Byeong Jun Cha obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the Sungkyunkwan University, South Korea. He was then a Hyundai Motor scholar at the Sungkyunkwan University, where he completed his Master’s degree in chemistry. He continued academic study in the same research group, and obtained Ph.D. degree in chemistry for his work on surface studies of applied catalysts for air pollution mitigation. During his Ph.D. course, he was also a student researcher in Korea Basic Science Institute, where Byeong developed his scientific instrumentation skills and used advanced in-situ spectroscopic tools for catalysis research.

At Rice University, Byeong Jun is working with Professor Michael Wong in the department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. His research focuses on studying fundamental and applied aspects of gold-based bimetallic catalysis, which will lead to designing efficient catalytic structures for more energy-efficient and cleaner processes.

Aside from research, Byeong Jun enjoys outdoor activities such as running, hiking, and camping. He also likes listening to jazz.