Dr. Jun Kim, assistant professor of environmental engineering at Florida Polytechnic University, speaks at the renowned 2025 Future Leaders Conference in South Korea.
Dr. Jun Kim, assistant professor of environmental engineering at Florida Polytechnic University, represented both the University and the Korean-American community on the international stage at the prestigious 2025 Future Leaders’ Conference in Seoul, South Korea. His participation elevated Florida Poly’s visibility on the global scene and reinforced the institution’s growing role in innovative research.
Selected by the Consulate General of South Korea, Kim was one of only 60 professionals worldwide invited to the late-May event, which included high-level meetings with the acting South Korea prime minister and other top government officials.
“It was a privilege to be invited by the Korean government and an extraordinary opportunity to share the important work we’re doing at Florida Poly on the critical issue of water sustainability,” Kim said. “I wanted to show the world our capability for potential collaborations in terms of projects, exchange programs and research.”
Kim’s work focuses on advanced water treatment processes for residential drinking water, seawater desalination, municipal wastewater, and produced waters from industries. He is currently writing a technical manual on inland water desalination and concentration, and is the patent inventor of a seawater treatment system already adopted by several desert nations.
Kim delivered guest lectures during the trip and met with leaders of multiple universities. He said he hopes to build international relationships with these institutions, each benefiting from the other’s research work. At one of his stops, he discussed collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Water Works Authority, which supplies water to more than 10 million residents.
“We discussed how Florida and Korea manage water differently,” he said. “Sharing strategies and solutions benefits our collective ability to address global water challenges.”
At the conference, Kim reflected on his journey from South Korea to the United States, where he is now a citizen. He shared details about the cultural bridges he’s built over 15 years in Florida and highlighted the real-world impact of his water treatment research across communities and industries.
Kim’s message opened the door to conversations about the importance of building lasting global partnerships.
“The intention is international, institutional collaboration – joint research, scholar exchange, and impactful projects,” he said. “This was a strong step in that direction both for myself and Florida Poly.”
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Lydia Guzmán
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