SoC Robot War 2008 Wraps Up 4-Day Competition
The 2008 Intelligent SoC Robot War hosted by KAIST wrapped up its four-day competition on Sunday, Oct. 19, at the Indian Hall of Convention & Exhibition Center (COEX) in southern Seoul.
At the annual contest featuring battles between mechanical robots utilizing System on Chip (SoC) technology, Seoul National University of Technology"s "Fiperion" won top award in the Tank Robot category and Chungbuk National University"s "What is FPGA?" was the champion in the Taekwon Robot category.
In the Tank Robot contest, robots in the form of tanks engaged in duels with laser beams through visual recognition, wireless communication, and audio recognition. On the other hand, the Taekwon Robot contest was a hand-to-hand fight. The robots had to be capable of recognizing the opponent, defending and attacking without external control.
A total of 20 teams in the Tank Robot category and 10 teams in the Taekwon Robot category passed through the preliminary assessments and vied in the final competition. The annual event started seven years ago.
The preliminary assessments conducted between July and September drew a total of 150 teams nationwide. Any team consisting of more than two people and under six undergraduate or graduate students are eligible to take part in the competition.
This year"s event was co-sponsored by Altera, a U.S.-based leading semiconductor manufacturer. Each of the two top-award winning teams received U.S.$1,000 in cash and 10 pieces of DE2 board which is worth $2,700.
KAIST, KRIBB Agree to Cooperate in Research of Convergence Technologies
Oct. 15, 2008 -- KAIST and Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB) have agreed to cooperate in the research of convergence fields of biotechnology, information technology and nanotechnology.
To this end, the two institutions concluded a memorandum of understanding to create a new academia-institute cooperative model in the convergence fields on Oct. 15 in Seoul, with KAIST President Nam-Pyo Suh, KRIBB Director Young-Hoon Park and Vice Minister of Education, Science and Technology Jong-Koo Park in attendance.
Under the agreement, the two institutions will set up the tentatively-named KAIST-KRIBB BINT Convergence Institute for the development of technologies and nurturing skilled manpower in the convergence fields.
The partnership of the two institutions is expected to bring broad-based cooperation opportunities and create a massive synergy effect by combining their resources and infrastructure for the development of convergence technologies, KAIST officials said..
The proposed institute is also designed to build a world-class research hub in systems biotechnology by combining strengths of the two institutions with initiatives to achieve the Korean government"s new vision for "low carbon, green growth."
The institute will also serve as a base for domestic brain convergence by concentrating the nation"s research capacities in genetics and brain technology.
KAIST also signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in researches in Oriental medicine with three institutions, KRIBB, Daegu Hanny University and Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine.
The agreement calls for the four institutions to conduct joint researches in traditional sciences and Oriental medicine based on systems biology, develop manpower in related fields and share academic and research information.
The agreement is expected to provide impetus to reinforcing competitiveness in compound and convergence technologies and discover new properties in Oriental medicine, according to KAIST authorities.
KAIST Ranks 95th among World Universities
Oct. 13, 2008 --KAIST is ranked 95th among Top 200 Universities of the World this year, scoring a notable increase from last year"s ranking of 132nd. KAIST, Seoul National University which was placed 50th, and POSTECH ranked 188th became the only three institutions of higher education in Korea to make it to the list, called "The Times Higher Education -- QS World University Rankings."
KAIST"s advancement was more conspicuous in specific area evaluations. In the area of Engineering and Information Technology, it is ranked 34th (49th last year), in Natural Sciences 46th (86th last year), and in Biological Sciences and Biotechnology 134th (166th last year).
While North America dominates the ranking with 42 universities on the list, Europe and Asia Pacific are also well represented with 36 and 22 institutions, respectively.
The list, compiled by The Times (of London) newspaper annually, is topped by Harvard University (USA), followed by Yale University (USA) and University of Cambridge (United Kingdom).
Last year, only KAIST and SNU were included in the top 200 list. This year, Yonsei University raised its ranking to 203rd from last year"s 223rd while Korea University improved from 243rd to 236th, showing overall improvement of universities in Korea.
Again this year, Japan and China had most of the top ranked universities in Asia, each sharing three in the top 50. University of Tokyo, ranked 19th, led all Japanese universities; Kyoto University was placed 25th and Osaka University 44th. University of Hong Kong was listed 26th, followed by Hong Kong University of Science and Technology on 39th and the Chinese University of Hong Kong on 42nd.
The Times Higher Education--QS World University Rankings evaluates four main categories: quality of research, globalization, and quality of education and work of graduates in society. The evaluation also considers academic peer review, citations per faculty, recruiter review, international faculty, international students and faculty-student ratio.
QS Top 100 Universities 2008
Source: QS Quacquarelli Symonds (www.topuniversities.com)
Copyright?004-2008QSQuacquarelliSymondsLtd.
1
HARVARD University
United States
2
YALE University
United States
3
University of CAMBRIDGE
United Kingdom
4
University of OXFORD
United Kingdom
5
CALIFORNIA Institute of Technology (Calt...
United States
6
IMPERIAL College London
United Kingdom
7
UCL (University College London)
United Kingdom
8
University of CHICAGO
United States
9
MASSACHUSETTS Institute of Technology (M...
United States
10
COLUMBIA University
United States
11
University of PENNSYLVANIA
United States
12
PRINCETON University
United States
13=
DUKE University
United States
13=
JOHNS HOPKINS University
United States
15
CORNELL University
United States
16
AUSTRALIAN National University
Australia
17
STANFORD University
United States
18
University of MICHIGAN
United States
19
University of TOKYO
Japan
20
MCGILL University
Canada
21
CARNEGIE MELLON University
United States
22
KING"S College London
United Kingdom
23
University of EDINBURGH
United Kingdom
24
ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of T...
Switzerland
25
KYOTO University
Japan
26
University of HONG KONG
Hong Kong
27
BROWN University
United States
28
?ole Normale Sup?ieure, PARIS
France
29
University of MANCHESTER
United Kingdom
30=
National University of SINGAPORE(NUS)
Singapore
30=
University of CALIFORNIA, Los Angeles (U...
United States
32
University of BRISTOL
United Kingdom
33
NORTHWESTERN University
United States
34=
?OLE POLYTECHNIQUE
France
34=
University of BRITISH COLUMBIA
Canada
36
University of California, BERKELEY
United States
37
The University of SYDNEY
Australia
38
The University of MELBOURNE
Australia
39
HONG KONG University of Science & Techno...
Hong Kong
40
NEW YORK University (NYU)
United States
41
University of TORONTO
Canada
42
The CHINESE University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
43
University of QUEENSLAND
Australia
44
OSAKA University
Japan
45
University of NEW SOUTH WALES
Australia
46
BOSTON University
United States
47
MONASH University
Australia
48
University of COPENHAGEN
Denmark
49
TRINITY College Dublin
Ireland
50=
Ecole Polytechnique F??ale de LAUSANNE...
Switzerland
50=
PEKING University
China
50=
SEOUL National University
Korea, South
53
University of AMSTERDAM
Netherlands
54
DARTMOUTH College
United States
55
University of WISCONSIN-Madison
United States
56
TSINGHUA University
China
57
HEIDELBERG Universit?
Germany
58
University of CALIFORNIA, San Diego
United States
59
University of WASHINGTON
United States
60
WASHINGTON University in St. Louis
United States
61
TOKYO Institute of Technology
Japan
62
EMORY University
United States
63
UPPSALA University
Sweden
64
LEIDEN University
Netherlands
65
The University of AUCKLAND
New Zealand
66
LONDON School of Economics and Political...
United Kingdom
67
UTRECHT University
Netherlands
68
University of GENEVA
Switzerland
69
University of WARWICK
United Kingdom
70
University of TEXAS at Austin
United States
71
University of ILLINOIS
United States
72
Katholieke Universiteit LEUVEN
Belgium
73
University of GLASGOW
United Kingdom
74
University of ALBERTA
Canada
75
University of BIRMINGHAM
United Kingdom
76
University of SHEFFIELD
United Kingdom
77
NANYANG Technological University
Singapore
78=
DELFT University of Technology
Netherlands
78=
RICE University
United States
78=
Technische Universit? M?CHEN
Germany
81=
University of AARHUS
Denmark
81=
University of YORK
United Kingdom
83=
GEORGIA Institute of Technology
United States
83=
The University of WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Australia
83=
University of ST ANDREWS
United Kingdom
86
University of NOTTINGHAM
United Kingdom
87
University of MINNESOTA
United States
88
LUND University
Sweden
89
University of CALIFORNIA, Davis
United States
90
CASE WESTERN RESERVE University
United States
91=
Universit?de Montr?l
Canada
91=
University of HELSINKI
Finland
93=
Hebrew University of JERUSALEM
Israel
93=
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universit? M?chen
Germany
95
KAIST - Korea Advanced Institute of Scie...
