■ The Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) Advanced Photonics Research Institute (APRI) said on the 4th it held a project kickoff meeting for "QFREE" in Bern, Switzerland. QFREE is a Korea-Switzerland joint demonstration study on quantum communications that experimentally verifies whether quantum information can be stably delivered over long distances on the ground by exchanging light in a Quantum Entanglement state in the atmosphere using high-altitude balloons and drones. The project is led by GIST APRI and the University of Bern, with the University of Geneva and the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland participating.
■ The Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) held a consortium meeting on next-generation solar cooperation under the European Union (EU) Horizon Europe program at its Daejeon headquarters on the 3rd and 4th. It was the first Horizon Europe consortium meeting held in Korea. The consortium that includes KIER is developing ultralight, flexible, multijunction solar cells with ultra-high efficiency exceeding 30%. Eleven experts from various countries leading solar technology attended the meeting to discuss key issues, including research status and plans to develop next-generation flexible tandem solar cells.
■ The Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) said on the 4th it received a 100 million won development fund from DIC Co., a company specializing in automotive powertrain systems. The donation came as Chairperson Kim Seong-mun responded to the "Together U 2050" development fund campaign that recently began with President Park's personal grants. Kim contributed personal asset for the advancement of science and technology and talent development in the Ulsan region, reflecting a commitment to fulfilling the social responsibility of a company that has grown together with the community. The donation ceremony was held at the university headquarters that day.
■ Pohang University of Science and Technology POSTECH invited marathon hero Hwang Young-jo, head coach of the national team, and held a "Run Class" that combined a special lecture and practice to spread a healthy and enjoyable running culture. The event, held on campus on the 31st, recruited 50 participants through the university newsletter and drew such strong interest that registration closed within 15 minutes of the notice. Despite the chilly weather, many students, professors, and staff members came together for safe and enjoyable running from warm-up to cool-down under Hwang's guidance. The event concluded with Hwang's autograph session.
■ The Korea Polar Research Institute (KOPRI) said Chairperson Kim Ye-dong of the Korea Polar Research Committee was selected as the winner of the 50th Unam Geological Award, the highest honor in Korea's geology community. The Unam Geological Award was established in 1974 to honor the legacy of the late Park Dong-gil (Unam), a pioneer in Korea's geology community, and is awarded to researchers who have made significant contributions to the advancement of geoscience. Chairperson Kim was recognized for contributions to the development of domestic geology and polar science through outstanding research achievements and international leadership. The award ceremony is scheduled to be held at 5 p.m. on the 7th at the President Hotel in Seoul.
■ The College of Engineering at Seoul National University said Professor Ji Seok-ho of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and doctoral candidate Yoon Si-hu received the Best Paper Award from the Journal of Management in Engineering, an academic journal published by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), at "ASCE 2025 Convention" hosted by ASCE and held at the Seattle Convention Center in the United States for four days starting Oct. 8. The ASCE Journal of Management in Engineering covers engineering management approaches for the construction and infrastructure industries. Each year, the single most outstanding paper among those published in the journal over the past year is selected for the best paper award.
■ The Korea Invention Promotion Association (KIPA) said on the 4th that Korean inventions achieved a major feat by winning a total of 22 awards at the "2025 Germany International Trade Fair for Ideas, Inventions and New Products," including one top prize, six golds, four silvers, five bronzes, and six special awards. The exhibition is one of Europe's largest international fairs in the field of invention held in Germany; this year, 540 inventions from 21 countries were exhibited, and it ran from the 1st to the 3rd at the Exhibition Centre Nuremberg in Germany. Eleven Korean companies participated in this exhibition and submitted 17 inventions, achieving excellent results.
■ The Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), together with the Korean Society of Groundwater and Soil Environment, held a policy forum titled "Policy measures to establish lifecycle management of groundwater contamination and activate remediation" at 2 p.m. on the 4th in Conference Room 1 of the National Assembly Members' Office Building, hosted by the National Assembly Environmental Forum. More than 50 officials from related agencies and industry-academia-research circles attended to share lifecycle management systems for groundwater contamination and strategies to activate remediation and to discuss policy alternatives.