Profile Photo: Robin Kim, Ph.D.

Robin
Kim, Ph.D.

Phone: 903.233.3926
Email: RobinKim@letu.edu

  • Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering


Robin received his undergraduate degree in electrical and computer engineering from Rice University. He continued his education at Rice, earning his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering. His doctoral research focused on how long-term intracortical microstimulation using ultraflexible neural electrodes drives neuroplasticity in the mouse somatosensory cortex. Robin loves teaching electrical and computer engineering and believes pairing classroom instruction with hands-on experience is one of the best ways to learn engineering. In his free time, Robin enjoys exercising, watching baseball, reading, memorizing Scripture, and spending time with his wife and toddler son.

 

Education

  • Ph.D., Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 2026
  • M.S., Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 2022
  • B.S., Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University, 2019

 

Experience

  • Doctoral Researcher, Rice University, 2019–2026
  • Instructor of Record, Biomedical Instrumentation Laboratory, Rice University, 2025
  • Graduate Teaching Assistant, Rice University, 2021–2025

 

Research Interests

  • Neuroengineering
  • Wearable sensing
  • Robot learning
  • Semiconductor devices and fabrication

 

Selected Publications

  • Kim, R., et al. Learning Induces Activation-Mechanism–Dependent Neural Plasticity in an Intracortical Microstimulation Task. Science Advances, 2026.
  • Kim, R., et al. Towards Precise Synthetic Neural Codes: High-Dimensional Stimulation with Flexible Electrodes. npj Flexible Electronics, 2025.
  • Lycke, R., Kim, R., et al. Low-Threshold, High-Resolution, Chronically Stable Intracortical Microstimulation by Ultraflexible Electrodes. Cell Reports, 2023.

 

Selected Presentations

  • “Ultraflexible Electrodes for Low-Threshold, High-Resolution Microstimulation: Chronic Stability and Neuronal Excitability Changes”, Society for Neuroscience. Minisymposium: Insights Into Sensorimotor Neural Circuit Dynamics via Electrical and Optogenetic Manipulation. Chicago, IL. Oct. 5, 2024, Oral presentation
  • “Longitudinal Investigation of Increased Neuronal Sensitivity to Intracortical Microstimulation”, InterfaceRice, Houston, TX. May 1, 2024, Lightning talk.
  • “Longitudinal Behavioral Detectability of Intracortical Microstimulation Using Ultra-Flexible Electrodes”, Restoring & Extending the Human Brain Neuroengineering symposium, Houston, TX. May 10, 2022, Oral presentation.

 

Conference Abstracts

  • R. Kim, R. Lycke, J. Montes, C. Xie, L. Luan. “Longitudinal Investigation of Increased Neuronal Sensitivity to Intracortical Microstimulation”. InterfaceRice. 2024.
  • R. Kim, R. Lycke, P. Zolotavin, J. Montes, Y. Sun, A. Koszeghy, E. Altun, B. Noble, R. Yin, F. He, Y. Jin, N. Totah, C. Xie, L. Luan. “Ultraflexible StimNET elicit chronically stable behavioral detection thresholds at low currents”. 9th Annual BRAIN Initiative Meeting. 2023.
  • R. Kim, R. Lycke, P. Zolotavin, J. Montes, Y. Sun, A. Koszeghy, E. Altun, B. Noble, R. Yin, F. He, Y. Jin, N. Totah, C. Xie, L. Luan. “Ultraflexible StimNET elicit chronically stable behavioral detection thresholds at low currents”. InterfaceRice. 2023.
  • R. Kim, R. Lycke, A. Koszeghy, B. Noble, R. Yin, J. Montes, N. Totah, C. Xie, L. Luan, “Longitudinal behavioral detectability of intracortical microstimulation using ultraflexible electrodes”. Gordon Research Conference: Neuroelectronic interface. 2022