■The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute announced on the 19th that it will start providing iron (Fe) ion beam irradiation services for nuclear and fusion materials research for the first time in Korea, starting in March. The institute established a heavy ion beam irradiation facility in 2019 and has been offering heavy ion beam irradiation services using argon (Ar) and helium (He) since 2022. Iron ion beam irradiation is noted as an effective method for quickly and precisely assessing the damage of steel materials widely used in operating nuclear power plants, next-generation reactors, fusion reactors, and applied industries.
■The National Science Museum announced that it will operate the "2025 adult nature exploration" program 12 times a year starting in March. The adult nature exploration program is designed for adults interested in nature, providing them with professional experiences and exploratory activities about various natural environments in Korea and their constituent materials. Participation in the adult nature exploration program can be applied for on the National Science Museum's website.
■The Ministry of Science and ICT announced the ‘K-HERO nurturing and support project’ to discover and support corporate research institutes with excellent R&D capabilities, aiming to develop them into world-class research institutes leading future technological innovation. This project selects corporate research institutes with outstanding research capabilities and provides customized support through universities and grants. Research institutes selected as support targets can receive up to 3.1 billion won for each project over a period of 2 to 4 years.
■The University of Science and Technology (UST) announced that it has successfully completed the preliminary education program (STAR TREK+) for new students admitted in the first semester of the 2025 academic year. This program was conducted online over two weeks, and 223 students from 14 countries completed it. Classes were held on topics such as enhancing students' core competencies, dissertation writing, research notebook writing, and using generative AI for research writing.