Rate My Professor Soonho Lee

Dr. Soonho Lee serves as an Honorary Lecturer in the School of Engineering within the College of Engineering, Science and Environment at the University of Newcastle, Australia. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering from the University of Newcastle, completed in 2019, along with a Master of Science and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Pusan National University in South Korea. His research specializes in sustainable energy technologies, with a particular emphasis on sustainable cokemaking and ironmaking processes. Lee's investigations delve into the chemical and thermal behaviors of metallurgical coals during coking, employing advanced synchrotron-based techniques such as micro-CT and infrared microspectroscopy to elucidate plastic layer formation and permeability. Additionally, his work encompasses hydrogen and ammonia production and utilization, including high-pressure pyrolysis of brown coal for hydrogen generation and low-catalytic hydrogen combustion, as well as the thermochemical conversion of coal to advanced carbon materials like 3D graphitic carbon foams for lithium-ion battery anodes.

As a key researcher and research associate at the University of Newcastle, Dr. Lee has authored numerous high-impact publications in prestigious journals such as Fuel, Energy & Fuels, and Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis. Notable works include "Chemical characterization of microtexture transformation during plastic layer formation via synchrotron macro ATR-FTIR microspectroscopy" (2025), "In Situ FTIR-MS Study—Correlations of Coal Properties with FTIR-Derived Structural Parameters and MS-Evolved Gases" (2025), "Mechanistic study of plastic layer permeability during coking of Australian metallurgical coals" (2023), "HRTEM analysis of carbon structure evolution during the formation of metallurgical coke and impacts on coke quality" (2023), and "Advances in the understanding of the formation and chemistry of the plastic layer during coke-making: A comprehensive review" (2020). His research has attracted significant funding, including projects from the Australian Coal Association Research Program (ACARP), ARC Steel Hub, and Discovery grants where he serves as principal or chief investigator. Dr. Lee has fostered international collaborations, instrumental in establishing the International Collaborative Centre for Carbon Futures (ICCCF) at the Newcastle Institute for Energy & Resources in partnership with Pusan National University and Korean industry partners such as POSCO and Hyundai Steel. This initiative has secured AUD 3.92 million, with AUD 1.32 million allocated to Australian research on green ammonia production and utilization for power generation.