Korea, South
96
University of VIRGINIA
United States
97
University of PITTSBURGH
United States
98
University of CALIFORNIA, Santa Barbara
United States
99=
PURDUE University
United States
99=
University of SOUTHAMPTON
United Kingdom
Research University Presidents Discuss Global Network to Increase Cooperation
Presidents and leaders of research universities participating in the 2008 International Presidential Forum on Global Research Universities (IPFGRU) held at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul, Korea on Sept. 8, 2008 exchanged views and ideas on how to build and effectively utilize a global research network in order to increase cooperation and exchanges among institutions of science and technology across the world.
The participants agreed on the need to promote the sharing of expertise and facilities, conduct joint researches and positively implement dual degree, roaming professorship and other programs that help institutions in societies at different stages of scientific and technological development maximize the fruits of their research activities.
As a major goal, the participants agreed to create alliances for research and education that can become a new paradigm for global cooperation, with the outcome of discussions at the 2008 IPFGRU providing the guidelines for future endeavors in this direction.
Through the day-long symposium, participants reached general agreements on the following points:
--The concept of sharing faculty or roaming professorship should be actively promoted in order to accelerate global dissemination of academic expertise with the institutions and state authorities concerned easing existing restrictions to such arrangements and ensuring maximum academic freedom of professors involved.
--Dual degree programs especially those involving institutions of different countries need to be further encouraged in view of their benefits of resources sharing, expansion of knowledge and cultural exchanges and that educational authorities should try to remove various forms of limitations.
--As competitions over university ranking would grow intensive as institutions seek to attract better students and more donations, there is need to institutionalize a fairer, globally recognized national, regional and international assessment systems.
--In view of rapid expansion of interdisciplinary researches which calls for the sharing of facilities and expertise among different institutions, it is necessary to establish national or regional hubs to make state-of-the-art facilities and equipment available for researchers and research programs experiencing limitations in financial and material resources.
--National governments and political leaders should better recognize the importance of science and technology for societal and global prosperity and the science and technology community needs to make more communicative approaches to politicians so that greater trust may be built between them.
--Arrangements to conduct joint research involving international industries, academia and government should be accelerated with a view to addressing the common problems facing the mankind in the 21st century, including energy, environment, water, food and sustainability. The United Nations and other international organizations need to provide stronger support for research universities’ efforts in this direction.
--Research universities across the world should make concerted efforts to establish a global cooperative network that can facilitate the flow of information, resources and research personnel to realize universal advancement of science and technology and, ultimately, enhance the quality of human life.
Keynote speakers and panelists and the subjects of their presentations were:
