Dr. HEEJIN SHIM - Manufacturing - Best Researcher Award

Korea Institute of Fusion Energy - South Korea

Author Profile

SCOPUS

ORCID

🎓 Early academic pursuits

Hee Jin Shim began her academic journey in mechanical engineering at hanyang university, republic of korea, where she earned her m.s. degree (2003–2005) and ph.d. degree (2005–2010). her graduate research emphasized fatigue, fracture, and reliability, focusing on mechanical system durability. her doctoral thesis, “a study on the durability evaluation with strain-hardening characteristics for cold forged pulley,” showcased advanced understanding in continuum mechanics, vibration fatigue, mechanical testing, and ut inspection, laying a solid foundation for high-level engineering applications, including power electronics systems where structural integrity is paramount.

💼 Professional endeavors

Shim’s career reflects a consistent evolution in the field of nuclear engineering and tokamak technology. from july 2010 to april 2014, she served as a senior researcher at kepco e&c co., inc., contributing to the continued operation and safety of phwr and candu plants, including fatigue assessments and system design for the apr+. since may 2014, she has been a pivotal member of the korea institute of fusion energy (kfe), advancing from the Manufacturing blanket technology team to the diagnostics & codac technology team. her current role as principal researcher within the tokamak engineering department highlights her leadership in fusion device components and system integration.

🔬 Contributions and research focus

Shim’s core research focuses on mechanical integrity assessment, particularly in fusion energy and nuclear systems. she has contributed significantly to manufacturing assessments, non-destructive evaluations (nde), and ultrasonic testing (ut) procedures for high-precision components such as shield blocks and diagnostic shield modules (dsm). her work ensures the reliability and safety of fusion devices, involving complex cad modeling (catia/enovia) and Manufacturing qualification of pic components. shim's cross-disciplinary expertise bridges material science, mechanical testing, and power electronics, particularly in harsh environments where component reliability is essential.

🌐 Impact and influence

Shim’s influence is most evident in her contributions to international fusion collaborations, especially in the iter project. her leadership in the development, supervision, and qualification of blanket shield blocks and dsm prototypes has helped standardize best practices for manufacturing and inspection in fusion engineering. shim’s efforts in integrating structural design with Manufacturing advanced ut procedures and environmental fatigue assessments have enhanced operational safety in both nuclear power plants and fusion reactors—key sectors increasingly integrated with power electronics for system control and diagnostics.

📚 Academic cites

While her research is deeply embedded in practical engineering applications, shim’s academic contributions are equally notable. her work on strain-hardening characteristics, fatigue monitoring systems, and non-destructive evaluation procedures continues to be cited in both academic and industrial literature. her collaboration in long-term government and energy projects has also led to technical documentation used in Manufacturing regulatory and development frameworks for next-generation reactors and tokamak systems.

🌟 Legacy and future contributions

Shim’s legacy is built on combining mechanical engineering precision with nuclear fusion innovation. as fusion energy moves toward commercialization, her ongoing work in codac technologies, system integration, and component durability will remain essential. her future pursuits likely include the refinement of inspection standards, the integration of smart diagnostics, and the development of components resilient to high-stress operational cycles—especially where power electronics and mechanical systems must seamlessly interact for safe energy conversion.

Notable Publications

• Title: Manufacturing Assessment of the Simplified Full-Scale Prototype of Diagnostics Shield Module (DSM) for Application of ITER Upper Port 18
  Author(s): [Author information not provided in the available data]
  Journal: Fusion Engineering and Design, August 2025

• Title: Corrigendum to “Shut-down dose rate analysis for final design of shielding tent in port interspace of ITER UP#18”
  Author(s): [Author information not provided in the available data]
  Journal: Fusion Engineering and Design, 2024

• Title: Optimization of Processing Parameters in Deep Penetration Electron Beam Welding of Stainless Steel 316L for ITER Diagnostic Shield Module Application
  Author(s): [Author information not provided in the available data]
  Journal: IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, 2024

• Title: The Diagnostic Rack Design and the Functional Demonstration of the Locking Mechanism for ITER Diagnostic Lower Port Integrations
  Author(s): [Author information not provided in the available data]
  Journal: Fusion Engineering and Design, 2024

• Title: A Comparison Study on the Derivation of In-Structure FRS During Seismic Events for Application of ITER Upper Port 18
  Author(s): [Author information not provided in the available data]
  Journal: Fusion Engineering and Design, 2023