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Professor Yong-Hee Lee of Physics Received the Humboldt Research Award
In recognition of his past accomplishments in research and teaching, Professor Yong-Hee Lee of Physics at KAIST received the Humboldt Research Award in November 2013. The Humboldt Research Award is annually given by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation to internationally renowned scientists and scholars in the fields of biology, chemistry, computer science, economics, linguistics, management, mathematics, medicine, philosophy, and physics. The winners of the award are offered with 60,000 Euros of research grant as well as an opportunity to undertake prolonged periods of research in collaboration with researchers in Germany.Professor Lee, who may be the first Korean physicist receiving the award, plans to conduct joint research with colleagues at the Technical University of Berlin and University of Würzburg.
2014.01.05 View 7936 -
Professor Dong-Yol Yang received an award for scholar of the year 2013 from the Korean mechanical engineering community
Professor Dong-Yol Yang from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at KAIST was selected as “the scholar of the year 2013” at an annual event held by the Korean Federation of Mechanical Engineering Societies, the Korea Association of Machinery Industry, and other mechanical engineering research institutes in Korea. The event, the Day of the Machines, is the nation’s biggest gathering for engineers, scholars, and researchers in mechanical engineering, at which winners of the awards for the person of the year in academia, business, and engineering are announced.
Professor Yang was chosen for his lifetime achievement as a scholar in the field of three-dimensional shape precision processing by developing an innovative processing technology that contributes to the advancement of mechanical engineering and industry. He also introduced the three-dimensional fast processing to Korea from 1990 and developed world-class subminiature fast processing, the first of its kind in Korea.In 2013, Professor Yang identified geometric deformation elements in mechanical engineering for the first time in the world, an essential component for nano mobile system and received the best conference paper award at the 3M-Nano International Conference.
2014.01.05 View 8477 -
Professor Jung-Ro Yoon Appointed President of Korean Sociological Association
The Korean Sociological Association (KSA) announced that Professor Jung-Ro Yoon from the Department of Humanities and Social Science at KAIST has been appointed as the president of KSA.
KSA has been contributing in the development of sociology and academic exchange among its members as the largest academic association in the field of social science in Korea since 1957.
Professor Yoon said, “KSA is trying to contribute to finding new solutions for economic crises, inequality, environmental pollution, and other uncertainties that we have been facing. We will attempt to provide vision and hope for the future of the society with cooperation from both students and researchers under the motto ‘Sociology for Research, Play and Communication.’”
Dr. Yoon has been in the Department of Humanities and Social Science at KAIST since 1991 after earning her MA & Ph.D. degree from Harvard University. She introduced Science, Technology and Society (STS) into Korea and served as the leader of the Ethical, Legal and Social Implications (ELSI) Project for the Utilization of Human Genome Information.
2014.01.02 View 7884 -
KAIST Student Awarded Prize from Energy Saving Contest
Jun-Min Kwon, an undergraduate student in the Department of Chemistry at KAIST, was awarded a prize from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Republic of Korea, at the 35th Energy Saving Contest which was held on November 20.
The student club he has been leading was also selected as one of the best groups by the Save Energy Save Earth (SESE), a volunteer organization supported by the Korea Energy Management Corporation and the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Republic of Korea.
Kwon began promoting energy conservation through a blog and participated in related meetings and workshops as a high school student to improve the understanding on the importance of energy saving and recycling.He also received awards from the Second National Assembly Forum on Climate Change, the Korean National Science Fair, as well as the Samsung Human Tech Paper Award.
2013.12.24 View 10872 -
Professor Suk-Joo Na Invited to Finland as Distinguished Professor
Professor Suk-Joo Na, from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at KAIST, has been invited as a distinguished professor for an international research project in Finland.
As a leading scientist in the field of arc welding and numerical analysis of the laser welding process, Na will assemble a research group for the interpretation of the welding processes for three years at the VVT Technical Research Centre of Finland beginning in January of 2014.
The project was established to improve the research level and national competitiveness of Finland by inviting leading international scientists to the National Technology Agency of Finland and Academy of Finland since 2006 and over one hundred projects have been carried out thus far. A total of 17 billion won will be invested for the eleven new projects selected this year. Professor Na said, “The fusion welding field contains important technology for improving the competitiveness of mechanical products of Finland. Improvements in productivity, the life cycles of products, and energy saving through interpretation technology for the numerical analysis of the welding process will make a huge impact on the national economy of Finland.”
2013.12.24 View 8767 -
Nanoparticle based Super Lens selected as 2013 Science and Technology News
Professor Yong-keun Park
"Nanoparticle-based Super Lens", an article by KAIST Physics Department’s Professor Yong-keun Park and Professor Yong-hoon Cho’s joint research team, has been selected as one of the ten representative 2013 Science and Technology News, by the Korea Federation of Science and Technology Societies.
This new concept super lens uses the scattering of light, which can yield over three times more superior resolution of previous optical lenses.
