ForeverMissed
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This memorial website was created in memory of our loved one, Sihyun Ham, born on November 29, 1969, and passed away on January 16, 2021. We would appreciate it very much if you could leave a message or share a story which you had with Sihyun.

You first have to "Sign In" to leave a message or story. This is to avoid SPAM, and we appreciate your understanding. You can use your nickname if you want.

You can share your story with Sihyun in "STORIES". You can add a picture there. When you upload it, you can choose whether to add your picture also to "GALLERY".

Sihyun's CV, her achievements (researches and publications), and more photos can be found at Ham Lab's website: http://ham.sookmyung.ac.kr
January 21
January 21
Dear Professor Ham,

Three years have passed, yet your influence remains a guiding force in my life.
I've achieved my Ph.D. and have moved on to a new job, milestones that I attribute to your teaching.
I would not have made it if it weren't for your devotion, and I can't thank you enough.
Your wisdom and dedication live on in me and your other students.

Remembering you always,
Tony Cho
January 18
January 18
사랑하는 누나에게,

벌써 3년이 지났네. 무뎌질수 없을것 같던 기억들이 세월 속에 조금씩 희미해져가는것 같애. 아직 누나에 대해 떠올리면 눈물 한움큼과 가슴 한구석이 찌릿해지긴 하지만..
어제 오랜만에 봉안당 가서 좋아하던 교회 복음송과 찬송가들 부르고 왔지.꽃은 이미 넘 많아서 정리만 하고 생일때 놓고왔던 초밥두 그냥 두고왔어.담엔 좋아하는 쌀국수 갖고 갈게.빛나던 모습 사진두 몇장 더해주고..
생전에 힘들었던 기억들은 모두 잊고 하느님과 행복하게 지냈음 좋겠어. 인류를 위한 놀라운 연구들은 남은 동료,후배들이 뜻을 이어받아 더욱 열심히 하고 있으니까 지켜봐주면 될거 같애. 분명 누나의 뜻이 이땅에서 실현될 날이 올거라 믿어.
올해는 좀 더 누날 기리고 추억할수 있는 일들을 찾아보려해. 남은 사람들 건강하고 행복하게 지낼수 있게 기도해줘. 항상 고맙고 사랑해.

막둥이 창근이가.

I missed you to memorize your devotion and love to my family for years, and do too now and future. Always thank and love you. I hope you feel good and comfortable with your loving GOD in heaven.

Younger brother Chang Keun Ham.
May 15, 2023
May 15, 2023
교수님께,

안녕하세요. 지현입니다.
올해도 스승의 날을 맞아 찾아왔어요. 퇴근 전에 짧게 글을 남깁니다.

작년 5월은 따뜻했던 것 같은데 올해는 개화 시기도 일찍 찾아오면서 지금은 초여름 같은 날씨네요. 날씨로 시간이 가는 것을 느끼고 있습니다~
저는 올해 8월에 석사 졸업을 앞두고 학위 논문도 쓰고 연구도 마무리하면서 바쁘게 지내고 있어요.
그리고 가을학기부터 미국으로 박사 유학을 가게 되었어요! MacKerell 교수님과 Bernie 교수님의 공동지도를 받으면서 열심히 배우고 많이 성장하고 오려구요.
석사 과정 중에 교수님과 함께한 마지막 연구를 잘 마무리하면서 학문적으로 더 성장해야할 필요성도 많이 느껴서 또 새로운 과정을 도전해보려고 합니다.
새 시작은 늘 두렵고 불안한 것 같아요. 그래서 지금도 출국을 몇 달 앞두고 많이 두렵지만 교수님의 자랑스러운 제자가 되고 교수님처럼 계산화학자로서 좋은 영향을 끼치기 위해 거쳐야하는 과정이라고 생각하니 잘 이겨낼 수 있을 것 같아요! 여러모로 교수님께 좋은 영향을 받고 있는 것 같아요. 이 은혜 잊지 않겠습니다.
교수님, 늘 정말 존경합니다. 스승의 날 축하드립니다!

