UNIST Welcomes Go Legend Sedol Lee as Collaborating Professor

UNIST has announced the appointment of Sedol Lee, the renowned 9-dan ranked South Korean professional Go player, as a Collaborating Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering within the College of Engineering and the Graduate School of Artificial Intelligence. The three-year term begins on February 17 and extends to February 2028. This collaboration aims to create synergy between AI, Go, and UNIST’s research and educational programs.

UNIST anticipates that Professor Lee’s unique experiences will bolster its standing as a leading global research institution. He is expected to contribute through advisory roles, special lectures, and international exchange initiatives, showcasing UNIST’s advancements in the field of AI.

In a groundbreaking initiative, Professor Lee will co-lead a course titled “Creating Board Games for Scientists with Professor Sedol Lee” beginning in the upcoming semester, alongside Professor Kang Soo Lee of Mechanical Engineering. The year-long course will leverage Professor Lee’s expertise in Go to guide students in designing and developing board games, providing mentorship throughout the process.

“I am eager to share with students the experience of merging scientific thinking and creativity through the engaging medium of board games,” said Professor Sedol Lee.

An official appointment ceremony took place at UNIST on February 20, 2025.

An official appointment ceremony took place at UNIST on February 20, 2025. Prior to the ceremony, Professor Lee addressed graduating students with a congratulatory speech at the 2025 UNIST Commencement Ceremony, which took place in the UNIST Gymnasium.

Further enriching the curriculum, Professor Lee will deliver a special leadership lecture to 500 undergraduate students in 2025, drawing on his experience in AI Go matches. He previously presented a lecture at UNIST in September 2023, exploring the impact and evolution of artificial intelligence within the world of Go.

“Professor Lee’s collaboration will introduce a novel framework of thinking for our students,” stated President Chong Rae Park. “His innovative and strategic approach will breathe new life into UNIST’s research and educational endeavors.”

Professor Sedol Lee gained international recognition in 2016 when he played a series of matches against AlphaGo, a Google AI program. He demonstrated the potential for human-AI collaboration by winning one of the matches. This event underscored the impact of AI technology on industries. UNIST’s collaboration with Professor Lee promises to expand the boundaries of innovation within the field of AI.