Meet the New ICOMOS Committee Presidents for 2024!

ICOMOS is pleased to introduce you to its newly elected National and International Scientific Committees Presidents.

Discover their rich professional experience and academic background in the short presentations below!

National Committees

Jae Heon Choi / ICOMOS Korea

Professor Jae Heon Choi, Ph.D. possesses over 30 years of expertise in human geography with a primary focus on urban geography. He earned his BA and MA degrees from Seoul National University and completed his Ph.D. in geography at the University of Minnesota in 1993.
After his role as an assistant professor at Macalester College, MN, USA, Professor Choi has been a geography professor at Konkuk University since 1995. He co-founded the World Heritage Studies program at Konkuk University's graduate school in 2014 and served as the President of the Korean Urban Geographical Society (KUGS) in 2012-2013. In various administrative capacities, Professor Choi held roles such as Vice President for Academic Admission, Academic Affairs, and Strategic Planning at the University Bureau from 2016 to 2019. In the realm of World Heritage, he gained experience in drafting nomination documents for Namhansanseong and Sansa of Korea, conducted desk reviews, and served twice as a mission expert. Additionally, he was a two-time member of the ICOMOS World Heritage Panel and served as Secretary General at ICOMOS Korea from 2015 to 2017.
Professor Choi is a voting member of ICOFORT and ICIP, demonstrating a profound interest in fortification heritage alongside the interpretation of world heritage. Professor Choi's teaching expertise spans human geography and heritage studies, including subjects such as metropolitan heritage, heritage planning, and heritage conservation. Currently, he holds the position of Secretary General at Heritopolis Society. With a prolific publication record, he has authored over 40 books and reports, along with more than 80 academic papers in human geography and heritage studies.

Juan Carlos Molina Gaitán / ICOMOS Spain

Juan Carlos Molina Gaitán holds a Ph.D. in Architecture, History of Art and Technical Architecture, with a master’s degree in Built Heritage Conservation. He has mainly worked in Spanish public administration, prioritizing the conservation of historical heritage and carrying out many projects in southern Spain.
He has worked as a professor in Architectural Heritage at the School of Architecture of the Polytechnic University of Cartagena, organizing and coordinating different activities related to the discipline. He has also participated in scientific committees, conferences, and round tables, and in the publication of different articles, books, and R&D works related to Cultural Heritage. He has participated in various Commissions of the National Plans of the Institute of Cultural Heritage of Spain.
Following the earthquake in Lorca (Spain) in 2011, he focused his activity on Emergency Management in Heritage, participating in the Commission for the preparation of the National Plan for Emergencies and Risk Management in Cultural Heritage as Coordinator and as support advisor in the Monitoring Commission of the “Master Plan for the Recovery of Lorca’s Cultural Heritage”. He then worked as a member of the European Civil Protection Team, sent by the European Commission from the European Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC), to support the Mexican authorities in the development of criteria and methodology for the recovery of cultural heritage after the 2017 earthquakes.