Minki Kim, Ph.D.
Senior Research Associate
Center for Fluid Mechanics, School of Engineering
Engineering Research Center
345 Brook St, Providence, RI 02912
Email: minki_kim at brown dot edu

Research Interest
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Computational Fluid Dynamics for a Sustainable Environment
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Environmental Fluid Mechanics (oceanic eddy dynamics, ocean-sea ice-wind interaction, sea ice modeling)
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Multi-Phase/Multi-Physics Flow Systems (bioreactor/cell modeling for cultivated meat, cavitation)
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High-Fidelity Simulations, High-Performance Computing
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Employment
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Senior Research Associate in Center for Fluid Mechanics, Brown University, 02/2025 – Present
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Postdoctoral Research Associate in Center for Fluid Mechanics, Brown University, 02/2022 – 02/2025
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Project 1: Characterizing Arctic Ocean eddies, leveraging sea ice-ocean-wind simulations, satellite observations, and data assimilation methods (Mentor: Professor Monica Wilhelmus).
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Project 2: Developing an open-source bioreactor simulation toolkit for cultivated meat production (Mentor: Professor Daniel Harris & Radu Cimpeanu).
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Education
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Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering & Scientific Computing, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, 09/2016 – 01/2022
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M.S. in Mechanical Engineering (2018)
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Thesis: Energy Transport during Growth and Collapse of a Cavitation Bubble
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Advisor: Professor Eric Johnsen
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B.S. in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University, 03/2009 – 08/2016
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Exchange student, Purdue University (Spring 2016)
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Engineering technical staff as a Sergeant, ROK Air Force (2011 – 2013)
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Thesis: Turbulence and Bubble Dynamics in Gas-Liquid Pipe Flow
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Advisor: Professor Hyungmin Park
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Korea Science Academy (for the Gifted) of KAIST, 03/2006 – 12/2008
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Research high school student, Department of Aerospace Engineering, KAIST (2007)
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Research Grants
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Open-Source Computational Modeling of Fluid Motion, Mass Transport, and Cellular Dynamics in Bioreactors for Cellular Agriculture
Daniel M. Harris, Minki Kim (Co-PI) (2024)
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Developing an Open-Source Bioreactor Modeling Simulation and AI Optimization Tool for Cultivated Meat Production
Minki Kim (PI), Daniel M. Harris, Radu Cimpeanu (2024)
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Numerical Simulations of Shock Waves, Interfacial Instabilities, & Compressible Turbulence
Eric Johnsen, Minki Kim, Michael Wadas (2019)
Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE) awards for TACC
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Inertial Collapse of Individual Bubbles near Solid/Free Boundaries (highlighted)
Eric Johnsen, Shahaboddin Alahyari Beig, Mauro Rodriguez, Minki Kim (2019)
Great Lakes Consortium for Pentascale Computation (GLCPC) awards for Blue Waters
Publications
In preparation (manuscript available upon request):
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Characterization of sea ice kinematics over oceanic eddies (Journal of Fluid Mechanics, in second review)
Minki Kim, Georgy Manucharyan, Monica M. Wilhelmus
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Energy concentration and release during the inertial collapse of a spherical gas cavity in a liquid (Physical Review Fluids, in second review)
Minki Kim, Shahaboddin Beig, Eric Johnsen
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Characterizing the performance of a rocking bioreactor for efficient mixing and oxygen transfer (International Journal of Multiphase Flow, in review)
Minki Kim, Daniel M. Harris, Radu Cimpeanu
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Observing floe-scale sea ice motion in the Greenland Sea marginal ice zone during summer (Annals of Glaciology, in revision)
Daniel Watkins, Ellen Buckley, Minki Kim, Monica M. Wilhelmus
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Ocean enstrophy spectra inferred from Lagrangian sea ice observations (will be submitted to Geophysical Research Letters)
Minki Kim, Georgy Manucharyan, Michelle H. DiBenedetto, Ellen M. Buckley, Daniel M. Watkins, Monica M. Wilhelmus
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Energy transport during the inertial collapse of spherical bubbles (will be submitted to Physics of Fluids)
Minki Kim
International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer (2018)
International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer (2017)
Minki Kim, Jun Ho Lee, Hyungmin Park
Experiments in Fluids (2016)
Awards, Honors, and Fellowships
Research
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Polar Science Early Career Community Office Conference Travel Grant, 2023.
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American Geophysical Union (AGU) Cryosphere DEI Travel Award, 2023.
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Hanhwa Solutions and Total Energies Travel Fund Award, 2023.
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Brown U. School of Engineering Conference Travel Fund Award, 2023.
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U.S. National Committee for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics Presenter Fellowship, 2021.
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U. Michigan Richard F. & Eleanor A. Towner Prize for Distinguished Academic Achievement, 2021.
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U.S.–Korea Conference on Science, Technology, and Entrepreneurship Best Presentation Award, 2021.
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U. Michigan Chapter39 Phi Kappa Phi Project Grant Award, 2020.
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U. Michigan Rackham Conference Travel Grant, 2018, 2019, 2021.
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SNU Research Award for Undergraduate Independent Study Program, 2016.