Participants" List
Topic
Name of University
Speaker
Position
1. Roaming Professorships: To Whose Benefit?
Illinois Institute of Technology
John L. Anderson
President
Improving the Competitiveness of Global University Education
National University of Sciences and Technology
Muhammad Mushtaq
Pro-Rector
Improving the Competitiveness of Global University Education
Tianjin University
Fuling Yang
Director of International Cooperation Office
Sharing Differences in Culture and Environment for Sustainable Education for the Future Generation
Kumamoto University
Tatsuro Sakimoto
President
Sharing Differences in Culture and Environment for Sustainable Education for the Future Generation
Odessa National I. I. Mechnikov University
Sergiy Skorokhod
Vice Rector for International Cooperation
Promoting Science and Engineering Education among Secondary Students
Czech Technical University of Prague
Miroslav Vlcek
Vice Rector
Promoting Science and Engineering Education among Secondary Students
South China University of Technology
Xueqing Qiu
Vice President
Preserving and Utilizing Expert Knowledge for Better Education
Eotvos Loran University
Jösef Nemes-Nagy
Vice Dean
2. Dual Degree Programs: Future Potential & Challenges
University of Queensland
Paul Greenfield
President and Vice Chancellor
Benefits of Dual Degree Program
Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon
Martin Raynaud
Director, International Relations
Benefits and Limitations of Dual Degree Program
National Institute of Development Administration
Pradit Wanarat
Vice President for Academic Affairs
The Role of Dual Degree Program Easing Brain Drain
Nanyang Technological University
Lam Khin Yong
Associate Provost, Graduate Education & Special Projects
International Dual Degree Programs and Strategies
Georgia Institute of Technology
Steven W. McLaughlin
Vice Provost, International Initiatives
Dual Degree Program and Global Learning Networks
City University of Hong Kong
Richard Yan-Ki Ho
Special Advisor to the President
Raising International IQs of Scientists and Engineers for Global Enterprise
Technion, Israel Institute of Technology
Moshe Shpitalni
Dean,
Graduate Studies
Luncheon Speech
“Beneficial Relationships between Academia and Companies”
Medical Information Technology
A. Neil Pappalardo
Chairman and CEO
3. Sharing Facilities and Expertise
KAIST
Nam Pyo Suh
President
Promoting International Sharing of Research Facilities and Expertise to Strengthen Research Outcomes
Griffith University
Ian O"Connor
President
Economic Benefits of Sharing Research Facilities and Expertise
POSTECH
Sunggi Baik
President
Economic Benefits of Sharing Facilities and Expertise: National NanoFab Center
National NanoFab Center
Hee Chul Lee
President
Communicating Science and Technology to Political Leaders
Office of the President of KOREA
Chan Mo Park
Special Advisor to the President for Science and Technology
Filling the Gap of University Resources
Bandung Institute of Technology
Djoko Santoso
Rector
4. An Approach to Joint Research Ventures with NASA
NASA
Yvonne Pendleton
Deputy Associate Center Director
Benefits of International Joint Venture Research Projects
University of Adelaide
Martyn J. Evans
Director, Community Engagement
Benefits of International Joint Projects
Mahidol University
Sansanee Chaiyaroj
Vice President
International Joint Research Projects
University of Iowa
P. Barry Butler
Dean, College of Engineering
Joint Research: University of Technology Malaysia’s Experience at National and International Level
University Technology of Malaysia
Tan Sri Mohd Ghazali
Vice-Chancellor
Sharing Intellectual Property Rights
Paris Institute of Technology
Cyrille van Effenterre
President
Global Economic and Social Contribution of International Joint Project Cooperation
Kyushu University
Wataru Koterayama
Vice President
5. Globalization through Interfacing with Existing Networking
Technical University of Denmark
Lars Pallesen
Rector
Establishing Global Science and Technology Networking
National Cheng Kung University
Da Hsuan Feng
Senior Executive Vice President
Establishing Global Science and Technology Networking
University of Technology of Troyes
Christian Lerminiaux
President
The Role of Global Science and Technology Network for Higher Education in the 21st Century
Iowa State University
Tom I-P. Shih
Department Chair
Regionalized or Globalized Science and Technology Networking
Babes-Bolyai University
Calin Baciu
Dean, Faculty of Environmental Sciences
Globalized Science and Technology Networking
Harbin Institute of Technology
Shuguo Wang
President
Connecting Regional Science and Technology Networks for the Global Networking
Ritsumeikan University
Sadao
Kawamura
Special Aide
to the Chancellor
How Can a Publisher Strengthen the Global Network of Universities?
Elsevier
Youngsuk Chi
Vice Chairman
Prof. Sang-Yup Lee Receives Merck Award for Metabolic Engineering
Prof. Sang-Yup Lee of KAIST"s Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering has been chosen as the winner of the 2008 Merck Award for Metabol;ic Engineering established by the world"s leading pharmaceutical and chemical company Merck, KAIST officials said Tuesday, Sept. 16.
The Distinguished Professor of KAIST and LG Chem Chair Professor will receive the award on Sept. 18 during the 7th Metabolic Engineering convention now underway at Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Prof. Lee will give a commemorative lecture, titled "Systems Metabolic Engineering for Chemicals," at the biannual academic conference. Prof. Lee is the fourth to win the coveted award which is given to the world"s top expert in metabolic engineering with outstanding achievements in the field.
