The US Particle Accelerator School awarded Sang-Ho Kim its 2025 prize for Achievement in Accelerator Science and Technology for his “visionary leadership and technical excellence in the development of the world’s first high-power hadron superconducting linear accelerator, and for mentoring the next generation of experts in the field.”
Since he joined the Spallation Neutron Source project at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 1999, Kim has been instrumental in the facility’s design, construction and continuing operation.
Research Accelerator Division Director Fulvia Pilat said, “Sang-Ho is an exceptional leader with great technical and organizational skills, and I have been truly privileged to work with him here at the SNS.”
Born and educated in South Korea, Kim is the section head for the Accelerator Systems, Research Accelerator Division. He oversees the design, operation and research of various accelerator systems, including superconducting linear accelerator systems, radio-frequency systems, front-end systems and electrical power conversion systems. Kim has authored over 100 publications and, until the project’s recent completion, also served as the technical director for the SNS Proton Power Upgrade project.
“Sang-Ho has played a pivotal role in advancing the SNS accelerator, increasing its energy, power, and reliability,” said Matt Howell, group leader for Superconducting Linac Systems. “His technical expertise is matched only by his kindness and humility – hallmarks of true leadership excellence.”
The USPAS prize honors individuals on a competitive basis by recognizing their outstanding achievements over the full range of accelerator science and technology.
USPAS is a national consortium seated at Fermi National Laboratory in Illinois. The organization stages a graduate-level education program in particle beam science and associated accelerator technologies twice a year at universities across the U.S.
Kim will receive a certificate of merit and a cash award at the North American Particle Accelerator Conference, August 2025, in Sacramento, CA. – Paul Boisvert
