Dr. Jisun Kim is a Research Associate at UBC Blusson QMI. She specializes in ultra-high vacuum (UHV) systems and has extensive experience with both homebuilt and commercial low-temperature scanning tunnelling microscopes (STMs).

Since joining UBC Blusson QMI in 2017, Dr. Kim has played a key role as a staff scientist in the Laboratory for Atomic Imaging Research (LAIR), working closely with UBC Blusson QMI Principal Investigator Prof. Sarah Burke to advance cutting-edge research while nurturing the next generation of quantum talent.

Image: Dr. Jisun Kim, Staff Scientist, UBC Blusson QMI.

Dr. Kim contributes to the design, development, and operation of advanced scanning probe instruments. She primarily operates and maintains the Tesla STM—a Joule-Thomson STM capable of reaching 1 K with a 3 T magnetic field and equipped with ARPES capabilities—while also supporting the operation and maintenance of other STMs within the group. Notably, she has led the design and development of the 4-probe STM, a groundbreaking platform that will enable the exploration of charge and spin transport at the atomic scale.

Dr. Kim is deeply committed to training graduate students. She guides them through every stage of their research projects—from experimental design and data collection to analysis. By providing hands-on training in ultra-high vacuum systems and STM techniques, she equips students with critical technical skills while fostering their ability to think independently, solve complex problems, and effectively communicate scientific discoveries.

Through her expertise, leadership, and collaboration with Prof. Sarah Burke, Dr. Kim plays a vital role in preparing emerging researchers for successful careers in quantum science and technology.

Dr. Kim earned her BSc in Physics from Yonsei University in South Korea and her PhD from the University of Texas at Austin. During her PhD, she worked in the Nanoelectronic Materials Research Group, led by Prof. Shih, renowned for research on quantum thin films. Following her PhD, she joined Prof. Plummer’s group at Louisiana State University as a postdoctoral researcher, where she shifted her focus to correlated electron materials, including iron-based high-temperature superconductors and topological materials.

Outside her contributions to quantum research, Dr. Kim enjoys Vancouver’s vibrant outdoor lifestyle and has embraced curling since moving to Canada.