Takbum Ohn
Chosun University, Republic of Korea
PhD Mentor
The Mentor Who Made All the Difference
My PhD years were some of the best in my life—not just scientifically, but also in terms of the work-life balance I experienced. All credit goes to Dr. Takbum Ohn, who not only guided my research but also made me feel completely at home. I don’t think anyone else in the world had a better PhD life than I did.
Dr. Ohn taught me the value of patience, especially during the PhD's middle phase when I struggled to produce positive results and felt uncertain about the direction of my project. He believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. He gave me hope, encouragement, the freedom to learn and always reminded me to accept science as it comes.
He is incredibly friendly, and I don’t recall ever discussing science outside the lab. We talked about sports, news, nature, went fishing and camping together, and shared stories about our families. He is a great mentor, and even after a decade since I left his lab, we still chat via Zoom at least twice a year.
He became much more than a mentor—he became a friend. That’s the kind of bond we built—one rooted in respect, support, and genuine connection.
Dr. Ohn never liked me working on weekends and strongly discouraged it.