Go legend Lee Se-dol appointed as professor at UNIST

By Nam Hyun-woo

Go master Lee Se-dol will teach students at Ulsan National Institute of Science & Technology (UNIST) as a special professor for the next three years, the science university said Monday.

Lee, who joined the faculty as a special professor on Monday, will serve his three-year term until February 2028.

UNIST said he will focus on artificial intelligence (AI) research and its relevance to Go. His work will contribute to the improvement of the university’s research capabilities.

For this year's first semester, Lee will teach students with Professor Lee Kang-soo of the mechanical engineering department in a class titled “Board Game Development for Scientists.”

This first-year course helps students develop board games, leveraging Lee’s experience in launching his own Go-based board game.

“Through board games, I hope to share with students the experience of combining scientific thinking and creativity,” Lee said.

Lee, who enjoyed fame as one of the world’s best Go players, retired from competitive play in 2019 after a notable series of matches against Google’s AlphaGo AI in 2016. Although he lost the five-match series 1-4, his unexpected move in the fourth match, which led to his sole victory, remains one of the most iconic moments of his career.

At the time of his retirement, Lee said he would never be the top player with the debut of AI in Go games, and he was studying the impact of generative AI.

“Collaborating with Professor Lee Se-dol will provide students with a new framework for thinking,” UNIST President Park Chong-rae said. “His creative and strategic approach will bring fresh energy to research and education.”

Lee will be officially appointed during UNIST’s commencement ceremony on Thursday and will also hold a special lecture on leadership on Feb. 24 for 500 first-years joining the school this year.