Professor Yoon Ki Kim and professor Hong-Gyu Park selected as members of the Young Korean Academy of Science and Technology (Y-KAST)
The Korean Academy of Science and Technology launches Y-KAST

▲ From left to right, Professor Yoon Ki Kim (Division of Life Sciences) and Professor Hong-Gyu Park (Department of Physics)

An organization with an exclusively young membership—with an average age of 42—dedicated to international scientific exchange and policy execution activities has been established for the first time in Korea. The Korean Academy of Science and Technology (Halimwon) under its president Myung-Chul Lee held the Young Korean Academy of Science and Technology (Y-KAST) inauguration ceremony on February 24 at the Plaza Hotel in Seoul.

 
Halimwon selected 73 young scientists as the inaugural members of Y-KAST and presented them with membership certificates. The event drew much attention due to the fact that these first members include many promising researchers in multiple fields.

Among them are KU Professor Yoon Ki Kim (Division of Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology) and KU Professor Hong-Gyu Park (Department of Physics, College of Science).

Y-KAST members are selected from many young scientists under the age of 45 who have outstanding research track records, and the membership capacity is 150. Halimwon has appointed the Y-KAST inaugural members who were under the age of 44 from among associate members selected through Halimwon’s excellent young scientist support and awards program, the Halim pioneering scientists, and young scientist awardees. Starting this year, it plans to select an additional 30 new members annually.

As the establishment of Y-KAST suggests, Halimwon will continue to focus on international exchange and the development of networks. In March, it will hold a joint workshop with the Young Academy of Japan, and will then organize joint events in the U.S. and Sweden in the second half of the year. It also plans to invite the members of Young Academy around the world for a multi-party symposium in Korea this coming November.