Unlike the conventional optical lens that utilizes refraction of the light, the super lens can give the image of viruses and structure within the cell at 100㎚. This lens is also applicable to state-of-the-art optical and semiconductor processes.
In addition, this year's research achievements also include the successful launch of Naro, a new technology to remove the brain cell membrane which gives a more transparent view of the brain, a new drug to inhibit cancer metastasis, as well as the development of ultra-wide-angle insect eye camera technology.
Articles for 2013 Science and Technology News are chosen in three trial reviews by committee and online voting by 5,437 people over the course of [two weeks]14 days, from November 21st to December 4th.
2013.12.14 View 9478 -
Success in Measuring Protein Interaction at the Molecular Level
Professor Tae Young Yoon
- Live observation of two protein interaction in molecular level successful- The limit in measurement and time resolution of immunoprecipitation technique improved by a hundred thousand fold
KAIST Department of Physics Professor Tae Young Yoon’s research team has successfully observed the interaction of two proteins live on molecular level and the findings were published in the October edition of Nature Protocols.
Professor Yoon’s research team developed a fluorescent microscope that can observe a single molecule. The team grafted the immunoprecipitation technique, traditionally used in protein interaction analysis, to the microscope to develop a “live molecular level immunoprecipitation technique”. The team successfully and accurately measured the reaction between two proteins by repeated momentary interactions in the unit of tens of milliseconds.
The existing immunoprecipitation technique required at least one day to detect interaction between two proteins. There were limitations in detecting momentary or weak interactions. Also, quantitative analysis of the results was difficult since the image was measured by protein-band strength. The technique could not be used for live observation.
The team aimed to drastically improve the existing technique and to develop accurate method of measurement on molecular level. The newly developed technology can enable observation of protein interaction within one hour. Also, the interaction can be measured live, thus the protein interaction phenomenon can be measured in depth.
Moreover, every programme used in the experiment was developed and distributed by the research team so source energy is secured and created the foundation for global infra.
Professor Tae Young Yoon said, “The newly developed technology does not require additional protein expression or purification. Hence, a very small sample of protein is enough to accurately analyse protein interaction on a kinetic level.” He continued, “Even cancerous protein from the tissue of a cancer patient can be analysed. Thus a platform for customised anti-cancer medicine in the future has been prepared, as well.”
Figure 1. Mimetic diagram comparing the existing immunoprecipitation technique and the newly developed live molecular level immunoprecipitation technique
2013.12.11 View 7497 -
KAIST Takes Steps towards a Self-Sustainable Campus
KAIST has been selected for a $45-million national smart grid initiative organized under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Ninteen institutions will participate in the 2-year-long initiative. The consortium’s work is expected to take place from 2015 to 2017 after a review by the Ministry of Strategy and Finance.
The Smart Grid Explansion Initiative which has been considered the future of electric power industry implements information and communications technology to conventional grid system to maximize energy efficiency. The ROK government has selected the Smart Grid Expansion Initiative as one of South Korea’s primary national projects and plans to implement it nationwide based on multiple demonstration projects in major cities including Jeju.
KAIST plans to invest $45 million in developing systems for renewable energy power plants, efficient energy management, smart grid data, and electric vehicles to build the energy self-sustainable campus. It also hopes to contribute to fostering specialized talents and companies in energy management.
Byoung-Yoon Kim, the vice-president for research at KAIST, expects that by 2017, KAIST will be able to dramatically improve its energy capacity especially during peak periods and gain energy efficiency around the campus. He hopes that the micro grid project at KAIST will set a new standard for the self-sustainable campus.
2013.12.11 View 7828 -
2013 EEWS Forum on National Energy Plan and Smart Grid Strategy
The Graduate School of Energy, Environment, Water, and Sustainability (EEWS) at KAIST hosted a forum on national energy planning and smart grid strategies on December 2 in the Jong-Hyun Choi Hall on KAIST’s Seoul campus. EEWS is a research and education program operated by KAIST to deal with the issues of energy, global warming, water, and sustainable growth.About 20 specialists including Jae-Kyu Lee, President of the Graduate School of Green Growth at KAIST; Kwang-Sik Choi, President of the EEWS Forum; Seong-Hoon Lee, Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Green Growth; Yang-Hoon Sohn, President of the Energy Economics Institute; and Jun-Dong Kim, Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy, participated in the forum. Presentations and discussions were made in the fields of national energy plans, smart grid strategies, energy policy, as well as gas, electricity and sustainable energy.
2013.12.11 View 7489 -
First International Conference on Science and Technology for Society
KAIST co-organized the 2013 International Conference on Science and Technology for Society which was held on November 28 at the Grace Hall in Seoul EL-Tower. More than 300 people, including members of the Global Social Technology Advisory Board, domestic social technology experts, private companies, government officials, private citizens, and students joined the conference to discuss the roles and responsibilities of science and technology for society.
R&D policies and technologies for solving social issues were introduced, and discussions were held on desirable directions for technological development.
