Interview with Prof. Dong Ha Kim - Editorial Board Member of Energy Materials
On October 23, 2026, the Energy Materials editorial team had the pleasure of interviewing Prof. Dong Ha Kim, a member of the journal's Editorial Board. His research spans several areas, including chirality-related strategies for lithium–oxygen batteries, oxygen electrocatalysis for zinc–air batteries, and chiral nanomaterials for anti-counterfeiting applications, reflecting his expertise in electrocatalysis and functional materials.
The interview focused on the continued development of Energy Materials. Prof. Kim shared valuable suggestions on enhancing the journal’s international visibility, maintaining a rigorous and efficient peer-review process, and better addressing researchers' practical needs. He also highlighted promising research directions, including next-generation batteries, electrocatalysis and photocatalysis for energy conversion, and AI-driven energy materials and devices. In addition, he discussed the importance of engaging leading scientists in Special Issue initiatives and strengthening the international representation of the Editorial Board. His insights offer valuable guidance for further enhancing the journal's academic reputation and expanding its reach within the global research community.
Watch the following video for expert insights from Prof. Dong Ha Kim:
Interview Questions:
1. Energy Materials has maintained an Impact Factor above 11 for three consecutive years, reflecting its steady development. However, we believe there is still considerable room to increase the journal's international visibility and reach more researchers worldwide. From your perspective, what would be the most effective ways to help more international scholars become aware of the journal and recognize its value?
2. Energy Materials is committed to providing valuable services to researchers and fostering academic exchange. For example, we have organized 15 online Webinars to date, providing a platform for researchers to share their work and exchange ideas. From your perspective, how attractive and valuable are these initiatives to researchers? What else could the journal do to make these services more valuable and appealing to the academic community?
3. In addition to providing researchers with opportunities to showcase their work, Energy Materials strives to maintain a rigorous yet efficient peer-review process, with an average of around 70 days from submission to acceptance. From your perspective, how important is a timely and rigorous review process when researchers choose a journal for their work? Do you think this could be a compelling advantage for Energy Materials, and how might we better communicate this to potential authors?
4. When researchers at your institution choose a journal for submission, what criteria do they usually prioritize? For example, do they focus more on the journal's impact factor, indexing status, or other factors?
5. Your recent research spans several interesting areas, including chirality-related strategies for lithium–oxygen batteries, oxygen electrocatalysis for zinc–air batteries, and chiral nanomaterials for anti-counterfeiting applications. Given your expertise in electrocatalysis and functional materials, which emerging research directions do you think hold the greatest potential for Energy Materials?
6. The research direction you mentioned sounds very promising. Do you think it would be suitable for a Special Issue that brings together the latest advances in this field?
About the Interviewee:
Prof. Dong Ha Kim is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Nanoscience at Ewha Womans University, South Korea, and Director of the Research Institute for Basic Sciences. His research focuses on polymer-based hybrid nanomaterials and multifunctional nanostructures, with applications in energy storage and conversion, optoelectronics, and environmental remediation. He received his Ph.D. in Fiber and Polymer Science from Seoul National University and conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) and serves in editorial roles for international journals, including Nanoscale and Nanoscale Advances.
Editor: Quinci Guo
Production Editor: Xingyue Luo
Respectfully Submitted by the Editorial Office of Energy Materials
