Dr. Philseok Kim is a Program Director at ARPA-E. His interests include functional materials and composites, engineered surfaces and structures that enable and accelerate electrification and decarbonization of energy infrastructure with high energy-efficiency, resilience, and low carbon emissions.

Prior to joining ARPA-E, Dr. Kim co-founded Adaptive Surface Technologies, Inc. leveraging ARPA-E-funded SLIPS projects and commercialized fouling-resistant and fuel-saving ship hull coatings and additives. He also co-led the SLIPS project at Harvard University to improve the energy efficiency of refrigerators by reducing frost formation and defrost time. Dr. Kim has 12 years of industrial experience in petrochemicals, polymers, and coatings products.

Raised in South Korea, Dr. Kim received his B.S. and M.S. from Seoul National University then Ph.D. in chemistry at Georgia Institute of Technology. Dr. Kim has published over 40 papers in high-impact, peer-reviewed journals and holds about 40 issued patents in surface functionalization, dielectric nanocomposites, materials for organic field-effect transistors, hydrogel actuators, nanopatterning with electrodeposition, adaptive optical materials, and bio-inspired anti-fouling and anti-icing surfaces.

Technical Focus: Critical Materials; Grid; Efficiency; Industrial Decarbonization