Professor Choongsik Bae from the Department of Mechanical Engineering has been nominated as a fellow of Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).

Professor Bae has been focusing specifically on research about the new combustion technology of automotive engines and the application of alternative fuel for the past 20 years. He was the first in Korea to receive the two prestigious awards Arch T. Colwell Merit Award and Harry L. Horning Memorial Award, in 1997 and 2006, respectively. His academic values and research accomplishments have been highly appreciated.

SAE International is a global society of scientists, engineers, and practitioners that seeks to advance self-propelled vehicle and system knowledge in a neutral forum for the benefit of society. It is also the largest automotive-related society that has about 140,000 automotive and aerospace experts and engineers. SAE International aims to create and sustain beneficial affiliation and interfaces that will add value, encourage innovation, and help form sound public policies. SAE keeps the mobility community informed on the latest and cutting-edge developments in the field through its well-recognized magazines, such as Automotive Engineering International, Aerospace Engineering, and Off Highway Engineering.

Only about 600 fellow members have been nominated since the establishment of the society in 1905. Approximately 20 fellow members are nominated annually, all of whom are leading experts who have contributed significantly to the field of automotive engineering.

In 2000, Professor Bae was nominated as the President's Researcher. He is currently the chief of the KAIST Engine Laboratory, which is devoted to fundamental research on internal combustion engines such as spark ignition and diesel engines. The lab is one of the several thermo-fluid research laboratories in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at KAIST.