Jimmy Kim, professor of civil engineering, organized the Bridge Engineering Institute Conference in 2019 (BEI-2019) in Honolulu, HI. The theme of the conference was Frontiers of Bridge Engineering. More than 200 people from 28 countries participated in technical and social activities during the four-day event, including five world-class plenary speakers. The Polynesian Luau (gala dinner in Hawaiian language) was the highlight of the conference.

Kim’s research interests encompass advanced composite materials for rehabilitation, structural informatics, complex systems, and science-based structural engineering, including statistical, interfacial, and quantum physics. He is chairing a national technical committee and participates in developing several design specifications and guidelines to translate research into practice. Kim, President of the Bridge Engineering Institute, is an elected Fellow of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) and elected Council Member of the International Institute for FRP in Construction (IIFC), and serves as an Associate Editor/Editorial Board Member of international journals.