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KSME (The Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers) Gold Prize at The 7th Fluids Engineering Competition, 2015.
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SNU Best Presentation Award for Undergraduate Thesis Presentation in ME, 2015.
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SNU Research Award (2nd Place) for the Undergraduate Research Program, 2015.
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NRF of Korea Silver Prize at The 7th Creative Design Competition for the Neglected 90% People, 2015.
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SNU Excellence Award at Summer High-Tech Equipment Program, 2015.
Academics & Activities
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U.S.–Korea Conference on Science, Technology, and Entrepreneurship Fellowship, 2021.
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Korean-American Scientists & Engineers Association-KUSCO Graduate Scholarship, 2021.
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U. Michigan Institute for Computational Discovery & Engineering Fellowship, 2019.
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Kwanjeong Educational Foundation Scholarship for graduate studies, 2016 – 2020.
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U. Michigan International Center Grant Fund, 2019.
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U. Michigan Rackham Graduate Student Community Grant, 2019.
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U. Michigan Block Grant Fellowship, 2017.
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U. Michigan Department of Mechanical Engineering Fellowship, 2016.
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SNU Cum laude for undergraduate studies, 2016.
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Purdue U., Dean's List and Semester Honors for Undergraduate Studies, 2016.
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SNU Exchange Program Fellowship, 2016.
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SNU Merit-Based Scholarship, 2009 – 2011; 2013 – 2015
Work
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Graduate Research Assistant, Scientific Computing & Flow Physics Lab, U. Michigan, 06/2017 – 01/2022
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Advisor: Professor Eric Johnsen
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Graduate Research Assistant, Ultrasound Lab, Michigan Medicine, U. Michigan, 02/2019 – 12/2019
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Advisor: Professor J. Brian Fowlkes
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Graduate Research Assistant, Heat Transfer Physics Lab, U. Michigan, 08/2016 – 06/2017
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Advisor: Professor Massoud Kaviany
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Undergraduate Research Student, Complex Fluids & Multiphase Flows Lab, Purdue U., 01 – 05/2016
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Advisor: Professor Arezoo Ardekani
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Undergraduate Research Assistant, Multiphase Flow & Flow Visualization Lab, Seoul National U., 06/2014 – 08/2016
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Advisor: Professor Hyungmin Park
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Undergraduate Research Team Leader, Dynamic Robotic Systems Lab, Seoul National U., 03 – 12/2015
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Advisor: Professor Jaeheung Park
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Research & Education Program Student, Rocket Lab, KAIST, 03/2007 – 02/2008
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Advisor: Professor Sejin Gwon
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Teaching & Mentoring
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Research Advising
Brown U. Mentor for Graduate Students
• Rebeca Castro, Adam Poche (2024–Present)
Brown U. Mentor for a Voss Undergraduate Research Fellow in Environmental Science and Communication
• Serena Vu (2024–Present)
Brown U. Mentor for Karen T. Romer Undergraduate Teaching and Research Awardees
• Mina Bahadori (2024–Present), Nasir Perera-Olivo (2024–Present), Fabio Villatoro (2024), Leo Zhang (2024–Present), Martins Atilla (2024), Benjamin Newcomb (2022–2023, currently a researcher at MIT nano lab)
Brown U. Mentor for Undergraduate Research Projects
• Simon Hatcher (2022, currently a graduate student at Oxford)
U. Michigan Mentor for Undergraduate Research Projects
• Yuenong Ling (2020–2021, currently a doctoral student at MIT)
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Instructor
• Global Research Program, Sejong Academy of Science and Arts (01/2025)
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Guest Instructor and Graduate Mentor
• Graduate-Level Fluid Mechanics (ENGN 2820), Brown School of Engineering (Spring 2023/2025)
• Math Program for Female High School Students, Brown Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Mathematics (08/2023)
• Undergraduate-Level Fluid Mechanics (ME 320), U. Michigan (Winter 2018, Fall 2019–Summer 2020)
Other Experiences
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Organizer of a social event for polar early career scientists and educators, 02/2024.
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Mentor of Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee mentoring program, 09/2023 – Present.
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Mentor of AGU College of Fellows Mentoring Network, 01/2023 – Present.
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Instructor for Girls Get Math Program, ICERM, Brown U., 08/2023.
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Mentor of APS DFD Peer-Mentoring program, 11/2022, 11/2023.
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Vice President and Interim President of Scientific Computing Student Club in U.Michigan, 01/2019 – 12/2021
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Student Vice President of Phi Kappa Phi Chapter 39 in U. Michigan, 09/2020 – 05/2021.
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Graduate Mentor in ME at U. Michigan, 05 – 09/2017, 09/2019 – 02/2020.
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Member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, 03/2019 – 12/2021.
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Chair of SNU-UM Mechanical Engineering Alumnae, 09/2018 – 08/2019.
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Volunteer of Qualifying Exam practice session in ME at U. Michigan, 10/2018.
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Mentor of Student Mentoring Program in Seoul National U., 09/2014 – 06/2015.
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Oboist of Amateur Philharmonic Orchestra in Seoul National U., 03/2009 – 04/2011.
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Chair & Executive of Catholic Student Association in Seoul National U., 03/2009 – 12/2015.