이지현 드림
January 17, 2023
January 17, 2023
사랑하는 누나에게,

벌써 2년이 흘렀네. 어제 찾은 누나의 자리에 항상 따스한 웃음으로 맞이해주는 그 예쁜 모습을 더하려 사진액자를 몇개 더 놓고왔어. 맘에 들었나 모르겠네. 혼자 있을 외로움을 덜할까 지난 11월 생일에 미리 놓았던 크리스마스 장식은 거두고 말야. 사람들과 어울리는걸 좋아했던 누나에게 무엇을 더해줄까 고민해도 항상 부족한거 같네. 실제 하늘에선 외롭지 않게 잘 지내고 있겠지? 빛나던 연구는 동료,제자들이 이어가고 있으니 걱정말고 언젠가 이어진 성과물로 세상을 더 밝게 비추는 날 꼭 누나한테 와서 전하고 함께 기뻐할게. 맘 편히 잘 지내고 지켜봐줘. 남아있는 가족들도 건강히 잘 지내고 있으니 걱정말고. 특히 언제나 누날 너무도 그리워하는 엄마가 다시 만날 그날까지 건강히 지내다 가실수 있도록 지켜줬으면 좋겠어.언젠가 하늘에서 우리 다같이 만나는 날 환히 웃으며 맞이해줘.누나의 빈자린 항상 티가 나고 그 무엇으로도 채울수 없지만 함께 했던 행복한 기억으로 살아갈께. 부족한 동생이지만 누나로 태어나줘서 행복했고, 고맙고 사랑해.

동생 창근이가
January 17, 2023
January 17, 2023
한 해를 시작하고 다시 받아본 함교수님 기일 알림 메세지.

한해가, 하루가, 한 시간이 얼마나 소중한지 생각해 보라고, 함교수님이 하늘에서 직접 메세지 보내주시는것 같아, 다시 한번 마음을 다잡아봅니다. 

I Miss You,
 Jan 2023
January 16, 2023
January 16, 2023
Dear Professor Ham,

Two years have passed already.
I passed my defense all thanks to your teaching.
I miss you a lot when times are difficult, but I know you are still watching over me.
Please know that because of you, my world has become a brighter place.
I will do my best to make you proud!

Sincerely,
Tony Cho
May 15, 2022
May 15, 2022
교수님께,


교수님, 안녕하세요. 지현입니다.
오늘은 스승의 날이에요. 작년엔 이맘때쯤 교수님을 뵈러 갔었는데 올해는 그러지 못해 죄송합니다.
저는 아직도 새내기 때 교수님을 처음 뵀을 때가 기억나요.
학생들에게 자신감을 주고 응원을 해주셨을 때 교수님의 눈빛이 좋았거든요.

그리고 저도 벌써 석사 1년차가 되어가요. 새로운 환경에서 잘 적응하고 있으니 걱정하지 않으셔도 돼요! 가끔 연구하는 것은 어렵고 외롭지만, 제가 여러 사람들로부터 받았던 많은 도움을 생각하면 힘이 나요. 그래서 더 열심히 할 수 있는 것 같아요. 앞으로도 열심히해서 좋은 연구자가 될게요!

오늘도 날씨가 너무 좋아요. 교수님이 계신 곳도 항상 맑은 날이면 좋겠어요.
항상 행복하시고, 스승의 은혜 감사합니다.


이지현 드림
January 17, 2022
January 17, 2022
함시현 교수님께,

벌써 일년이 되었네요. 함교수님을 기억하는 국내외 많은 분들이 조직한 함시현 심포지움을 함께 하고 추억하다보니 교수님이 더 많이 생각이 나네요.

교수님께서 보여주신 연구자와 교육자의 자세를 항상 마음속으로 간직하며 살아가겠습니다.

홍승우 드림
January 16, 2022
January 16, 2022
Dear Sihyun,

It's already one year after you have gone. We've just finished a great symposium to think of you, and I hope you also enjoyed it. Unfortunately, we could not visit your place this time ... I'm very sorry about this ... but we will visit you soon in the near future.

Your "daughters" and I are taking new steps forward with generous supports provided by your friends. So don't worry and continue to take rest. But, I still miss you a lot.

