdisciplinary course examines the biological, psychological, social, and cultural dimensions of sleep and circadian rhythms. We will investigate the science behind sleep: its functions, regulation, and role in health, cognition, and emotion.  

In parallel, the course will explore how sleep has been represented in literature, visual art, music, and film. We will consider how artists and thinkers have interpreted dreams, memory, insomnia, and altered states of consciousness, and how these portrayals reflect and inform our evolving understanding of the sleeping mind. 

Topics include What Is Sleep, and Why Does It Matter; The Physiology of Sleep; Circadian Rhythms and Biological Timekeeping; Sleep and the Brain; Dreams: Science and Symbolism; Sleep and Society; Sleep Disorders; Sleep in Art, Music, and Film 

There is no prerequisite for this course; however, a basic understanding of neuroscience, biology, and physiology concepts will be beneficial for students. 

This advanced course introduces the basics of artificial intelligence, which include learning, searching, knowledge management, inference, and their applications. Transformer and Large Language Model are mainly discussed in addition to other types of deep neural networks. Classical artificial intelligence topics (before the deep learning era) is also overviewed. Applications to solve web, industrial, and scientific problems with artificial intelligence will also be introduced. 

Prerequisite: It is strongly recommended that students complete other basic machine learning and deep learning courses before enrolling in this course. The instructor reviews the basics of machine learning and deep learning, but it is not a guarantee that the review will be enough for students who did not previously take any related courses.  

This course covers the fundamentals of technological innovation management and strategy. Students explore how firms and nations develop, implement, and manage technological innovation to create competitive advantages in the global market.  

The course focuses on key aspects of firms’ innovation strategy and management, including sources and types of innovation, firms’ decisions regarding market entry with new technologies, evaluation and selection of R&D projects, standards competition, and intellectual property strategies (including patenting strategy). Additionally, students develop analytical skills to work with archival data commonly used in quantitative technology management research, including metadata from research papers and patents. 

This course introduces the fundamental properties and characteristics of solid-state materials and structures used in modern semiconductor devices and integrated circuit (IC) technologies. 

Topics include Solid-State Electronics and applications, Crystal structure of solids, Introduction to quantum mechanics, Introduction to the quantum theory of solids, Semiconductor in equilibrium, Carrier transport phenomena, Excess carriers in semiconductors, The pn junction. 

This course analyzes the changing roles and functions of museums in a digital era. Students examine virtual museums, mobile applications, e-learning, and digital strategies. We also explore trends and horizons of museum technology to shape a museum of the future. Students complete article reviews and a project for a better understanding of the museum of our age. 

Topics include What is a museum, Museums in the digital age, Museum informatics, Digital collections management, Digital preservation, 3D applications in museums, Interactive museums, Case studies, Trends, HCI in the museum context, Virtual museums. 

This course covers modern spectroscopic techniques used for structure elucidation of organic compounds and spectral data analysis techniques. 

Lectures on natural products biosynthesis and structure determination will be given at the end of the course.  

This course is specifically designed for students who will be practicing the structure determination of organic molecules for their research project. 

Topics include Basic Principles of NMR I, Basic Principles of NMR II; NMR Chemical Shift, Proton NMR (Mosher Ester Analysis + CASA reagent); Coupling Constants, Murata J-Based Method; Nonclassical Coupling + NMR Calculations, 2D NMR I (COSY, HSQC, HMBC); 2D NMR II (Other NMR Techniques), 2D NMR Peak Assignment Practice; 2D NMR Unknown Determination; Mass Spec Ionization; Mass Spec Application + Analyzer, Mass Spec Fragmentation analysis I; Mass Spec Fragment Analysis II, IR Group Frequency; Practical X-ray microED (Video Lecture), Biosynthesis I Introduction; Biosynthesis II NRPS, Biosynthesis III PKS; Biosynthesis IV Terpenes + Alkaloids, Biosynthesis V Review. 

This course surveys Korean history from antiquity to the present, tracing the evolution of politics, society, and culture on the peninsula. The course begins with Old Joseon and the Three Kingdoms, examining early state formation, before turning to the Goryo dynasty and the establishment of Joseon. We highlight the structures of Joseon society, cultural achievements, and Korea’s place within the East Asian world, including encounters with Ming China and Japan during the Imjin War. In the modern era, we explore the Daehan Empire, the colonial period under Japanese rule, and the profound transformations that followed liberation and the Korean War. The course then examines the divergent paths of North and South Korea, with particular focus on South Korea’s rapid industrialization, the rise of chaebol, and the movement toward democratization. 

This special topics course includes the following topics: How filmmakers use their depictions of robots, androids, and AI to comment on contemporary science, society and culture; How developments in real-world science and technology have influenced cinema, and how the real science of AI has been influenced by science fiction; How to analyze and interpret science fiction films in terms of their themes and symbolism (what is the message of this movie?) and historical significance (why was this film important, and what events from history influenced its creation?) 

Students explore film analysis, terminology, and methodology through films, readings, group discussions, and debates.