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Curriculum vitae
Postdoctoral Researcher · Materials Research Laboratory
University of California, Santa Barbara
yblee@ucsb.edu · ORCID: 0009-0006-8996-0543
Academic CV overview · October 2026. The downloadable PDF contains the full publication and research record.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Polymer chemistry and network materials; molecular architecture; interfacial polymer science; sustainable materials; advanced manufacturing.
ACADEMIC & RESEARCH APPOINTMENTS
University of California, Santa Barbara · 2024–Present
Postdoctoral Researcher, Materials Research Laboratory
Advisor: Craig J. Hawker
Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology · 2015–2018
Researcher, Thin Film Materials Research Center
EDUCATION
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · 2019–2024
Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering
Advisor: Paul V. Braun
Thesis: Self-Healing Thermoset Polymers and Embedded 3D Printing via Chemical Activation
Seoul National University · 2013–2015
M.S., Chemical and Biological Engineering
Advisor: Dae-Hyeong Kim
Seoul National University · 2009–2013
B.S., Chemical and Biological Engineering
SELECTED HONORS & AWARDS
- Winner, 6th Annual Postdoc Talk Competition in Polymer Research, Georgia Tech SPN (2026)
- Alan J. Heeger Fellowship, Materials Research Laboratory & CNSI, UC Santa Barbara (2026)
- Schmidt Science Fellows Finalist (2025)
- Racheff-Intel Award, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2024)
- Kwanjeong Educational Foundation Fellowship (2019–2023)
- Outstanding Paper Award, KRICT (2017)
- Superior Presentation Awards, Materials Research Society of Korea (2016)
- The National Scholarship for Science and Engineering, Korea (2009–2012)
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
2025 ADVANCED MATERIALS
Y. B. Lee, Y. S. Kim, C. Chen, M. T. Hossain, B. A. Suslick, R. H. Ewoldt, S. H. Tawfick, J. S. Moore, N. R. Sottos, P. V. Braun.
Advanced Materials 37, e08568 (2025)
2024 ADVANCED MATERIALS
Y. B. Lee, B. A. Suslick, D. de Jong, G. O. Wilson, J. S. Moore, N. R. Sottos, P. V. Braun.
Advanced Materials 36, 2309662 (2024)
2026 ACS MACRO LETTERS
P. T. Getty, Y. B. Lee, T. Eom, C. A. D'Ambra, C. J. Hawker, C. M. Bates.
ACS Macro Letters 15, 1279–1285 (2026)
2026 POLYMER CHEMISTRY
H.-G. Seong, M. Xu, H. Beech, Y. B. Lee, K. Iwaso, C. J. Hawker.
Polymer Chemistry 17, 3809–3815 (2026)
2018 ADVANCED MATERIALS
Y. R. Lim, J. K. Han, S. K. Kim, Y. B. Lee, Y. Yoon, S. J. Kim, B. K. Min, Y. Kim, C. Jeon, S. Won, J.-H. Kim, W. Song, S. Myung, S. S. Lee, K.-S. An, J. Lim.
Advanced Materials 30, 1705270 (2018)
2017 ADVANCED MATERIALS
Y. B. Lee*, J. K. Han*, S. Noothongkaew, S. K. Kim, W. Song, S. Myung, S. S. Lee, J. Lim, S. D. Bu, K.-S. An.
Advanced Materials 29, 1604500 (2017)
2016 ADVANCED MATERIALS
Y. R. Lim, W. Song, J. K. Han, Y. B. Lee, S. J. Kim, S. Myung, S. S. Lee, K.-S. An, C.-J. Choi, J. Lim.
Advanced Materials 28, 5025–5030 (2016)
2016 NATURE NANOTECHNOLOGY
H. Lee*, T. K. Choi*, Y. B. Lee*, H. R. Cho, R. Ghaffari, L. Wang, J. Choi, T. D. Chung, N. Lu, T. Hyeon, S. H. Choi, D.-H. Kim.
Nature Nanotechnology 11, 566 (2016)
*Equal contribution.
Complete publication record on Google Scholar ↗
PATENTS & PATENT APPLICATIONS
- Paul V. Braun, Y. B. Lee, Gerald O. Wilson. “Self-healing Polymers and Formulation for Preparing a Self-Healing Polymer.” PCT/US2024/021718 (filed Mar. 27, 2024; WO 2024/206470 A2); U.S. Patent Application 18/619,062; EP 24781828.9; CN 202480023648.2; MX/a/2025/011489; CA 3,287,316; JP 2025-556582.
- P. Krishnan, J. Lessard, N. R. Sottos, J. S. Moore, C. Saengow, J. C. Cooper, Y. S. Kim, Y. B. Lee, S. H. Tawfick, Z. Xu, S. Huang. “Rapid Gelation of Thermoset Resin for Three-dimensional Printing using Frontal Polymerization.” U.S. Provisional Patent Applications 63/561,389 (filed Mar. 5, 2024) and 63/663,830 (filed Jun. 25, 2024); PCT/US2025/018287 (filed Mar. 4, 2025); U.S. National Stage Application 19/621,186 (filed Sept. 3, 2026).
- S. S. Lee, K.-S. An, J. Lim, S. Myung, W. Song, Y. B. Lee. “Manufacturing Method of Expanded Graphite.” Korea Patent (10-2028911-0000), granted Sept. 30, 2019.
- S. S. Lee, K.-S. An, J. Lim, S. Myung, W. Song, Y. B. Lee, S. K. Ji, S. J. Lee. “Synthesis Method of Graphene Oxide.” Korea Patent (10-1973663-0000), granted Apr. 23, 2019.
- S. S. Lee, K.-S. An, J. Lim, S. Myung, W. Song, J. K. Han, Y. B. Lee. “Piezoelectric Material, Preparation Method Thereof and Flexible Nanogenerator Comprising the Same.” Korea Patent (10-1826251-0000), granted Jan. 31, 2018.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
- Y. B. Lee. “Adaptive Polymeric Materials for Sustainability, Surface Engineering, and Advanced Manufacturing.” Meet the Faculty and Post-Doc Candidates Poster Session, 2026 AIChE Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, Nov. 2026. Accepted Poster Presentation.
- Y. B. Lee, et al. “Supporting media cured 3D printing of poly(dicyclopentadiene).” ACS Spring 2024, New Orleans, LA, Mar. 2024. Oral Presentation.
- Y. B. Lee, et al. “Self-healing polydicyclopentadiene prepared via frontal polymerization.” ACS Spring 2023, Indianapolis, IN, Mar. 2023. Oral Presentation.
TEACHING, MENTORING & SERVICE
- Certificate in Inclusive Teaching, UC Santa Barbara (2026)
- TA Development Program Workshops, UC Santa Barbara (expected 2026)
- Teaching Assistant, Physical Chemistry II, Seoul National University (Fall 2014)
- Research mentoring at UCSB, UIUC, and KRICT
- Peer Reviewer, Journal of Polymer Science (2025–Present)
- Peer Reviewer, Polymer Composites (2026)
- Materials Science Outreach Volunteer, El Camino Elementary School (2026)
- Self-Healing Materials Exhibit Lead, Beckman Institute Open House (2023)