Song-Ho Chong
January 16, 2022
January 16, 2022
Professor Sihyun,

It's one year already since you left to the other world. You fought a good fight and you kept the faith! The chapter of my life in South Korea & Sookdae will be incomplete without mentioning your contribution to my success. You will forever hold a special place in my heart.
January 16, 2022
January 16, 2022
사랑하는 누나

무심한 세월은 벌써 1년을 흘렸네 첨엔 받아들이기 힘들었는데 시간은 망각의 소용돌이에 빠진다란 말이 실감난다. 고된 병마와의 싸움 곁에서 지켜본 2년은 희망과 고통,절망이 점철된 세월이었지만 항상 웃음을 잃지않으려던 모습은 아린 기억으로 남아있어. 마지막 한달 헛된 희망으로 끝맺음을 제대로 준비케 못한 죄책감이 지난1년간 내 가슴속을 멍들게 했지만, 이제라도 말하고 싶어 "참 잘 참고 고생많았다! 더 잘해주지 못해 미안해"

좋아했던 연구들은 동료들이 생전의 업적과 뜻을 잘 이어나간다하니 하늘에서 웃으며 지켜보면 돼. 오늘 엄마와 오랜만에 보러가려해. 작은 공간이지만 누날 기억하는 사람들의 사랑으로 가득차 있길 바래. 그들을 위해 기도해줘.

나와 가족에게 항상 따뜻한 가슴으로 힘이 돼주었던 속깊은 누나, 힘들어도 모든이에게 희망을 주려했던 착한 누나, 동생으로 태어나서 참 행복하고 감사했다. 영원히 잊지 않고 기억할게. 사랑해

막내동생 창근이가
January 15, 2022
January 15, 2022
교수님이 하늘나라 가신지 1년이 되었네요. 
하루 하루 바쁜 일상을 핑계로 교수님의 빈자리를 잠시도 돌이켜 본적 없다는 게 너무 미안합니다. 10년 전 암으로 돌아가신 아빠도 일상을 핑계로 망각하고 있는 저를 반성합니다.

교수님 가족 모두 건강하세요. 교수님도 그곳에선 항상 건강하세요.
January 3, 2022
January 3, 2022
함시현 교수님,

교수님께 가르침을 받을 수 있어서 감사했습니다.
교수님은 제게는 늘 든든한 버팀목이자 롤모델이셨습니다.

정말 너무 보고 싶습니다. 사랑합니다 그리고 존경합니다.
이 말을 못해드려 마음이 너무 아픕니다. 사랑합니다, 교수님.

강깊은 올림
November 29, 2021
November 29, 2021
Dear Professor,

Wish you a Happy Birthday. I pray that you may stay in eternal happiness and peace, wherever you are right now.
Also, please bless us with your angelic powers so that we may take forward your scientific legacy in the times to come, with an overall balanced effort in like in general.
With prayers,
Sincerely,
Prathit
April 29, 2021
April 29, 2021
Dear Professor,

Thank you very much for granting me the privilege to work with you not once but twice.
Thank you for believing in me, and in spite of my apparent shortcomings, ensuring me that I have the potential to give something to the protein folding community.
For you, I could again come back to research, else I would have shifted base to business development and management acumen.
Hope that I can live up to your expectations.

