As of June 2014, Shin is the founding president of DGIST university, Fellow Professor of University of Ulsan, a member of Presidential Advisory Council on Science & Technology (PACST), the chair of Committee for Future Strategy, PACST, and a Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS).

In response, Shin went to South Korea and joined KAIST in 1989 as an assistant professor in the department of physics.

He is author of over 310 journal papers while holding 37 patents, delivered 160 international and national invited academic talks, and has supervised more than 80 MS, Ph.D., and postdoctoral scholars.

He served as vice-dean of student affairs, director of International Cooperation Division, and dean of planning as well as vice president (2004–2005) in KAIST.

The role of PACST is to provide advice and consultations to the president of South Korea on issues related to science and technology.

As the founding president of the newly-established institute, he drove innovative initiatives to establish DGIST as one of the nation's leading research universities.

He is committed to multidisciplinary education, convergence research, and globalization, pursuing initiatives to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship.