Jin-Soo Kim - KR

What made you decide to apply for a grant at the Leading House Asia?
As I studied undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs only in South Korea, I wanted to have experience in studying and researching at a European university to expand my horizons. Then, I found about the Young Researchers Exchange Program between Korea and Switzerland which provides supporting visiting research institute for 3 months, so I proposed joint research. At that time, I was conducting research on Arctic warming-related teleconnection, and I got to know a professor, Prof. Dr. Gabriela Schaepman-Strub, at the University of Zurich who was studying the Arctic issue in depth. Especially, she was interested in boreal fires in the sub-Arctic region, so I conducted an analysis of Siberian fire activity with Arctic climate change.

How did you secure a host professor?
A co-supervisor of my PhD work mentioned a scientist from Switzerland (the host partner) once before and they met a few years before in the US. Even though I don’t have any connection with the host, I just sent out an opportunity of visiting Switzerland and my interests via email. The host kindly suggested me a video meeting and I could show my interest and potential collaborations and chat with the host. I firstly wrote down a research proposal and the host gave many comments on that to succeed in getting the scholarship.

How would you describe your experience of the programme?
Like became a graduate student at the University of Zurich, I got a desk and the help of the IT department to conduct research. Through group meetings on every Monday, the research conducted for the week was introduced to the team members and feedback was received. Because I majored in atmospheric and climate change science, I had no field experience in the Siberian region and no information on how wildfires actually occurred and spread. In this regard, frequent discussions with the host help me to find a way to combine her field experience and my research background.

What role did the Leading House Asia play in the programme?
Airfare and living expenses (CHF 2’000 per month) were supported through the Leading House Asia. The financial aid was provided quickly and accurately from the department manager of the University of Zurich, so there was no problem living in Switzerland, where the price was high.

What were the impacts you made through the project/partners/individual?
I couldn't finish all my research on a subject in 3 months, but I was able to design a solid research idea and continued to keep in touch with the host to develop my research even after returning to South Korea. The study started in 2017 was finally published in the journal Science Advances, which is a sister journal of Science, in January 2020. Because it was published in high impact journals, so it was covered a lot by media outlets. In particular, I had a telephone interview with the German National Public Radio (external page Deutschlandradio).

Kim, J.-S., J.-S. Kug, S.-J. Jeong, H. Park & G. Schaepman-Strub (2020), Extensive fires in southeastern Siberian permafrost linked to preceding Arctic Oscillation, Science Advances, 6(2), eaax3308, doi:10.1126/sciadv.aax3308

Based on the continuous exchange of idea research, the host suggested me a position as a senior researcher (Oberassistent) at the University of Zurich. I am working at the University of Zurich since April 2020 and I am also teaching Earth System Modelling course which is one of mandatory course of MSc in Earth System Science.

Testimonial: what were your personal experiences/thoughts on the bilateral cooperation experience?
Although there are many things I could learn through hard research in South Korea, I realized a lot that I was a man of limited scope (a frog in a well) while studying in Switzerland. In addition to personal meetings with the host, it was a new experience to discuss with doctoral/postdoctoral researchers within the department (with pizza), and the atmosphere of a research environment different from that of South Korea has created a lot of points to think about for doing science.

In addition, during the three-month training period, I was able to attend and present at several conferences in research-related fields in Europe, and through meaningful social networking, I was able to broaden my academic base.