Thank you very much,
Sincerely,
Prathit
April 8, 2021
April 8, 2021
존경하는 교수님께,

돌아보니 교수님께 제대로된 감사인사를 드리지 못한 것이 계속 마음에 남습니다.
계속 연구를 하다보면 언젠가 다시 교수님을 뵙고 인사드릴 수 있는 날이 올 것이라 막연하게 생각하고있었지만, 교수님의 소식을 듣고 진작 할 것을 하며 후회했습니다.
비록 짧은 기간이었지만 교수님께 배울 수 있어 감사했습니다.
열정적인 함시현 교수님 밑에서 연구자로써의 첫걸음을 뗄 수 있어 영광으로 생각합니다.
항상 교수님께 배운 연구자의 자세를 기억하겠습니다.
정말 감사했습니다.
March 31, 2021
March 31, 2021
Dear Sihyun,
I hear about the sad news of Sihyun's passing from Prof. I-Ming Hsing. I think that Sihyun was so young energetic, a beautiful person and an outstanding scientist. I can’t believe that she was passed away so early. I will really miss her. I hope that her soul may rest in peace.
Shige
March 30, 2021
March 30, 2021
Sihyun Ham was my best friend in Korea. It had been a devastating news to me and my family to learn about our dear friend’s passing in January 2021. Her passing was a tremendous loss to us and the scientific community at large. We were deeply saddened by Sihyun’s sudden departure.
Sihyun and I met for the first time in 2012 in the 5th Japan-Korea Joint Symposium on Bio-microsensing Technology (5th-JKBT) in Kitakyushu Japan organized by Prof. Shigeori Takenaka from Kyutech, a very kind-hearted scholar and a good friend of Sihyun’s and mine in Japan. Both of us were among the invited speakers. Thanks to Shigeori sensei’s great hospitality, we had great time in both social gathering as well as research exchange. Through that meeting, I was deeply impressed by Sihyun’s passion about scientific research, her elegant demeanor, and her beautiful style for scientific presentation. She was the first-rate scholar, had very high standard for scientific research and had immense passion and love to her students. In a side note, I also remembered Sihyun’s karaoke singing skills and her “capacity” for alcoholic drinks. Since 2012, Sihyun and I had maintained very regular interactions. She visited HKUST many times during the period 2013-2015 and left many wonderful presentations, research ideas and good memories to our students and our faculty colleagues.
Sihyun enjoyed Hong Kong and HKUST very much. In spring 2014, she spent a sabbatical semester at HKUST, hosted by our colleague Prof. Xuhui Huang at the Chemistry Department. To our pleasant surprise, her gracious mother accompanied her for this semester-long visit. In addition to our scientific meetings, I had vivid recollections of many meal conversations my family and I had with Sihyun and her mother. My family even had the privilege of enjoying delicious home-made Korean food prepared by Sihyun’s mother.
Right close to the end of Sihyun’s sabbatical visit in 2014, we learned that Sihyun’s research achievement was duly recognized by Samsung and that she would be receiving a huge collaborative grant from Samsung. Throughout the years, she had invited me several times to visit her and her University. I felt tremendous regret for not taking the time to visit her in Seoul while she had been healthy and proactive.
The last communication I had with Sihyun was in early December 2019 when I visited Seoul to participate in the biomedical engineering conference organized by SNU Medical School. That was the first and last time I learned from Sihyun that she had been fighting for cancer. I wanted to pay her a visit, but regretfully we didn’t get a chance to meet then.
I believe all in all Sihyun wanted me to always remember her beauty, her smile, her generosity, and her passion to science.

Sihyun will forever be in our heart and I will pray for Sihyun's mother for good health and longevity.

I-Ming Hsing at HKUST, March 30, 2021
March 29, 2021
March 29, 2021
It breaks my heart to learn this sad news...
You were such a great mentor & a friend ~a political scientist yet part of your lab group. Your love for foreign students & desire/ commitment to see them excel, happy & have a comfortable stay at Sookdae was amazing...

March 22, 2021
March 22, 2021
보고싶은 함시현 교수님께,

아직도 같이 과학관 5층에서 만나면 "hey bro~~" 하시면서 격려해주시고 좋은 이야기 많이 들려주시던 모습이 선합니다. 아직 세상에 남아있음에 그리움과 아쉬움이 많지만, "교수님 항상 건강하시고요~"라는 말을 더 이상 전할 수 없지만, 이제는 더 좋은 곳으로 가서 평안하실거라 믿습니다.

다시 만날 날을 기대하며 교수님을 기억하고 열심히 연구하겠습니다.

홍승우 드림
March 20, 2021
March 20, 2021
Dear Sihyun,

I find it hard to believe that you are no longer with us!  

I still remembered the first time we met 13 years ago in a Gordon conference in California.  A few years later, you did a mini-sabbatical leave in my school, and you brought your mother together with your trip to Hong Kong.  You are so proud of your mother as an excellent chef.   We have exchanged visits a few times between our universities in addition to numerous interactions in conferences.  Unfortunately, I couldn't make it to the conference you organised in 2017 and missed the chance to see you again. I was always impressed by your passion for science, and am deeply grateful for your hospitality.  