Prof. Lee, 44, who graduated from Seoul National University and earned his master"s and doctoral degrees in chemical engineering from Northwestern University of the United States, is now the dean of the College of Life Science and Bioengineering, KAIST. Since 1994, he has served as the head of the Metabolic and Biomolecular Engineering National Research Laboratory, director of the BioProcess Engineering Center, Director of the Bioinformatics Research Center and Co-Director of the Institute for the BioCentury in KAIST.
Prof. Lee said he was receiving the Merck award "as a representative of KAIST graduates, students and researchers" who have worked with him at the Metabolic Engineering Lab. He added he was happy to see the outcome of bioengineering development projects supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology over the past years was now being recognized by the world"s leading scientific society with the Merck Award.
Metabolic engineering, the art of optimizing genetic and regulatory processes within cells to increase the cell"s production of a certain substance, develops technologies that hold the key to the resolution of the world"s energy, food and environmental problems. The indispensible technology in bioengineering can be applied to the production of biomass to obtain alternative fuel.
Prof. Lee has actively participated in publishing such academic periodicals as Biotechnology Journal (as chief editor), Biotechnology and Bioengineering (deputy editor) and Metabolic Engineering (a member of the editorial committee).
KAIST, KARI to Conduct Joint Research, Exchange Tech Manpower
KAIST and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) have agreed to conduct joint researches and exchange technical personnel in order to spur research activities on artificial satellite and other aerospace technology, KAIST announced Wednesday, Sept. 17.
An MOU was signed in a ceremony at the KARI Tuesday, attended by senior officials of the two institutions which both are located in the Daedeok Technopolis in Daejeon City.
Researchers from KARI will participate in KAIST"s interdisciplinary project of "Space Exploratory Engineering" and the two organizations will also jointly take part in the International Lunar Network (ILN), an international moon exploration program, to accelerate development of space technology in Korea.
As a result of the tieup, Dr. Lee So-yeon, Korea"s first astronaut who lived in space for a week aboard a Russian spacecraft this year, will be able to teach and conduct research at KAIST as an adjunct professor. Lee earned her doctorate from KAIST.
World Research University Heads To Discuss Global Networking at KAIST Symposium
About 70 leaders of the world"s major research universities will discuss how to strengthen and operate global networks to share faculty, students, facilities and other resources for common advancement at a symposium Monday, Sept. 8, at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul organized by KAIST, Korea"s foremost institute of science and technology education and research.
Participants of the 1st International Presidential Forum on Global Research Universities are from 39 universities in 20 countries. They include nine presidents of Korean universities.
The international symposium, the first such event to be held in Korea, will proceed in five panel sessions. The subjects of each session and their keynote speakers are:
-- "Roaming Professorships: To Whose Benefit?" by Dr. John Anderson, president of the Illinois Institute of Technology, USA,-- "Dual Degree Programs: Future Potential and Challenges" by Dr. Paul Greenfield, president of the University of Queensland, Australia, -- "Sharing Facilities and Expertise" by KAIST President Nam Pyo Suh,-- "An Approach to Joint Research Ventures with NASA" by Yvonne Pendleton, NASA, and-- "Globalization through Interfacing with Existing Networking" by Dr. Lars Pallesen, rector of the Technical University of Denmark.
KAIST President Suh said of the purpose of the conference: "Research universities have become global enterprises. Collaborations that were once primarily between individual researchers are now increasingly occurring at institutional and international levels. Similarly, educating students which used to be the responsibility of a single university has now become a multi-institutional undertaking, involving many universities in different countries.
"Now leading research universities in many countries depend on the continuous supply of outstanding graduate students from the "feeder" schools of developing nations. There are concerns that the current system may not be serving the interest and need of some institutions, especially those in developing nations. This should be examined and understood to devise international mechanisms that can accentuate the positive aspects of globalization.
"Through this forum, we hope to forge an international network of universities that will strengthen the effort of individual universities and create alliance for research and education that can become a new paradigm for global collaboration."
