In 2016, Dr. Kim was named Engineer of the Year by the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies. The award recognizes the outstanding contributions of overseas Korean scientists who have made important scientific achievements and fostered international collaboration. Dr. Kim, of the NRC's Nanocomposites group, demonstrated the world's first, large-scale production of boron nitride nanotubes—which are 100 times stronger than steel, but six times lighter and able to withstand temperatures of up to 2,000 degrees Celsius—offering the potential to revolutionize the production of everything from military armour to building materials.