We will miss you! Rest in peace

Xuhui
March 19, 2021
March 19, 2021
사랑하고 존경하는 교수님,

처음 교수님을 뵈었던 일반화학 수업을 시작하는 날이 아직 눈에 선합니다. 신입생이었던 저희보다 더 호기심 가득시고 밝은 에너지와 열정을 보여주셨던 교수님의 모습이 너무 멋있었습니다.

교수님의 그러한 열정과 에너지를 배우고 싶어 교수님의 연구실에 들어갔고, 연구실에서 교수님과 함께 지냈던 그 시간 동안 교수님으로부터 많은 것들을 배웠는데...이제는 교수님과 함께 했던 그 시간들이 다시 돌아오지 않는다고 생각하니 아직 꿈같고 현실같지 않은 기분입니다.

에너지와 열정이 가득했던 교수님의 모습을 기억하고, 교수님으로부터 배웠던 모든 것들과, 교수님과 함께 지냈던 시간들을 마음에 간직하도록 하겠습니다. 감사합니다.

이제는 그곳에서 편히 쉬시길 바랍니다.


임해리 올림.
March 17, 2021
March 17, 2021
It was in the ATCC meeting held at Shanghai in 2009 that I met you first time. A lady with a beautiful smile like cherry blossom came to me asking “You are professor Hirata, aren’t you?”, That lady was you, Sihyun. Since then, we got together so many times in meetings held somewhere in the world. You were always a stand-out figure as a speaker and an audience, that fascinated Japanese scientists including myself.
  You visited me in Okazaki for a year in 2010 to carry out our collaborative research concerning the ATP hydrolysis. My intention was to kill two birds with one stone. One is to help you study the RISM/3D-RISM-SCF theory, and the other is to put an end to the famous controversy concerning the origin of energy in living bodies. You made an amazing effort to complete the both, and we could have published a paper that brought a new perspective in the field of science.
  In 2011, you invited me to Harvard University where I gave a seminar talk in front of the audience of chemistry department, including profs. M. Karplus and G. Whitesides. The reception dinner you invited me to a fancy restaurant in Boston was unforgettable to me, because you asked me quite seriously if I can be your father in science. I said “off course, with pleasure”. So, we became “daughter and father” since then.
  You should not have passed away before I do, because it is a sin in Japan to die before your parents do. But, I am sure you are working hard at your lab in the heaven, and will welcome me with a big hug just as you did each time when we met together.
  I say “good by” for now, but I will see you soon.
March 15, 2021
March 15, 2021
Dear Professor Ham,

I am deeply honored and blessed to have known such a great professor.
I find it an incredible destiny that you recruited and helped me in the best possible way when I had a truly difficult time as a student.
Your passion for research kindled my ambition to be a good researcher.
Your teaching and thoughtful care full of love will forever stay within me.
I received so much from you that I regret I can’t repay debts of gratitude to you.
You will be forever remembered.

With the utmost respect and gratitude,
Tony Cho
S M
March 15, 2021
March 15, 2021
突然の訃報に驚いています。以前、Ham さんの素晴らしいご講演を日本で聴きました。ご冥福をお祈りいたします。
March 15, 2021
March 15, 2021
사랑하고 존경하는 교수님, 갑작스럽게 돌아가셔서 안타까움만 남습니다.

연구실에 있으면서 그동안 교수님께서 해주신 많은 지원과 응원, 그리고 가르침 덕분에 연구자로서 한발짝 더 발전할 수 있는 계기가 되어서 정말 감사드립니다.

교수님께 배울 수 있었던 시간이 많지 않아 아쉽지만, 교수님과 함께 했던 즐겁고 뿌듯했고 보람찬 기억과 추억은 제게 있어서 영원토록 남을 연구자로서의 뿌리가 될 것입니다.

김민우 올림
March 15, 2021
March 15, 2021
교수님, 그동안 수고 많으셨습니다.
덕분에 좋은 환경에서 값진 경험을 할 수 있었고 학부생으로서 이루기 어려웠을지 모를 것들도 해낼 수 있었습니다. 연구원이라는 꿈을 향한 첫 걸음이 계속해서 나아갈 수 있게 해주셔서 감사합니다.
존경했던 교수님의 모습과 저에게 해주신 응원의 말들을 항상 기억하겠습니다.

이지현 올림.
March 14, 2021
March 14, 2021
Sihyun, i am so saddened by your sudden passing. My heart is so broken.

I dearly miss your inquisitive and caring stares. Be the light to those around you wherever you are now just the way you used to be while with us.

Missing you forever.. my heart is with you. Please rest in peace and in love.
March 14, 2021
March 14, 2021
Dear Sihyun,

It is my great honor and pleasure to have spent more than 10 years of time together with you. You are the brightest scientist I have ever met. I will not forget what you taught me, and they will be delivered to students, which will then be delivered to their students ... this way, you will stay with us eternally.

Song-Ho Chong

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Recent Tributes
January 21
January 21
Dear Professor Ham,

Three years have passed, yet your influence remains a guiding force in my life.
I've achieved my Ph.D. and have moved on to a new job, milestones that I attribute to your teaching.
I would not have made it if it weren't for your devotion, and I can't thank you enough.
Your wisdom and dedication live on in me and your other students.

Remembering you always,
Tony Cho
January 18
January 18
사랑하는 누나에게,

벌써 3년이 지났네. 무뎌질수 없을것 같던 기억들이 세월 속에 조금씩 희미해져가는것 같애. 아직 누나에 대해 떠올리면 눈물 한움큼과 가슴 한구석이 찌릿해지긴 하지만..
어제 오랜만에 봉안당 가서 좋아하던 교회 복음송과 찬송가들 부르고 왔지.꽃은 이미 넘 많아서 정리만 하고 생일때 놓고왔던 초밥두 그냥 두고왔어.담엔 좋아하는 쌀국수 갖고 갈게.빛나던 모습 사진두 몇장 더해주고..
생전에 힘들었던 기억들은 모두 잊고 하느님과 행복하게 지냈음 좋겠어. 인류를 위한 놀라운 연구들은 남은 동료,후배들이 뜻을 이어받아 더욱 열심히 하고 있으니까 지켜봐주면 될거 같애. 분명 누나의 뜻이 이땅에서 실현될 날이 올거라 믿어.
올해는 좀 더 누날 기리고 추억할수 있는 일들을 찾아보려해. 남은 사람들 건강하고 행복하게 지낼수 있게 기도해줘. 항상 고맙고 사랑해.

막둥이 창근이가.

I missed you to memorize your devotion and love to my family for years, and do too now and future. Always thank and love you. I hope you feel good and comfortable with your loving GOD in heaven.

Younger brother Chang Keun Ham.
May 15, 2023
May 15, 2023
교수님께,

안녕하세요. 지현입니다.
올해도 스승의 날을 맞아 찾아왔어요. 퇴근 전에 짧게 글을 남깁니다.

작년 5월은 따뜻했던 것 같은데 올해는 개화 시기도 일찍 찾아오면서 지금은 초여름 같은 날씨네요. 날씨로 시간이 가는 것을 느끼고 있습니다~
저는 올해 8월에 석사 졸업을 앞두고 학위 논문도 쓰고 연구도 마무리하면서 바쁘게 지내고 있어요.
그리고 가을학기부터 미국으로 박사 유학을 가게 되었어요! MacKerell 교수님과 Bernie 교수님의 공동지도를 받으면서 열심히 배우고 많이 성장하고 오려구요.
석사 과정 중에 교수님과 함께한 마지막 연구를 잘 마무리하면서 학문적으로 더 성장해야할 필요성도 많이 느껴서 또 새로운 과정을 도전해보려고 합니다.
새 시작은 늘 두렵고 불안한 것 같아요. 그래서 지금도 출국을 몇 달 앞두고 많이 두렵지만 교수님의 자랑스러운 제자가 되고 교수님처럼 계산화학자로서 좋은 영향을 끼치기 위해 거쳐야하는 과정이라고 생각하니 잘 이겨낼 수 있을 것 같아요! 여러모로 교수님께 좋은 영향을 받고 있는 것 같아요. 이 은혜 잊지 않겠습니다.
교수님, 늘 정말 존경합니다. 스승의 날 축하드립니다!