Prime Minister Han Seung-soo will give a speech at a dinner after the conclusion of the symposium. President of the Korea International Traders Association Lee Hee-beom will make a welcoming address at the start of the conference.
Co-sponsors of the international university presidents" forum include the Dong-a Ilbo, a major national daily, and the Dong-a Science magazine.
The research universities presidential forum will be followed on Sept. 9 by an international academic workshop at KAIST"s Daejeon campus on EEWS (Energy, Environment, Water and Sustainability).
Under the theme of "Challenges as Opportunities," research teams from MIT, CalTech, the Korean Ministry of Knowledge and Economy, KAIST Institute and KAIST EEWS team will present their research results at the workshop. Major Korean businesses, including SK Energy, GS Caltex and the Samsung Group will also introduce their research programs concerning EEWS, the most pressing prblems of today"s world.
A groundbreaking ceremony will be held at the KAIST campus in the afternoon of the same day for the construction of the KI Building, which will house all the eight research institutes of KAIST. The KI for Bio Century, KI for IT Convergence, KI for Design of Complex Systems, KI for Entertainment Engineering, KI for Eco-Energy, KI for Urban Space and Systems, and the KI for Optical Science and Technology were established between 2006 and 2008. More than 230 professors from 18 departments have actively engaged in research activities in their respective fields.
KAIST will start construction of the Pappalardo Medical Center in a ceremony on Wednesday with the attendance of Mr. Neil Pappalardo, chairman-CEO of Meditech Inc. of the United States who donated $2.5 million for the project. The medical facility for KAIST students, faculty and the residents of the university area will be completed in September 2009.
The President"s Advisory Council (PAC) for KAIST will hold its 3rd general meeting on Sept. 10 to discuss KAIST"s short- and long-term strategies to become the world"s top-ranked research university. The PAC was formed in 2006 with 11 foreign and 14 domestic figures from the business and academic circles.
Foreign PAC members include John Holzrichter, president of Fannie and John Hertz Foundation; Donald C. W. Kim, chairman of AMKOR A&E, Inc.; Chong-Moon Lee, chairman of AmBex Venture Group; Byung-Joon Park, founder of Bureau Veritas CPS, Inc.; Lars Pallesen, rector of the Technical University of Denmark. PAC members have advised the KAIST president on international publicity on KAIST"s academic excellence, fund-raising, and promotion of cooperative relations with overseas institutions.
International Workshop on Flexible Displays Held on Aug. 21-22
An international workshop on flexible displays will be held at KAIST on Aug. 21-22.
The workshop organized by Center for Advanced Flexible Display Convergence (CAFDC) in KAIST is designed to share ideas on the latest research developments and explore future trends in organic displays. Organic displays made from organic light-emitting diode (OLED) materials have recently made a real impact in consumer electronics and emerged as one of the most important technologies in the development of next-generation flexible displays.
"The workshop is expected to provide an important opportunity to showcase latest technological developments using organic light-emitting diode and examine them from the perspectives of the next-generation flexible display," said Dr. Kyung-Cheol Choi, KAIST professor of electrical engineering and computer science who heads the CAFDC.
The event will feature some of the world-renowned scholars in organic display including Prof. Stephen R. Forrest of the University of Michigan, Prof. Bernard Kippelen of Georgia Tech, and Prof. Takao Someya of the University of Tokyo, as theme presenters. It will also draw a slew of domestic scholars in the industry and academia.
Satellite Research Lab Named After Late Hyundai Chairman Chung
KAIST, Aug. 11, 2008 -- KAIST held a naming ceremony for a research lab which was named after the late Hyundai Asan Chairman Mong-Hun Chung on Monday (Aug. 11) at the KAIST Satellite Technology Research Center.
During the ceremony, a seminar room was also named after Dr. Soon-dal Choi, President of Daeduk College, for his distinguished contributions to the development of Korean space science.
Back in 1992, the late chairman Chung donated 3.4 billion won (US$3.4 million) to KAIST to build a satellite laboratory for the development of core space technologies and the nurturing of skilled manpower.
The naming ceremony was held in commemoration of the 16th anniversary of the launch of Korea"s first small satellite "Uribyeol 1" on Aug. 11, 1992. Chung died in 2003.
