Kyoung-Shin Choi

Kyoung-Shin Choi is the CEO and co-founder of ELSUS, Inc., a startup commercializing innovative electrochemical technologies for the selective separation and recovery of critical metals from diverse feedstocks. ELSUS’s technology employs ion-storage electrodes with electrochemically switchable binding sites to selectively extract and recover rare earth elements, transition metals, main-group metals, and other valuable non-metal species like phosphate. By eliminating the need for organic solvents and operating under ambient conditions, the technology significantly reduces waste generation and process complexity while improving energy efficiency and processing speed.

Choi is a Professor of Chemistry (the Wayland E. Noland Distinguished Chair) at the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a research program focused on creating a sustainable future. She is an internationally recognized leader in electrochemistry and materials chemistry. She was awarded the 2023 Samsung Ho-Am Prize in Chemistry, widely regarded as South Korea’s highest scientific honor, and was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2024.