이지현 드림
Her Life

Sihyun as a scientist

March 13, 2021
Dear Friends of Sihyun,
We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Sihyun Ham, our friend, brilliant scientist, inspirational teacher, entrepreneur and leader in the fields of computational chemistry and biophysics. She passed away in Seoul on January 16, 2021, after a long battle with cancer that she had fought to the very end.  
Sihyun received her undergraduate degree in Chemistry at the Sookmyung Women's University in 1991, and her PhD degree at Texas Tech University in 1998 under the guidance of David Birney. She went on to be a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Washington in Seattle with Valerie Daggett. After another postdoc with Minhaeng Cho at Korea University, she returned to her Alma Mater Sookmyung Women's University as a Professor of Chemistry. In her independent career, she was a true force of nature for her unwavering advocacy of her Alma Mater and education for women, for the Korean Chemical Society and for tirelessly hosting international Computational Chemistry meetings in Korea and abroad.
Sihyun was well known and admired for her unyielding energy, determination and enthusiasm and for her humanitarian outreach for bettering lives by education. Even after her cancer diagnosis, known only to very few of her friends, she enthusiastically accepted a Visiting Professorship at the American University of Beirut between 2018-20 because she saw the impact of her hands-on teaching of computational chemistry to students with sparkling eyes and little access to state of the art research opportunities. Sihyun was also the inaugural organizer of the TSRC Workshop on Water Structure, Dynamics and Thermodynamics in Biology. Unfortunately, by the time this workshop took place in the summer of 2019, she was unable to travel to share her science with her fellow scientists that she had invited. 
Sihyun started her career as a computational chemist using electronic structure calculations to study the mechanisms of chemical reactions. She then moved on to push the boundaries for computational predictions of two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy signals for peptides and small proteins. In another change of research areas, she studied supramolecular host-guest systems using combined molecular dynamics simulations and electronic structure calculations. In her next transition, she entered the field of biomolecular solvation and became a leader at the forefront of combining conformational sampling via classical molecular dynamics with thermodynamic analysis of solvation using integral equation theory. Most recently, she has adapted these techniques to intrinsically disordered proteins and protein folding and introduced the solvent-averaged effective energy as a key parameter for protein conformational ensembles and their thermodynamic properties. 
Frequent transitions between research areas followed a clear plan in Sihyun's career. She purposefully switched gears every 5 years and explored a new research area to avoid becoming "too comfortable" in any of them. She mastered these transitions multiple times during her career and managed to establish herself as a leading expert in record time. The latter is not only a testament to her outstanding intellect and work ethic, but also to her unique ability to collaborate and network with a wide range of people from many distinct backgrounds. 
Sihyun managed to carry out brilliant research with initially very limited resources and always with only a few students, most closely with her long-term postdoctoral researcher and close collaborator Dr. Song-Ho Chong. As she demonstrated her skill and imagination, in 2014, she became one of a handful of scientists to receive a major five-year grant from the Samsung Future Technology Promotion Project to address the causes and solutions for incurable diseases caused by proteins. In the same year, she was named '2014 Female Scientist of the Year', awarded by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning and the National Research Foundation of Korea. Her creativity and impact led her to become the only researcher in the field of basic chemical sciences to be renewed for an additional five year Samsung grant in 2019, sadly, soon after she learned of her severe illness. While losing energy, she worked tirelessly on research ideas and papers until the last moments of her life, always hopeful, but knowing that little time was likely left for her to share her ideas and vision with the world. 
Sihyun was full of life, talent and dreams. She could stun her friends and colleagues in Chemistry with her amazing singing voice and captivated audiences with lively research talks that were accessible to the broader audience and educational for experts alike. You may get a small glimpse at Sihyun’s energy and presence in this ProWaVE video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxkqE4L8lL8
We lost our dear friend and cherished colleague too soon and regret that we could not see her scientific and educational dreams come completely to fruition. However, in memory of our special friend and fellow scientist, we encourage you to read her ingenious and original papers: http://ham.sookmyung.ac.kr/publications_all/
Songi Han
Matthias Heyden
Doug Tobias
John Straub
Peter Rossky
Recent stories