The first speaker, Yasushi Watanabe, Director of RISTEX (Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society) in Japan, introduced the importance of science and technology for society under the title “Change of R&D Paradigm for Society.”
Robert Wimmer, GrAT (Center for Appropriate Technology), Vienna University of Technology in Austria, presented “Need-oriented Design & Solutions for Development.” Kiyoaki Murakami, MRI, Japan, presented “Introduction of Platinum Vision” and Robert Ries, University of Florida, U.S.A., presented “Evaluating the Social Impacts of the Built Environment Using Life Cycle Assessment.”
Case studies on social enterprises and presentations on R&D for solving social problems were introduced by ICISTS (International Conference for the Integration of Science, Technology and Society), which is a student group at KAIST, National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM), Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), Electronics and Telecommunication Research Institute (ETRI), and Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT).The conference was hosted by the Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning and co-organized by NRF, KIMM, KRIBB, KITECH, ETRI and KRICT.
2013.12.11 View 10113 -
Rechargeable Lithium Sulfur Battery for Greater Battery Capacity
Professor Do Kyung Kim from the Department of Material Science and Engineering and Professor Jang Wook Choi from the Graduate School of EEWS have been featured in the lead story of the renowned nanoscience journal Advanced Materials for their research on the lithium sulfur battery. This new type of battery developed by Professor Kim is expected to have a longer life battery life and [higher] energy density than currently commercial batteries.
With ample energy density up to 2100Wh/kg—almost 5.4 times that of lithium ion batteries—lithium sulfur batteries can withstand the sharp decrease in energy capacity resulting from charging and discharging—which has been considered the inherent limitation of the conventional batteries.
Professor Kim and his research team used one-dimensional, vertical alignment of 75nm tick, 15μm long sulfur nanowires to maximize electric conductivity. Then, to prevent loss of battery life, they carbon-coated each nanowire and prohibited direct contact between the sulfur and electrolyte.
The result was one of the most powerful batteries in terms of both energy performance and density. Compared to conventional batteries which suffer from continuous decrease in energy capacity after being discharged, the lithium sulfur battery maintained 99.2% of its initial capacity after being charged and discharged 300 times and up to 70% even after 1000 times.
Professor Kim claims that his new battery is an important step forward towards a high-performance rechargeable battery which is a vital technology for unmanned vehicles, electric automobiles and energy storage. He hopes that his research can solve the problems of battery-capacity loss and contribute to South Korea’s leading position in battery technology. Professor Kim’s research team has filed applications for one domestic and international patent for their research.
2013.12.11 View 11086 -
Venture Incubation Program: "Startup KAIST"
Making KAIST’s research accomplishments accessible outside the university to benefit Korea and beyond, as well as spurring the process of knowledge and technology transfer between academia and industry
KAIST launched a new business incubation program, called “Startup KAIST,” to support the growth of venture companies in late November 2013.
The program fosters a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship on campus while advancing the development and commercialization of new discoveries and technologies made at the labs of the university.
Startup KAIST promotes entrepreneurship culture among faculty, students, researchers, and alumni; supports the full cycle of a startup ecosystem from the introduction, growth, maturity, and liquidation of new companies; encourages the development of globally sustainable startups; and collaborates with the Daedeok Innopolis, the largest science and technology research, development and business complex in Korea that is located adjacent to KAIST in Daejeon, to expand the startup program to the nation and the global community.
Under the program, the Startup KAIST Studio will be established. The entire third floor of the Education Support Building on campus is dedicated to startup activities where aspiring entrepreneurs come to network, develop new ideas and innovations, and share information and knowledge.
With a total of 24,000 square feet space, the Studio has neither partitions nor cubicles, thereby promoting open communication. It has seminar rooms, a high-tech-equipped conference room, an exhibition hall, offices, and cafés. The Startup Studio will be available for use from March 2014.
In addition to administrative services, Startup KAIST will offer a variety of courses, forums, and conferences on such subjects as entrepreneurship, technology management, intellectual property, and venture capital, along with training and mentoring programs on how to organize a company, secure funding, and pursue entrepreneurial visions.
Seeking active collaborations with alumni, industry, and other science and technology universities through Startup KAIST, the university will redouble its endeavor to form early-stage venture companies. Seasoned professional coordinators or volunteering entrepreneurs will stay at the Startup KAIST Studio to provide timely support for members of the KAIST community.
President Steve Kang said, “Startup KAIST is a one-stop service to create a new, strong company, small and medium size in particular, around innovations and disruptive technologies developed at KAIST and its adjacent research complex, Daedeok Innopolis.”“One of the important roles assigned to a research university today is to become a catalyst for knowledge and technology transfer among society, industry, and academia, upon which the advancement of humanity can build. KAIST will become a sounding board for engineers and scientists aspiring to launch a venture company to address their questions and concerns and to guide them through the startup process,” President Kang explained the need for implementing the Startup KAIST program.
Inside of the Startup KAIST Studio
2013.12.04 View 8387