Van der Waals Materials Research Center (vdWMRC, director: Seongil Im) was established in June 2017 as funded by National Research Foundation (NRF), Korea, to study two-dimensional (2D) solid-state materials in depth. These researches are aiming at finding unique properties of 2D semiconductors and other materials, and at finding any practical or potential applications of the 2D-based properties as well. One practical example among the applications is to possibly replace 3D Si-based conventional devices with 2D semiconductor devices, which is one of the world-focused projects. Our Center is categorized into three important research groups, mainly composed of Yonsei university physicists but also including renowned Korean researchers in other institutes: pure 2D materials synthesis and property probing, hetero 2D layer synthesis and probing, and 2D device fabrications and characterizations. In the history of Yonsei physics department, the vdWMRC is the second SRC (science research center nominated by NRF), since the first one, Atomic-scale Surface Science Research Institute (director: Chung-Nam Whang), in 1995. The vdWMRC has published many of the highest rank papers such as Nature, Nature Materials, Science, Nature Electronics, Advanced Materials, Nature Communications, Science Advances, and Advanced Functional Materials, which represent 2D sciences and applications.

Reduction of carbon dioxide, a common fuel forming reaction in the renewable energy cycle, has been studied extensively in recent years; yet, due to the complexity of reaction pathways involving numerous potential products, is far from having its mechanism elucidated. In order for comprehensive understanding of the reaction at the molecular level to be realized, an ensemble of in-situ and operando analytical techniques must be performed. These analytical methods involve spectroscopies to electrochemical analyses, and extends to quantum mechanical calculations. In this collaborative research consortium, we strive to combine the expertise of physical and analytical chemists, such that in fruition, comprehensive and complete molecular level understanding of the carbon dioxide reduction mechanism can be realized.

Founded in 1997 as a research institute affiliated with Yonsei University, the Eunha Jinhwa Research Center successfully carried out NASA and Eunha Jinhwa Space Observation Mission for the first time in Korea. We published 419 papers in the top 10% international journals such as Astrophysics Journal, MNRAS, Nature, and Science. Recently, a surprising discovery challenging the standard theory of international academia has heralded a major wave in galaxy formation, evolution, accelerated expansion, and dark energy research. Through the newly selected university-focused research institute support project in 2022, we would like to continue pioneering research that has been upgraded more than before and establish ourselves as a leading research team in international academia.