2004-2018 From Chaok

January 16, 2022
2004년 10월  제주도에서 열린 대한화학회에서 내 친구 함시현 교수를 처음 만났고, 2018년 11월 고등과학원 단백질학회에서 마지막으로 만났습니다. 만난 횟수는 아마 백 번은 아니어도 오십 번은 넘을 것 같습니다. 그녀와 많은 시간을 보냈고, 많은 이야기를 나누었습니다. 그녀는 항상 활기찼고, 나이에 어울리지 않게 성숙했고, 한없는 인내와 배려를 보여주었습니다. 어느 순간 내가 그녀를 '언니'라고 부르기로 했을 때 그녀는 정말 좋아했지요. 그런데 다른 사람들 앞에서 그러는게 좀 우스운 것 같아 다시 원래대로 돌아갔습니다. 돌이켜보면 나는 여러 면에서 참으로 부족했고, 그녀에게 받은 것을 제대로 돌려주지 못했습니다. 특히 그녀의 말년에 힘이 되어주지 못해서 너무 아쉽습니다. 나도 바쁜 시기였다고 변명을 해 봅니다만.. 2021년 1월 그녀의 영정사진을 마주할 자신이 없어 장례식장에 가지를 못했습니다. 대신 혼자 많이 울었습니다. 어제 1주기 추모 심포지엄 후 동료들과 봉안당홈에 들렀습니다. 시현, 당신은 항상 내 마음 속에 있어. 우리 마음 속에 남겨진 당신은 세상에 오래도록 이어질거야.

I first met my friend, Professor Sihyun Ham, at the Korean Chemical Society held in Jeju Island in October 2004, and last met at the KIAS Protein conference in November 2018. The number of times we met is probably not a hundred times, but more than fifty times. We spent a lot of time together and talked a lot. She was always energetic, mature for her age, and showed infinite patience and consideration. At one point I decided to call her 'sister' and she really liked it. But I thought it was funny to do it in front of other people, so I went back to normal. In retrospect, I was really lacking in many ways, and I couldn't give her back what I had been given. It's really unfortunate that I could not be of any help to her, especially in her later years. I try to make excuses that it was a busy time for me, but... I couldn't go to her funeral in January 2021 because I could not face her portrait. Instead, I cried a lot by myself. Yesterday, after the 1st memorial symposium, my colleagues and I stopped by the Bongandang Home. Sihyun, you are always in my heart. You, still alive in us, will last forever in our world.

2001-2018

May 4, 2021
In 2001 at Sookmyung, I took Professor Ham's structural organic chemistry when she was a first time lecturer.  She was young and full of passion.  I had little interest in her research at that time.

In 2008 in Long Beach, California, we serendipitously bumped into each other at the ACS conference on the last day.  She was too chic in the crowd to be unnoticed, wearing a vivid red burberry with a shiny sunglass.  We found that both of us were conducting similar research in statistical thermodynamics and structure-based drug design. 

In 2018, although I left the chemistry research and shifted my career to computer science in San Jose, I just wanted to let her know that I'm always looking forward to her conference visit nearby for us to meet again.  The replied email below turned out to be the last message that I could ever receive from her!  She was still same as usual, caring and encouraging.   
--- Last Message From Professor Ham in Dec 2018 ---
 Sat, Dec 29, 2018, 10:57 PM
박인희 박사에게,
연락 반갑고 고마워요.
늦었다고 생각할때가 가장 빠른때라는 말이 있지요.
즐겁게 공부할 수 있다니 잘 선택했고 응원을 보냅니다.
과학과 IT 를 접목하는 가장 hot 한 분야를 하고 있다니 조만간 최고의 스카웃 제의를 받을 것 같네요.
keep in touch!
새해 복 많이 받고 건강하세요~
함시현드림

It is my honor and pleasure sharing memories with you, Professor Ham.

At a conference in Seoul (8-Jan-2019)

April 1, 2021
Sihyun organized the The 3rd Korea-Japan Conference on Biomolecular Network and Sensing, held at Sookmyung Women’s University at 2019/1/8. This picture is at awards ceremony for excellent oral presentation of students. We think back to those days she was was so young energetic, a beautiful person and an outstanding scientist.

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