KRISS Invites Nobel Laureate Klaus von Klitzing to Give Special Lecture and Research Advice

On October 17, KRISS invited Klaus von Klitzing, a professor and Nobel laureate, to give a special lecture in commemoration of its 47^th anniversary and the Year of Basic Sciences.

Professor Klitzing won the 1985 Nobel Prize for the discovery of the quantized Hall effect. In the same year, he was appointed director of the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research in Stuttgart.

In 2014, KRISS appointed Professor Klitzing as an honorary research fellow in recognition of his long-term collaborative efforts and contributions to the development of measurement standards.

The special lecture, which lasted for an hour and a half, was on the topic of “My Nobel Prize and the New Kilogram.” The session attracted over 150 participants, comprised of members of KRISS, researchers of government-funded research institutes, and students of KAIST and UST.

In the first half, the professor introduced his life and research achievements. In the second half, he explained how the quantum Hall effect (QHE) was applied to establish the new kilogram, adopted at the 26th meeting of the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) held in Versailles, France in 2018.

The participants had the opportunity to see and touch the Nobel Prize medal, and enjoyed listening to various interesting episodes. Professor Klitzing passionately answered questions during the Q&A, and continued even after the scheduled time.

▲ Prof. von Klitzing presents on ‘My Nobel Prize and the New Kilogram’

Professor Klitzing expressed a keen interest in the development of science and the fostering of scientific talent, saying, “As a winner of the Nobel Prize, it’s my duty to let more people know about natural sciences.”

At the end of the lecture, President Hyun-Min Park handed Professor Klitzing a plaque to thank him for his contributions to the institute’s development of measurement science. The event ended with a group photo of Professor Klitzing and the participants. 

▲ Plaque of appreciation handover and a group photo

On October 18, Professor Klitzing visited KRISS again to offer researchers professional advice on the quantum Hall effect in graphene, Kibble balance, and quantum technology.

After the two-day visit to KRISS, Professor Klitzing attended the 70th anniversary event of the Korean Physical Society in Busan, and delivered a keynote speech titled “Our New International System of Units.”

▲ Prof. von Klitzing takes a tour of KRISS laboratories with quantum technology researchers

Professor Klitzing’s visit and special lecture have greatly inspired not only researchers of KRISS and other government-funded research institutes, but also young minds who are expected to lead scientific communities in the future.