Universal Display Marks 10 Years of Innovation Awards at IMID Korea
Universal Display Corporation (UDC), a global leader in energy-efficient OLED technologies and materials, has announced the recipients of its 10th annual UDC Awards at the 26th International Meeting on Information Display (IMID 2026) in Busan, South Korea.
The milestone marks a decade of recognizing researchers and technology innovators whose work is contributing to advances in organic electronics and display technologies. IMID 2026 was held from, bringing together researchers, scientists, engineers, and industry leaders from across the global display sector.
IMID 2026 Highlights Display Technology Advances
Organized by the Korean Information Display Society (KIDS) and the Society for Information Display (SID), IMID is one of Korea’s leading conferences dedicated to information display technologies.
The annual event provides a platform for researchers and companies to present emerging technologies, share scientific findings, and explore developments that could influence the next generation of displays.
As part of its long-standing relationship with the conference, Universal Display continued its sponsorship of IMID in 2026. The company also contributed to the technical program through an invited presentation focused on its latest OLED technology developments.
UDC Presents OLEDX Technology
Dr. Mike Weaver, Vice President and Deputy Chief Technology Officer of PHOLED R&D at Universal Display, delivered an invited presentation introducing OLEDX, the company’s technology platform aimed at advancing OLED display performance.
Universal OLEDX is designed to support improvements in display efficiency, image quality, and design flexibility. The technology platform reflects UDC’s continued efforts to develop new approaches that can help address the evolving requirements of next-generation display products.
As display manufacturers seek to deliver brighter, more efficient, and increasingly sophisticated products, innovations in OLED materials and device structures are expected to remain important to the industry.
Celebrating Scientific Excellence
Universal Display President and CEO Steven V. Abramson highlighted the importance of the company’s decade-long support for IMID and its awards program.
Through its continued sponsorship and the UDC Innovative Research and Pioneering Technology Awards, the company aims to recognize scientific excellence and encourage researchers working on new ideas in organic electronics and display technology.
Abramson congratulated the 2026 award recipients and emphasized their contribution to the advancement of display technologies. He also noted that the awards reflect UDC’s broader commitment to supporting scientific talent and fostering innovation within the OLED ecosystem.
2026 UDC Innovative Research Award
During the IMID awards banquet on August 20, UDC Korea Deputy Director SongGeun (SG) Lee presented the 2026 UDC awards.
The Universal UDC Innovative Research Award in Organic Electronics & Display was presented to a research team led by Jae Min Jang and Dong Jin Shin of Sungkyunkwan University in Korea, along with Bin Liu, Raju Lampande, Sritoma Paul, and Claire Arneson of the University of Michigan, Jun Yeob Lee of Sungkyunkwan University, and Stephen R. Forrest of the University of Michigan.
The team was recognized for its research paper titled “1.9-Fold Enhanced Device Lifetime in Blue PHOLEDs via Plexciton Engineering through Complex Refractive Index Control of Electron-Transporting Material.”
The research focuses on improving the operational lifetime of blue phosphorescent OLEDs, an area that remains important for the continued development of high-performance OLED displays.
Blue OLED technology has historically presented challenges related to efficiency and device lifetime. Research aimed at improving these characteristics could contribute to the development of more durable and efficient OLED products.
2026 Pioneering Technology Award
The UDC Pioneering Technology Award in Organic Electronics & Display was awarded to Jae Sung Kim of Yonsei University and LG Display, along with Ki Woo Kim, Jung Chul Kim, Juhn Suk Yoo, Sang Yoon Park, and Hyun Jae Kim.
The team was recognized for its paper, “A Low-Flicker LTPO AMOLED Pixel Using a Charge-Injection-Blocking Capacitor.”
The research addresses display performance through a pixel architecture designed to reduce flicker in LTPO AMOLED displays.
LTPO technology has become increasingly important in modern OLED displays because it can support more efficient control of display pixels and contribute to improved power management. Innovations that reduce flicker while maintaining display performance could further enhance the viewing experience across a range of electronic devices.
Recognizing Industry-Changing Research
The UDC awards are designed to recognize individuals and teams that demonstrate innovative research, ideas, or technology initiatives with the potential to influence the organic electronics and display industries.
The award recipients are selected by IMID and KIDS, highlighting the significance of the program within Korea’s display research community.
Over the past decade, the awards have provided UDC with an opportunity to recognize researchers contributing to advances in OLED materials, device architectures, manufacturing technologies, and other areas of organic electronics.
UDC’s Role in OLED Technology
Universal Display Corporation has been involved in the research, development, and commercialization of OLED technologies and materials for display and solid-state lighting applications since its founding in 1994.
The company develops proprietary OLED technologies and materials designed to improve display efficiency and performance. Among its key technologies is UniversalPHOLED®, its phosphorescent OLED technology, which is designed to enable energy-efficient OLED displays and lighting applications.
Universal Display also develops OLED materials used in the manufacturing of high-performance OLED displays. These materials are designed to support the performance requirements of modern display products.
Global Intellectual Property Portfolio
UDC has established a substantial intellectual property portfolio through decades of research and development. The company currently owns, exclusively licenses, or has the sole right to sublicense more than 7,000 patents issued and pending worldwide.
This intellectual property supports the company’s technology licensing activities and collaborations with manufacturers and other industry partners.
In addition to licensing its proprietary OLED technologies, Universal Display works with customers and partners through technology transfers, collaborative development programs, and on-site training.
Supporting the Future of OLED Displays
The continuing growth of OLED technology is creating new opportunities for innovations in materials, device structures, manufacturing processes, and display architectures.
As manufacturers introduce OLED displays across smartphones, televisions, tablets, computers, automotive applications, and other products, improvements in efficiency, durability, image quality, and flexibility remain important areas of research.
Universal Display’s involvement with IMID and its annual awards program reflects the company’s efforts to support research that could contribute to these developments.
The 2026 award-winning research demonstrates the diversity of innovation taking place within the OLED industry. From extending the lifetime of blue PHOLED devices to developing low-flicker LTPO AMOLED pixels, the recognized projects address technical challenges that are directly relevant to the future of display technology.
Looking Ahead
The 10th anniversary of the UDC Awards at IMID 2026 represents a significant milestone in Universal Display’s relationship with Korea’s display research community.
By continuing to sponsor IMID and recognize promising research, UDC is helping highlight the work of scientists and engineers developing technologies that could shape the next generation of displays.
The company’s continued focus on OLED materials, phosphorescent technologies, and advanced display architectures positions it to participate in the ongoing evolution of the global OLED industry. As display technologies continue to advance, research collaborations and recognition programs such as the UDC Awards are expected to remain important in encouraging new ideas and supporting the next generation of OLED innovation.
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