The National Academy of Engineering of Korea announced on the 5th that it has selected Shin Gyeong-ho, Deputy Director of Research at Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology, and Jeong Eun-mi, Senior Research Fellow at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade, as the recipients of the 21st Iljin Award. The 20th Haedong Award recipients were Professor Moon Il from Yonsei University and Professor Yoo Hyun-jun from Hongik University.
Both the Haedong Award and the Iljin Award were established to strengthen the foundation of national technological development. The Iljin Award is given by the Iljin Science and Technology Culture Foundation, chaired by Iljin Group Chairman Heo Jin-kyu. The award includes a plaque and a cash prize of 25 million won.
Shin Gyeong-ho, the awardee in the institutional sector for enhancing industry-academia cooperation, established the 'K-Club' during his tenure at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology to promote technological commercialization and enhance collaboration with small and medium enterprises. He also laid the groundwork for cooperative research projects among member companies by forming 'K-Global Convergence Innovation Technology Strong Enterprises MC'.
Jeong Eun-mi, the awardee in the institutional sector for technology policy development, was recognized for proposing industrial and technology policies based on the characteristics and structure of the Korean industry through analysis of industrial structure and international competitiveness.
The Haedong Award, sponsored by the Haedong Science Culture Foundation chaired by Kim Young-jae, the President of Daeduck Electronics, honors individuals who have contributed to innovation in engineering education and the spread of engineering culture. The award includes a plaque and a cash prize of 25 million won.
Professor Moon Il, winner of the Haedong Award in the institutional sector for innovation in engineering education, was recognized for leading the establishment of the Korea Accreditation Board for Engineering Education as its first Secretary-General and for developing engineering education standards and guidelines. Professor Yoo Hyun-jun, a recipient in the sector of spreading engineering culture, was praised for making architecture and urban issues easily understandable through various public lectures and writings, thus increasing public interest.
The winners of the 3rd WONIK Next-Generation Engineer Award, aimed at engineering students, were also announced. The WONIK Next-Generation Engineer Award was established to encourage creative and challenging engineers in the materials, parts, and equipment sector to grow as proactive engineers in solving social problems.
The grand prize, worth 10 million won, was awarded to Park Si-on, a graduate student in the integrated master's and doctoral program in electrical and electronic engineering at Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). Park was recognized for outstanding achievements in research on next-generation memory semiconductor devices that mimic human brain functions.
The excellence award, valued at 5 million won, will be awarded to Koo Ryun-han, a graduate student in the integrated master's and doctoral program in electrical and information engineering at Seoul National University, Kim Hong-yun, a graduate student in the integrated master's and doctoral program in mechanical engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Min Hee-won, a graduate student in the integrated master's and doctoral program in chemical and biological engineering at Korea University, Seok Hyun-ho, who completed the integrated master's and doctoral program in nanoscience and technology at Sungkyunkwan University, Kim Min-kyu, a doctoral student in the Department of Bio-Chemical Engineering at KAIST, and Park Dong-ha, a doctoral student in the Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering at KAIST.
The award ceremony will take place on the afternoon of the 12th at the Grand Walkerhill Seoul Hotel in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul.