Soon Mo Park

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Cornell University

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About

Soon Mo Park is a rising researcher in the field of smart polymers and stimuli-responsive materials, with a particular focus on shape memory polymers and liquid crystalline elastomers. Park’s major contributions center on developing light-driven shape memory materials, most notably through the creation of azo-functionalized thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) that can be triggered by light rather than heat. This work, published in 2022 and already garnering 14 citations, opens new possibilities for soft robotics, injectable medical devices, and advanced electronics by enabling precise, remote actuation. Park has also advanced the characterization of chiral liquid crystalline elastomers, introducing a tomographic strain indicator that provides unprecedented insight into their internal deformation behavior—a 2025 publication that marks a significant methodological step forward. By bridging polymer chemistry and photoresponsive design, Park’s research demonstrates how molecular engineering can yield materials with programmable, reversible shape changes. With a growing citation record and innovative approaches to both material synthesis and analysis, Soon Mo Park is establishing a reputation as a creative force in the development of next-generation smart materials for biomedical and technological applications.