Dr. Soon-Dal Choi who laid the ground work for Korea"s space development program, served as the inaugural director general of the KAIST Satellite Technology Research Center, the birthplace of Korea"s artificial satellite.
On hand at the naming ceremony were a slew of dignitaries including Jeong-Eun Hyun, Hyundai Group Chairwoman and wife of the late Chung; and about 10 chief executives of Hyundai Group companies; Seong-Hyo Park, Mayor of the Daejeon Metropolitan City; Ms. So-Yeon Lee, Korea"s first astronaut; and KAIST President Nam-Pyo Suh.
President Suh noted that late Chairman Chung made great contributions to Korea"s artificial satellite development with his donation to the satellite laboratory. He said Dr. Choi is the father of the nation"s satellite program who provided the vision of space development in Korea at a time when Korea lagged behind in the artificial satellite technology.
Prof. Lee Appointed to Advisory Board of the U.S. Joint BioEnergy Institute
Prof. Sang-Yup Lee of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, has been appointed as a member of the scientific advisory board of the Joint BioEnergy Institute under the wing of the U.S. Department of Energy, university authorities said on Monday (Aug. 4).
The Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI) is a scientific partnership in the San Francisco Bay area, California, led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). Its partner organizations include the Sandia National Laboratories, the University of California in Berkeley, UC Davis, the Carnegie Institution for Science and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
JBEI
KAIST Professor Named International Research Grant Reviewer
Prof. Kwang-Hyun Cho of the Department of Bio and Brain Engineering, KAIST, was appointed as a research grant review committee member of the international Human Frontier Science Program (HFSP) for 2008-2009, university authorities reported.
The HFSP is a funding agency that supports international collaboration in interdisciplinary, basic research in the life sciences. It was initiated in 1989 by G7 countries as the sole funding program for international researches in neuroscience and molecular biology. The HFSP now has a membership of 35 countries and Korea joined the program in 2004. Prof. Cho will be responsible for reviewing grant applications in the field of systems biology.
Prof. Cho received B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from KAIST in 1993, 1995, and 1998, respectively. He has been working as a director of the KAIST Institute for the BioCentury and KAIST"s Laboratory for Systems Biology and Bio-Inspired Engineering. He has been serving on editorial advisory boards of various international science journals, including Systems and Synthetic Biology (Springer, Netherlands, from 2006), BMC Systems Biology (BMC, London, U.K., from 2007) and Gene Regulation and Systems Biology (Libertas Academica, New Zealand, from 2007).
He is a senior member of the Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS) affiliated with the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineers (IEEE). His research interests cover the areas of systems science with bio-medical applications, especially systems biology and bio-inspired engineering based on molecular systems biology.
KAIST to hold 2008 Int
KAIST, Korea"s premier science and technology research university, will hold the 1st International Presidential Forum on Global Research Universities at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Seoul on Sept. 8, 2008. Presidents of research universities in all regions of the world have been invited to the conference aimed primarily at identifying common issues and opportunities in strengthening globalization of higher education and research.
Participants in the forum will exchange views and ideas on how to build and utilize global research network to promote the sharing of expertise and facilities, conduct joint researches and effectively implement dual degree and roaming professorship programs.
KAIST President Dr. Nam P. Suh said of the purpose of the conference: "Research universities have become global enterprises. Collaborations that were once primarily between individual researchers are now increasingly occurring at institutional and international levels. Similarly, educating students which used to be the responsibility of a single university has now become a multi-institutional undertaking, involving many universities in different countries.
"Now leading research universities in many countries depend on the continuous supply of outstanding graduate students form the "feeder" schools of developing nations. There are concerns that the current system may not be serving the interest and need of some institutions, especially those in developing nations. This should be examined and understood to devise international mechanisms that can accentuate the positive aspects of globalization.
"Through this forum, we hope to forge an international network of universities that will strengthen the effort of individual universities and create alliances for research and education that can become a new paradigm for global collaboration."
Keynote presentations will be made on the following five major subjects: -- Roaming Professorship-- Dual Degree Program-- Sharing Facilities and Expertise-- Joint Research, and-- Globalization through Interfacing with Existing Networking
Leaders of the world"s major education and research institutions have been asked to lead panel discussions with their rich experiences in globalization programs.
Following the conference in Seoul, participants are invited to come to the KAIST campus in Daejeon, about 150 kilometers from Seoul, where a symposium on EEWS (environment, energy, water and sustainability) will be held to examine the progress in interdisciplinary research activities in these vital problems facing the mankind and look for a new direction in international collaboration.
Co-sponsors of the International Presidential Forum include the Dong-A Ilbo, a major national daily, and the Dong-A Science Magazine.
Message from KAIST President Suh:
Research universities have become global enterprises. Collaborations that were once primarily between individual researchers are now increasingly occurring at institutional and international levels. Similarly, educating students used to be the responsibility of a single university but has now become a multiinstitutional undertaking, involving many universities in different countries.
These changes are a consequence of globalization and integration of the world’s economy. Temporal andgeographical separations are no longer barriers to the collective generation and transfer of knowledge andenlightened education. It is also a natural response to the demand for educated workforce who can functionin any country.
Current globalization was preceded by the migration of graduate students who were seeking to fulfill theiraspirations for better education at the world’s leading universities. This international movement of studentshas benefited not only students but research universities as well. Now leading research universities in manycountries depend on the continuous supply of outstanding graduate students from the “feeder” schools ofdeveloping nations.
There are some concerns that the current system may not be serving the interest and need of some institutions,especially those in developing nations. This should be examined and understood to devise institutionalmechanisms that can accentuate the positive aspects of globalization.
The purpose of the International Forum of Research University Presidents, which will be held on Sept. 8 inSeoul, Korea, is to identify common issues and opportunities for research universities that further strengthenglobalization of higher education and research. Participants will hear diverse views and ideas and will learnfrom those who have been active in global education and research. Participants also will examine dualdegree programs that are already in place among many universities and the effective implementation of aglobal research network.
Through this process, we hope to forge an international network of universities that will strengthen the effortof individual universities and create alliances for research and education that can become a new paradigm forglobal collaboration.
Looking forward to meeting you in Seoul,
Prof. Nam P. SuhPresidentKAIST
Tentative Program(Theme: Global Science and Technology Networking)
Sept. 7, 2008, Sunday 17:00 - 18:30 RegistrationSept. 8, 2008, Monday09:00 - 09:10 Opening Ceremony09:10 - 09:40 I. Keynote Presentation: Roaming Professorship09:40 - 10:20 Panel Presentations:- Improving the competitiveness of global university education- Sharing differences in culture and environment for sustainable education for the future generation- Promoting science and engineering education among secondary students- Preserving and utilizing expert knowledge for better education10:20 - 10:40 Open Discussion10:40 - 11:00 Coffee Break11:00 - 11:30 II. Keynote Presentation: Dual Degree Program11:30 - 12:10 Panel Presentations:- Benefits of dual degree program- The role of dual degree program easing brain drain- Global branch campus or dual degree program?- Raising international IQs of scientists and engineers for global enterprises12:10 - 12:30 Open Discussion12:30 - 14:00 Luncheon14:00 - 14:30 III. Keynote Presentation: Sharing Facilities and Expertise14:30 - 15:10 Panel presentations:- How to spin off international joint ventures from the sharing of research facilities and expertise- Economic benefits of sharing research facilities and expertise- How to communicate science and technology agenda to political leaders- Easing the gap between the developed and less developed regions through science and technology cooperation15:10 - 15:30 Open Discussion15:30 - 16:00 IV. Keynote Presentation: Joint Research16:00 - 16:40 Panel Presentations:- Benefits of international joint project- Ways to formulate the international joint projects- Sharing intellectual property rights- Global economic and social contributions of international joint project cooperation16:40 - 17:00 Open Discussion17:00 - 17:30 Coffee Break17:30 - 18:00 V. Keynote Presentation: Globalization through Interfacing with Existing Networking18:00 - 18:40 Panel Presentations:- Establishing global science and technology networking- The role of global science and technology networking for the higher education of the next century- Regionalized or globalized science and technology networking- Connecting regional science and technology networks for the global networking18:40 - 19:00 Open Discussion19:00 - 19:15 Closing Remarks by President Suh19:15 - 21:30 Banquet
Venue: Westin Chosun Hotel, Seoul